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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ban the use of (a) cages for (i) laying hens and (ii) other animals and (b) close confinement systems for (A) sows and calves and (B) other animals in farming environments.

We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards.

The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.