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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to ensure compliance with animal welfare regulations within the (a) meat and (b) dairy industry.

The Animal and Plant Agency (APHA), as the national regulator for farmed animal welfare in Great Britain, undertakes proactive and reactive inspections on farms to monitor compliance with legislation. Official veterinarians of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are present in all approved slaughterhouses to monitor and enforce welfare requirements at slaughter. The APHA and FSA investigate all potential animal welfare non-compliances that come to their attention and appropriate action is taken against anyone who breaks the law.