Request
You asked for information on how many cases of cruelty have been brought against slaughterhouses owners and workers in Scotland over the past ten years.
Response
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Food Standards Scotland does not have the information you have requested. The reasons why we don’t have the information is explained in the Annex to this letter.
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) was established on 1 April 2015, when it took responsibility for the functions previously delivered in Scotland by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). You may wish to contact the FSA for information relating years prior to April 2015.
You may find the following information, which is provided outside of the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act, helpful for clarification.
FSS does not have authority to decide whether cases will be prosecuted: in Scotland, that decision rests with the Procurator Fiscal.
During the period April 2015 to date, FSS has referred 5 animal welfare breaches for further investigation. We have issued two FSS Formal Warning letters to food business operators. One case has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal and a court date has been set. One case was also submitted to the Procurator Fiscal however they decided not to progress that case. Investigations are ongoing in the other case.
