VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Slaughterhouses

Asked by Rupert LoweRestore BritainDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 23 April 2026UIN 126870

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the exemption from stunning for religious slaughter on the Food Standards Agency's inspection and enforcement costs.

Answered by Dame Angela Eagle

The Food Standards Agency apply animal welfare controls within approved slaughterhouses in England and Wales under a Service Level Agreement with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Welsh Government.

We assess the impact of inspection and enforcement requirements on costs as part of the annual process of reviewing the Service Level Agreement. The Agreement applies to all of FSA’s monitoring and enforcement of the relevant animal welfare requirements, and does not consider slaughter without stunning separately.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim