Poultry: Animal Welfare
(asked on 17th January 2019) - View Source
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 effectiveness of duck welfare rules for commercial duck farms; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by
David Rutley
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK already has some of the highest standards of animal welfare, underpinned by existing legislation and farmed animal welfare codes. We are committed to maintaining our high animal welfare standards and to keep improving where possible.
The welfare of ducks is provided for in the general provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. Defra has a statutory duck welfare code which encourages high standards of husbandry.
In addition, the main farm assurance schemes have standards in place which their members must also comply with, which set requirements to ensure the health and welfare of commercially produced ducks.