HL Deb 07 February 1996 vol 569 c23WA
Lord Gainford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action he will he taking to ensure that the welfare of animals is given proper consideration at the forthcoming Inter-Governmental Conference.

Lord Lucas:

In 1992 we secured a declaration, attached to the Maastricht Treaty, on the need to pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals when drafting and implementing Community legislation on the common agricultural policy, transport, the internal market and research. That was a significant advance; the time has now come to build on it. We will he asking our European partners to use the opportunity of the Inter-Governmental Conference to add a protocol to the Treaty of Rome placing a formal legal obligation on the Council of Ministers to give full regard to considerations of animal welfare in the exercise of its powers on agriculture, transport, research and the single market.