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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that abattoirs adhere to animal welfare requirements.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) monitors and enforces animal welfare legislation in abattoirs on behalf of Defra. Legislation sets out strict requirements to protect the welfare of animals when slaughtered and Official Veterinarians of the FSA are present in all approved slaughterhouses to monitor and enforce animal welfare requirements. The FSA has a zero-tolerance policy to animal welfare breaches and will take appropriate action where these occur.