HC Deb 14 December 1999 vol 341 cc182-3W
Mr. Baker

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many abattoirs are equipped to deal with the slaughter of organically reared animals; and what are their locations. [101146]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 7 December 1999]: 29 abattoirs in England are registered with approved organic inspection bodies to slaughter organically reared animals. They are distributed widely throughout the country.

Mr. Baker

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many operating abattoirs there were in each year from 1 May 1969 to 1 May 1999 inclusive. [101148]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 4 December 1999]: At 1 May 1999 there were 477 licensed slaughterhouses in England (350 red meat and 127 poultry meat). The table gives end year figures of licensed red meat slaughterhouses for each year from 1975 to 1998. Also shown are the end year figures of licensed poultry meat slaughterhouses from 1983 to 1998. Prior to 1993, slaughterhouses in England were not licensed by MAFF, but by local authorities. The figures for 1975 to 1992 have therefore been derived from records of State Veterinary Service visits during each year and are approximate. No figures are available prior to 1975. For poultry meat slaughterhouses, no figures are available prior to 1983. It is not possible to identify how many of the licensed slaughterhouses detailed were operating at any given period.

Year1 Red meat Poultry meat
1975 1,385
1976 1,320
1977 1,280
1978 1,145
1979 975
1980 960
1981 910

Year1 Red meat Poultry meat
1982 840
1983 875 111
1984 860 108
1985 850 108
1986 815 102
1987 795 104
1988 780 104
1989 690 107
1990 645 98
1991 595 98
1992 540 93
1993 434 98
1994 424 137
1995 402 144
1996 384 144
1997 375 131
1998 360 131
1999 350 127
1 As at 31 December
2 As at 31 May

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