MSs back regulations for mandatory use of CCTV in all slaughterhouses in Wales

New Regulations have been approved by the Senedd today for the mandatory use of CCTV in all slaughterhouses in Wales.

The Mandatory Use of Closed Circuit Television in Slaughterhouses (Wales) Regulations 2024 will require CCTV cameras to be installed in all slaughterhouses in areas where live animals are unloaded, kept, handled, stunned, and killed.

The new regulations are a Programme for Government commitment and are included in the Animal Welfare Plan for Wales, which seeks to maintain and improve standards of welfare for all kept animals.

Most slaughterhouses in Wales already have CCTV but this requirement aims to assure the public that welfare standards are being met.

Compliant

Requirements to install and operate a CCTV system and keep CCTV footage and information will come into force on 1 June.

From then the Food Standards Agency will work with slaughterhouse operators to ensure they are compliant with the requirements, ahead of the Regulations being enforced on 1 December.

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “Animal welfare is a key priority for this Government, we want our farmed animals to have a good quality of life and we take welfare at slaughterhouses very seriously.

“The network of slaughterhouses in Wales provide essential services to farmers, butchers, and consumers. They also provide skilled jobs and support local supply chains. Mandatory CCTV for all our slaughterhouses further supports consumer confidence that welfare standards are being delivered.”

Delighted

RSPCA Cymru’s senior public affairs manager, Billie-Jade Thomas said: “We are delighted that Members of Senedd have unanimously supported these regulations.

“Compulsory CCTV in Wales’ abattoirs will help to protect and safeguard the welfare of animals at the time of slaughter right across the country.

“We would like to thank each and every person who took the time to support our lengthy campaign which ultimately showed the Welsh Government that this is something people very much care about. We’d also like to thank MSs for supporting these long-awaited regulations today.”

The Welsh Government previously announced £1.1 million of grant aid for small and medium size slaughterhouses to – among other things – support the “installation and upgrading of CCTV monitoring systems” – though this was not made a mandatory requirement at that time.

CCTV in slaughterhouses is already a mandatory requirement of the RSPCA’s farm animal welfare standards, which are used by the RSPCA Assured higher welfare certification scheme, and has been compulsory in England’s abattoirs since 2018.