HL Deb 03 June 1981 vol 420 cc1342-4WA
Lord Houghton of Sowerby

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What grants from EEC funds have been or are likely to be made available for extending facilities for ritual slaughter of animals in Britain and whether it is now their policy to regard the new industry of Islamic slaughter as falling within the exceptions to Section 36 of the Slaughterhouses Act 1974.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Ferrers)

Investment projects for extending or improving facilities for the slaughtering of animals—including those which may involve ritual slaughter—in the United Kingdom have been able to compete for FEOGA grants under the Community's Marketing and Processing Grant Aid Scheme as set out in EEC Regulation No. 355/77. However, for such projects in England to be eligible they must also have been awarded a grant under the United Kingdom Redmeat Slaughterhouse Industry Scheme, applications for which closed on 30th November 1980. Any slaughtering of animals by the Jewish or the Moslem method for the food of Jews or Moslems would be covered by the exemption from the pre-slaughter stunning requirement provided that the conditions laid down in the Act are met.

House adjourned at seven minutes past eleven o'clock.