Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will issue a response to EDM 402, Use of Cages to Rear Birds for Shooting.

George Eustice

Recent Defra funded research into the use of cages for rearing gamebirds compared with more traditional pen systems found no difference in welfare between the two systems. The Government intends to review the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes next year. In the meantime, if anyone considers that the welfare of a gamebird is being compromised they should report it to the Animal & Plant Health Agency who have powers to investigate such claims.