Mairi Gougeon

The proposal was backed by the vast majority of respondents to a recent consultation carried out by the Scottish government. 

Announcing the news ahead of a parliamentary statement on animal welfare, rural affairs minister Mairi Gougeon said: “More than eight out of ten slaughterhouses in Scotland have already installed CCTV coverage in their premises voluntarily, and over 95 per cent of all animals slaughtered in Scotland are covered by some form of CCTV.  However, the standards of that coverage can differ from location to location.

“This government is committed to ensuring the highest standards of welfare for all animals. And we are pleased that so many respondents to our consultation backed our proposals to make this compulsory.

“It was important also to consider the financial implications of such a move for industry, and whether other options might be available to improve animal welfare.

“Following a positive response to the consultation, I’m delighted to announce that I will introduce legislation to the Scottish Parliament in 2019, which will help to improve further the already high standards being followed by the livestock sector in Scotland.”