§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what(a) variations and (b) additions she plans to introduce when the EU Welfare of Laying Hens Directive is transposed into UK law. [68378]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 9 July 2002]: The EU Welfare of Laying Hens Directive has now been transposed into law in England by the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Amendment Regulations 2002. These Regulations came into force on 25 June.
Our approach in drawing up these regulations was to implement the directive without adding to it or varying from it.
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she will take to ensure that poultry farmers in the United Kingdom meet the same standards of animal welfare as other EU nations following the implementation of the EU Welfare of Laying Hens Directive. [68379]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 9 July 2002]: EU member states are responsible for bringing into force the necessary regulations to implement the EU Welfare of Laying Hens Directive and for communicating the main provisions of the national law to the commission.
The EU commission is responsible for monitoring enforcement by member states.
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to ensure that egg importers meet the same animal welfare standards as those set within the United Kingdom and across Europe under the forthcoming EU Welfare of Laying Hens Directive. 168377]
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§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 9 July 200]: Current WTO rules prevent discrimination on the basis of production method and it is illegal under WTO rules to ban egg imports from countries which do not meet the same animal welfare standards as those produced in the EU.
However, the EU has been successful in getting non-trade concerns, which include animal welfare, firmly written into the Doha development agenda.
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the compliance cost to poultry farmers in meeting the EU Welfare of Laying Hens Directive in respect of(a) capital expenditure and (b) additional annual revenue implications. [68376]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 9 July 2002]: A regulatory impact assessment estimating compliance costs to poultry farmers in meeting the EU Welfare of Laying Hens Directive was produced following public consultation. This was laid before the House along with the Statutory Instrument to implement the directive.