Calves (Hansard, 18 January 1995)

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many dairy calves have been exported from the United Kingdom in each year since 1985;
(2) how many live calves have been exported each year from 1985 (a) for veal production and (b) in total.

§ Mrs. Browning
The available information, relating to exports from Great Britain, was given in my answer to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) on 12 January,Official Report, columns 208–10. It is not possible to say what numbers were destined for veal production, or what numbers originated from dairy herds.
548W

§ Mr. Morley
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what measures were taken for the welfare and alternative transport of calves waiting for export at Coventry airport delayed due to the crash on 21 December 1994 of the transport aircraft,
(2) what reports he has received of calves that died between 1 and 10 January while awaiting export.

§ Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 13 January 1995]: The Department is aware of 1,587 calves that were intended to be flown out of Coventry on the day of the air crash or the day following; four exporters were involved.
Our information on these calves is derived from welfare inspections carried out by Ministry veterinary staff at premises where animals were subsequently held, from inspection carried out for certification purposes in relation to animals eventually presented for export and from information obtained from the animals' owners.
Following the unforeseen unavailability of the air route out of Coventry, alternative plans to export some of the calves on the Shoreham-Dieppe route were frustrated or delayed when the opening of the route was delayed first by bad weather and then by demonstrations.
Around 1,070 of the animals were sooner or later retained or sold for rearing in the United Kingdom; 435 were exported through Shoreham on 6 January and Plymouth on 7 January.
We are aware that 51 calves died, apparently from disease. Twenty-seven of these deaths occurred at one holding premises where a further 35 calves were found to be unfit for transport and were humanely slaughtered on the premises.