Pigs (Welfare) (Hansard, 20 March 1997)

§ Mr. Morley
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he plans to take to ensure compliance with the prohibition in the Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1984 on the routine tail docking of piglets. [21294]

§ Mrs. Browning
The State Veterinary Service enforces all aspects of the Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994. Welfare inspections of pig farms include, where appropriate, checks on compliance with paragraph 3, part IV, schedule 3 of those regulations concerning the tail docking of piglets.

§ Mr. Morley
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he plans to take to ensure the enforcement of the law in respect of the welfare of pigs on farms and at slaughter. [21293]

§ Mrs. Browning
The State Veterinary Service carries out inspections to check compliance with legislation relating to the welfare of pigs on farm. All complaints are followed up as a matter of urgency. Legislation relating to animal welfare in slaughterhouses is enforced by the Meat Hygiene Service. In both cases, any unsatisfactory conditions or practices which are found are addressed immediately, by advice or by formal enforcement action, including, where necessary, the initiation of prosecution proceedings.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how he plans to take forward the action plan on meat hygiene which he announced to the House on 12 March. [21632]

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The Meat Hygiene Service will be instructed to work to the performance targets which are set out in my reply earlier today to the hon. Member for Worcester (Mr. Luff). In working to these targets the Meat Hygiene Service will be giving effect to the comprehensive programme of action which I announced on 12 March. Once this range of measures has been implemented, I would anticipate repeating, if possible before April 1998, the thorough audit of hygiene standards in each individual plant which was carried out in 1995–96. For this campaign on hygiene standards to succeed, it will be essential for the industry to give full co-operation both collectively, through the Industry Forum of the Meat Hygiene Service and the Government/Industry Group instituted by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, and in day-to-day operations in individual plants.