Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he had with animal welfare organisations between the publication of the draft Animal Welfare Bill and the publication of his Department’s response to the Second Report of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill 2017, HC709.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government holds regular discussions with representatives of animal welfare organisations in relation to a range of animal welfare issues.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals on banning the slaughter of non-stunned animals.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government encourages the highest standards of welfare at slaughter. The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but respects the right of the Jewish and Muslim communities to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.
We have stricter national rules aimed at reducing stress and providing protection for animals slaughtered in accordance with religious rites. These national rules include requirements for sheep, goats and bovines to be slaughtered immediately that they are restrained and not to be released from restraint until they are unconscious and at least 20 seconds have elapsed, in the case of sheep and goats, and at least 30 seconds have elapsed in the case of bovines.
This year the Government is introducing mandatory CCTV recording in slaughterhouses. This will further enable official veterinarians to monitor and verify animal welfare standards in the slaughterhouse and ensure strict adherence to stand still time rules.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to regulate the non-stun slaughter of animals.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government encourages the highest standards of welfare at slaughter. The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but respects the right of the Jewish and Muslim communities to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.
We have stricter national rules aimed at reducing stress and providing protection for animals slaughtered in accordance with religious rites. These national rules include requirements for sheep, goats and bovines to be slaughtered immediately that they are restrained and not to be released from restraint until they are unconscious and at least 20 seconds have elapsed, in the case of sheep and goats, and at least 30 seconds have elapsed in the case of bovines.
This year the Government is introducing mandatory CCTV recording in slaughterhouses. This will further enable official veterinarians to monitor and verify animal welfare standards in the slaughterhouse and ensure strict adherence to stand still time rules.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals on banning the use of caged hens in egg production.
Answered by George Eustice
The conventional ‘battery’ cage for laying hens was banned in 2012. The current enriched ‘colony’ cages provide more space for the hen, a nest area, litter, perches and claw shortening devices. All permitted housing production systems for laying hens have their strengths and weaknesses, or offer some compromise on the different key elements of animal welfare. We have no plans to ban the use of enriched ‘colony’ systems in egg production.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the effectiveness of the Statutory Code of Practice for the welfare of game birds reared for sporting purposes.
Answered by George Eustice
The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes provides keepers with guidance on how to meet the welfare needs of their gamebirds as required by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. We are considering how best to engage with industry to identify and disseminate best practice and ensure effective enforcement. Any future update of the gamebird code will consider further improvements.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether legislative proposals to increase penalties available for animal cruelty offences require the commencement of section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003.
Answered by George Eustice
Section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 does not need to be commenced. The necessary changes can be made by amending section 32(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.