§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the strong feelings of British people against the practice now adopted by those who carry out the Islamic ritualistic method of slaughter of animals, and having regard to the growth in deep freezing and transport of carcase meat, he will institute discussions with those concerned as to the possibility of animals being slaughtered under the Islamic method in an Islamic country and returned to the United Kingdom under refrigeration as carcase meat.
§ Mr. WigginWhen Parliament has debated this issue it has not reached any conclusion on the question of possible suffering arising from different slaughter methods. It has accordingly taken the view that, in the interests of religious tolerance, ritual slaughter should be permitted, subject to certain conditions. To import meat from animals which have been slaughtered under similar circumstances elsewhere in the world would not make any contribution to animal welfare.