§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 14 March,Official Report, column 499, regarding calves loaded at Brightlingsea on 3 March, what steps he has taken to assure himself that all calves were individually fed in the period stated while they were still in the vehicles. [17127]
§ Mrs. BrowningThere was only one lorry carrying calves for that sailing. It was not loaded to its full capacity, and so the calves could be fed while on board the vehicle. The calves were individually bucket fed while the lorry was waiting at the port, and this was carried out satisfactorily, according to the report of the veterinary office who was present.
I should make clear, with apologies, that the answer I gave on 14 March about livestock exported from Brightlingsea on 3 March was unfortunately corrupted in transmission and should have read:
I understand that the journey of the 194 calves began at 05.30 hours from premises in Kent. The lorry carrying calves arrived at a lairage near Harwich shortly after 10.00 hours where it waited until convoyed to the port, arriving at about 14.00 hours. The calves were fed abroad the lorry between 18.00 hours and 19.50 hours. The vessel berthed at 23.10 hours an the calves were loaded from 23.30 hours fed immediately. All were aboard by 23.45 hours. Sheep were loaded between 23.45 and 01.20 hours.The two final paragraphs which were mistakenly added to the above-mentioned reply ought to have been included instead in my reply of 14 March to the hon. Member about livestock exported from Shoreham port on 6 March—column 499. This latter reply should have read: 1108W
A veterinary officer was at the port awaiting the arrival of six trucks containing calves. In the event, a demonstration prevented two livestock lorries already on their way to Shoreham from reaching the port. I understand that these lorries returned with the calves to the premises of origin in Oxfordshire. Officials were satisfied that all the animals could be returned to the home premises within the 15-hour limit by which time the animals would have had to be fed and rested.The other four livestock lorries were at local lairages ready to load calves already resting there. In the circumstances, loading of those animals for Shoreham did not even begin.Journey plans had been scrutinised by officials before the proposed export journeys started and were satisfactory.