BEAK TRIMMING OF LAYING HENS

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.