§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that all meat or meat products on sale which are the result of a slaughter process where pre-stunning has been absent are required to be labelled accordingly. [182246]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThere is currently no requirement in United Kingdom law to provide the method of slaughter on labels. The Government recognise that some consumers may wish to have access930W to this information. This issue was one of the points raised by the Farm Animal Welfare Council's report on welfare at slaughter the Government's response to which went out to public consultation. The Food Standards Agency will consider the responses to that consultation before deciding what action it might take on this issue. In interim industry may wish to consider voluntary labelling to assist consumer choice in this area.