§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) which EC member states have been in breach of the European convention on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes over the past 12 months; [19818]
(2) if he will make a statement on the European Convention on the Protection of Animals kept for farming purposes; whether the provisions of the convention are mandatory; what assessment he has made of whether all EC member states are taking action to adopt these provisions; and what action he is taking to encourage them to do so. [19819]
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 24 April 1995]: The European Community and its member states are all contracting parties to this convention, which lays down general principles for safeguarding the welfare of animals kept for farming purposes, in particular those kept in intensive farming systems. Detailed recommendations for the welfare of individual species are elaborated by a standing committee established under the convention. By adoption of Council decision 78/923/EEC, the European Community approved the convention, while in Great Britain its principles were implemented in provisions which are now incorporated in the Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994 (SI 2126).
We do not have detailed information on how other contracting parties implement and enforce the convention and the subsidiary measures adopted under it: the Government agree with the European Commission's view, indicated in its communication on the protection of animals of 8 September 1993 (8442/93), that Community legislation is necessary to ensure uniform application of the convention and its subordinate recommendations within the Community. We are therefore continuing to press for the adoption of high welfare standards on a Community basis.