Taking Ban Hatch & Dispatch to Parliament

On Tuesday 9th September, the Vegetarian Society hosted a parliamentary reception for members of both houses, highlighting the urgent need to end male chick culling in the UK egg industry and transition to in-ovo sexing technology.

The event followed a parliamentary drop-in session where together with our parliamentary champion for the campaign, Irene Campbell MP, I briefed MPs in more detail about the issue. 

The reception itself was supported by Irene Campbell MP and featured speakers including our own Chief Executive, Richard Mcllwain and Antonius Hellenthal, representative of Orbem, a leading German in-ovo sexing technology company. 

I was delighted to welcome around 60 attendees to the event, nearly half of whom were parliamentarians. Ten members of the Vegetarian Society also joined, engaging directly with MPs and showing their support for ending male chick culling. 

The atmosphere was united and optimistic, with a shared belief that a ban on male chick culling is achievable during this parliamentary term. 

Speakers outlined the urgent need to shift from culling to in-ovo sexing, the progress made so far, and current opportunities — such as incorporating a roadmap for the transition into the upcoming Animal Welfare Strategy. 

With input from Orbem, the demonstration showed how in-ovo sexing works and highlighted successful transitions in countries such as France, Germany, and Austria, where male chick culling is already banned. 

The First Parliamentary Debate on Male Chick Culling

Just two days after the reception, the very first adjournment debate on male chick culling took place in the House of Commons Chamber, streamed live on Parliament TV, and was also led by Irene Campbell MP.

Irene spoke passionately about ending male chick culling and emphasised the government’s opportunity to include a ban in the upcoming Animal Welfare Strategy.

Other MPs from different parties contributed, and the debate concluded with a response from Dame Angela Eagle, Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Debate Highlights

“The culling of live male chicks is a cruel and outdated practice. There is strong public support and wide international precedent. I keenly await the Animal Welfare Strategy this autumn, and hope that banning male chick culling will be a key aim. It is essential that a roadmap with a timeline is introduced to phase out this cruel practice and that male chick culling and imports are a thing of the past.”
– Irene Campbell MP

“Similar technology has worked well in the dairy industry, where semen is sexed before insemination to avoid a surplus of male calves. This successful programme could be replicated in the poultry industry.”
– Dr Danny Chambers MP

“I fully recognise the strong public feeling on the routine culling of male chicks, as highlighted by the Vegetarian Society’s Ban Hatch & Dispatch campaign.”
– Dame Angela Eagle, Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Continuing the Campaign

This progress in Parliament is encouraging, but momentum must continue. A government commitment to transition from male chick culling to in-ovo sexing could prevent the needless culling of 45 million newly hatched male chicks every year.

Will You Join our Call to Ban Hatch & Dispatch?

Your support has helped bring this issue firmly onto Parliament’s agenda. Now, it’s time to ensure the government follows through.

Write to your MP today and urge them to back the Ban Hatch & Dispatch campaign, helping the UK maintain its reputation as a leader in animal welfare.

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