§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at what time the MV Caroline arrived at Brightlingsea port on 3 March; what time it docked and what time it was due to dock; what happened to the livestock whilst they were waiting for the MV Caroline to dock; if the animals were unloaded from the lorries, fed watered and rested in this period; if the 15-hour journey rule was adhered to; and if he will make a statement. [16002]
§ Mrs. BrowningOn 3 March, the Caroline berthed at Brighlingsea at 23.10 hours. The animals—four truckloads of sheep and one of calves—had been conveyed to the port earlier because the police had been informed, incorrectly as it turned out, that the vessel would arrive on the previous tide.
The animals could not be returned to lairage, as the police could not guarantee safe passage through the crowd of protesters. Feeding of the lorryload of calves was successfully accomplished on the lorry. The attempt was made to unload the four truckloads of sheep, truck by truck, into a bunker area where they could be offered hay and water. However, this attempt had to be abandoned after reloading of the first lorry—completed at 19.30—because of the severe stress being caused to the sheep by their proximity to the noisy crowd of protesters who had broken through the outer gate.
The sheep were loaded into pens on board the Caroline, where hay and water was immediately available to them, 499W between 23.45 and 01.20 hours. The 15-hour period since they had previously been fed and watered expired at 22.00 hours.