Lord Carter - denial of systematic abuse

The Tories have called for an official inquiry into media claims that a farm part-owned by a cabinet minister has mistreated and abused animals.

Lord Carter, the chief whip in the Lords and a former agriculture spokesman, has denied Sky News reports alleging cruelty to pigs.

The peer owns a one-third shareholding and is a former director of WE and DT Cave, a company which controls Lower House pig farm in Wiltshire.

He was a non-executive director of the company which owns the farms until 1997, when he entered the government.

The interest was then declared in accordance with the ministerial code of conduct, and Lord Carter's wife became a director of the company.

The cabinet minister has insisted that "no illegal practices took place on the farm" where it is claimed animals were routinely kept in conditions which flouted tough laws governing the welfare of livestock.

Through a solicitor's statement, Carter said that he did not take an active role in the day-to-day running of the farms, and kept himself informed of the results of inspections by the State Veterinary Service and Wiltshire County Council - which the farms had passed.

"The Cabinet Office has confirmed that it is satisfied with the steps Lord Carter has taken, and that there was no actual or apparent conflict in respect of any of the activities that Lord Carter has taken during his time in government," said the statement.

"Serious allegations have been made by what is believed to be disgruntled ex-employees of the farm. These have been answered fully on behalf of the company and Lord Carter.

"Lord Carter and the directors of the company are satisfied that, in accordance with the regular inspections which took place, no illegal practices took place on the farm."

The row follows a year-long investigation which found that hundreds of pigs were crammed into tiny pens - with others dying through heat exhaustion.

Reports from whistle blowing former staff at the farm also suggest that some animals were beaten to death with iron bars or had their heads swung against walls.

Lord Carter issued a statement on Sunday saying that a series of inspections by government officials had found no evidence of cruelty.

His claims, however, were undermined after it emerged that one wing of the farm was never inspected.

It was also revealed that the inspections had been announced in advance - which gave staff time to cover up the alleged mistreatment.

Conservative shadow rural affairs secretary Peter Ainsworth has called for a full investigation.

"These are very serious allegations indeed and should be the subject of a full inquiry by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs veterinary service and, if necessary, the police," he said.

Ainsworth's call was backed by director of Compassion in World Farming, Joyce D'Silva, who urged Tony Blair to launch an inquiry.

Lord Carter has an established background in agriculture, having studied at the East Sussex College of Agriculture; Essex Institute of Agriculture; and Oxford University and entering agri-biz in 1953.

A Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society and Institute of Agricultural Management, he is a former chairman of the Farmers' Club and a former president of both the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants and the Guild of Agricultural Journalists.