§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what evidence he has of infringements of directive 74/577 in other European Community states; and if he will list the countries involved since 1990;
(2) what instructions he has given to his veterinary department for checking that (a) journey times for farm animals to be exported from the United Kingdom are properly completed, (b) that such animals are fit to travel and (c) animals being exported to Greece are being sent to abattoirs which comply with the European Community directive protecting the animal's welfare at slaughter; how many times since January 1993 his veterinary department has failed to follow these instructions; what steps he has taken to ensure in that future failures will be avoided; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what measures he is taking to ensure that British animals being exported for slaughter to Greece are killed in accordance with legislation designated to ensure humane slaughter;
(4) what representations he has made to the Greek Agriculture Minister regarding the slaughter of British sheep in Greek abattoirs; what was the outcome; and if he will make a statement;
(5) if he will list the abattoirs in Greece used to kill British sheep over the last three years;
(6) what discussions he has had with the RSPCA over the export of British sheep and pigs to Greece for slaughter, and if he will make a statement;
(7) when he expects to receive a reply to his letter to Mr. Franz Fischler on the subject of Greek slaughter practices; and if he will place a copy of the reply in the Library;
(8) what information he has on the compliance with the EC welfare at slaughter standards of the Tripolis abattoir in Greece in respect of British sheep sent there in July and August 1994; if their hauliers conformed to all welfare during transport regulations; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 17 February 1995]: The Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1994, as amended, requires journey plans to be completed for farm animals being consigned from the United Kingdom to another member state, and to be signed and returned to the relevant divisional veterinary officer when the journey has been completed. All such animals also require a health certificate, completed by a local veterinary inspector stating that the animals are fit to travel; officials are fully instructed in the application of the rules,
From contacts with the RSPCA, it has emerged that there is no evidence that sheep or pigs originating in the United Kingdom travelled to the slaughterhouses which featured in the society's recent report and video, I have written to both the EC Agriculture Commissioner and the Greek Minister urging them to take action on the quite appalling scenes of cruelty depicted in the RSPCA video.
Enforcement of the EC legislation both on the welfare of animals during transport and at slaughter is the responsibility of the competent authorities in the member states. The European Commission is responsible for overseeing the application of EC miles across the European Union. It is MAFF Minister's practice to bring any apparent infringements of directive 74/577 to the 56W attention of the Commission and of the authorities in the member states concerned. Since 1990, allegations of infringements of directive 74/577 have been made in relation to slaughterhouses in several member states. Those which appeared to be supported by reasonable evidence were reported to the appropriate authorities and to the Commission.
The Greek authorities have undertaken to investigate the recent RSPCA report and video on Greek slaughterhouse practices and Commissioner Fischler is considering sending Commission personnel to Greece to investigate the implementation of welfare at slaughter legislation there. Copies of the Commissioner's press statement leave been placed in the Library.