Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding Beatrice’s Bill.
I would like to start
by assuring you that I care very much about the welfare of all animals. I am
pleased to tell you that my Ministerial colleagues are examining the evidence
around the use of cages for farm animals and are considering the options. They
have also committed to continuing to focus on maintaining world-leading farm
animal welfare standards through both regulatory requirements and statutory
codes.
Ministers have been
clear that it is their ambition for farrowing crates to no longer be used for
sows. Indeed, the new pig welfare code clearly states that “the aim is for
farrowing crates to no longer be necessary and for any new system to protect
the welfare of the sow, as well as her piglets.” It is important that we
make progress towards a system that both works commercially and safeguards the
welfare of the sow and her piglets, and that we do so as quickly as possible. I
am pleased to confirm the UK is already ahead of most pig producing countries
in terms of non-confinement farrowing, with around 40 per cent of our pigs
housed outside and not farrowed with crates.
I recognise that the
‘enriched’ colony cage system restricts a bird’s ability to exhibit normal
behaviours so I am pleased that the Government is also examining the future use
of cages for all laying hens. I also welcome the commitment from our major
retailers, with positive support from our egg producers, to stop retailing eggs
from enriched colony cage production systems by 2025. I know that the UK
already has a much larger free-range sector by far than any EU country, with
over 55 per cent of our hens kept in free range systems.
I am encouraged that
this Government has set itself a challenging agenda to tackle animal welfare
issues and is taking action on many fronts to improve the health and wellbeing
of farm animals. A major example is the commitment to end excessively long
journeys for live animals going for slaughter and for fattening, which will be
realised through the Kept Animals Bill now making its way through Parliament.
Now we have left the EU, Ministers are also able to reward farmers for
providing higher standards of animal welfare and environmental protection measures.
I am pleased that Ministers have committed to co-designing an Animal Health and
Welfare Pathway under this plan, which aims to promote the production of
healthier, higher-welfare farm animals at a level beyond compliance with
current regulations. The direction of the Pathway so far has been developed in
active partnership with industry.
If you would like to
discuss this further or any other matter, then please do not hesitate to
contact me.
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