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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to encourage the expansion of abattoirs in Kent.

Defra recognises the role small abattoirs play in supporting the rural economy.

Defra is working with industry to find innovative solutions to support abattoirs. The Rural Development Programme for England Growth Programme, which is delivered by the Rural Payments Agency, is currently supporting a farmer-led mobile abattoir project which is trialling the use of a compact system for the on-farm slaughter of livestock. The project is due to be operational in autumn 2021 and, if successful, could be replicated elsewhere.

However, any decision to establish a new abattoir would be a commercial decision for the abattoir themselves.