HC Deb 21 March 1994 vol 240 cc78-9W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 10 March,Official Report, column 384, if she will set out the grounds for her assessment that the advice offered on animal welfare issues will contribute to a better understanding of animals' needs in circumstances where unnecessary suffering might otherwise occur.

Mr. Jack

The guidance is intended to help farmers and others in understanding legal requirements and in taking practical steps to ensure that animals do not suffer unnecessarily. In preparing this advice, a wide range of experts are consulted.

Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the policy of slaughtering broiler and laying poultry flocks was rescinded.

Mr. Soames

The compulsory slaughter of commercial egg laying poultry flocks found on investigation to be infected with salmonella enteritidis ceased on 25 February 1993. At no time has there been a compulsory slaughter

Birds slaughtered
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 Total
Layers 867,460 576,202 248,936 297,721 20,691 0 2,011,010
Layer breeders 6,043 17,573 43,320 13,614 22,535 3,036 106,121
Broiler breeders 0 164,390 290,800 148,542 149,685 58,050 811,467
Total 873,503 758,165 583,056 459,877 192,911 61,086 2,928,598