Written question asked by Kerry McCarthy (Labour) on Thursday, 17 July 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 21 July 2008. It was answered by Jonathan Shaw (Labour) on Monday, 1 September 2008 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Poultry: EU Action

Question: (2) if he will consider the case, when bringing forward secondary legislation to transpose the EU Broiler Chicken Directive into EU law, for setting the UK maximum stocking density at 30kg per square metre;

Answer: We welcome EU directive 2007/43/EC setting out minimum standards for the welfare of broiler chickens, which was agreed in June 2007. The directive will deliver real welfare benefits for broilers while balancing economic, social and environmental impacts.Legislation to implement the directive into UK law will be produced to meet the directive implementation date of 30 June 2010.There is no maximum stocking density for intensive meat chicken production currently set down in domestic law. A full public consultation will be undertaken early next year on the proposed legislation, including provisions on stocking density.

Secondary information