The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015

UK Statutory Instrument 2015 No. 1782 — creates 3 criminal offences.

3offences created

0recorded in force

0revoked

Made: 12 October 2015
In force from: 5 November 2015
Extent: Not stated
Subject: Dogs, animals, hunting and wildlife
Made under: (EC) No 1099/2009, European Communities Act 1972, Treasury under section 56(1) of the Finance Act 1973

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations) — published with the instrument by the department that made it. © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The Regulations make provision in England for the administration and enforcement of Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 of 24 September 2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing (OJ No L 303, 18.11.2009, p1) (“the EU Regulation”) and certain national rules maintained or adopted under Article 26(1) and (2) of the EU Regulation. The Regulations revoke the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/731) and amending instruments insofar as they apply to England. (They have already been revoked in relation to Wales). Part 1 is introductory and includes definitions and designates the competent authority responsible for various functions under the Regulations. Chapter 1 of Part 2 requires persons to obtain an EU certificate of competence or temporary certificate of competence before killing animals or carrying out related operations in a slaughterhouse. These requirements are subject to the transitional arrangements in Schedule 7 which apply until 8th December 2015. Chapter 2 of Part 2 requires persons to obtain a national licence before killing animals or carrying out related operations elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse, subject to exceptions. The Regulations provide for the refusal, suspension or revocation of certificates of competence, temporary certificates of competence or licences and for the right to appeal against a decision to refuse, suspend or revoke them. Part 3 and Schedules 1 to 4 set out national rules that have been maintained or adopted in accordance with Article 26(1) and (2) of the EU Regulation to ensure more extensive protection of animals at the time of killing. Part 4 makes provision for the Secretary of State to grant derogations from the provisions of the EU Regulation in exceptional circumstances where compliance is likely to affect human health or significantly slow down the eradication of a disease. Part 5 sets out the offences for contravening these Regulations or the EU Regulation. Regulation 33 sets out the penalties on summary conviction. Part 6 contains provisions relating to enforcement. Inspectors, appointed by the competent authority and local authorities, are given powers to require compliance with these Regulations and the EU Regulation, including powers of entry and seizure and powers to issue enforcement notices. Breaching an enforcement notice and obstructing inspectors is an offence. Part 7 introduces Schedule 6, which makes consequential and supplementary amendments. Schedule 6 also revokes the Welfare of Animals at Time of Killing (Consequential Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/2124 (W.208)) which made consequential amendments now superseded by the other provisions in Schedule 6. Part 7 introduces Schedules 7 and 8 which make transitional provisions. Regulation 46 requires the Secretary of State to review the operation and effect of the Regulations and publish a report within five years of 5th November 2015 and within every five years thereafter. A full impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business, the voluntary sector and the public sector is available from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR or the Defra website at www.gov.uk, and is published with the Explanatory Memorandum alongside the instrument on www.legislation.gov.uk.

Offences created by this instrument

It is an offence to contravene, or to cause or permit a person to contravene— a regulation 5(1) or (2) (requirement… regulation 30(1) · Status not determined · Strict liability
It is an offence for a person to fail to comply with an enforcement notice issued under regulation 38 regulation 30(2) · Status not determined · Strict liability
It is an offence— a intentionally to obstruct any person acting in the execution of the EU Regulation or these… regulation 31 · Status not determined · Requires proof of a state of mind

What Parliament said about it

Contributions, debates and written statements mentioning this instrument by name. Parliamentary material is reused under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 Lords · Lords Chamber · 15 December 2015
Small Abattoirs Commons · Westminster Hall · 8 May 2025 · Katie Lam (Weald of Kent) (Con)
Over the past 50 years, abattoirs have rapidly vanished. More than 90% of them have closed. Across the country, family farms that once relied on local slaughterhouses now face round trips of over 100 miles just to kill a handful of animals to provide the meat for our tables. That drives up costs and, ironically, increases the stress on livestock that our welfare laws seek to mitigate. Alongside Labour’s family farm tax, the closure of the sustainable farming incentive and the end of the fruit and vegetables aid scheme, this additional burden is pushing many of our farmers to the financial…
Non-stun Slaughter of Animals Commons · Westminster Hall · 9 June 2025 · Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)
I beg to move, That this House has considered e-petition 700557 relating to the non-stun slaughter of animals. As Chair of the Petitions Committee, I always find it encouraging to witness public participation in politics, and this is a good example. It is evident that this petition, which has attracted more than 100,000 signatures, has engaged a very large number of people from all across the country. For that reason, I must very sincerely thank its creator, Mr Martin Osborne, who is in the Public Gallery today with a group of his friends and other supporters. Mr Osborne created this…
Non-stun Slaughter of Animals Commons · Westminster Hall · 9 June 2025 · Jerome Mayhew (Broadland and Fakenham) (Con)
It is good to see you in your place, Mr Dowd, and it is a privilege to speak in this debate on a petition that has attracted over 109,000 signatures from members of the public across the country. At the start of my comments, let me acknowledge the importance of this issue, which touches on two fundamental principles: commitment to animal welfare on the one hand, and respect for religious freedoms on the other. Those values should not be placed in opposition one to the other, but reconciled through careful evidence-based policy. The petition argues that non-stun slaughter is incompatible with…
Food Labelling (Halal and Kosher Meat) Commons · Commons Chamber · 24 February 2026 · Esther McVey (Tatton) (Con)
I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to introduce compulsory labelling of halal and kosher meat and products containing halal and kosher meat; and for connected purposes. This is a Bill about animal welfare, transparency in meat production and consumer choice. It does not seek to ban halal or kosher meat. It seeks to ensure that it is clearly labelled. It is important that consumers have such information so that they can make an informed choice about what they are buying. Currently consumers do not have that information, and many are purchasing and consuming halal and kosher…

How Parliament handled it

Parliament's Statutory Instruments service records procedure from May 2017 onwards, and this instrument predates it. That is a limit of the source, not a statement that nothing happened.

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