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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment 4she has made of the potential merits of introducing legislation to prevent the breeding and killing of unwanted male dairy calves.

The Government is committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare standards but not all animal welfare improvements are achieved through regulation. It is heartening to see that an increased use in sexed semen by the dairy industry is leading to a reduction in unwanted male dairy calves.