Thank you very much for contacting me about animal sentience and the destruction of day old male chicks.
As a general point, it is clear that animals are sentient beings who can feel pain and suffering, and I would like to reassure you that strong action is being taken to reduce their risk of harm.
In Wales, I understand that the Labour Welsh Government is allowing the UK Conservative Government to legislate on its behalf on the matter of animal sentience. I am therefore pleased that in the Queen’s Speech, the UK Conservative Government demonstrated its unwavering commitment to leading the way in animal sentience by putting it at the heart of policy making. The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill is currently making its way through the House of Lords and will establish an Animal Sentience Committee to scrutinise and report on Government policy decisions on the welfare of animals as sentient beings.
More broadly, for many years, Welsh Conservatives have been calling for more animal welfare checks in food production, including the introduction of mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses. Therefore, we are pleased that the Welsh Labour Government has finally taken on board these calls and pledged to introduce these in its Manifesto.
On the new alternatives available to the destruction of male chicks, my colleague, Sam Kurtz MS, the Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs will, of course, raise this directly with the Minister for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths MS.
Thank you again for taking the time to write to me.
