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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on beak trimming; and what assessment her Department has made of the results of Bristol University's recent research on this topic.

The Government is working with the Beak Trimming Action Group (BTAG), which includes representatives from industry, welfare groups and scientists, to find ways to manage flocks of laying hens without the need to trim beaks.

As part of this process, Defra is currently funding a peer reviewed research study by the University of Bristol to assess the effectiveness of management strategies in reducing injurious pecking in non-beak trimmed laying hens. Our intention is to consider all available advice and evidence, including the outcome of the on-going research study, in the review we are conducting in 2015.