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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Laying Hens and Pellets.

Farmers are required by law to have access to and be familiar with the statutory farm welfare codes, which provide guidance for keepers on how to comply with animal welfare legislation and help us maintain our high animal welfare standards. The codes are also used by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to check how well animal welfare standards are being met. We have an ongoing dialogue with APHA on all animal welfare matters, including those relating to enforcement, and the latest updated code of practice for the welfare of laying hens and pullets provides keepers with up to date information on the latest practices and helps ensure high standards of compliance.