News Date: Monday 4th April 2005
Loughton backs Conservative Animal Welfare Group policy on animal transport
Tim Loughton MP for East Worthing and Shoreham this week offers his support for the Conservative Animal Welfare Group policy on animal transport, the fundamental principle of which is that animals should be slaughtered as near to the point of production as possible.
The new policy places emphasis on the conditions for live transport of animals outside the EU, as well as slaughter of animals within the UK.
Amongst other ideas, the group also proposes training for slaughtermen and butchers to enable them to prepare more widely acceptable cuts of meat in order to increase sales within Europe.
Tim Loughton commented:
'I wholeheartedly support these strong policies which leave no doubt as to how we believe animals should be treated, not only in this country but also once they have left these shores. Stronger enforcement of animal welfare during long distance transport, abolition of compulsory horse passports and training of butchers and slaughtermen will be a positive step forward in improving the currently appalling conditions that these animals have to live through.'
ENDS
Note to editors:
Conservative Animal Welfare Group policy points:
1) To work within Europe to bring in much stricter conditions for the transportation of live animals. It is important that the regulations take into consideration the different requirements for different species. The regulations should be based on scientific knowledge and take into account the variation of climate, road structure and environment variations within Europe.
2) To work within Europe to extend the regulations governing live animal transport to the trade of exporting European reared animals to countries outside Europe for slaughter. These are mainly in the Middle East where there is considerable evidence that welfare situation of both the transport and the slaughter are at times appalling. The EU cannot wash its hands of responsibility as soon as an animal leaves its territory.
3) CAWG would call for an incoming Conservative Government to rescind the compulsory nature of the Horse Passport scheme. We believe as there is virtually no horse meat eaten in the UK and as the passport scheme is essentially a device for ensuring the safety of the carcass for human consumption, there is no need for this requirement. The scheme should be retained on a voluntary basis for individuals if they wish to export their horse.
4) We believe it is essential to revitalise the UK animal slaughterhouse facilities. We would wish to see smaller, possibly even mobile units established. The previous demolition of the UK slaughterhouse industry was a result of over enthusiastic interpretation of EU guidelines and was a mistake. It is far better that British reared meat is slaughtered in the UK for sale both in the UK and elsewhere.
5) We would also like to see a different scheme put in place to train slaughtermen and butchers to prepare meat and cuts of meat for the export trade. We believe that a major contributing factor inhibiting the trade in carcass meat is that UK and meat cuts and preparation is different from other European countries and that if more resources were to be put into providing the European market with the products that they are used to, the greater will be the demand.
6) The problems of welfare associated with long distance travel of animals are not solely an EU problem. We have to be aware of problems within the UK. However, it is the view of CAWG that there has been a very significant disregard of responsibilities within the EU both as regards the imposition of transport regulation and most certainly as regards their enforcement. The Conservative party whilst in Government has championed better EU conditions and will do so again. It is sad that for the duration of the Labour Government, there has been an abdication of concern about this very serious animal welfare matter.
