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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether all current trade agreements that include the export of meat specify that animals have be stunned before slaughter; and if he will make a statement.

Through membership of the EU, the UK currently participates in around 40 free trade agreements. These do not specify that animals have to be stunned before slaughter.

However, all slaughter of animals for export from the UK – whether stun or non-stun – must strictly comply with EU and the UK regulations on animal welfare at the time of killing and additional welfare at slaughter rules apply to animals subject to non-stun slaughter.