Tag: Kerry McCarthy

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward species-specific legislative proposals to (a) prohibit the use of barren cages for new rabbit farm developments and (b) make other provision for protecting the welfare of farmed rabbits.

    George Eustice

    There are existing provisions which protect the welfare of rabbits kept for meat production. Whilst there is no specific EU-wide legislation for rabbits, any kept for meat production in cages or in other systems in this country are protected by the general provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which makes it an offence to cause suffering to an animal. The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 specifically covers the welfare of rabbits kept for the production of food. In addition, the statutory welfare code for rabbits provides good husbandry advice including recommendations for housing, feed, water and space allowances which should be regarded as absolute minimum.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when the Government plans to announce the UK’s contribution to the Green Climate Fund; and whether that contribution will be, proportionately, in accord with the funding being sought by the Fund for its initial resource mobilisation.

    Lynne Featherstone

    The UK government considers all resource mobilisations in terms of impact and value for money for the British taxpayer. Any announcements are timed to encourage international donors to step up to the plate.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in which countries rabbit meat sold in the UK in each of the five most recent years for which data is available was produced.

    George Eustice

    Rabbit meat was imported into the UK from the following countries. We have no data on whether this meat was then sold in the UK.

    Country

    Volume and Value

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    Jan to Nov 2014

    Belgium

    Tonnes

    19

    38

    42

    137

    108

    £000s

    77

    160

    160

    556

    428

    France

    Tonnes

    237

    232

    225

    475

    334

    £000s

    905

    848

    838

    1,221

    794

    Germany

    Tonnes

    1

    0

    £000s

    4

    6

    Irish Republic

    Tonnes

    1

    22

    72

    87

    £000s

    3

    67

    227

    301

    Italy

    Tonnes

    6

    11

    14

    14

    9

    £000s

    22

    41

    41

    40

    26

    Netherlands

    Tonnes

    2

    75

    170

    84

    £000s

    5

    119

    984

    817

    Poland

    Tonnes

    0

    £000s

    1

    Portugal

    Tonnes

    5

    4

    6

    9

    8

    £000s

    24

    15

    21

    22

    26

    Spain

    Tonnes

    12

    75

    54

    £000s

    43

    284

    191

    Crown Copyright

    Source: HM Revenue and Customs

    “

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will ensure that the UK’s financial contribution to the Green Climate Fund is announced at the Climate Summit in September 2014.

    Lynne Featherstone

    The UK government considers all resource mobilisations in terms of impact and value for money for the British taxpayer. Any announcements are timed to encourage international donors to step up to the plate.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that consumers are fully informed of the manner in which rabbit meat on sale in England was raised.

    George Eustice

    Food labelling rules are set at EU level and require that food information must be accurate and must not mislead. This Government has pressed for better information for consumers during negotiations relating to food labelling in Europe.

    The European Commission has no plans to introduce further production method labelling for rabbit or any other farmed game. However, the Commission is due to produce a report on country of origin labelling for meats such as rabbit in the first half of this year.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of prisoners’ access to books on (a) prisoners’ educational achievements, (b) prisoners’ behaviour and (c) reoffending rates; and what steps he is taking to improve prisoners’ access to books.

    Jeremy Wright

    Our assessment is that education and access to books is very important in the rehabilitation of prisoners. That is why the National Offender Management Service works closely with the Shannon Trust to support schemes such as ‘Toe by Toe’, which includes peer mentoring to improve reading levels. Every prison has a library, to which every prisoner has access.

    Prisoners may also buy books with their own money to which they have access. Up to 12 books may be held by prisoners in their cell at any one time and additional volumes may be stored locally at the prison.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reasons the Government received from the Chinese government for the cancellation of the UK-China human rights dialogue in April 2014; and when the Government was informed of that cancellation.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Dialogue was originally scheduled for 15-16 April, but China informed us of its decision to postpone on 7 April. An open exchange of views on human rights is in the interests of both sides, and is an important part of our bilateral relationship. We are working with the Chinese government to reschedule the dialogue as soon as possible.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 394W, on forests, for what reasons the Government did not announce in the Queen’s Speech legislative proposals to protect the public forest estate.

    Dan Rogerson

    There were many proposals competing for the limited space within the Fourth Session programme and the proposed forestry measures could not be accommodated.

    The Government stands by its commitment to establish a new public body to hold the Public Forest Estate in trust for the nation, as set out in its Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement of January 2013, as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Prime Minister, what recent discussions he has had with his Commonwealth counterparts on the resolution passed by the 25th Human Rights Council session on Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka.

    Mr David Cameron

    Ahead of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution vote on Sri Lanka on 27 March, I personally engaged with a wide range of UNHRC member states including those from the Commonwealth, as did the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) and other Ministers.

    We will work closely with our international partners to support the implementation of the resolution establishing an international investigation. We believe that progress on accountability, human rights and reconciliation is important in establishing an enduring peace in Sri Lanka. Such progress will ensure Sri Lanka can reach its full potential as a strong and prosperous nation.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects the next UK-China human rights dialogue to take place.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We consider the Human Rights Dialogue to be an important part of our bilateral relationship with China. We are working with the Chinese government to reschedule the dialogue as soon as possible.