‘Don’t wait for EU on slaughter labelling’

Shipley MP Philip Davies called for kosher and halal meat to be labelled at point of sale and following yesterday’s debate questioned why the Government should wait for the EU.

“I do not see any reason why the Government needs to wait for the EU to do something.

“The only way to satisfy people is to make sure that its labelled at the point of sale so that people can make a choice,” he said.

But George Eustice, Minister for farming and food, marine and fisheries, and animal health, said a review would only take place once a European Commission expert study into the issue is published in the autumn.

He also told the Commons there were difficulties in simply labelling meat as kosher or halal as it did not distinguish 
whether it was stunned or un-stunned.

“However, point of slaughter labelling is something we will look at when the European Commission has produced their report, expected in the autumn,” he said.

Philip Hollobone, Tory MP for Kettering, branded Mr Eustice’s response “weak and pathetic” and asked why the UK could not take the lead and act before the EU.

The Minister said other countries had run into difficulties while trying to act independently and said if regulation were to be introduced it would be better at European level.