The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has welcomed legislation
that will make CCTVs compulsory in abattoirs in Scotland,
following a long and sustained campaign by the veterinary
profession.
The Mandatory Use of Closed Circuit Television in Slaughterhouses
(Scotland) Regulations 2020 will require all abattoirs in
Scotland to install and operate CCTVs and to retain footage and
associated data for a period of 90 days. The legislation, which
follows approval by the Scottish Parliament earlier this month
(11 November), will come into force from 1 July 2021.
The decision follows a public consultation by the Scottish
Government in 2018 in which a vast majority of respondents backed
the new measures. BVA had responded in support of the mandatory
use of CCTVs where they were complementary to the physical
monitoring and checks undertaken by Official Vets.
BVA Scottish Branch President Kathleen Robertson said:
“This decision is a huge win not only for animal health and
welfare but for public health, food safety and trade. While most
Scottish abattoirs already have CCTV, this legislation will help
to keep welfare standards high at all stages of the supply chain
now and in the future. It is positive that Official Vets in
Scottish abattoirs will be able to use CCTV footage as a
complement to their welfare monitoring and also have unrestricted
access to footage so that they can identify and resolve any
breaches in regulation effectively.
“Now that Scotland has taken this important step, we hope that
governments in Wales and Northern Ireland will follow suit with
similar legislation to underpin the high welfare standards across
the whole of the UK.”
