Rules to change

Defra has introduced amendments to the legislation governing animal welfare at slaughterhouses, knacker's yards and during culls.

The changes result from measures introduced to control disease outbreaks and are designed to enhance animal welfare. They recognise the considerable developments in slaughter and killing methods which have taken place, particularly since the adoption of the EU Council directive on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing in 1993.

It also amends the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) (WASK) regulations 1995, which implements the directive in Great Britain.

Animal welfare minister Ben Bradshaw, from Exeter, said the Government had a commitment to continually improve the standards of animal welfare.

"The changes will offer improvements to the welfare of animals at slaughter and killing, without imposing undue burdens on industry," he said.

The Statutory Instrument makes four amendments to the WASK Regulations. It will:

* Permit the wider use of the new percussive device (modified captive bolt pistol) for use when culling poultry for disease control purposes.

* End the current ban on the bleeding of animals in the sight of other animals of the same species, bringing England into line with Scotland, although the ban will still apply to equines.

* 12 months after coming into force, reduce the maximum time poultry may be hung before being stunned or killed from six to three minutes for turkeys and from three to two minutes for other poultry excluding ratites.

* Require the surrender of suspended/revoked slaughter licences to the Meat Hygiene Service to ensure that a slaughterman who has had his or her licence suspended/revoked cannot operate as a slaughterman in another slaughterhouse or knacker's yard.

The modification of domestic legislation follows detailed consultation with farming, animal welfare and slaughtering industry stakeholders and falls within the constraints of the EU Directive.