There has been considerable consultative and committee work in the UK over the last 3 years on the transport of animals. Most of this was related to a draft Regulation issued by the Commission in June 1989 and circulated for comment to over 80 interested organizations, by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1989 and subsequently in 1990. Earlier in April 1990, the House of Commons Agriculture Committee started an independent inquiry on this subject and in November 1990 the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) set up a working group to look at the EC proposals.