§ Mr. Cawsey:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in implementing the Animal Health (Amendment) Act 1998. [142777]
§ Mr. Bradshaw:The Animal Health (Amendment) Act 1998 extended the scope of the Order-making powers relating to importation in the Animal Health Act 1981 to cover the welfare of animals in quarantine. Between December 2000 and March 2001, MAFF undertook a consultation exercise on proposals for legislation to update the law on quarantine by reforming the quarantine rules to bring quarantine kennels up to the best modern practice and by introducing statutory welfare provisions.
Owing to the impact on resources of the foot and mouth disease outbreak during 2001, follow-up to that consultation was deferred. Since then, we have reached agreement on the EU Regulation on the movement of pet animals which will require some changes to the quarantine legislation. We are also preparing for consultation on an Animal Welfare Bill. We shall therefore need to review the proposed changes to the quarantine legislation to take account of these and other developments. I expect to complete the review in the first part of 2004.
§ Paddy Tipping:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on how she intends to implement the recommendations of the Farm Animal Welfare Council's Report on the Welfare of Farmed Animals at Slaughter or Killing. [143558]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 11 December 2003]I refer my hon. Friend to my earlier answer given on 8 December 2003,Official Report, column 209W. Decisions on how to implement the recommendations will be taken once the public consultation exercise on the draft response has been completed.