Question follow-through · 104238

Poultry: Animal Welfare

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment the Government has made about the potential merits of using in-ovo sexing technology as an alternative to male chick culling in the egg industry.

answeredDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Tabled
8 Jan 2026
Target answer date
12 Jan 2026
Answer
14 Jan 2026 · 6 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

More questions by this MP on Economy and business

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Recorded timeline

  1. 8 Jan 2026

    Question tabled

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment the Government has made about the potential merits of using in-ovo sexing technology as an alternative to male chick culling in the egg industry.

  2. 12 Jan 2026

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 14 Jan 2026

    Answer published

    As stated in the recently published Animal Welfare Strategy1 we will encourage industry to end the practice of culling male laying hen chicks. In recent years there has been rapid global progress in a range of technologies that could help end the routine ...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

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16 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support people with the cost of water bills.

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Water Charges

16 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increasing water bills on households.

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Fisheries

21 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with UK fishers on (a) challenges and (b) support required.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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27 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department are taking to help support people with veterinary bills.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Veterinary Services: Costs

27 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made on the affordability of veterinary bills.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Veterinary Services: Prices

27 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to increase transparency of the prices of veterinary bills.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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27 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made about the potential impact of high veterinary bills in the context of the cost of living pressures.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Veterinary Services: Costs

27 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent conversations her Department has held with animal charities regarding veterinary bills.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Veterinary Services: Small Businesses

27 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the (a) economic state and (b) financial viability of independent veterinary businesses.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Veterinary Services: Competition

27 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent conversations her Department has had with the Competition and Market Authority regarding veterinary bill costs.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Veterinary Services: Costs

27 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made about the potential impact of high veterinary bills on animal health.