PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Poultry: Animal Welfare (14 January 2015)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will extend the ban on the use of unenriched battery cages for laying hens, as set out in Schedule 3 to the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 (S.I., 2007, No. 2078), to quail egg production.

Asked by:
Kerry McCarthy (Labour)

UK legislation prohibiting unenriched cages for laying hens implements EU Directive 99/74/EC which specifically protects birds of the species Gallus Gallus. There are no such requirements for quail set in EU law and we have no plans to introduce a similar measure for this or other species of egg-laying birds. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 it is an offence to fail to provide for the welfare needs of animals, including quail raised for egg production.

Answered by:
George Eustice (Conservative)
19 January 2015