HL Deb 05 April 1989 vol 505 cc1096-7

2.52 p.m.

Lord Whaddon asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any proposals to improve the observance of regulations for humane slaughter of animals in abattoirs.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)

My Lords, everyone involved in the slaughter of animals has a responsibility to ensure that it is carried out humanely and in compliance with the legislation. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the regulations and the Government propose to make it a statutory requirement that they should designate an official to be formally responsible for the supervision and enforcement of welfare requirements in slaughterhouses. Members of the state veterinary service visit abattoirs to monitor and give advice.

Lord Whaddon

My Lords, has the noble Baroness taken note of the article in the Independent of 13th March which reported the most horrific abuses in British abattoirs? Is it not clear that the piecework payment system is largely responsible for such abuses? The Government have responsibility for enforcing regulations. Will the Minister take such steps as are open to her to eradicate these abuses?

Baroness Trumpington

My Lords, it is the responsibility of all involved to ensure that the requirements of welfare legislation are observed, irrespective of the method of payment in abattoirs. I was appalled by the article to which the noble Lord referred and the conditions described. Anyone witnessing cruelty in abattoirs should immediately report the matter to the local authority responsible for enforcement. I wonder whether the writer of the article did so.

Baroness Nicol

My Lords, will the noble Baroness say what the Government's attitude is to the use of tenderising enzymes which are injected into animals in abattoirs before death? Is she aware that unless death follows fairly quickly, the animals involved suffer? Is she happy that the regulations are sufficient?

Baroness Trumpington

My Lords, as I have said, the legislation requires animals to be slaughtered in the most humane way possible.

Lord Gallacher

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the problem with enforcement of regulations would be made easier if the present excess capacity of slaughtering were eliminated in England and Wales? In that connection will she tell the House what has become of the proposals by the Meat and Livestock Commission several years ago for a reduction in capacity?

Baroness Trumpington

My Lords, I am sorry, I cannnot answer the last part of the noble Lord's question. As he knows, there are two different kinds of slaughterhouses in Britain. One consists of the export approved abattoirs. Of the 937 abattoirs in the UK, 99 are export approved. These 99 abattoirs account for almost 40 per cent. of the UK production. The export approved abattoirs are in the hands of MAFF and are inspected monthly by the state veterinary service. The abattoirs which are for domestic production only are in the hands of local authorities.

Lord Bonham-Carter

My Lords, while I was very interested in what the Minister said, will she tell me what it had to do with the question put to her which, as I understood it, concerned excess capacity?

Baroness Trumpington

My Lords, I am not aware that there is any excess capacity.