Bill seeks to ban enriched cages for egg-laying hens

Seven EU countries and nine US states are already cage-free or have legislative bans in the pipeline
Seven EU countries and nine US states are already cage-free or have legislative bans in the pipeline

The UK could transition away from enriched cages for egg-laying hens after a Ten-Minute Rule Bill was announced this week seeking to ban them.

Henry Smith MP, who is a Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation (CAWF) Patron, announced the Hen Caging (Prohibition) Bill on Tuesday (7 September).

It will have its first reading on 22 September and if successful will see the UK move away from enriched cage farming systems.

The Bill is informally known as ‘Beatrice’s Bill’ after the rescue hen at the centre of a new campaign co-ordinated by CAWF and the Humane League, which aims to see the UK end cages for egg-laying hens.

Beatrice’s Bill seeks higher welfare standards through ensuring hens have more space to perform natural behaviours such as nesting, foraging and dust bathing.

It comes as all major retailers have committed to going cage-free by at least 2025, and many have already made this transition.

Mr Smith, who is MP for Crawley, said it was 'unacceptable' that almost half the eggs on shelves were laid by hens raised in enriched cages.

"The government must now build on its recent progress in its Action Plan and use this opportunity to realign our farming practices with the British public’s high regard for animal welfare.

"It was the Conservatives who rightly banned conventional battery cages in 2012, and I hope it will be the Conservatives again who transition the UK to a cage-free future."

Lorraine Platt, co-founder of CAWF, added that approximately 16 million hens at present were being reared in enriched cages.

“From alleviating food safety risks to bringing our legislation into closer alignment with UK business sentiment, there are so many reasons for us to ban cages.

"We look forward to supporting this Bill as it is brought to Parliament this month.”

Seven EU countries and nine US states are already cage-free or have legislative bans in the pipeline.

The EU is set to end the use of all cage units in egg production across all member states following an overwhelming vote by MEPs.

Battery cages were banned by the bloc in 2012, which forced egg producers using cages to switch to the enriched colony cage system.