That this House deplores the Government's proposal to weaken the prohibition on the beak trimming of laying hens which is due to come into force on 1st January 2011 under paragraphs 8 and 9 of Schedule 3D to the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2000 (as amended); fears that the Government's proposal will result in a substantial number of hens continuing to be beak-trimmed after 1st January 2011; believes that the dilution of an important legislative reform in the field of animal welfare is totally unacceptable; and calls on the Government to withdraw its proposal to weaken the prohibition on the beak trimming of laying hens which is due to come into force on 1st January 2011.

That this House deplores the Government's proposal to weaken the prohibition on the beak trimming of laying hens which is due to come into force on 1st January 2011 under paragraphs 8 and 9 of Schedule 3D to the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2000 (as amended); fears that...

That this House notes that the European Union prohibition of conventional battery cages for egg-laying hens that is due to come into force in 2012 under Council Directive 1999/74 is to be reviewed during 2007; firmly believes that the prohibition should not be repealed or postponed; notes that the report of the Scientific Panel for Animal Health and Welfare of the European Food Safety Authority concludes that the inability of battery hens to perform their natural behaviours poses a particularly severe threat to their welfare; further notes that the LayWel report prepared for the European Commission concludes that the welfare of hens is severely compromised in conventional battery cages; further believes that many members of the public would be dismayed if the prohibition were to be postponed; and urges the Government to take the lead in persuading the UK's EU partners that the prohibition of conventional battery cages should not be postponed but should come into force in 2012 as enacted by Council Directive 1999/74.

That this House notes that the European Union prohibition of conventional battery cages for egg-laying hens that is due to come into force in 2012 under Council Directive 1999/74 is to be reviewed during 2007; firmly believes that the prohibition should not be repealed or postponed; notes that the report...

That this House notes the difficulties facing poultry farmers with the implementation of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control System (IPPC); further notes that the IPPC, introduced through the EU, is aimed at reducing emissions into the atmosphere from heavy industry rather than agriculture, but that poultry farmers have been lumped into this category because of the ammonia and dust produced on their farms; recognises the severe financial impact this will have on poultry farmers, who will have to pay a registration fee plus an annual charge in addition to the significant increase in red tape that will face farmers; and supports the NFU, British Egg Industry Council and the British Poultry Council in their campaign which calls for the UK poultry industry to be given a three year waiver of this fee, allowing the industry to recover from the problems it has faced with the threat of avian flu before having to face this new increased charge.

That this House notes the difficulties facing poultry farmers with the implementation of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control System (IPPC); further notes that the IPPC, introduced through the EU, is aimed at reducing emissions into the atmosphere from heavy industry rather than agriculture, but that poultry farmers have been...

That this House notes with concern that the Government has amended the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 to permit birds to be killed by ventilation shutdown for the purpose of disease control; further notes that ventilation shutdown involves closing the air vents in a poultry shed and shutting off the ventilation; believes that ventilation shutdown is not a humane killing method; further notes that death will probably primarily result from hypothermia and could be slow and protracted, with the birds suffering over an extended period of time; and urges the Government not to use ventilation shutdown as a method of killing poultry for the purpose of disease control.

That this House notes with concern that the Government has amended the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 to permit birds to be killed by ventilation shutdown for the purpose of disease control; further notes that ventilation shutdown involves closing the air vents in a poultry shed and...

That this House notes that the prohibition of conventional battery cages for egg-laying hens that is due to come into force in 2012 under Council Directive 1999/74 is to be reviewed during 2006; firmly believes that the prohibition should remain in place and should not be repealed or postponed; further notes that the report of the Scientific Panel for Animal Health and Welfare of the European Food Safety Authority concludes that the inability of battery hens to perform their natural behaviours poses a particularly severe threat to their welfare; and urges Her Majesty's Government to take the lead in persuading EU partners that the prohibition of conventional battery cages should neither be repealed nor postponed but should come into force in 2012 as enacted by Council Directive 1999/74.

That this House notes that the prohibition of conventional battery cages for egg-laying hens that is due to come into force in 2012 under Council Directive 1999/74 is to be reviewed during 2006; firmly believes that the prohibition should remain in place and should not be repealed or postponed; further...

That this House notes with regret that broiler chickens are the only UK farmed animal without specific legal protection; further notes the report produced on 21st March 2000 by the EU's Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare (SCAHAW) examining broiler chicken production, which concluded that broiler chickens would face serious problems if stocking density exceeds 30kg per square metre; regrets that the current recommended stocking density is 34kg per square metre, allowing each bird an area of 0.05 metres squared; further notes with concern that there is no legal upper limit on stocking densities; further notes the announcement in June of this year of the proposal for a Council directive laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production; further notes that a five year time frame has been placed on the adoption of this directive; regrets that this will mean no action being taken on this urgent animal welfare issue for up to 10 years following the publication of the damning SCAHAW report; and therefore calls upon the Government to introduce legislation as soon as possible to prevent the unnecessary suffering of thousands of broiler chickens.

That this House notes with regret that broiler chickens are the only UK farmed animal without specific legal protection; further notes the report produced on 21st March 2000 by the EU's Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare (SCAHAW) examining broiler chicken production, which concluded that broiler chickens would...

That this House notes with concern that 21 million hens are currently condemned to a miserable existence in battery cages with almost no space to stretch their wings, move around or behave in a natural way; welcomes the proposed ban across Europe from 2012 of conventional battery cages; however notes that so-called enriched battery cages which allow only a little more room than conventional battery systems still do not meet the welfare needs of the hens; therefore supports the RSPCA call for an unconditional ban on all cages and for battery systems to be replaced with free-range and barn systems, which allow birds to move around and express normal behaviour; encourages egg producers to put into practice higher welfare alternative systems such as barn and free range prior to legislative changes; welcomes the recent introduction of compulsory labelling of eggs to provide consumers with relevant information about the farming method; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to follow the lead of Germany and bring forward the ban on all cages by 2012 at the very latest.

That this House notes with concern that 21 million hens are currently condemned to a miserable existence in battery cages with almost no space to stretch their wings, move around or behave in a natural way; welcomes the proposed ban across Europe from 2012 of conventional battery cages; however notes...

That this House commends the recent BBC Panorama programme, The Chicken Run, which investigated the use of protein additives made from the remains of cows and pigs, used by some areas of the frozen chicken industry; notes the clear evidence of meat processors deliberately water 'bulking' chicken to enhance weight and the use of beef or pork protein from unspecified sources to allow the meat to retain more water; considers the implications not only for further BSE contamination of the food chain but for those of the Muslim faith to be severe; observes with concern that the practice of injecting chicken with water and proteins is not illegal, as long as it is accurately labelled and that it is not illegal to inject beef and pork proteins into chicken, as long as they are labelled as hydrolised proteins; records that one German protein company, Prowico, admitted that it had developed a method of breaking down the DNA in the proteins so that no traces of beef or pork could be found; and calls on Her Majesty's Government immediately to take every available measure to ensure not only adequate labelling but full traceability and detectability to protect the general public.

That this House commends the recent BBC Panorama programme, The Chicken Run, which investigated the use of protein additives made from the remains of cows and pigs, used by some areas of the frozen chicken industry; notes the clear evidence of meat processors deliberately water 'bulking' chicken to enhance weight...

That this House believes that the European Union prohibition on conventional battery cages, which comes into force in 2012, must be maintained when the EU Hens Directive is reviewed in 2005, as scientific research shows that battery cages have inherent severe disadvantages for the welfare of hens; believes that enriched cages should also be prohibited during the 2005 review as these cages offer no worthwhile welfare benefits to hens; urges farmers to change to free-range and perchery systems which add relatively little to egg production costs; urges supermarkets, caterers and food manufacturers to use only eggs produced to EU welfare standards and not to import cage eggs; and urges Her Majesty's Government to take the lead during the 2005 review in persuading partners to maintain the prohibition on conventional battery cages and extend it to enriched cages.

That this House believes that the European Union prohibition on conventional battery cages, which comes into force in 2012, must be maintained when the EU Hens Directive is reviewed in 2005, as scientific research shows that battery cages have inherent severe disadvantages for the welfare of hens; believes that enriched...

That this House notes with concern the creation of a featherless chicken by a geneticist in Israel; further notes that the selective breeding of the chicken has been carried out with a view to increasing profitability and convenience in factory farming and believes that this raises major ethical questions for scientists; feels sure that the majority of British people will be appalled by such wanton disregard of farm animals' well-being; believes that the welfare of animals should be placed at the heart of farming; and urges the Government to prohibit the development of featherless chickens in the United Kingdom and to discourage the selective breeding of farm animals which leads to ill health or pain or prevents the animals from carrying out their natural behaviour.

That this House notes with concern the creation of a featherless chicken by a geneticist in Israel; further notes that the selective breeding of the chicken has been carried out with a view to increasing profitability and convenience in factory farming and believes that this raises major ethical questions for...

That this House is concerned that, although the EU Hens Directive prohibits the use of conventional battery cages from 2012, it permits the use of 'enriched cages'; notes with concern the significant welfare problems associated with 'enriched cage' systems, which the egg industry may well introduce as a substitute for conventional battery cages; believes that the floor space and cage height and the perch, litter and nest box facilities provided in 'enriched cages' are insufficient to allow hens to perform natural behaviours in a way that is meaningful to the birds; and urges Her Majesty's Government to prohibit the use of 'enriched cages', as they offer no significant additional welfare benefits for egg-laying hens.

That this House is concerned that, although the EU Hens Directive prohibits the use of conventional battery cages from 2012, it permits the use of 'enriched cages'; notes with concern the significant welfare problems associated with 'enriched cage' systems, which the egg industry may well introduce as a substitute for...

That this House notes that there is no specific detailed legislation to protect the hundreds of millions of broiler chickens reared every year in the UK; is dismayed that millions of these birds are reared in severely cramped conditions, 30-40,000 at a time in windowless sheds; is further dismayed that such conditions, together with the use of growth-promoting antibiotics and rich diets, can cause severe and crippling health problems and injuries for millions of chickens; is concerned that intensive farming and the cramming together of broiler chickens can create the conditons in which infections flourish; notes that recent reports and surveys suggest that a significant number of broiler chickens are infected with salmonella or campylobacter, the main sources of food poisoning in humans; is alarmed about the potential threat this poses to human health; calls upon Her Majesty's Government to do all it can to end the pain and suffering of broiler chickens and to safeguard human health; and, believes that, by doing so, Her Majesty's Government will both maintain consumer confidence in poultry products and ensure the economic future of the poultry industry.

That this House notes that there is no specific detailed legislation to protect the hundreds of millions of broiler chickens reared every year in the UK; is dismayed that millions of these birds are reared in severely cramped conditions, 30-40,000 at a time in windowless sheds; is further dismayed that...

That this House believes that the battery cage system imposes a high degree of suffering on laying hens; is concerned that battery hens are kept in cages so small that they are unable to stretch their wings, let alone move around or peck and scratch at the ground; notes that a 1996 report by the European Commission's Scientific Veterinary Committee concluded that because of its small size and barrenness the battery cage as used at present has inherent severe disadvantages for the welfare of hens; welcomes the fact that in January 1999 the European Parliament voted decisively for the battery cage to be phased out throughout the European Union by 2009; and urges Her Majesty's Government to take the lead in persuading the European Union's Council of Agriculture Minister to agree to the EU-wide phase-out of battery cages called for by the European Parliament.

That this House believes that the battery cage system imposes a high degree of suffering on laying hens; is concerned that battery hens are kept in cages so small that they are unable to stretch their wings, let alone move around or peck and scratch at the ground; notes that...

That this House is appalled that the vast majority of eggs still come from battery hens; is concerned that these birds are kept in cages so small that they are unable to stretch their wings, let alone move around or peck and scratch at the ground; notes that battery hens are prevented from performing most of their natural behaviours such as perching, dustbathing or building a nest in which to lay their eggs; is concerned that due to lack of exercise the hens' bones become weak and brittle, leading to many battery hens sustaining broken bones by the time they come to be slaughtered; notes that a 1996 report by the European Commission's Scientific Veterinary Committee concluded that because of its small size and barrenness, the battery cage as used at present has inherent severe disadvantages for the welfare of hens; urges Her Majesty's Government to take the lead in persuading the United Kingdom's European Union partners to agree to an EU-wide phase-out of battery cages during the current negotiations on the proposed EU Directive on the welfare of laying hens; welcomes recent proposals by the European Commission; and urges the Government to press for this phase-out date to be brought forward.

That this House is appalled that the vast majority of eggs still come from battery hens; is concerned that these birds are kept in cages so small that they are unable to stretch their wings, let alone move around or peck and scratch at the ground; notes that battery hens...

That this House congratulates Compassion in World Farming Trust on their report which exposes the extensive suffering routinely experienced by broiler chickens; is concerned that the vast majority of the 670 million broiler chickens slaughtered annually in the United Kingdom are reared intensively indoors in darkened, overcrowded sheds; is further concerned that the birds are forced to grow so quickly through selective breeding and rich diets that their legs cannot support their massive bodies with the result that each year around 180 million broilers suffer from painful, sometimes crippling leg problems; concurs with Professor John Webster of Bristol University that the chronic pain suffered by many broilers must constitute the single most extreme example of man's inhumanity to another sentient creature; and urges Her Majesty's Government to introduce legislation to safeguard the welfare of broiler chickens.

That this House congratulates Compassion in World Farming Trust on their report which exposes the extensive suffering routinely experienced by broiler chickens; is concerned that the vast majority of the 670 million broiler chickens slaughtered annually in the United Kingdom are reared intensively indoors in darkened, overcrowded sheds; is further...

That this House congratulates the Compassion in World Farming Trust on its new Report on the welfare at slaughter of broiler chickens; notes that 600 million broilers are slaughtered in Britain each year; notes with concern that many chickens are neither properly stunned before slaughter nor are their necks cut correctly to minimise suffering; is alarmed that as a result many chickens may regain consciousness before dying; welcomes the fact that the proposed EC regulation on welfare at slaughter would result in certain key protections becoming binding legal requirements rather than simply being contained in unenforceable codes of practice, as at present in the United Kingdom; and calls upon Majesty's Government to urge its EC partners to adopt the proposed EC regulation without any downgrading of its provisions.

That this House congratulates the Compassion in World Farming Trust on its new Report on the welfare at slaughter of broiler chickens; notes that 600 million broilers are slaughtered in Britain each year; notes with concern that many chickens are neither properly stunned before slaughter nor are their necks cut...

That this House expresses its dismay at the serious welfare problems of intensively reared broilers; notes that such broilers spend their short lives of six to seven weeks in huge windowless sheds, often containing tens of thousands of birds; notes that as the birds grow larger the sheds become extremely overcrowded, with each bird having a space smaller than the cover of a telephone directory to live on; is appalled that many broilers suffer from lameness and painful leg deformities as, due to modern breeding and rearing practices, they grow too quickly for their legs to support their weight; is concerned at the use of growth-promoting drugs; and calls for urgent legislation to secure improved welfare standards for broilers.

That this House expresses its dismay at the serious welfare problems of intensively reared broilers; notes that such broilers spend their short lives of six to seven weeks in huge windowless sheds, often containing tens of thousands of birds; notes that as the birds grow larger the sheds become extremely...

That this House deplores the cruel trade in pate de foie gras; notes that in France alone nearly two million geese are force fed, whereby geese are placed in restraining braces which hold their wings tightly to their bodies and stretch their necks, whereby the birds' heads are raised so that funnel tubes enter their throats and spring clips latch around behind the skulls to prevent the geese from moving so they cannot close their throats and whereby 6lbs of salty fatty maize is pressed into their throats every day; believes that it is an appalling indictment of the United Kingdom Government that the import of this product of misery and suffering is permitted; and calls for its immediate ban.

That this House deplores the cruel trade in pate de foie gras; notes that in France alone nearly two million geese are force fed, whereby geese are placed in restraining braces which hold their wings tightly to their bodies and stretch their necks, whereby the birds' heads are raised so...

That this House believes that the lack of any regulation to require the labelling of eggs to clearly state the conditions under which the producing hens are kept is effectively preventing the development and introduction of alternatives to the battery cage; and therefore, in the interests of animal welfare and consumer rights, calls upon Her Majesty's Government to introduce the required regulations to ensure such labelling is introduced at an early date.

That this House believes that the lack of any regulation to require the labelling of eggs to clearly state the conditions under which the producing hens are kept is effectively preventing the development and introduction of alternatives to the battery cage; and therefore, in the interests of animal welfare and...