§ Mr. LivseyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will investigate the methods of slaughter of(a) chilled and (b) frozen sheepmeat imported into the UK from (i) within and (ii) outside the EU; and if he will assess the extent to which it meets UK slaughtering and meat hygiene standards. [27064]
§ Mr. RookerThe slaughter of sheep in all EU Member States must comply with Community rules governing the protection of animals at the time of slaughter and killing (Directive 93/119/EC). It is a requirement of these rules that meat imported from Third Countries must be from animals slaughtered or killed in accordance with conditions equivalent to those applying in the Community. Common rules on meat hygiene standards, applicable in all Member States, are similarly laid down in Directive 64/433/EEC. For imports from third countries, Directive 72/462/EEC requires compliance with equivalent conditions to those in Directive 64/433/EEC for the hygienic production of fresh meat.
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