Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding his Department plans to allocate to the monitoring of animal welfare standards in 2019-20 after the introduction of CCTV in slaughterhouses throughout England.
The Government has delivered its manifesto commitment to make CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses. Legislation came into force on 4 May 2018 with a 6-month transitional period to allow slaughterhouse operators to comply before provisions come into force on 5 November.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of this legislation. The forecasted costs for 2018-19 for the monitoring of animal welfare standards in slaughter houses in England has been set at £149,777. The costs for 2019-20 will be discussed and agreed with FSA in due course.