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Non-stunned halal meat is being served to schoolchildren in Kirklees, the council has confirmed.
Responding to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request the Labour-run authority has revealed that 40 schools use non-stunned halal meat “as part of their meal service provision”.
The council was prompted to outline its position following the FoI request by the campaign group National Secular Society (NSS), which aims to reduce the role of religion on state education.
The revelation led to Conservative councillor Lisa Holmes (Liversedge and Gomersal) tabling a question at last week’s meeting of full council.
The question, which was not heard due to time constraints, asked: “Is Kirklees Council the country’s biggest user of meat from animals that have their throats slit while fully conscious - despite 80% of all UK halal meat being humanely stunned first, which is accepted by the Halal Food Authority?”