Business of the House

Adrian Ramsay Excerpts

Thursday 4th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The towns created in the new towns movement included some of the fastest-growing local economies in the country, and I pay tribute to everyone who has been involved in the development and evolution of new towns. They were a very important part of our history, and they remain so. Our 10-year infrastructure strategy outlines what we will do to upgrade infrastructure to drive growth and raise living standards in every part of the country, including in new towns. With our new towns taskforce, we will create the next generation of new towns, with early investment in infrastructure, transport connections and environmental resilience.

[Adrian Ramsay (Waveney Valley) (Green)]

Yesterday I co-ordinated 36 MPs and Members of the other place in calling on the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to include in the forthcoming animal welfare strategy a timebound plan to end the use of farrowing crates and cages in farming. Will the Leader of the House confirm that the strategy will be brought out, as the Government committed to do, by the end of the year? Will there be a statement to this House, before rather than after the House rises for Christmas, that the strategy will include an end to the cruel use of farrowing crates and cages?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I will certainly take that point back and find out where the strategy is. It is a really important strategy, and it is important that the Government bring it forward, not least because my postbag is full of people who are genuinely concerned about animal welfare, as I am. If we have said that it will happen before the end of the year, of course that is our ambition. However, I gently say to the hon. Gentleman that it is sometimes more important to get these things absolutely right than to hit an artificial deadline. I will go and find out where the strategy is and raise the matter with Ministers.