To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many (a) sheep exported for slaughter, (b) sheep exported for further fattening, (c) sheep exported for breeding, (d) pigs exported for slaughter, (e) pigs exported for further fattening and (f) pigs exported for breeding were deemed unfit to travel in 1996, 1997 and 1998 by local veterinary inspectors when undertaking certification procedures of live animals destined for export; and if he will make a statement. [74325]
The figures available relate only to movements from Great Britain to other EU Member States and Northern Ireland. They relate to animals recorded by Local Veterinary Inspectors as being rejected as unfit when undertaking export certification procedures and are set out in the following table.
| 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | |
| Sheep | |||
| for slaughter | 447 | 146 | 536 |
| for further fattening | 3,720 | 6,796 | 13,003 |
| for breeding | 17 | 76 | 13 |
| Pigs | |||
| for slaughter | — | 1 | — |
| for further fattening | — | 120 | 113 |
| for breeding | 837 | 1,396 | 1,734 |
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the consultation document reviewing legislation on the live transport of animals to be issued. [78434]
We hope to undertake full public consultation as soon as possible, once the elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly have taken place.