HC Deb 08 March 1999 vol 327 cc94-5W
Mr. Maclean

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the major outlets for religiously slaughtered meat not consumed by adherents, indicating how many tonnes entered the food chain for the last year for which figures are available; [73324]

(2) what tonnage of animals religiously slaughtered in Britain in the last year for which figures are available was exported overseas; and to which countries. [73321]

Mr. Morley

Figures on these matters do not separately distinguish meat produced by the religious slaughter of animals.

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many slaughterhouses there are in the UK; how many undertake religious slaughter; and what is the average number of times that(a) slaughterhouses undertaking religious slaughter and (b) other slaughterhouses have been inspected in each of the last two years. [73686]

Mr. Morley

Details of licensed slaughterhouses in England and Wales are published in the Meat Hygiene Enforcement Report, which is placed in the Library of the House each month. Information is not held on those adopting religious methods of slaughter or the average number of times these methods are used. A member of the Meat Hygiene Service inspection team is present every day during operating periods.

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to label religiously slaughtered meat. [73346]

Mr. Morley

We have no such plans at present.

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for each species the total number of animals religiously slaughtered in the UK for the last year for which figures are available. [73484]

Mr. Morley

Information is not kept separately for the numbers of animals slaughtered by the religious or by other approved methods. The next biennial review of welfare at slaughter standards by the Meat Hygiene Service, which will take place later this year, has been designed to provide information on slaughter practices.

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) the breaches of the approved killing methods his inspectors have discovered over the last two years in slaughterhouses undertaking religious slaughter and (b) the penalties imposed on the operators in each case. [73498]

Mr. Morley

Official Veterinary Surgeons of the Meat Hygiene Service monitor compliance with welfare at slaughter legislation in licensed slaughterhouses daily during operation and take on-the-spot action to put right any problems found. Figures that are available relate to prosecutions, and none of the prosecutions taken under the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 relates to breaches of approved killing methods for religious slaughter.

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the approved killing method for each species undergoing religious slaughter. [73320]

Mr. Morley

When slaughter is by the Jewish or Muslim method the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 provide an exemption from the general requirement for animals to be stunned. Slaughter must be carried out without inflicting unnecessary suffering: in the case of cattle, sheep and goats by the severance of both carotid arteries and both jugular veins by rapid, uninterrupted movements of a knife and, in the case of turkeys, domestic fowl, guinea-fowl, ducks, geese or quail by the severance of both carotid arteries by rapid and uninterrupted movements of a knife.

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the proportion of an animal carcase religiously slaughtered which is consumed by adherents of the religion concerned; and what use is made of remaining edible parts of the carcase. [73483]

Mr. Morley

The acceptability for consumption of carcases and parts of carcases is a matter for the religious authorities.