General Reports and Other Publications

FAWC: The Farm Animal Welfare Council has published a report which considers the welfare of poultry (and other white meat species) in the last few hours of their lives up to the moment of slaughter or killing.  It deals with the experiences of poultry during catching & loading on the farm, the journey to the slaughterhouse, the wait in the lairage, unloading from transport containers, stunning and finally slaughter or killing.
 
With 800m poultry killed annually in Great Britain, there is a strong moral imperative to ensure that welfare is a prime consideration at all these stages.  The Report sets out 6 principles for humane slaughter & killing.
Press release ~ Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) ~ Report on the Welfare of Farmed Animals at Slaughter or Killing – Part Two: White Meat Animals
 
Newswire - WAO: The Wales Audit Office has found that the planning services at all three Welsh National Parks are performing well when it comes to having clear policies for developing & using land.  PembrokeshireCoast and Snowdonia National Park Authorities are also making good use of limited staff resources to improve the built heritage of their areas – which includes local archaeology, listed buildings and conservation areas.
 
But, the Auditor General for Wales has found that all three Parks have made limited progressin improving the speed of processing planning applications – and their performance in this area does not compare well with other Welsh planning authorities.
 
The Auditor General has published individual reports on the planning services at each of the 3 Welsh National Park Authorities – which follows-up on progress made since baseline assessments were undertaken in 2005.
Press release ~ Wales Audit Office ~ Breacon Beacons National Park Authority - Planning Service ~  Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority - Planning Service ~ Snowdonia National Park Authority - Planning Service ~ Brecon Beacons National Park Authority ~ Pembrokeshire Coast Authority ~ Snowdonia National Park Authority
 
PADA: The Personal Accounts Delivery Authority has published its summary of responses to the consultation on securing a retirement income - Building personal accounts: Securing a retirement income. PADA received 45 written responses to the consultation, as well as collecting views from two public events and a series of smaller meetings.  
 
Some of the key points to emerge are:
* acknowledgement that a lifetime annuity (or, where relevant, trivial commutation) is likely to be the most appropriate option for personal accounts members
* the need to use accessible language & simple communications
* the need to use other channels alongside 'e' communications such as a helpline for members, at least for part of the retirement process
* general acknowledgement that a panel of providers approach could be the most appropriate route for members not wishing to exercise the open market option
* recognition that fund sizes are likely to be very small in the early years and this could present a number of challenges to the scheme and the wider retirement income market.
Press release ~ PADA – Securing a retirement income
Spotlight on women at Serco – Anita’s story