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 make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the Scottish Government’s consultation on a proposal to phase out the use of cages in Scotland’s laying hen sector.

The UK Government is committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and wants to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards.

Intergovernmental discussions between Defra and the devolved Governments on animal welfare matters are ongoing and the use of enriched ‘colony’ cages is an issue we will want to fully consider in due course.