Day 288 - 28 Oct 96 - Page 12


     
     1        - their responsibility for what happens in the supply chain
     2        in terms of welfare is the same as -----
     3
     4   MR JUSTICE BELL:  I will wait, I think you are probably pushing
     5        at an open door.
     6
     7   MR. RAMPTON:   The door is absolutely wide open so far as that
     8        is concerned.  Always has been.
     9
    10   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I do not think there is any dispute about
    11        it.
    12
    13   MS. STEEL:   In actual fact, Mr. Rampton did say in opening
    14        something about how they did not rear or slaughter any of
    15        their products.  That was something that they wrote to
    16        Veggies as well when they demanded an apology from them.
    17        They have tried to -----
    18
    19   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Their case is that there was an element of
    20        supervision.  Do not worry.
    21
    22   MS. STEEL:   I am glad they are finally accepting responsibility
    23        for their supply chain.
    24
    25   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  As far as I am concerned they always have.
    26        There we are.  That is one thing you do not have to concern
    27        yourself with.
    28
    29   MS. STEEL:   Right.  OK.  Can I just say, with regards to the
    30        point I was making just before last about McDonald's animal
    31        welfare policy being to abide by the laws of the country in
    32        which they operate.  I just wanted to add that obviously we
    33        are entitled to the view that the law does not go far
    34        enough to protect the welfare of the animals that are
    35        reared and slaughtered.
    36
    37   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Yes.
    38
    39   MS. STEEL:   Indeed, we probably say it hardly protects them at
    40        all.
    41
    42   MR JUSTICE BELL:   You say it stops at a commercial barrier.
    43
    44   MS. STEEL:   Yes.  OK.  Moving on in the fact sheet, the next
    45        paragraph states, "We have the choice to eat meat or not.
    46        The 450 million animals killed for food in Britain every
    47        year have no choice at all."  It is often said that after
    48        visiting an abattoir people become nauseous at the thought
    49        of eating flesh.  How many of us would be prepared to work
    50        in a slaughter house and kill the animals we eat?  That was 
    51        a point that was touched on by Howard Lyman, the former 
    52        cattle rancher, in the part of the evidence I have just 
    53        read out.  Also, I should add that I gave in evidence
    54        myself that it was as a result of visiting slaughter houses
    55        when I was studying agricultural science that I decided to
    56        become a vegetarian.  The paragraph is general commentary,
    57        it is putting forward the alternatives to -----
    58
    59   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Actually, that paragraph does not fall
    60        within the words complained of.

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