asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made in persuading the European Economic Community to restrict the maximum permitted length of journeys of live food animals exported for slaughter.

This matter was discussed before the adoption of Council directive 81/389/EEC on the protection of animals during international transport but no agreement was reached on this point. However the Council of Ministers asked the Commission to set in hand, through its standing committee on agricultural research, an examination of the physiological, ethological and economic arguments for limiting animals' journeys to the abattoir and, if appropriate, to recommend a maximum duration for such journeys. The committee has started its work.