HC Deb 03 March 2004 vol 418 cc945-7W
Mr. Grogan:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will respond to the Farm Animal Welfare Council report of June 2003 on welfare at slaughter; and if she will make a statement. [155936]

Mr. Bradshaw:

We expect to issue shortly for public consultation our draft response to the Farm Animal Welfare Council's report on the welfare of red meat animals at slaughter or killing. The public consultation exercise will be widely publicised. Allowing time for comments to be considered, we expect to issue the final response document around the middle of the year.

Norman baker:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what position her Department is taking in discussions within the European Union on maximum journey times for animals destined for slaughter. [156343]

Mr. Bradshaw

At the 24 February Agriculture Council the Secretary of State confirmed the Government's preference for replacing the long distance transport of animals for slaughter with a trade in meat. Until that can he achieved journey times for slaughter animals should be reduced, taking account of animal husbandry and geography.

Mr. Hancock:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the levels of antibiotics being fed to animal; and what the figures were 10 years ago. [156874]

Mr. Bradshaw:

There are no comprehensive figures available on the usage of veterinary antibiotics in the UK. However since 1998 the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has published figures on the annual UK sales of all veterinary antimicrobial products from 1993 onwards. These have been published in a series of five reports, the most recent of which, published in November 2003, details reported sales between 1998 and 2002. All of these reports are available on the VMD website (www.vmd.gov.uk) or as hard copy direct from the VMD. It is generally accepted that the pattern of reported sales veterinary antimicrobials directly relates to the pattern of their usage in the UK.

Due to a change in the methodology VMD used to calculate these figures, reported sales before 1998 are not directly comparable with those after 1998. However taken as a whole these figures provide a baseline of sales of antimicrobials over a 10-year reporting period. They show that over the last 10 years the total reported sales of therapeutic antimicrobials have remained broadly constant (ranging between 392 tonnes and 495 tonnes of active ingredient) except for a peak in 1996 (553 tonnes). Total reported sales in 2002 amounted to 457 tonnes of active ingredient, a slight reduction from 2001 (459 tonnes) and 2000 (462 tonnes).

Reported sales of antimicrobial growth promoters have reduced from their peak of 122 tonnes in 1995 to between 23 tonnes (1999) and 46 tonnes (1998) of active ingredient over the last five years. (It is known that there are some missing data for some years so changes may not be as significant as they appear.) This reduction probably partly reflects a reduction since 1999 in the number of active ingredients authorised for use as antimicrobial growth promoters. Reported sales in 2002 amounted to 27 tonnes compared to 43 tonnes in 2001.

Andrew George

To ask the secretary of state Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what(a) primary and (b) secondary legislation prohibits (i) a farmer and (ii) any other from (A) purchasing, (B) transporting, (C) owning and (D) being legally responsible for the welfare of farm animals in circumstances where they have previous convictions for mistreating farm animals; and if she will make a statement. [157101]

Mr. Bradshaw

section 3 of the Protection of Animals Act 1911 allows a court to disqualify a person convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal from having custody of any animal for such a period as it thinks fit. This can mean a lifetime ban from keeping animals. This legislation applies equally to farmers and other persons responsible for looking after animals.

Article 9 and Schedule 12 of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997, as amended, set down the conditions under which authorisations may be granted for the transport of animals. In considering whether an applicant is a fit person to hold an authorisation the minister may have regard to any relevant circumstances, including any offences involving animal welfare.

We are considering a new system of three tiers of offences under the proposed Animal Welfare Bill. The most serious offence would refer to those involved in the fighting of animals, the second would maintain the current offence of cruelty, whilst the third would impose a statutory duty to promote the welfare of animals kept by man. In addition. We intend to increase the effectiveness of the courts' power to disqualify.