Game Birds (Cage Breeding) Bill [HL]

1 Prohibition on the use of raised laying cages or battery cages

(1)

A person who keeps any pheasant or partridge in a raised laying cage or
battery cage for the purpose of producing eggs commits an offence.

(2)

A person who causes or permits any pheasant or partridge to be kept in a
raised laying cage or battery cage for the purpose of producing eggs commits
an offence.

2 Additional conditions for the keeping of pheasants and partridges

(1)

The person responsible for an animal to which this section applies commits
an offence if the animal is kept otherwise than in accordance with this section.

(2)

An enclosure in which any pheasant or partridge is kept for the purpose of
producing eggs, including but not limited to after the laying period, must
provide a minimum of two square metres of floor surface area per bird.

3 Penalties

A person guilty of an offence under this Act shall be liable on summary
conviction to—

(a)

imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks, or

(b)

a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale,

or to both.

4 Interpretation

In this Act—

“
battery cage” means any enclosed space intended for laying birds in a battery system;

“
battery system” means an arrangement of cages either beside or on top of each other, or both;

“
raised laying cage” means a laying cage raised above the ground.

5 Extent, commencement and citation

(1)

This Act extends to England and Wales only.

(2)

This Act comes into force at the end of the period of 12 months beginning
with the day on which it is passed.

(3)

This Act may be cited as the Game Birds (Cage Breeding) Act 2021.