§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps she is taking to discourage(a) tail docking of piglets and (b) beak trimming of egg-laying hens; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesThe draft Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994, which were laid before Parliament on 14 June, provide that tail docking of piglets may be carried out routinely only where there is evidence on the farm that injuries to other piglets have occurred or are likely to occur as a result of not carrying out this procedure. In addition, the codes of recommendations for the welfare of pigs and of domestic fowl, made under section 3(1) of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968, make it clear that tail docking and beak trimming should be carried out only as a last resort. The Department also addresses means of controlling aggression in pigs and laying hens in its research programme.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the United Kingdom's pig herd was tail-docked in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.
§ Mr. SoamesFigures on the number of pigs which have been tail docked are not available.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the United Kingdom's flock of egg-laying hens was beak trimmed in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.
§ Mr. SoamesFigures on the number of egg-laying hens which have been beak trimmed are not available.