Animal Welfare: Methods of Slaughter

Baroness Northover Excerpts

Thursday 16th January 2014 Grand Committee

Question for Short Debate

[Baroness Northover (LD)]

My Lords, there are many speakers in the next debate. When the clock says “2”, the speaker has had two minutes.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Gold (Con)]

Let me first declare an interest. I am an observant Jew who eats only kosher meat, meat that has been killed by religious slaughter. I am not as observant as the next speaker, but I have an interest in allowing me and my co-religionists to practise our religion. I am sure that Rabbi Sacks—the noble Lord, Lord Sacks—will say a little about kosher meat in that respect. As other speakers have said, and as the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, has just made clear, the number of animals slaughtered for kosher meat without stunning is very small indeed.

The focus of this debate has not been on the effects of stunning and how it goes wrong. In researching for today’s debate, I have been horrified at some of the things that go wrong. The Vegetarians International Voice for Animals, which is opposed to religious slaughter, states:

“Tens of millions of animals are being ineffectively stunned and are regaining consciousness while they bleed to death”.

That is a horrific number.

On looking at the legal position, European Council regulations recognise that the stunning methods listed in their own literature are not the only methods. Those intimately involved in this work believe and argue that Jewish religious slaughter, properly undertaken and as described by the noble Lord, Lord Winston, also constitutes acceptable stunning because it instantly cuts off the blood supply to the brain. That comes within the definition of stunning provided in the regulations. The definition is,

“any intentionally induced process which causes loss of consciousness and sensibility without pain, including any process resulting in instantaneous death”.

I understand that, properly undertaken, that is exactly what Jewish religious slaughter seeks to achieve.

The welfare of the animal pre-slaughter is paramount in the Jewish religion. Any animal or bird which is even slightly harmed before slaughter is not considered suitable for kosher consumption. Special care is taken to ensure that the animal is calm before slaughter. The use of electric prods and the like is absolutely prohibited. It is also the case that the European regulations expressly respect the freedom of religion and the right to manifest religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance, as enshrined in Article 10 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union which states:

“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right includes freedom to change religion or belief and freedom”—

[Baroness Northover]

I remind the noble Lord that we are in a timed debate and he is already 50% over, if my maths is right.

[Lord Gold]

I am so sorry, I will stop there. I have made my position clear.