Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his contributions of 13 December 2012, Official Report, column 530, on live animal exports, what has occurred as a result of each of the 30 statutory notices served on companies not in compliance with the regulations on transporting live animals for export.
[135856]
Answer
Under Article 26(2) of Council Regulation 1/2005, it is normally the responsibility of the competent authority responsible for the authorisation of the transporter to take the necessary regulatory action against a transporter where there has been a notified infringement of the legislation.
In terms of those infringements relating to the suitability of vehicles, each of the statutory notices served required remedial action to be taken either after completion of the journey, if there was no immediate risk to the welfare of the animals, or where there was such a risk to the animals, before the journey was permitted to continue, as was the case on four occasions. On 10 occasions the notices prohibited the further use of vehicles within Great Britain until such time as the necessary remedial action had been taken.