Mandatory CCTV in all abattoirs approved for Wales
© Tim Scrivener All slaughterhouses in Wales will be required to install CCTV by December after new regulations were approved in the Senedd.
The Mandatory Use of Closed Circuit Television in Slaughterhouses (Wales) Regulations 2024 will require all slaughterhouses to have CCTV in areas where animals are unloaded, kept, handled, stunned, and killed.
Most slaughterhouses in Wales already have CCTV, but Welsh government says the law change will ensure all are covered and support consumer confidence that welfare standards are being met.
See also: Welsh government consults on mandatory CCTV in abattoirs
The regulations will come into force on 1 June followed by a six-month period where the Food Standards Agency will work with slaughterhouse operators to ensure they are compliant with the requirements before they are enforced on 1 December.
Huw Irranca-Davies, Wales’ rural affairs secretary, 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.”
The RSPCA said it was “delighted” by the decision, adding that it would “help safeguard animal welfare”.
CCTV has been mandatory in abattoirs in England since 2018, and in Scotland since 1 July 2021.