§ Mr. NichollsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on relative welfare standards for poultry in the United Kingdom and eastern Europe.
§ Mr. SoamesNo information is available on welfare standards for poultry in eastern Europe. However, Slovenia has become a contracting party to the Council of Europe convention on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes, which contains general principles for safeguarding the welfare of such animals. Other eastern European countries may attend the meetings of the standing committee set up under the convention but have yet to become contracting parties to the convention.
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