§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on EU proposals to ban the on-farm burial of livestock from this end of this year. [48381]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 10 April 2002]: A new EU Animal By-Products Regulation will tighten the controls on the disposal of animal by-products and ban the routine burial of livestock except in remote areas (the Highlands and Islands of Scotland). Further negotiations between the Council of Ministers, European Parliament and European Commission are still required, but we expect the regulation to come into force in member states 884W registered low throughput slaughterhouses, (ii) at other registered slaughterhouses and (iii) elsewhere in (A) 2000 and (B) 2001. [48192]
§ Mr. MorleyThe information requested is given in the table for Great Britain.
between the end of 2002 and mid 2003. We are discussing future arrangements for the disposal of fallen stock with stakeholders.
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the number of farms which carry out on-farm burial of livestock. [48382]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 10 April 2002]: No such assessment has been made. However, the State Veterinary Service carried out small scale surveys in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The results (which may not be representative) suggested that 17 to 21 per cent. of fallen cattle and 60 to 76 per cent. of fallen sheep and goats were buried on farm.