Day 102 - 13 Mar 95 - Page 61


     
     1   Q.   Do you feel you have something to hide from people who are
     2        committed to the welfare of animals?
     3        A.  No.  I do not believe I have anything to hide at all.
     4
     5   Q.   So why would you not want Mrs. Druce to visit?
     6        A.  If you are now specifically asking the reason I will
     7        tell you.
     8
     9   Q.   Has she got a commitment to the welfare of animals?
    10
    11   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Let him answer the question and then you ask
    12        another one if you wish.
    13        A.  If you want me to specifically answer the reason why
    14        I will tell you.
    15
    16   MR. MORRIS:  Yes, go on then.
    17        A.  It has nothing to do with Farm Animal Welfare Council
    18        or positions to that whatsoever.  We had a demonstration
    19        outside our turkey factory, we have had one a couple of
    20        years running, as a result of which there was a lot of
    21        activity outside the factory at Christmas time, lorries of
    22        turkeys were delayed, videos were taken, a lot of trouble
    23        was caused to the police and everybody else with the
    24        traffic.  It was basically a pretty irresponsible type of
    25        activity.  An interview was done by Wales television of the
    26        person who led that demonstration and I was also asked to
    27        go down to the television studio and make comments on
    28        behalf of the company.  Subsequent to that a few weeks
    29        later I had a phone call from Mrs. Druce where it became
    30        obvious that she knew the organiser of this demonstration.
    31        I tried to explain my point of view and it basically became
    32        pretty obvious that she was involved in that
    33        demonstration.  Quite frankly, I do not wish to have
    34        anything to do with that kind of activity.  That is why
    35        I am saying no.
    36
    37   Q.   Well, if Mrs. Druce says she was not involved with that
    38        demonstration, would that be a reason for reconsidering
    39        your decision?
    40        A.  I would not believe that because it was obvious by the
    41        tone of her comments that she was involved, if not directly
    42        at least in the spirit and the motivation behind that.
    43
    44   Q.   So when you say you are happy to welcome
    45        independent -- objective, sorry.
    46
    47   MR. RAMPTON:  It is an important word.
    48
    49   MR. MORRIS:  Mr. Rampton, I am standing up not you.  If you say
    50        you are happy to welcome objective scrutiny of your 
    51        operation, does objective extend to people whose concern is 
    52        for the welfare of animals, that is their primary concern 
    53        rather than the profits of some company?
    54        A.  If that is their primary genuine concern is animal
    55        welfare, then that is fine, that is not a problem.  The
    56        problem I have is with people who already have
    57        well-publicised views on so-called intensive farming
    58        systems, where their views have already been made widely
    59        public.  I am not just talking about Mrs. Druce; there are
    60        quite a number of other organisations who have asked to

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