Download or read book The Draft Animal Welfare Bill written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by . This book was released on 2004-12-08 with total page 549 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Includes previously unpublished HCP 1032-i to -xii, session 2003-04. The draft Bill was published in July 2004 (Cm 6252, ISBN 0101625227)
Download or read book Draft Animal Welfare Bill First Report of Session written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 133 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The draft Animal Welfare Bill (Cm 6252, ISBN 0101625227), published in July 2004, seeks to consolidate and modernise the current law in England and Wales in line with current animal welfare standards. Amongst its provisions, the draft Bill seeks to establish a duty of care to ensure the welfare of all kept animals, enabling animal welfare organisations to intervene where there is evidence an animal is being kept in conditions likely to lead to suffering, rather than having to wait for evidence that the animal has suffered abuse before legal action can be taken. The Committee's report welcomes the Government's initiative of seeking to modernise and improve animal welfare legislation and supports the introduction of the new welfare offence. However, it also highlights a number of issues which need to be addressed before a final Bill is introduced into Parliament and makes 101 recommendations suggesting modifications either to the draft Bill itself or to its underlying policy.
Download or read book The Draft Animal Welfare Bill written by Great Britain. Parliament House of Commons. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by . This book was released on 2005-03-03 with total page 37 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Government reply to HCP 52-I, session 2004-05 (ISBN 0215020782)
Download or read book Annual Report For 2004 written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Liaison Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2005 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Annual report For 2004 : First report of session 2004-05, report, together with appendices and formal Minutes
Download or read book Launch of the Draft Animal Welfare Bill written by Great Britain. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2004 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The UK established the world's first animal welfare protection laws, with the passing of the Protection of Animals Act in 1911 which made it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any domestic or captive animal. This draft Bill, which extends to England and Wales, seeks to consolidate and modernise the legislation in line with current animal welfare standards, including the reforms undertaken in other countries such as New Zealand and Sweden. Amongst its provisions, which are grouped under 10 headings, the draft Bill seeks to: i) establish a duty of care to ensure the welfare of all kept animals, enabling animal welfare organisations to intervene where there is evidence an animal is being kept in conditions likely to lead to suffering, rather than having to wait for evidence that the animal has suffered abuse before legal action can be taken; ii) prohibit the sale of pets to children under 16; iii) end the practice of giving pets, including goldfish, as prizes, for example at funfairs; and iv) make offences of animal cruelty or keeping animals for fighting arrestable offences, with the maximum penalty leading to imprisonment upto 51 weeks or a fine of upto £20,000, or both. This publication contains the text of the draft Bill, explanatory notes and a regulatory impact assessment.
Download or read book Reform of the EU Sugar Regime written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2005-11-17 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The current system of prices, production and import quotas for the EU sugar market, which has remained largely unchanged since its inception in 1968, is due to expire in June 2006. It has attracted criticism for its anomalous structure, especially given the reforms to other aspects of the CAP in 2003, and the fact that some elements have been declared illegal by the WTO has added to the pressure for change. Following on from an earlier Committee report on this topic (HCP 550-I, session 2003-04, ISBN 0215018257), this report examines the recent proposals by the European Commission to reform the regime, in the context of the wider Doha round of trade negotiations, focusing on the likely impact on sugar producers and processors in the UK and the wider EU, and the development of the UK Government's position on the proposals. The Committee's conclusions include support for the Commission's reform proposals to secure price reductions in order to bring the European sugar market into balance; and that the UK, in its role as EU President, should support the Commission in minimising any attempts to dilute the reforms.
Download or read book The Departmental Annual Report 2005 written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2005-12-20 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: departmental annual Report 2005 : Fourth report of session 2005-06, Vol. 1: Report, together with formal minutes, and lists of oral and written Evidence
Download or read book Waste Policy and the Landfill Directive written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2005 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 400 million tonnes of waste is produced in England and Wales from industrial, commercial and household sources, with 375 million tonnes produced in England alone. Following on from its previous report on waste management issues (HCP 385-I, session 2002-03, ISBN 0215010876) published in May 2003, the Committee's report focuses on the progress being made to meet targets for recycling, and the impact of the EU Landfill Directive on reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills, particularly in hazardous waste landfill capacity. Findings include that waste policy has a lower public profile than many other environmental issues, and its development is hindered by a lack of quality data. Concerns are raised about the level of hazardous waste that is unaccounted for, following the ending of co-disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste in the same landfill. Government funding for research into new treatment technologies is welcomed, but more investment is needed; and the planning system is a key influence on the country's waste management capacity. The Committee also recommends that the Landfill Tax should be increased to £35 per tonne; and that the introduction of local authority schemes to promote household waste recycling should be left at the discretion of local councils, with variable charging schemes only introduced if this can avoid disadvantaging low-income families.
Download or read book Climate change written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-09-13 with total page 70 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Raising awareness and encouraging citizen involvement at a domestic level is fundamental to tackling climate change. This work examines: information and the raising of awareness about climate change; household energy efficiency; microgeneration; economic instruments and personal carbon allowances; and the role of the government.
Download or read book Draft Dangerous Dogs Amendment Bill written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by Stationery Office. This book was released on 2013-05-16 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report had endorsed draft laws to extend dangerous dogs offences to attacks on private property and on assistance dogs. But the MPs criticise the Government for failing to bring in wider measures, including Dog Control Notices, to tackle out-of-control dogs. MPs also endorse the proposed amendment to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 making attacks on private land the same as attacks on public land. The current law makes it impossible to bring criminal charges against an owner whose dog attacks someone in a private place, such as a home. The Committee welcomed the proposal to enable action to be taken regardless of where a dog attack happens. The Committee agree with the Government that the protection from prosecution should apply only when an attack takes place on a trespasser in the house, not in a surrounding area such as the garden or drive. However, measures taken by the owner to minimise the likelihood of their dog acting aggressively toward someone unexpectedly in such places should be taken into account by enforcement agencies and the courts. MPs fully support the measures to extend offences to those committed against an assistance dog, such as a guide dog, in the same way as if the attack were on a person. This reflects the significant consequences such attacks have on the daily lives of people who rely on assistance dogs. The Committee recommends that such offences should be extended to apply to any attack which injures a protected animal, such as a horse or livestock.
Download or read book Bovine TB written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-03-15 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bovine TB : Badger culling, sixth report of session 2005-06, Vol. 2: Oral and written Evidence
Download or read book British Waterways written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-07-31 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This inquiry into British Waterways covers the following topics: the improvements to the network over the past decade; the impact of recent grant reductions; funding levels in the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007; changes to the financial and regulatory framework; commercial activities; growth in the waterways network for leisure; potential growth of freight; the relationship with users; partnership working; the relationship with Government. The inquiry showed that the relationship between British Waterways and its sponsor department have been tense in recent months, with a former minister criticising them in public. The Committee hope that it is time for a fresh start. The Committee fully support the case for a longer-term funding contract and believe there is a strong case for other Government department to also make direct contributions to the funding. Government should rule out any plans for privatisation.
Download or read book The UK Government s Vision for the Common Agricultural Policy written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-05-24 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Incorporating HCP 1250, session 2005-06, not previously published
Download or read book Draft Marine Bill written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2008 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Government published its Draft Marine Bill on 3 April 2008 as Cm 7351 (ISBN 9780101735124). The Government proposes to legislate to give people right of access on foot all around the English coast. The Committee remains dissatisfied about the uncertainty that surrounds the process of pre-legislative scrutiny as exemplified by this case. The Committee was surprised at the vague and uncommunicative way that the Government deals with the House in preparing for such scrutiny. When the Government is preparing draft bills in the future, it should inform the Liaison Committee which should recommend, in consultation with the relevant departmental select committee, how pre-legislative scrutiny should be conducted. The Bill places too much emphasis on trusting Natural England to "get it right" in terms of determining the alignment of the route and extent of spreading room; landowners and occupiers, in particular, are entitled to more concrete safeguards especially as the Government intends to strike a "fair balance" between public and private interests. The lack of a formal appeal process is a fundamental weakness of the Bill. The Committee is still to be convinced that £5 million a year for 10 years is enough to create access land all around England. The Government should also clarify responsibility for long-term maintenance before the Bill is introduced. The more detail Natural England can provide early on about how it intends to implement the policy in common coastal scenarios will reduce concerns. Natural England should produce a detailed draft of its Scheme before Parliament starts to consider the Bill. Natural England should have a statutory duty written into the Bill to conduct a review of the lessons it has learned from early implementation of the proposals.
Download or read book Sessional Returns written by Great Britain: House of Commons and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2005-06-23 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With corrigendum slip dated June 2005 (1 sheet).
Download or read book The Environment Agency written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-05-11 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With correction slip dated May 2006.
Download or read book The Rural Payments Agency and the implementation of the Single Payment Scheme written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-03-29 with total page 74 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The EU Single Payment Scheme replaced 11 previous subsidies to farmers based on agricultural production with one payment for land management. The European Commission gave some discretion to Member States over how to implement the scheme, and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), which is responsible for administering the scheme in England, opted for the dynamic hybrid model which incorporates elements of previous entitlement and new regionalised area payments based on a flat rate per hectare. A NAO report (HCP 1631, session 2005-06, ISBN 9780102943399), published in October 2006, found that the RPA underestimated the risks and complexities involved in implementing the hybrid model, and the IT system was never tested as a whole before the scheme was introduced. It failed to adequately pilot land registration, and underestimated the amount of work involved in both mapping the land and processing each claim, having to rely on often inexperienced temporary and agency staff to clear the backlog. The difficulties were not picked up early enough, neither by the RPA nor Defra, for corrective action to be taken in time, resulting in the RPA's failure to meet its own payment targets. Delayed payments have cost farmers money in additional interest and bank charges, and caused distress to a significant minority of farmers, particularly hill farmers. The cost of implementing the scheme was budgeted at £76 million but rose to £122 million by March 2006, with further cost increases likely. Following on from a previous Committee report on the RPA (HCP 840, session 2005-06, ISBN 9780215027115), published in January 2006 and in light of the NAO findings, this report focuses on aspects of policy decision-making and political accountability raised by the problems with the Single Payment Scheme. The Committee concludes the Scheme has been a catastrophe for some farmers and a serious and embarrassing failure for Defra and the RPA, and Defra's fundamental failure to carry out one of its core tasks (that is to pay farmers their financial entitlements on time) differentiates this issue from the myriad of botched Government IT projects. There is a need for greater expertise within government in the delivery of such complex IT projects, and the report also criticises the quality of advice given by the Office of Government Commerce and the IT system designed by Accenture as the principal IT contractor. Defra determined the policies which it required the RPA to implement and Defra leadership was at fault for accepting RPA statements that implementing the complex hybrid model to deadline was "do-able". The Committee argues that responsibility for this failure goes wider than the dismissal of the RPA chief executive, and ministers and senior Defra officials should also be held to account, particularly Margaret Beckett (the then Defra Secretary of State), Sir Brian Bender, (the former Defra Permanent Secretary) and Andy Lebrecht (the Director General for Sustainable Farming, Food and Fisheries). It concludes that a departmental failure as serious as this should result in the removal from office of those responsible for faulty policy design and implementation, and it recommends that new guidance on Ministerial accountability is needed in the event of such serious departmental failure.
