HC Deb 11 November 1998 vol 319 cc250-1W
Mr. Etherington

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to amend the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 to introduce a maximum stunning to sticking interval for(a) pigs, (b) sheep and (c) cattle; and if he will make a statement. [58168]

Mr. Morley

The Government have no immediate plans to amend the Regulations in this way. However, we await the European Commission's proposals to amend Directive 93/119/EC on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing. As Community rules apply in this area, we believe that changes, such as the introduction of maximum stunning to sticking intervals for head-only electrically stunned animals, are best addressed in the context of developing those rules. We continue to press the Commission to bring forward their proposals.