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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the uptake of (a) outdoor farrowing and (b) other higher welfare rearing systems for pigs.

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving the lives of farm animals and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway supports farmers to improve the health and welfare of their livestock through funded vet visits as well as targeted grants such as the Animal Health & Welfare Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF25). The FETF provides grants to farmers, including pig keepers, of between £1,000 and £25,000 towards the cost of a list of equipment items that deliver improvements in the health and welfare of their animals. The item list includes kit specifically intended to improve and upgrade pig housing such as outdoor farrowing arks, automatic curtain systems and LED lighting. This follows the FETF24 offer in which funding for over 800 farrowing arks was claimed by pig keepers. We continue to work with industry as part of the Pathway to encourage improvements in pig welfare.