To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage poultry slaughterhouses in England to change from constant voltage to constant current stunners; and if he will make a statement. (98840)

The Government funded research into the development of a constant current stunner, which showed that there are welfare benefits from this method. However, it also identified some practical limitations and we are not aware that any equipment manufacturer has to date produced a system that can be operated commercially.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) broiler chicken and (b) turkey slaughterhouses in England use gas to kill the birds; and which gas mixtures are used in each case. (98841)

The most recent survey, conducted in 2003, indicated that two broiler chicken slaughterhouses and two turkey slaughterhouses use gas to kill the birds. Provided that the gas mixture used is permitted under the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (as amended), it is for the slaughterhouse operator to decide which gas mixture to use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage poultry slaughterhouses in England to change from electrical stunning to non-aversive gas mixtures for the killing of broiler chickens and turkeys; and if he will make a statement. (98842)

Both electrical stunning and gas killing are legally permitted methods of slaughter under the EU slaughter directive (93/119/EC) and the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (as amended). It is for slaughterhouse operators to decide which method to adopt.

However, the use of non-aversive gas mixtures for the killing of broilers and turkeys does have welfare benefits over electrical systems, as there is no requirement for the shackling of live birds.

When the slaughter directive is reviewed, we will support making available all gas mixtures that have been demonstrated through research to be minimally aversive and deliver acceptable welfare at slaughter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) broiler chickens and (b) turkeys electrically stunned in England that (i) receive pre-stun electric shocks, (ii) are stunned using pulsed direct current, and (iii) have both carotid arteries severed at slaughter; and if he will make a statement. (98845)

The Department does not collect these data.

The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (as amended) require that no bird receives an electrical shock before stunning in a waterbath. If this does occur, enforcement action is taken by the Official Veterinarian to rectify the problem. In general, design modifications or alterations to the operation of the waterbath are effective in preventing pre-stun electrical shocks.

Severing both carotid arteries of birds at slaughter is good practice and is recommended in our white meat code of practice, which is currently being consulted upon.