LONG DISTANCE TRANSPORT OF ANIMALS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

Early day motion 241, tabled 9 December 2003 by Gwyn Prosser (Labour). Signed by 113 members.

That this House regrets that the European Commission's recent proposals for a new regulation on the protection of animals during transport do not include a maximum overall limit of eight hours on journeys to slaughter or for further fattening; is disappointed with the proposal for sequence of travel and rest which can be indefinitely repeated which will allow extremely long journeys to be undertaken; notes that each year around three million farm animals are transported huge distances across Europe on journeys lasting up to 70 hours, during which many suffer from exhaustion, dehydration and stress, often leading to injuries and in the worse cases death; notes that in 2002 a report by the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare concluded that welfare tends to get worse as journey length increases and so journeys should be as short as possible; and urges Her Majesty's Government to take the lead in negotiations at the EU Agriculture Council in persuading its EU partners to enact a maximum limit of eight hours on the transport of farm animals to slaughter or for further fattening.

Signatures by party: Labour 79, Liberal Democrat 16, Conservative 10, Labour/Co-operative 7, UUP 1.