Skip to main content
Banner image for Henry Smith

Henry Smith

Member of Parliament for Crawley

Main navigation

  • Home
  • About
  • News
  • Campaigns
  • Westminster Reports
  • Video
  • Contact & Privacy Notice

Henry Smith MP tables amendment to key Animal Welfare Bill to protect hens before slaughter

  • Tweet
Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
Henry Smith MP tables amendment to key Animal Welfare Bill to protect hens before slaughter

Henry Smith MP has tabled an amendment to the Government’s Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill which seeks to improve the handling and transport of laying hens prior to slaughter.

The amendment would protect end of lay hens from rough handling while loading for transport and ensure better welfare conditions during travel. It would legislate specifically for:

  • The prohibition of catching, lifting or carrying a hen by one or both legs, or more than one hen at a time in each hand.
  • Ensuring hens have enough room to stand upright without difficulty during transport. Their head, wings and legs must also not be trapped in or between transport devices.
  • Penalties for acting in violation of these regulations.

Henry said;

“The UK is introducing world-leading animal welfare measures for livestock and protections for wildlife through the Action Plan for Animal Welfare. However, it is important that the 39 million laying hens in the UK are not overlooked in these efforts to raise standards.

“At the end of their lives laying hens are often subject to significant distress and injuries due to the speed of handling, and the design of transport modules used for travel to the slaughterhouse. I hope this amendment will provide better welfare conditions for laying hens at the end of their lives.”

Lorraine Platt, Co-Founder of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, commented;

“Laying hens often suffer severe bruising, bone fractures and dislocations as they are handled and loaded onto transport, and further during the journey to the slaughterhouse where legs and wings can be trapped between crates for many hours.

“The UK is proudly introducing other measures to strengthen welfare conditions for livestock in transport before slaughter, and it is only right that we extend these principles to laying hens as well. In doing so we can prevent the suffering of millions of laying hens as they reach the end of their lives.”

You may also be interested in

Animal Welfare

Animal Welfare

I have consistently called for stronger laws against those who cause animals pain and inflict suffering needlessly.

  • Westminster News
Henry Smith MP welcomes new plan to recover urgent and emergency care services

Henry Smith MP welcomes new plan to recover urgent and emergency care services

Wednesday, 1 February, 2023

Frontline NHS capacity will be boosted further thanks to 800 new ambulances, including 100 specialist mental health vehicles, and 5,000 more sustainable hospital beds backed by a £1 billion dedicated fund.

News

  • Latest Bulletin

Keep up to date with Henry Smith MP's work in Crawley and Westminster

Stay informed on the latest news.

The information you provide is used in accordance with our Data Collection and Use policy. By clicking this button you agree to your information being used in accordance with that policy.

Show only

  • Articles
  • Local News
  • Reports
  • Speeches in Parliament
  • Westminster News

Henry Smith Member of Parliament for Crawley

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About Henry
  • Get a postal vote
  • Register to vote
Promoted by Henry Smith MP of the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.
Copyright 2023 Henry Smith Member of Parliament for Crawley. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree