Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether further supported welfare improvements for laying hens will be incorporated into the UK Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.

Under the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, eligible poultry keepers have had access to capital grants to improve welfare in laying hens. The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, which closed its fourth and final round on 12 May this year, has offered grants up to £25,000 for equipment and technology to support higher welfare production. Earlier this year, we also announced funding to deliver on-farm Poultry Biosecurity Reviews, which launched on 2 June 2026, to build resilience against Avian Influenza and other threats. We continue to work with industry on how the Pathway can support high standards of animal welfare including simplifying and rationalising any grant funding from 2027 onwards.