§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1)(a) for what reasons and (b) on what date her Department introduced new rules regulating the issuing of movement licences by trading standards officers for cattle direct to slaughter for human consumption; if she will list the administrative changes introduced; and what steps her Department took to inform (i) farmers and (ii) the agriculture industry of the administrative changes prior to their introduction; [16657]
(2) (a) for what reasons and (b) on what date her Department introduced new rules requiring (i) the completion of application forms and (ii) the supply of ear tag numbers to trading standards officers in advance of the issuing of movement licences for cattle direct to slaughter for human consumption; and what steps her Department took to inform (A) farmers and (B) the agriculture industry of the administrative changes prior to their introduction. [16658]
§ Mr. MorleyThe latest revision of the rules for the movement of foot and mouth disease susceptible livestock to slaughter was introduced on 11 November. The changes brought the rules of movement to slaughter into line with those of other livestock movements.
266WThe rules for movements from farm to farm where the animals stay alive, and pose a higher risk of disease spreading, require the animal to be identified and, in the case of cattle, ear tag numbers to be recorded. The information is vital for effective enforcement of the licensing regime. This requirement was replicated in the movement to slaughter rules introduced on 8 November. But it was quickly realised that the requirement was not always necessary and it was corrected in the revision published on 11 November.
Interested parties are consulted about the harmonisation of the rules for movement to slaughter with those for movement to stay alive and supported it. The simplification made on 11 November was in response to further representations. The question of whether cattle ear tag numbers should be required for movement to slaughter, is now left to the local authorities, from whose area the movement is to take place, to decide.