HC Deb 04 April 1989 vol 150 c46W
Sir Richard Body

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of the recommendations of the Farm Animal Welfare Council relating to the slaughter of animals have been accepted by him.

Mr. Donald Thompson

The Farm Animal Welfare council has published four reports relating to the slaughter of animals. These contained a total of 185 recommendations on slaughter of which 167 have been accepted, in whole or in part, for implementation by means of legislation, codes of practice, guidance to local authorities or research, as appropriate.

All but one of 45 recommendations in the report on the welfare of poultry at the time of slaughter (1982) were accepted. The report on the welfare of livestock (red meat animals) at the time of slaughter (1984) contained 117 recommendations of which only 13 were rejected in full. Fifteen of 17 recommendations in the report on the religious slaughter of livestock (1985) and four of six recommendations on slaughter in the report on the welfare of farmed deer (1985) have also been accepted.