§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to protect the welfare at slaughter of ostriches in the United Kingdom; and on what scientific research those plans are based; [21759]
(2) by what methods and on what premises it is permitted to slaughter ostriches on a commercial basis in the United Kingdom; [21760]
(3) how many farmed ostriches have been slaughtered to date in the United Kingdom; by which method they have been slaughtered; and if he will make a statement. [21761]
§ Mrs. BrowningThere is at present no commercial slaughter industry for ostriches in this country. Although small numbers of birds have been killed on farms in recent years, information on their number or on the methods used is not available. The state veterinary service continues to monitor developments.
The slaughter of ostriches for human consumption in the United Kingdom must be carried out in a slaughterhouse licensed under the relevant Great Britain or Northern Ireland hygiene legislation for the production of poultry meat or in exempt premises which comply with general food hygiene legislation.
The welfare at slaughter of ostriches bred or kept for the production of meat or other products is already protected in Great Britain by the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995, S.I. No. 1995/731. The regulations provide specific controls over the movement, lairaging, restraint, stunning, slaughter and killing of animals and make it an offence to cause any animal, which includes birds, any avoidable excitement, pain or suffering during these operations. The permitted methods of stunning are by means of a captive bolt, by concussion stunner or by electronarcosis—electrical stunning. After stunning, the birds must be bled without delay in accordance with the regulations. Similar regulations will be made in Northern Ireland.
Government-commissioned research into ostrich slaughter is due to provide a preliminary report and recommendations at the end of this month. In the light of the findings of this research, guidance on recommended slaughter practice will be made available to producers.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many ostrich farms operate in the United Kingdom; and what is the current size of the United Kingdom ostrich flock. [21762]
§ Mrs. BrowningThe information is not available. The Ministry's agricultural and horticultural census does not separately identify ostrich farmers or the number of birds they keep. Ostrich farmers must hold a dangerous wild animals licence, issued by local authorities under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. I understand that the Department of the Environment, which is responsible for this Act, does not keep a central register of this information.
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§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much ostrich meat was consumed in(a) 1994 and (b) 1995 in the United Kingdom; what were the countries of origin of that meat; and if he will make a statement. [21763]
§ Mrs. BrowningThe information is not available. The consumption of ostrich meat is not identified separately in the national food survey. Only one establishment—in France—has been approved to export ostrich meat to the UK.