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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the work of the Animal and Plant Health Agency in ensuring that the Animal Welfare Act 2006 is complied with in respect of gamebirds.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) takes animal welfare seriously. APHA have powers to inspect gamebird establishments in response to reports of poor welfare.

APHA ran a two day training workshop during February 2018 for veterinary and technical staff, to promote a better understanding and provide them with background to the gamebird industry, related diseases and animal welfare issues. It is intended to expand on this to include attendance at gamebird rearing units over the next few months.