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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the individuals and communities who consume meat that is slaughtered under the derogation in the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 that applies to non-stun slaughter of meat for religious purposes.

All animals must be stunned before slaughter to make them unconscious and insensible to pain. The only exception to this is when animals are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites. The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter but respects the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.

No assessment has been made of the individuals and communities who consume meat from animals slaughtered without stunning.