Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his policy on recognising animals as sentient beings encroaches on the rights of religious minorities to slaughter animals in accordance with Muslim and Jewish faith traditions.

The Government’s policies on animal welfare have always been driven by the fact the animals are sentient beings. The draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill published on 12 December 2017 for consultation gives absolute clarity to that commitment. The draft bill does not affect the right of Jewish and Muslim communities to eat meat from animals slaughtered in accordance with religious rites. There are strict rules that govern the slaughter of animals in England and additional rules which apply to animals slaughtered in accordance with religious rites.