§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact of(a) ending subsidies and (b) banning hunting on the (i) problems and (ii) expense to livestock farmers who need to dispose of casualty stock. [33004]
§ Mr. RookerThe objective of the support to the rendering industry was to avoid the disorderly collapse of the meat chain in the immediate aftermath of the BSE crisis. This was achieved. A wide range of industry bodies and representatives were involved in drawing up the Schemes, which were always intended to cover only the financial years 1996/97 and 1997/98, and to provide reduced support in the second year to allow the meat chain to adjust to the post BSE economic and regulatory realities.
The Government are neutral on the issue of hunting. They have made no specific assessment of how a hunting ban would affect livestock farmers who dispose of casualty stock. The Government are, however, fully aware of the current difficulties faced by farmers in the disposal of fallen stock and the important role played by hunt kennels in the disposal chain. Officials are liaising with farming representatives to consider how fanners should, in future, dispose of fallen stock and to encourage the industry to put suitable arrangements in place.