EXPORT OF LIVE SHEEP FOR EID-EL-KABIR

Early day motion 167, tabled 9 January 2001 by Gwyn Prosser (Labour). Signed by 110 members.

That this House is concerned that in February and early March 2001 thousands of live UK sheep will be exported to France for outdoor religious slaughter without pre-stunning at the annual Eid-el-Kabir festival; is dismayed that it often takes the animals several minutes to die; notes that outdoor religious slaughter is illegal under both European Union and French law; notes that parts of Islamic law on the humane treatment of animals are broken during the festival in France in that sheep are regularly slaughtered in the presence of other sheep and blunt knives are used; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to do all it can to prevent the export of sheep for slaughter at the 2001 Eid-el-Kabir festival in France, to press the European Commission to institute infringement proceedings against France in respect of its failure to enforce the Community Directive prohibiting outdoor religious slaughter and to make every endeavour to bring the whole of the cruel live export trade to an end.

Signatures by party: Labour 80, Liberal Democrat 16, Conservative 5, Labour/Co-operative 5, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1, UKUP 1, Unknown 1.