§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures are taken to ensure that market traders and slaughterers make sure that farmers declare whether their cattle come from a BSE-infected herd.
§ Mr. SoamesResponsibility for checking that animals presented for slaughter and intended for the production of bone-in beef for intra-Community trade are accompanied by declarations confirming that they do not originate from BSE-infected premises rests with the slaughterhouse operator. The health certification for bone-in beef which must accompany such consignments cannot be completed by the official veterinarian unless such a declaration has been seen. As far as the export of live calves to EC member states is concerned, it is the responsibility of the official veterinarian completing export health certification to ensure that, for each of the animals being exported, an owner's declaration has been received confirming, inter alia, that the animal is not the progeny of a dam in which BSE is suspected or has been officially confirmed. Where calves for export are sold through a market the official veterinarian must be in receipt of such declarations for each calf or, alternatively, a declaration from the auctioneer confirming that the required owner's declarations for all the animals to be exported have been received and retained. In addition, computer checks are carried out on the validity of owner or auctioneer declarations.