LONDON, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Closed circuit television is to be made mandatory in all slaughterhouses in England, government Environment Secretary Michael Gove announced Friday.
Gove said the cameras were part of a series of measures to cement Britain's position as a global leader on animal welfare.
The proposals will require closed circuit television in every slaughterhouse in England in all areas where live animals are present.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says Official Veterinarians from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) will have unrestricted access to recordings to help reassure the public that high welfare standards are being effectively enforced.
The government has also confirmed it will raise standards for farm animals and domestic pets by modernising statutory animal welfare codes to reflect enhancements in medicines, technology and the latest research and advice from veterinarians. The codes will be enshrined in law, with the first update covering chickens bred for meat.
Gove said: "We have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and the actions I am setting out today will reinforce our status as a global leader.
"As we prepare to leave the EU, these measures provide a further demonstration to consumers around the world that our food is produced to the very highest standards."
A spokesman for Defra said: "The FSA has strict processes in place for the approval of slaughterhouses, and specially trained vets carry out checks to make sure the welfare of animals is protected throughout their time in the slaughterhouse. If breaches are found, a slaughterhouse can be given a welfare enforcement notice, have its staff's licences suspended or revoked, or be referred for a criminal investigation."
Gudrun Ravetz, president of the British Veterinary Association, said: "Mandatory CCTV in all areas of slaughterhouses will provide an essential tool in fostering a culture of compassion that could help safeguard animal welfare."
A government consultations on the new proposals opened Friday morning. Welfare codes on laying hens, pigs, dogs, cats and horses are expected to be updated over the next year, said Defra.
