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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of fast-growing broiler chicken breeds compared with slower-growing breeds on welfare; and whether she plans to develop a pathway to phase out the use of fast-growing breeds in favour of higher-welfare alternatives.

The Government has considered the findings from the Defra-funded Systematic Review of Evidence on Livestock Breeding, conducted by Queen’s University Belfast, on the potential welfare implications of fast-growing broiler chicken breeds compared to slower growing breeds. As set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government is considering how we can support voluntary efforts to move away from the use of fast-growing meat chicken breeds.