Defra is keen to ensure that we uphold our high standards of animal welfare including in relation to tethering. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act) it is an offence to fail to provide for an animal\u2019s welfare or to cause it any unnecessary suffering. The 2006 Act is backed up by the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Their Hybrids (the Code). The Code provides owners and keepers with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their animals and includes a specific section on how to tether a horse and other animals are covered. The code makes it clear that the site should not allow animals\u2019 access to a public highway or public footpaths. If anyone is concerned about the way a horse or other animal has been tethered they should report the matter either to the relevant local authority or to the RSPCA or World Horse Welfare who can investigate. If a horse or other animal is found not to be tethered appropriately it could lead to a prosecution under the 2006 Act. Defra considers that this legislation and guidance provides the right safeguards in respect of tethering.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4033", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Rutley"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Macclesfield"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "David Rutley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-02-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-02-07T17:31:45.867Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Animal Welfare"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a ban on tethering animals in unsafe locations including (a) roundabouts (b) roadsides and (c) other public land.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4079", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Julian Sturdy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Outer"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Julian Sturdy"} ], "uin" : "214548"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155841", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Energy and Climate Change"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155841/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The modifications to underpinning industry processes that were necessary to enable a halving of switching times have taken place and Energy UK members have agreed that they will all offer faster switching by the end of the year.<\/p>
The Department continues to work with suppliers and their representatives to ensure that they meet this commitment.<\/p>
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<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-25T14:41:43.24Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "63"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Energy"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 6 November 2014, Official Report, column 953, on energy bills, what the evidential basis was for the statement that the large energy companies are on track to have switching times by the end of 2014.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/389", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Flint"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Don Valley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Caroline Flint"} ], "uin" : "214548"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 2, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }