BROILER CHICKENS

Early day motion 790, tabled 18 October 2005 by Nick Harvey (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 55 members.

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.

Signatures by party: Labour 32, Liberal Democrat 21, Conservative 1, Plaid Cymru 1.