After gaining more than 109,000 signatures, a petition to ban non-stun slaughter in the UK was debated in Westminster Hall on Monday 9th June.
The petition description read: “In modern society, we believe more consideration needs to be given to animal welfare and how livestock is treated and culled.
“We believe non-stun slaughter is barbaric and doesn’t fit with our culture and modern-day values and should be banned, as some EU nations have done.”
Government responded to the petition, stating: “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 3rd 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.”
MPs divided on non-stun slaughter
Liberal Democrat MP Jamie Stone opened the debate stating that he found it “encouraging to witness public participation in politics”.
Stone added: “It is evident that this petition, which has attracted more than 100,000 signatures, has engaged a very large number of people from all across the country. For that reason, I must very sincerely thank its creator, Mr Martin Osborne, who is in the Public Gallery today with a group of his friends and other supporters.
“Mr Osborne created this e-petition because he believes that in a modern society more consideration needs to be given to animal welfare and how livestock is treated and culled. He and his fellow signatories believe that non-stun slaughter is barbaric and should be banned, as some EU nations have done.”
He highlighted that the current rules on slaughter in England were set by the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015, under which all animals must be stunned. Religious communities are currently allowed to slaughter animals without pre-stunning as part of an exemption to the rules.
He also went on to say: “In recent years, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has expressed concern about the large increase in the number of animals that have been slaughtered without pre-stunning. In 2024, 30.1 million animals were killed in that way – a significant increase from the 25.4 million in 2022. Of those 30.1 million animals slaughtered without stunning, 27 million were for halal and 3 million were for kosher.”
“Let us be clear: non-stun religious slaughter accounts for just 2.9% of all animals killed in the United Kingdom, and 88% of halal meat is already pre-stunned.”
Yasmin Qureshi MP, Labour
Rachel Gilmour MP, also of the Lib Dem party, labelled the practice of slaughter without pre-stunning as “not only outdated but barbaric”, but Stone pointed out that there were minimum-stun parameters for poultry, post-cut stunning for ruminants and mandatory slaughter labelling, stating that industry must “balance animal welfare with respect for religious freedom”.
Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi commented: “I rise to oppose the petition and the divided narratives that surround it. Let us be clear: non-stun religious slaughter accounts for just 2.9% of all animals killed in the United Kingdom, and 88% of halal meat is already pre-stunned.
“The remainder is slaughtered in accordance with strict religious guidelines by trained professionals in a regulated setting, with respect for the animal, yet that small percentage is repeatedly singled out in public debate. We have heard religious slaughter described as ‘barbaric’. MPs such as myself have received emails referring to ‘Muslim meat’ and ‘dirty men with beards’. That is not the language of animal welfare; it is prejudice – plain and simple.”
MP Rupert Lowe called religious slaughter “torture”, stating that “millions of Brits are eating halal meat against their will and without their knowledge due to our deceitful labelling system”. He went on to say the issue of stunning was “complex”, and ultimately called for the complete ban of non-stun slaughter.
During the debate, MPs also called for the labelling of all kosher and halal meat as non-stun, with Labour MP David Pinto-Duschinsky stating: “Animal welfare is critical – I endorse all moves to enhance it – but so is religious freedom.
“Banning kosher and halal slaughter will not improve welfare. There are other measures that will achieve that far more effectively, and they should be taken.”
“I will engage with religious communities and other stakeholders on these issues.”
Daniel Zeichner, Farming Minister
MP Ayoub Khan warned fellow MPs to “tread carefully”, as he said the sector brings in £2 billion of trade to the UK economy each year.
Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner stated: “CCTV is an important tool to assist with monitoring and enforcement for all methods of slaughter, including non-stun slaughter. It provides assurance that it is done in accordance with the regulations to protect animal welfare. All slaughterhouses in Great Britain are required to have CCTV recording in all areas in which live animals are present, and they must make the recordings available to the official veterinarian.
“In conclusion, the debate today has been wide-ranging, underlining the complexities involved. I understand the welfare concerns of animal welfare and veterinary groups, as well as of many Members who have spoken today and urged the Government to reform the rules around non-stun slaughter.
“I can assure the House that I have listened carefully to all the points made. As hon. Members would expect, I will engage with religious communities and other stakeholders on these issues.”
AIMS responds to the debate
A spokesperson for the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) commented: “This was, I feel, an ill-timed debate given its close proximity to Qurbani which finished less than 24 hours before.
“Reading the debate, I was somewhat alarmed to see that some of the MPs taking part appeared to have such a poor understanding of religious slaughter and yet UK high animal welfare standards coupled with religious preferences for non-stunned halal and kosher meat presents the UK with a massive opportunity within the growth agenda.
“AIMS’ position is that we prefer to see all animals stunned prior to processing however, where non-stun religious slaughter takes place then a post cut stun is preferred.”
