Written question asked by Alex Mayer (Labour) on Monday, 23 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 March 2026. It was answered by Angela Eagle (Labour) on Tuesday, 31 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Animal Welfare Strategy for England, whether her Department plans to require that all chicken is sourced from higher welfare systems meeting the standards of the Better Chicken Commitment in Government procurement contracts.

Answer: As set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy, public sector food procurement policies have the potential to drive more positive animal welfare outcomes. We will explore such opportunities as we develop our policy, including the potential to strengthen the animal welfare provisions across a range of products within the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF). Further, the National Procurement Policy Statement, published in February 2025, underscores the government's commitment to increasing the procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards and upholds ethical sourcing practises across public sector contracts.

Secondary information