Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many enforcement actions relating to breaches of animal welfare regulations at slaughterhouses were taken by the Food Standards Agency in each of the last five years; and how many of those related to non-stun slaughter.

Between April 2020 and March 2025, 1,935 animal welfare breaches posing potential or imminent animal welfare risk were recorded in slaughterhouses in England and Wales, requiring 2,320 enforcement actions. Some breaches required multiple actions, such as verbal advice followed by written advice.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not routinely collect data on slaughter methods. Approved slaughterhouses may use any compliant method and are not legally required to inform the FSA of the stunning method. Many establishments alternate between stunned and non-stunned slaughter to meet demand. Breaches of animal welfare regulations can occur at any stage after arrival, so it is not possible to confirm whether the method involved was stunned or non-stunned.