To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many mobile gassing units are available to cull poultry; and what the slaughter capacity is of each. (166402)

[holding answer 20 November 2007]: DEFRA has 50 containerised gassing units available to cull poultry. Operationally the units are run in pairs. The capacity of each unit depends on the size and weight of the birds being culled and the speed they are caught at.

Under good conditions a throughput of 10,000 kg liveweight per hour per pair of units is possible. This can fall to around 4,000 kg per hour at more difficult field sites.