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Henry Smith MP has spoken in Parliament (on Wednesday, 22nd September) to introduce the Hen Caging (Prohibition) Bill, which seeks to extend the ban which started in 2012 to ban battery cages for hens, to so-called enriched cages.

While larger, these cages still do not allow enough space for hens’ natural behaviours.

The legislation is also known as Beatrice’s Bill, named after a hen rescued from a life in a cage by the Humane League UK.

Henry’s Bill seeks to introduce a number of benefits to animal welfare, including:

Henry Smith MP has spoken in Parliament to introduce the Hen Caging (Prohibition) Bill, which seeks to extend the ban which started in 2012 to ban battery cages for hens, to so-called enriched cages. Picture by Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament

- Higher welfare standards through ensuring hens have more space to perform natural behaviours such as nesting, foraging and dust bathing.

- Greater consumer confidence through lowering food safety risk.

- Closer alignment with the sentiment of British business. All major retailers have now committed to going cage-free by at least 2025 and many have already made this transition.

Commenting after speaking in the House of Commons, Henry said: "I’m pleased to be introducing this important Bill in Parliament.

"The Government was right to ban conventional battery cages in 2012, and I hope that ministers will take further action to transition the UK to a cage-free future.

"An increasing number of companies are calling for further progress to phase out the use of cages for egg-laying hens.

"I’m proud that Nestlé UK, who are based in Crawley, are standing alongside the likes of Greggs, Nando’s and Premier Foods in wanting this to happen.

"We are, of course, a nation of animal lovers, and my inbox is proof that a great many of us are from Crawley.

"It’s unacceptable that almost half the eggs on the shelves of our supermarkets were laid by hens raised in such terrible conditions.

"I’m grateful for the support of colleagues in Parliament and we call on the Government to build on its Action Plan for Animal Welfare and take this opportunity to realign our farming practices with the people’s high regard for animal welfare.

"My thanks to Humane League UK and the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation for their support for Beatrice and this Bill.

Henry Smith MP introduces Beatrice's Bill in the House of Commons