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Pressure is growing on Kirklees Council to reveal which of its schools are serving meat from animals that are not pre-stunned before slaughter.

Among those calling for clarity over the council's policy is Batley & Spen MP Tracy Brabin, who says meat from non-stunned animals should be labelled and parents should be informed.

Meanwhile an online petition calling for all meat served in the borough's schools to be stunned before slaughter has been signed by more than 5,600 people.

The Labour-run authority has confirmed that dozens of schools in the borough use non-stunned halal meat "as part of their meal service provision".

Along with the other West Yorkshire authorities it sources its halal meat from Wakefield-based public sector procurer Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO).

The revelation has caused a furore amid concerns over animal welfare. The council has been asked to come clean over which schools use non-stunned meat and notification is given to parents, children and staff at schools where such meat is served.

However the council says to name schools that receive halal meat is "inappropriate".

Via her Twitter account Ms Brabin said: "As a very minimum animals that were not stunned during the slaughter process should be clearly labelled. And it goes without saying that parents and children should be informed if any meat being served is not pre-stunned.

"I'm aware of religious sensitivities regarding the stunning of animals, and that the vast majority of halal meat is pre-stunned.

"I am making urgent inquiries to discover what policy Kirklees follows and will comment further in due course."

Conservative councillor Lisa Holmes (Liversedge and Gomersal), who submitted a written question to the full meeting of Kirklees Council on November 7 says she has not received a formal response.

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?"

The council has since confirmed that it is not the biggest user of non-stunned halal meat.

Clr Holmes says her question will be submitted to the council's Cabinet meeting on December 11 but it will only be answered if she is in attendance.

She said: "We are not going to be fobbed off like that. We'll just keep asking the questions. We can resubmit them. There is a way to get answers. I won't give up.

"Clearly the Labour group doesn't want to name the schools. I don't have an issue with the schools but I do wonder if they have any idea what they are buying.

"We have to wonder where the YPO comes into this. It's a well-known name so there is an element of trust attached to it.

"Schools also buy books and pens from YPO. Why would they question the meat they receive? Maybe they don't have a clue."

Karl Battersby, the council's Strategic Director, Economy and Infrastructure, said Kirklees provides a catering service to 167 of the borough's 196 schools.

"Of these schools 42 serve halal meat, 16 of which do not offer a non-halal meat alternative although there is a provision of vegetarian and fish options.

"As a contractor to these schools we do not feel it is appropriate to disclose the names of schools with a halal provision although this information should be freely available via the school or their website."