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09/11/2010
Other UK News In Brief
New Safeguards For Chickens
Agriculture Minister Jim Paice has made it clear that British consumers deserve to see only eggs from hens kept in better welfare cages on supermarket shelves once the EU-wide 2012 “battery” cage ban comes in. Announcing the laying of two regulations on poultry welfare, Mr Paice reinforced the Government’s commitment to high welfare standards in a speech to the Egg and Poultry Industry conference. Mr Paice said: “The UK industry has worked hard to convert out of battery cages ahead of the European deadline – so it wouldn’t be fair to them to have to compete with eggs from other European countries that haven’t met the deadline. I’ve told the Commission we won’t want to see any eggs imported from European countries that haven’t complied with the conventional cage ban after 2012.” Mr Paice continued: “For the first time there will be a legal maximum stocking density for meat chickens, which will provide a good baseline for our already high standards of poultry welfare – and much of the industry already meets many of the new requirements.” Mr Paice also made clear the Government’s commitment to work towards a complete ban on beak trimming of laying hens, while lifting a ban on routine beak trimming that could inadvertently have led to worse welfare for hens. The regulation, laid out this week, will only allow beak trimming using infra-red technology. The Government will work with the industry and the Beak Trimming Action Group to find alternatives, with a view to banning the practice in 2016. Both regulations are subject to debate in the House of Commons and House of Lords before they can be made and come into force.
A Bright Future For Merseyside Railway Passengers
Transport Minister Theresa Villiers has toured Merseyside’s rail and underground network and met local transport leaders to discuss plans to provide improvements for passengers. The Minister inspected improvement works at Lime Street Station and state-of-the-art facilities at Liverpool South Parkway Station before unveiling public art at James Street Station. Theresa Villiers said: “The Government is committed to improving rail travel for passengers in North-West England – that’s why we’ve given the go ahead for major track improvement works to reduce journey times for passengers between Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds and why we’re making funding available for the electrification of the Liverpool to Manchester line. Improving and upgrading our railways is a key priority. That means it is vital that future investment is targeted in a way that achieves the best value for money for the taxpayer and maximises the benefits to passengers. She continued: “It's also why meeting with local transport leaders and viewing the facilities that are available is so important in establishing what local areas need and how central Government can help to deliver this.” The Minister met with Councillor Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseyside Integrated Transport Authority, other members of the ITA and Neil Scales, Chief Executive and Director General, Merseytravel.
Worker Injured By Thirteen Foot Electrical Flame
A Teesside worker suffered burns when he hit an 11,000 volt underground electricity cable while planting trees, magistrates have heard. Robert Stubbs, 24, of Redcar, was planting trees for social housing landlord Coast and Country Housing Ltd when the incident happened. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the social landlord for breaching health and safety law following the incident on 19 November 2009. Mr Stubbs was using a five-foot steel bar to create a hole for a support stake for a tree, when the bar hit the underground cable from a nearby substation. The contact created a short circuit which caused a flame to shoot up thirteen feet from the underground cable, injuring Mr Stubbs. Teesside magistrates heard that Mr Stubbs had let go of the bar he was holding before it hit the cable, but still suffered minor burns. He was taken to hospital and although released he was off work for two weeks suffering from headaches. HSE’s investigation showed that the incident could have been avoided if a suitable and sufficient assessment had been carried out and the proper safety systems put in place by his employer.
Inspectors also found that the company’s property maintenance department were fully aware of the risks from contact with underground services and all the proper safety systems were in place, however, this was not the case for those in the estate services team, where Mr Stubbs worked.
Coast and Country Housing Ltd, of Redcar, pleaded guilty to breaching regulations. It was fined £8,000 and was ordered to pay costs of £2,939.20.
(BMcN/GK)
Agriculture Minister Jim Paice has made it clear that British consumers deserve to see only eggs from hens kept in better welfare cages on supermarket shelves once the EU-wide 2012 “battery” cage ban comes in. Announcing the laying of two regulations on poultry welfare, Mr Paice reinforced the Government’s commitment to high welfare standards in a speech to the Egg and Poultry Industry conference. Mr Paice said: “The UK industry has worked hard to convert out of battery cages ahead of the European deadline – so it wouldn’t be fair to them to have to compete with eggs from other European countries that haven’t met the deadline. I’ve told the Commission we won’t want to see any eggs imported from European countries that haven’t complied with the conventional cage ban after 2012.” Mr Paice continued: “For the first time there will be a legal maximum stocking density for meat chickens, which will provide a good baseline for our already high standards of poultry welfare – and much of the industry already meets many of the new requirements.” Mr Paice also made clear the Government’s commitment to work towards a complete ban on beak trimming of laying hens, while lifting a ban on routine beak trimming that could inadvertently have led to worse welfare for hens. The regulation, laid out this week, will only allow beak trimming using infra-red technology. The Government will work with the industry and the Beak Trimming Action Group to find alternatives, with a view to banning the practice in 2016. Both regulations are subject to debate in the House of Commons and House of Lords before they can be made and come into force.
A Bright Future For Merseyside Railway Passengers
Transport Minister Theresa Villiers has toured Merseyside’s rail and underground network and met local transport leaders to discuss plans to provide improvements for passengers. The Minister inspected improvement works at Lime Street Station and state-of-the-art facilities at Liverpool South Parkway Station before unveiling public art at James Street Station. Theresa Villiers said: “The Government is committed to improving rail travel for passengers in North-West England – that’s why we’ve given the go ahead for major track improvement works to reduce journey times for passengers between Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds and why we’re making funding available for the electrification of the Liverpool to Manchester line. Improving and upgrading our railways is a key priority. That means it is vital that future investment is targeted in a way that achieves the best value for money for the taxpayer and maximises the benefits to passengers. She continued: “It's also why meeting with local transport leaders and viewing the facilities that are available is so important in establishing what local areas need and how central Government can help to deliver this.” The Minister met with Councillor Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseyside Integrated Transport Authority, other members of the ITA and Neil Scales, Chief Executive and Director General, Merseytravel.
Worker Injured By Thirteen Foot Electrical Flame
A Teesside worker suffered burns when he hit an 11,000 volt underground electricity cable while planting trees, magistrates have heard. Robert Stubbs, 24, of Redcar, was planting trees for social housing landlord Coast and Country Housing Ltd when the incident happened. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the social landlord for breaching health and safety law following the incident on 19 November 2009. Mr Stubbs was using a five-foot steel bar to create a hole for a support stake for a tree, when the bar hit the underground cable from a nearby substation. The contact created a short circuit which caused a flame to shoot up thirteen feet from the underground cable, injuring Mr Stubbs. Teesside magistrates heard that Mr Stubbs had let go of the bar he was holding before it hit the cable, but still suffered minor burns. He was taken to hospital and although released he was off work for two weeks suffering from headaches. HSE’s investigation showed that the incident could have been avoided if a suitable and sufficient assessment had been carried out and the proper safety systems put in place by his employer.
Inspectors also found that the company’s property maintenance department were fully aware of the risks from contact with underground services and all the proper safety systems were in place, however, this was not the case for those in the estate services team, where Mr Stubbs worked.
Coast and Country Housing Ltd, of Redcar, pleaded guilty to breaching regulations. It was fined £8,000 and was ordered to pay costs of £2,939.20.
(BMcN/GK)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A chilly start with a widespread frost and some freezing fog, any freezing fog slow to clear. Otherwise bright with sunny spells and coastal showers. Light winds. Maximum temperature 6 °C.Tonight:Coastal showers dying out with a widespread frost developing along with freezing fog, which could become extensive. Winds remaining light. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
