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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the European Commission's document entitled Vision for Agriculture and Food, published on 19 February 2025, if he will hold discussions with animal welfare organisations on the potential merits of implementing the same regulations as proposed in the EU on (a) the phasing out the use of cages for farmed animals and (b) extending UK animal welfare standards to imported products.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Department is engaging with key animal welfare stakeholders as part of the development of our overarching approach to animal welfare. We will be outlining more details in due course.

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

The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. We will promote robust standards nationally and internationally and we have been clear we will protect farmers from being undercut by low welfare and low standards in trade deals.

We await the EU Commission proposals with interest.