HL Deb 04 July 2002 vol 637 c57WA
Baroness Byford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in the event that, following consultation, they decide to ban the use of battery cages in England, they will also ban the import of eggs which are produced in such cages overseas. [HL4998]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)

WTO rules currently do not permit the restriction of trade of goods based on methods of production. However, the EU has been successful in getting non-trade concerns, which includes animal welfare, firmly written into the Doha development agenda.