Council to decide on halal meat in schools
LANCASHIRE County Council will today (Thursday, July 12) decide on proposals to only use stunned halal meat in schools.
A consultation on the proposal to stop using un-stunned halal meat received more than 8,500 responses, with around two-thirds of the respondents strongly disagreeing.
UK and EU law requires animals to be stunned before being killed, unless the meat is intended for Muslims or Jews, whereas some Muslim group argue that meat which has been stunned before slaughter can not be classified as halal.
The council currently provides both stunned and un-stunned halal meat in 27 schools where there is the demand for it from the Muslim community and where the headteacher and governing body request this for a proportion of children on the basis of their religious belief.
The county council is considering the proposal that, where halal meat is supplied, the animals must be stunned before slaughter.
When the contract to provide nonstunned halal meat came due for renewal last year, the council agreed a resolution not to provide meat, other than poultry, to county council establishments unless animals are stunned before they are slaughtered.
However this resolution has not been implemented, with a consultation being held to inform the council’s future policy.
The council is currently supplying halal meat under the terms of the contract which was in place before the resolution being agreed.
County Councillor Geoff Driver CBE, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: “We know people have strong views on this issue and I’m grateful that more than 8,500 people have taken the time to respond to the consultation.
“The responses have been analysed by an independent market research company to ensure that cabinet has a full understanding of those responses, and how people are affected by the council’s policy on this issue.”