Christopher Soames, the British Minister of Agriculture, said in the House of Commons today that the Government would consider a proposal for an inquiry into Jewish ritual slaughter only if the proposal was acceptable to the Orthodox Jewish community as well as to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
He made that statement in reply to an inquiry from a Conservative MP, Nicholas Ridley, who asked the Minister if he was willing to consult with leaders of the Jewish community and the society for setting up an inquiry into ritual slaughter satisfactory to both sides. The Minister replied that the Government would give sympathetic consideration to such a request if it was satisfied it met requirements of “conflicting views in this matter.”
The MP then asked if it would not be better for both parties if such an inquiry was held in view of “widespread allegations and propaganda about the matter.” The Minister then replied that Orthodox Jews would have to be satisfied with terms of the inquiry.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
