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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that animal welfare standards are maintained on farms in (a) West Yorkshire and (b) England.

The welfare of farmed animals is protected by comprehensive and robust legislation across England, including West Yorkshire, alongside species-specific welfare codes which provide guidance on how to comply with the legislation.

This Government wants to continue to build on our strong track record for raising the bar when it comes to farm animal welfare. We are delivering a series of ambitious reforms, as outlined in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare which was published in May this year. We are also actively exploring options for improving the UK food system and this includes phasing out of cages.

As part of our plans for future farming, we are co-designing an Animal Health and Welfare Pathway with industry – to promote the production of healthier, higher-welfare animals at a level beyond compliance with current regulations – underpinning our high international reputation for health and welfare and future increases to regulatory standards.