Asked by: Lord Cameron of Dillington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce a dedicated support programme for small and local abattoirs, including assistance with veterinary inspection costs, regulatory compliance, and modernisation; and if not, what alternative measures they propose to ensure their long-term viability.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government recognises the important role small abattoirs play within the national food supply chain and remains committed to maintaining a resilient meat processing sector. Abattoirs currently receive support towards Official Control Regulation (OCR) charges through a tiered discount regime, with the smallest operators receiving up to a 90% discount. Following a public consultation between March and June 2026, the FSA Board is considering changes to target support more effectively and reduce regulatory burdens across the sector. Under the proposed approach, the smallest plants would receive a guaranteed 90% discount on OCR charges.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Dillington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what regulatory flexibilities for small abattoirs they are seeking to preserve or introduce through the negotiations on a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the European Union.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Negotiations with the EU on the SPS Agreement are ongoing. Under the proposed agreement, as set out in the Common Understanding published in May 2025, we expect to align with EU rules on sanitary and food safety issues. We expect this to provide access to regulatory relief for small abattoirs through the 5% Flexibility Rule. This would expand the number of smaller operators eligible for reduced Official Veterinarian attendance, helping to lower costs and allowing greater flexibility in the timing of post-mortem checks.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Dillington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of small and local abattoirs to domestic food security, the resilience of livestock supply chains, and the viability of British livestock farming; and whether they intend to include slaughtering capacity in future food security and resilience assessments.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government continues to recognise the importance of smaller abattoirs to our national food supply chain and remains committed to maintaining a resilient meat processing sector. Currently about 7% of national meat consumed in the UK goes through smaller abattoirs, although this is a small amount a thriving smaller abattoir network plays a crucial role in driving rural economic growth, creating skilled employment opportunities, reducing journey times to slaughter and supporting farmers that keep rare and native breeds.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Dillington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs plans to convene a meeting with representatives of the small abattoir sector, farming organisations, and animal welfare bodies to consider the recommendations made in recent sector reports and proposals for safeguarding local slaughter capacity.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra maintains close engagement with the small abattoir sector through two formal groups: the Small Abattoirs Working Group and the Small Abattoirs Task and Finish Group. These forums bring together industry representatives, regulators and delivery bodies to identify challenges and opportunities facing the sector and to collaborate on practical solutions that support the sustainability of local abattoir facilities.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Dillington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the concerns raised by representatives of the farming, veterinary, animal welfare, and food sectors in their letter to the Prime Minister, dated 19 October 2026, regarding the decline of small and local abattoirs in the United Kingdom; and what plans they have to safeguard the future of this infrastructure.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra engages regularly with representatives from the small and medium-sized abattoir sector through formal groups to understand the challenges facing the industry and consider what support may be required. This engagement has informed work on issues including regulatory flexibilities, labour and workforce challenges, and animal by-product management, helping support a resilient and sustainable abattoir sector.