Consultation on introduction of compulsory closed circuit TV recording of slaughter at abattoirs in Scotland

Overview

To seek views on the introduction of compulsory CCTV recording of slaughter in Scottish abattoirs. Views are also being sought on the benefits to animal welfare of compulsory CCTV; on the storage of, and access to, CCTV footage; on the costs of compulsory slaughter to the industry; and whether a requirement for CCTV should be dependent on the size of the abattoir.

Why your views matter

In the Programme for Government 2017-18, the Scottish Government committed to consulting on the introduction of compulsory video recording of slaughter at abattoirs in Scotland to aid enforcement of welfare requirements by abattoir management and Food Standards Scotland.

This consultation provides information on the benefits of CCTV as an important complement to official physical observation and verification of slaughterhouse practices towards protecting animal welfare and benefitting the plant operator's business. 

The Scottish Government is seeking views of all interested parties to refine future policy development on this topic.

Download the consultation paper.

What happens next

After the consultation has closed, the Scottish Government will analyse all the responses received and use feedback to help determine whether the introduction of compulsory CCTV recording in slaughterhouses will improve animal welfare standards in slaughterhouses in Scotland. 

Where permission has been given, we will make all responses available to the public on this page. The responses to the consultation and analysis will be published in Autumn 2018.