§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the charges in each EU member state for passport and tagging of calves. [92219]
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§ Mr. RookerMost member states charge their farmers for cattle identification, although often on bases which cannot be compared with the proposed charges for passports here. For member states for which we have information, the position in early 1999 was:
- Austria: Farmers pay for ear tags: no charge otherwise.
- Belgium: Charge of about £0.85 per animal per year.
- Denmark: Charge of £1.50 per animal per year, plus £2 per passport (issued for exported cattle).
- Finland: Tagging and registration fee of around £2.50 per animal
- France: £2.30 per animal.
- Germany: Around £1.60 per animal but some additional costs recovered from levies paid by farmers.
- Luxembourg: No charge.
- Netherlands: £1.70 per animal per year.
- Sweden: Charge for registering animals:
- up to £0.90 for registration by phone or letter;
- £5.40 for passports (issued for exported cattle).
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will assess the advantages of putting out the Cattle Moving Database to private tender. [92220]
§ Mr. RookerThe Cattle Tracing System (CTS) is currently administered by the British Cattle Movement (BCMS), which is part of MAFF. The CTS has been in operation for less than a year. Any assessment of the current arrangements for administering it, and alternatives, would be premature.