e-petition debate on non-stun slaughter of animals

The parliamentary petition calling for a ban on non-stun slaughter in the UK following a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) a ban would not violate religious rights. It has received over 100,000 signatures and is currently waiting for a date for debate. The government response to the petition set out its position on non-stun slaughter and went on to summarise the welfare standards in abattoirs:

The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter. However, we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.

The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but it respects the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.

The ‘Demonstration of Life Protocol’, an industry-led initiative supported by the Government, provides assurance for Muslim consumers that stunning is compatible with halal slaughter requirements, while protecting the welfare of the animals involved. Therefore, a significant proportion of halal meat comes from animals that are stunned before slaughter.

Legislation sets out the main requirements to protect the welfare of animals at slaughter. There are additional rules that apply when animals are slaughtered without stunning to ensure that animals are spared avoidable pain, suffering, or distress during the slaughter process. Official Veterinarians of the Food Standards Agency are present in all approved slaughterhouses to monitor and enforce these animal welfare requirements.

A written government PQ response on 3 February 2025 provided further details of the government’s position on religious slaughter:

Many animals that are slaughtered for halal meat are stunned before slaughter. The Government’s Farm Animal Welfare Committee published a report in 2003 which considered the welfare detriment involved in slaughter without prior stunning. The European Food Standard’s Authority also published advice on the topic in a 2004 report. The Department will continue to review any new scientific research and evidence which emerges.

This pack includes information on legislation on animal slaughter and labelling, religious slaughter, statistics, a European Court of Human Rights ruling and stakeholder views, as well as recent PQs and news items.