Tag: Laurence Robertson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of banning raised laying cages for breeding pheasants and partridges; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

Recent Defra funded research into the use of cages for gamebirds showed that enrichment and space allowance, in the forms provided, had little impact on the welfare of caged pheasants. However, egg production and quality and most measures of pheasant welfare were improved in cages compared to floor pens. For the partridges, the behavioural results indicated that enrichment might be positive for welfare and was probably a more valuable modification than increasing the size of an otherwise barren cage. However, the research also concluded that there might be penalties from parasitism and reduced egg production if enrichment is offered at a conventional space allowance. The published research can be found:

http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&ProjectID=17541&FromSearch=Y&Publisher=1&SearchText=aw1303&SortString=ProjectCode&SortOrder=Asc&Paging=10#Description

We intend to discuss the findings of the research with industry and welfare organisations as part of next year’s review of the “Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes”.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether courts link maintenance and contact with respect to children following the separation of the parents; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Hughes

The payment of child maintenance and the operation of children arrangements are two separate issues which are both vitally important for separated parents. Children have a right to care and support and parents have a responsibility to provide it, regardless of whether they are separated. There is also great benefit to most children of continued contact with both parents, regardless of the financial circumstances. A dispute about child maintenance should not therefore deprive a child of meaningful contact with the other parent and vice-versa.

The purpose of the child maintenance scheme is to make sure that parents fulfil their financial obligations to make provision for children with whom they no longer live. The Government believes that this is something parents should be able to manage for themselves through a family-based arrangement (in the vast majority of cases). The Department for Work and Pensions provides support to help them do so through the Child Maintenance Options Service (contactable on 0800-988-0988 or via www.cmoptions.org).

The family courts deal with arrangements for children where parents have been unable to come to an agreement themselves. Here again, parents are encouraged to resolve their differences themselves. The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced, from April 2014, a legislative requirement on those who seek to issue certain family proceedings to first attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) to find out about family mediation. The other party is also expected to engage in the process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether guidance issued to local authorities on the Blue Badge scheme is mandatory; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Blue Badge Scheme Local Authority Guidance (England) is not mandatory as it is non-statutory guidance. It is guidance for local authorities on best practice in administering the Blue Badge Scheme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take greater steps to help UK nationals access pensions which have been earned abroad.

Priti Patel

The UK already participates in a comprehensive EU-level system of regulations which allows people to claim their state pension from every EEA country they have lived or worked in.

There are further international agreements with countries outside the EEA and taken together with the UK’s own bilateral social security agreements, the large majority of people are covered for claims to state pension earned abroad.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-09-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to help UK nationals access pensions which have been earned abroad.

Justin Tomlinson

The UK participates in EU regulations which allow a person to submit a single claim to pension in the EEA country where they last worked or the country of residence if it is different. That country will then coordinate with all the EEA countries where the claimant has a right to a pension so that each country can determine entitlement under its national legislation.

Respecting the right of other countries to determine their own pension rules, the UK has also entered into a number of bilateral social security agreements with countries outside the EEA which allow people to protect the pension entitlements they may have earned in each country.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to make the register of deaths of UK residents available online.

Richard Harrington

Under present legislation, the register of deaths in England and Wales contains details of all deaths which have taken place there, regardless of whether the deceased was a UK resident. Similar arrangements are in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Civil registration is a devolved matter.

In England and Wales, information from the register of deaths is made available in the form of a certificate, on payment of the appropriate fee. Currently, there are no plans to change this process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the fine levels for offences related to section 168 of the Equality Act 2010.

Andrew Selous

The figures do not suggest that courts are finding their sentencing powers inadequate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to powers under section 87 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, if he will raise the fines for refusal to carry an assistance dog in a taxi to level 4.

Andrew Selous

Changing the maximum fine from one level to another would need to be effected through changes to the legislation governing the offence (The Equalities Act 2010).

Figures from the courts database do not indicate that courts are finding their sentencing powers inadequate, or that there is a need to raise the maximum level of fine available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans he has to make changes to mandatory green energy charges on consumer bills; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon

We have recently consulted on proposed changes to the Energy Company Obligation and expect to announce our response shortly. These proposed changes form part of the package of measures announced in December last year that has led to reductions this year of around £50 on the average household bill. We have no plans to make further changes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Access All Areas Report 2015, published by Guide Dogs, what steps he is taking to address taxi refusals for assistance dog owners.

Andrew Jones

The Equality Act 2010 includes a legal requirement for all taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to carry assistance dogs and not to charge more for doing so.

In addition to their ability to take appropriate action in the event that licensed drivers fail to comply with this duty, local licensing authorities can inform taxi and private hire drivers of all their responsibilities as licensed drivers.