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Ask Defra to release the results

At the end of last year, the UK Government consulted on ending cages for hens, but months later, there’s still silence while nearly six million hens remain confined.

Urge Defra to now publish the consultation results, so the UK can move another step closer to a ban on UK hen cages once and for all.

Dear Minister,

I am writing to urge Defra to publish the outcome of its consultation on the use of cages for laying hens.

The consultation closed several months ago, yet the Government has not published a summary of responses or outlined its next steps. This delay creates uncertainty and risks slowing progress on an issue that matters to many people across the country.

Almost six million laying hens are still kept in cages in the UK each year. I believe these systems no longer meet public expectations for animal welfare and that a transition away from cages is both necessary and achievable.

Please publish the consultation results and provide a clear timetable for the next stage of this long-awaited ban. This would demonstrate that the Government remains committed to improving farmed animal welfare by delivering on a key commitment in the Animal Welfare Strategy for England, and would allow informed discussion about the way forward.

Thank you for your consideration.

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