HC Deb 09 July 1998 vol 315 cc624-5W
Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps his Department is taking to amend the EU directive on cattle tag identification systems to allow the use of a lighter nylon cartridge tag. [49252]

Mr. Rooker

The relevant EU legislation would need to be amended by the European Commission, not the Department, in order to allow the use of the tag concerned as the primary identification tag for cattle.

Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the welfare implications of using a lighter, nylon cartridge tag were investigated by his Department during the consultation period prior to the EU decision on cattle tag identification systems. [49251]

Mr. Rooker

Eartags approved for use under earlier EU legislation were re-examined by MAFF prior to being approved for use under the 1997 legislation. This re-examination included consideration of the welfare implications of using all previously approved eartags including the nylon cartridge eartag.

Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what systems of tagging were considered by his Department during the consultation period prior to the EU decision on cattle tag identification systems. [49250]

Mr. Rooker

The Department undertook full consideration with interested parties on the 1997 EU legislation, which includes specifications for cattle eartags, prior to the adoption of this legislation by the EU.

Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what veterinary advice his Department has received about the number of cattle which will be vulnerable to infection and potential life-threatening complications following removal of existing tags and re-tagging to comply with the EU directive on cattle tag identification systems. [49249]

Mr. Rooker

I shall take veterinary advice into account when considering whether cattle tagged with Cooper Marketing tags should be re-tagged.

Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the number of cattle in the United Kingdom which will need to be re-tagged with plastic tags following the EU directive on cattle tag identification systems. [49248]

Mr. Rooker

The EU legislation agreed in 1997 does not require general re-tagging of cattle. A specific and limited problem has arisen recently following the failure in some cases of one eartag company, Cooper Marketing Ltd., to provide tags which meet EU and UK requirements. Cooper Marketing Ltd. has been excluded from supplying Ministry approved cattle eartags, and the Department is currently considering whether any re-tagging will be necessary.