Roger Williams MP

Following his attendance at the All Parliamentary Party Group for the Horse AGM, Group secretary Roger Williams used DEFRA Questions to pushed the Secretary of State Owen Paterson for reform and improvements to the current system.

Speaking in the House, Roger Williams the Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire, said:

Today during Defra questions, Roger Williams, Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire highlighted the need for greater food security through ensuring that the direct single payment for farmers are protected under Common Agricultural Policy reforms.

Roger, speaking in the House asked Minister David Heath MP:

Brecon and Radnorshire MP, Roger Williams, on Tuesday met with Transport Minister, Stephen Hammond MP, to urge him to introduce Graduated Driver Licensing in the UK. He was joined by public health expert, Dr. Sarah Jones, and Ellen Booth, of the road safety charity, Brake.

A system of Graduated Driver Licensing is designed to enable young drivers to gain invaluable experience of driving whilst reducing the risks they face during and after the learning period. The Government is publishing a Green Paper on Young People and road safety which will propose a number of measures for consideration, including a minimum learning period before holders of a provisional licence can take their driving test and restrictions on the number of young passengers. The Green Paper is expected to be published towards the end of the summer.

Roger Williams, Secretary for the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Horse, attended a meeting to discuss the future of Horse passporting after the meat adulteration debacle had shown that the system was not working properly. The government believe that the weaknesses can only be overcome by having a central database, and having only one organisation issuing passports.

Today, Secretary of State for the Home Department, Thersea May announced the creation of the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel. The remit of the Panel will be to address a number of unanswered questions following the murder of Daniel in 1987. These include police involvement in the murder, police corruption in protecting those responsible and the incidence of connection between private investigators, police officers and journalists at the News of the World.

The Queen's Speech will help 1,700 businesses in Brecon and Radnorshire, and a further 35,000 across Wales by cutting National Insurance Contributions (NICs).

The National Insurance Contributions Bill announced by the Queen will introduce a National Insurance employment allowance of £2,000, reducing the cost of employment and supporting small businesses aspiring to grow and want to hire their first employee or expand their workforce.