SLAUGHTER WITHOUT PRESTUNNING

Early day motion 104, tabled 26 November 2003 by Colin Challen (Labour). Signed by 86 members.

That this House notes that the Farm Animal Welfare Council has recently called for the repeal of the exemption from stunning prior to slaughter for animals killed by Moslem halal and Jewish shechita methods; further notes the Council's conclusion that the act of throat cutting at slaughter would result in very significant pain and distress in the period before insensibility supervenes; further notes that scientific evidence shows that sheep become insensible within five to seven seconds of the incision, adult cattle may take between 22 and over 40 seconds and calves may take up to two minutes to become insensible; deplores all racism and religious intolerance but believes that the profound suffering caused to many millions of animals every year by slaughter without prestunning is an urgent animal welfare problem; further notes that over 90 per cent. of animals killed for halal meats are now prestunned; further notes that slaughter without prestunning has been banned in Norway, Sweden and New Zealand; and calls on the Government to work actively and constructively in co-operation with the Muslim and Jewish communities to bring about an end to religious slaughter in the UK.

Signatures by party: Labour 55, Liberal Democrat 18, Conservative 7, Labour/Co-operative 4, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1.