asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many routine checks of poultry travelling by road have been made by officials of his Department in the last full year for which records are available; and how many contraventions of the regulations have been found in the same period.

The enforcement of the regulations protecting the welfare of poultry in transit is a responsibility of the local authorities and of the police. No central record is kept of the numbers of inspections made or of contraventions of the regulations.

Is the Minister aware that that is a most unsatisfactory answer? Is he thinking of improving the regulations in any way?

As the hon. Lady knows, since she takes a deep interest in the matter, the powers are derived from a very old order indeed. Although it refers specifically to cruelty to poultry in transit, we are looking again at the matter to see if it is possible to tighten up the regulations.