Mandatory CCTV for Slaughterhouses

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 2:14 pm on 13 November 2019.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:14, 13 November 2019

Well, as you will have heard me say in my answer to Vikki Howells, the slaughterhouse to which Vikki referred does have CCTV so, clearly, mandatory CCTV on its own is not the answer. We have to look at this holistically. There was also—you know, there are inspectors on site, there are vets on site. Clearly, we need to ensure that the training is up to date. So, whilst I appreciate your comments around CCTV—you know, your wish to see it mandatory—I still don't think that, on its own, is the answer. But it is a live investigation. I am meeting the Food Standards Agency next week, because they are looking into the two examples that Vikki Howells gave us. But just CCTV on its own is certainly not the answer, when you look at this particular case, where CCTV is installed. And, as I said, the majority of our slaughterhouses, certainly, where the majority of animals are processed, do already have CCTV; it's only a very few small ones.