Mark Oaten to Hold Adjournment Debate on Free Animal Welfare

Mark Oaten continues his campaign on the welfare of animals in the food production industry by securing an adjournment debate for this Tuesday.  

The Winchester MP has already tabled an Early Day Motion and parliamentary questions on the sourcing of British chicken and the production of meat within the food manufacturing industry.  He is now taking this further by holding an adjournment debate on the subject.

Mr Oaten was alerted to this issue having watched ‘Hugh’s Chicken Run’ on Channel 4 late last year.  Since then he has met with relevant stakeholders and groups to raise awareness of the welfare of animals in this industry, especially chickens.  In light of this work he is now taking this to Parliament where the issues will be debated in Westminster Hall on Tuesday.        

In particular he will be calling on supermarkets and other retailers to make a public commitment to phase out standard chickens and instead source produce certified to the RSPCA’s Freedom Food higher welfare standard by 2010.

Mark will also be calling on the Government to look into how we can provide food reared to a higher welfare standard in schools across the country. Many children today are concerned about where their food comes from but have a limited choice in school meals. Action needs to be taken here by Local Authorities which the Government should encourage.

Consumer response to the television programmes has been staggering with supermarkets across the country announcing unprecedented demand for free range chickens. In some cases a 50% increase has been reported. Locally Winchester has also shown a large increase in demand for free range produce which has not abated.

Mark Oaten MP stated:

“Chicken is the nation’s favourite meat but very few people are aware of where their meat is sourced. 

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to raise important issues around the welfare of animals in the food production industry.  There is presently little known about where our meat comes from and what processes it goes through.  An open Parliamentary debate is long due.      

“The Government needs to engage in discussions with relevant parties to move towards free range production.