David Cameron's horse meat

This message has been posted onto the "Web Cameron" website:

www.webcameron.org.uk

Please go to that website and add your vote, and hopefully these points will be answered by the man himself.


David Cameron has consistently campaigned against the live export of horses for horsemeat.

His concern for the welfare of animals is greatly to be applauded. We in Britain are a nation of animal lovers, and it is encumbent on us all to oppose all cruelty to animals, however it occurs.

Can the Conservatives now turn their attention to the completely avoidable cruelty of ritual slaughter? A quarter of sheep are slaughtered in Britain for Halal meat.

According to the Farm Animal Welfare Council, an animal that is slaughtered by having its throat cut can suffer for up to two minutes.

"Such a drastic cut will inevitably trigger a barrage of sensory information to the brain in a sensible (conscious) animal. We are persuaded that such a massive injury would result in very significant pain and distress in the period before insensibility supervenes."

Bristol University has carried out studies using pre-stunning, which ought to be acceptable to faith communities. There can therefore be no justification for continuing with the current cruel practice.

It is quite correct to be concerned about cruelty to horses. However, cruelty to sheep and cattle should be no less a concern, particularly as it is happening on a much greater scale.



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Washington -- The House overwhelmingly approved a bill Thursday (7th September 2006) banning the transport and slaughter of horses for human consumption, which would end a practice critics label inhumane that was first outlawed by California voters in 1998.

Lawmakers of both parties voted 263-146 for the measure, which aims to shut down three foreign-owned plants in the United States that slaughter horses and ship the meat to countries such as France, Belgium, Holland, Italy and Japan, where it is served at upscale restaurants as a delicacy.


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Witney MP David Cameron Slams Minister Over ‘‘Passports for Horses’’

David Cameron, Conservative MP for Witney, today used foreign affairs questions in the House Commons to raise the EU decision that all horses, donkeys and ponies within the European Union must carry passports.

David said:

‘‘This is a complete bureaucratic nonsense. Why on earth should owners of horses, donkeys and ponies suddenly have to carry passports and handle all sorts of extra paperwork?’’

‘‘It is hard to believe that the Government has signed up to this madness from Brussels and I have put down questions to clarify the situation. But by understanding is that the Government support the scheme and are all set to implement it.’’

In his question to the Minister of state for foreign affairs (MP for Rotherham, Dennis MacShane), David said:

‘‘Is the Minister aware that EU Directive 2000/68 requires all horses, donkeys and ponies in the EU to carry passports – at all times? Is he aware that this has come about because of French concerns about equine drugs entering the food chain? Does he agree with me that British horse owners should not be saddled with extra paperwork just to satisfy rather unsatisfactory Gallic eating habits?

David concluded:

‘‘Will the Minister reflect on the fact that while the Government seems prepared to take huge steps to stop horses crossing continents, virtually nothing is being done to deal with the shambolic asylum system.’’

‘‘The proposal for horse passports (the Eu refers to them as either ‘‘Equids’’ or ‘‘Equidae’’) is a classic example of a Euro-farce.

It is unnecessary. While cattle have passports, they do not include any information about drugs. Sheep and Pigs, which are eaten in far greater number, do not have passports at all.

It is illogical. Even after the decision is implemented the French will continue to import horses for eating from countries outside the EU, which do not have a passport system at all.

David concluded:

‘‘Like many such Euro-farces there has been far too little debate and it would seem that there is not a great deal we can do about it. But it is an example of bureaucracy gone mad and I will do what I can to make sure the Government sees sense.’’

‘‘In a week we discover that the asylum system is in disarray, with tens of thousands disappearing every year, we find out where the Government is really getting tough. That’s right. On horse, donkeys, ponies – and their owners. What a farce.’’


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Witney MP calls on Government to continue ban on export of live horses for Horsemeat in Europe. - 01/04/2004


David Cameron, MP for Witney, spoke in a debate in the House of Commons to back the campaign to keep the ban on the export of live horses from the United Kingdom to Europe.

A copy of his speech is attached. At present there are ‘minimum value rules’ which effectively prevent the export of horses from the UK for the meat trade.

The Government is proposing to end these rules by agreeing to a European Directive that would regulate the transport of live horses throughout Europe. While these might improve conditions for horses transported between other EU countries, they could re-start an export trade between the United Kingdom and continental Europe.

David explained:

“I support moves to improve welfare standards for the transport of horses. But the United Kingdom should maintain its current ban on the export of horses. We can do this – but only if the Minister stands up for the United Kingdom and doesn’t give in.”

David continued:

“I strongly opposed the compulsory horse passports which the Government has now introduced. I am very worried that, combined with ending the ban on live exports, the two laws will mean that for some unfortunate horses this is introducing a ‘have passport, will travel’ situation.


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