Day 114 - 04 Apr 95 - Page 73


     
     1        again another day:  Are you or have you ever been a member
     2        of the Farm Animal Welfare Council?
     3        A.  No.  I should perhaps explain that I am a member of the
     4        RSPCA but only a just a subscriber.
     5
     6   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  That is something I could become a member,
     7        could I, or is there a qualification?
     8        A.  No, you would be very welcome.  Next time I come -----
     9
    10   Q.   It is not an indication of particular knowledge or
    11        expertise or experience?
    12        A.  No, no.  I just wanted to make it clear that was an
    13        interest that I had.  I am not a member of the Farm Animal
    14        Welfare Council but I have submitted evidence to them.
    15        I must say I am very pleased that this report, for
    16        instance, does recommend changes that I myself have put
    17        forward, obviously, with others.
    18
    19   MR. RAMPTON:  You approve then of the RSPCA, I take it,
    20        otherwise you would not pay a subscription; is that right?
    21        A.  I am a member, a critical member.  I have been involved
    22        in criticism of their Freedom scheme.
    23
    24   Q.   Yes.  Because, I suppose, those schemes concede too much to
    25        the farmer, is that right, in your view?
    26        A.  I think I would say they concede more to delusions of
    27        the customers with euphemisms.  My organisation actually
    28        has a campaign against adding VAT to food -- virtue adding
    29        tricks -- because, for instance, we are concerned about the
    30        bandying about of farm fresh, country fresh, free-range,
    31        and these words ------
    32
    33   Q.   Do not let us get into the Trade Descriptions Act,
    34        I understand that.
    35        A.  It is a question that you were asking me about who we
    36        are affecting mainly.  We are trying to prevent the
    37        customer being deluded.  I think if I could come to a
    38        relevant point, what has dogged us for years since the
    39        1930s when we got rid of the poleax was that the new
    40        processes with various contraptions were called "humane
    41        killing".  We have been stuck with that for years, people
    42        using this word "humane".  Yet here we are with people like
    43        Neville Gregory still working away to overcome the
    44        shortcomings in what is supposed to be a humane system.
    45
    46   Q.   Who do you mean when you say "us" and "we"? You used it
    47        repeatedly.  Do you mean the animal welfarists generally?
    48        A.  I mean in my closest circle the groups I work with, the
    49        researchers in VEGA and with other researchers with similar
    50        interests and with similar activities with government 
    51        bodies and with manufacturers as well.  Also I represent a 
    52        broader constituency of people in the RSPCA and Compassion 
    53        and World Farming, Animal Aid and organisations like that.
    54
    55   Q.   Finally this.  You told us that you had experienced the
    56        shock or whatever it is delivered by an electric goad or
    57        crop.  Did I hear that correctly?
    58        A.  Yes.
    59
    60   Q.   Describe its effect on a human being, a medium sized, even

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