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AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Greenhouse Effect
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy at the next Council of Agriculture Ministers' meeting to take steps to initiate a European study on the effects of sea rise from the greenhouse global warming effect on low-lying agricultural land.
Mr. Ryder : Atmospheric warming is of global significance and there will be a range of consequences. The effect on low-lying agricultural land is one of the many aspects which will need to be studied. But research into the greenhouse effect is still at a relatively early stage, and specialised studies such as this will be more appropriate later on.
For the moment there are several international studies and conferences taking place. For example, the United Kingdom is a participatory member of the intergovernmental panel on climate change, a worldwide organisation which is studying all aspects of global warming, and we are a party to joint studies with European researchers to investigate the potential effects to the coastline of a rise in sea level.
Quality of Life
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Farming and Fisheries if he will set out in the Official Report details of the policies introduced by him since 1983 with the intention of improving the quality of life for farming communities.
Mr. Ryder : Since 1983 we have introduced a wide range of measures, including those set out below, intended to further the interests of farming communities as a whole. Some measures have been designed with more remote rural areas in mind.
There have been a number of important changes in capital grant schemes since 1983. These were designed to increase assistance for investments which have a positive impact on the farm environment and the wider rural economy. On 1 December 1983 grants for hedge and
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shelter belt planting and traditional wall building were increased from 50 per cent. to 60 per cent. in the less- favoured areas, while grants for hedge removal were withdrawn.The agriculture improvement scheme, introduced on 1 October 1985, extended higher rates of grant to environmental improvements in the lowlands. It also offered grants of 60 per cent. in the LFAs, and 30 per cent. elsewhere, for the installation and upgrading of facilities to prevent farm pollution.
The farm and conservation grant scheme introduced on 20 February 1989 extended the range of conservation items to include repairs to traditional buildings and the regeneration of heather moors and native woodlands. Lowland grants for facilities to handle farm effluent were increased to 50 per cent.
The farm diversification grant scheme introduced on 1 January 1988 offers grants of 25 per cent. towards the capital costs of establishing a wide range of diversified non-agricultural businesses on farms. These can bring additional employment to farmers and their families as well as broadening the farm income base.
Since 1987 we have established 10 environmentally sensitive areas in England, covering over 300,000 hectares of land. There are now 19 ESAs in the United Kingdom covering over 790,000 hectares. This represents a considerable commitment to helping to protect some of the most beautiful parts of the country. The voluntary scheme, which encourages environmentally beneficial agricultural practices, has been very popular among farmers in the designated areas and was warmly welcomed by the countryside agencies.
The farm woodland scheme launched on 1 October 1988 has several objectives, including the creation of an alternative source of income and rural employment, and the provision of environmental benefits. Initial take-up of the scheme has been very encouraging with over 5, 700 hectares worth of applications in the first six months. The set-aside scheme, introduced last year, offers support for producers reducing surplus production and new land -use opportunities for the enterprising farmer. The set-aside scheme also contains a good deal for the environment. There are statutory rules for the maintenance of land fallowed under set-aside designed to keep it in good condition and minimise the risk of nitrate leaching. Only some pesticides and fertilisers can be used and only then in special circumstances. Environmental features like trees, hedges and watercourses must be maintained.
The agricultural holdings legislation underwent major changes in 1984 following lengthy consultation with the industry. A new rent formula was introduced, statutory succession was ended for new tenancies and a number of other technical changes were made. We have negotiated improvements in the EC milk quota system allowing producers greater flexibility to make use of available quota by leasing arrangements and
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other means. In conjunction with prudent market management measures, quota restraints have contributed towards the recent recovery in dairy farm incomes.In 1984 we extended the less-favoured areas by 1.2 million hectares. As a result 26,550 holdings became eligible for hill livestock compensatory allowances and enhanced rates of capital grant. As part of the 1989-90 price fixing it was agreed that all milk producers in less-favoured areas should not pay the milk co-responsibility levy.
Pigs (Sweat Box System)
Dr. Glyn : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had as a result of the Farm Animals Welfare Council's recommendations banning the sweat box system for keeping pigs ; and what action he is taking.
Mr. Donald Thompson : The Government consulted a wide range of interested organisations on this and other recommendations made by the Farm Animal Welfare Council on pig production systems, and took account of their comments in preparing their response, which was published in March. We shall be seeking to have a ban implemented on a European Community basis.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his replies of Thursday 27 April, Official Report, column 678, and Friday 14 April, Official Report, column 748, to the hon. Member for Caerphilly, why information concerning ante-mortem inspections of cattle is not available for 1989.
Mr. Donald Thompson : The number of cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy identified at markets and slaughterhouses is monitored but the information is not held centrally at present. We are making arrangements to do so and will let the hon. Member have the information requested when it is available.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about increasing the compensation for bovine spongiform encephalopathy from 50 per cent. to 100 per cent ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Donald Thompson : I have received a number of representations seeking an increase in the level of compensation. I believe however that compensation of 50 per cent. is fair, given that the animals are suffering from a terminal illness and are, for practical purposes, valueless but are in fact valued as if unaffected by the disease.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give by area the number of cases of bovine spongiform encephalophathy reported in each of the past three years and the number reported in each of the past 12 months.
Mr. Donald Thompson : The information requested for England, broken down by county, is as follows :
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Number of confirmed cases of BSE by year
of confirmation
|1986|1987|1988
-------------------------------------------
Bedfordshire |0 |0 |7
Cambridgeshire |0 |0 |6
Essex |o |o |5
Hertfordshire |0 |0 |8
Lincolnshire |0 |0 |28
Norfolk |0 |0 |18
Northants |0 |0 |11
Suffolk |0 |0 |28
Cheshire |0 |0 |36
Derby |0 |0 |22
Hereford and Worcester |0 |4 |40
Lancashire |0 |1 |38
Lincolnshire |0 |2 |39
Manchester |0 |0 |0
Merseyside |0 |0 |1
Nottinghamshire |0 |2 |6
Salop |0 |0 |51
Staffordshire |0 |0 |37
West Midlands |0 |0 |2
Warwick |0 |0 |13
Cleveland |0 |0 |1
Cumbria |0 |1 |30
Durham |0 |0 |3
Humber |0 |0 |6
Northumberland |0 |0 |10
Yorkshire North |0 |1 |61
Yorkshire South |0 |0 |2
Yorkshire West |0 |0 |10
Berkshire |0 |2 |24
Buckinghamshire |0 |2 |15
Hampshire |0 |2 |82
Isle of Wight |0 |0 |9
Kent |5 |11 |40
Oxon |0 |0 |36
Surrey |0 |1 |28
Sussex East |0 |2 |21
Sussex West |0 |2 |61
Avon |0 |3 |16
Cornwall |0 |16 |216
Devon |0 |33 |248
Dorset |0 |0 |103
Gloucestershire |0 |3 |84
Somerset |1 |8 |127
Wiltshire |0 |6 |86
Number of confirmed cases of BSE by year
of confirmation
|1986|1987|1988
-------------------------------------------
Bedfordshire |0 |0 |7
Cambridgeshire |0 |0 |6
Essex |o |o |5
Hertfordshire |0 |0 |8
Lincolnshire |0 |0 |28
Norfolk |0 |0 |18
Northants |0 |0 |11
Suffolk |0 |0 |28
Cheshire |0 |0 |36
Derby |0 |0 |22
Hereford and Worcester |0 |4 |40
Lancashire |0 |1 |38
Lincolnshire |0 |2 |39
Manchester |0 |0 |0
Merseyside |0 |0 |1
Nottinghamshire |0 |2 |6
Salop |0 |0 |51
Staffordshire |0 |0 |37
West Midlands |0 |0 |2
Warwick |0 |0 |13
Cleveland |0 |0 |1
Cumbria |0 |1 |30
Durham |0 |0 |3
Humber |0 |0 |6
Northumberland |0 |0 |10
Yorkshire North |0 |1 |61
Yorkshire South |0 |0 |2
Yorkshire West |0 |0 |10
Berkshire |0 |2 |24
Buckinghamshire |0 |2 |15
Hampshire |0 |2 |82
Isle of Wight |0 |0 |9
Kent |5 |11 |40
Oxon |0 |0 |36
Surrey |0 |1 |28
Sussex East |0 |2 |21
Sussex West |0 |2 |61
Avon |0 |3 |16
Cornwall |0 |16 |216
Devon |0 |33 |248
Dorset |0 |0 |103
Gloucestershire |0 |3 |84
Somerset |1 |8 |127
Wiltshire |0 |6 |86
Suckler Cow Premium
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning the raising of the suckler cow premium to the level of the European agriculture guidance and guarantee fund grant ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Donald Thompson : I have received numerous representations urging payment of the suckler cow premium at the maximum permissible amount (which would include both the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund contribution and the discretionary contribution from national funds).
These representations have been carefully considered and I hope to be in a position to make a statement shortly.
Mr. Amos : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to be able to make an announcement about the amount of the Government's contribution to the new suckler cow premium ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Donald Thompson : An announcement on the rate of the suckler cow premium will be made before the start of the new scheme year on 15 June.
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TRANSPORT
Detonators and Explosives (Transport)
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to strengthen the law as it relates to the transportation of detonators and high explosives in the same vehicle on roads in Wales.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) on 4 April, at columns 66-67.
The new Road Traffic (Carriage of Explosives) Regulations were laid before Parliament on 11 April and come into force on 3 July this year.
Western Environmental Improvement Route
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has made, or will make, an environmental impact assessment on the western environment improvement route ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : No decision will be taken on the western environmental improvement route until the west London assessment study has been completed later this year. If it is then decided to proceed with the scheme, an environmental assessment will be produced in accordance with the Highways (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/1241).
NERC (Research Projects)
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the research projects undertaken for his Department by the Natural Environment Research Council during the past five years.
Car Telephones
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in how many road accidents, for each of the last five years, mobile car telephones have been a contributory factor.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : This information is not available. One case has been brought to our attention in recent correspondence where the use of an in-car telephone may have been a contributory factor. The guidance in the Highway Code is clear--do not use a hand-held phone while driving.
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions there have been for road traffic offences connected with the use of mobile car telephones.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : In 1987 over 87,500 motorists were found guilty of careless driving. Information is not available on how many of these offences involved the use of in-car telephones.
Exhaust Emissions
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the regulations covering the emission of fumes from vehicle exhausts ; and if he has any proposals to review them.
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Mr. Peter Bottomley : The regulations and relevant amendments are :
Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (S.I. 1986 No. 1078), Regulation 61.
Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 6) Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988 No. 1524).
Motor Vehicles (Type Approval for Goods Vehicles) (Great Britain) Regulations 1982 (S.I. 1982 No. 1271), Regulation 4.
Motor Vehicles (Type Approval for Goods Vehicles) (Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 1984 (S.I. 1984 No. 697).
Motor Vehicles (Type Approval for Goods Vehicles) (Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 1986 (S.I. 1986 No. 427).
Motor Vehicles (Type Approval for Goods Vehicles) (Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987 No. 1508).
Motor Vehicles (Type Approval for Goods Vehicles) (Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988 No. 1523)
Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) (Great Britain) Regulations 1984 (S.I. 1984 No. 981), Regulation 4.
Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) (Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987 No. 1509).
Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) (Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988 No. 1522).
We shall amend the regulations to enforce the provisions of Community Directives 88/77/EEC and 88/436/EEC.
Tighter standards for all categories of vehicle are still under negotiation in the Community. When these are agreed, we shall make further amendments to the regulations.
Parkland Walk, Hornsey
Sir Hugh Rossi : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many letters he has received opposing the Ove Arup suggestions for use of the Parkland walk, Hornsey, as a roadway ; and at what rate per week such letters are currently being received.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Many. The weekly rate varies. There is, too, opposition to the re-use of the rail line.
Air Transport
Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has considered the implications for his policy on air transport of the judgment by the Court of Session in the case brought by Air 2000 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Channon [pursuant to the reply, 2 May, 1989 column 119] : I am making new traffic distribution rules for Scotland, taking proper account of the written judgment of the Court of Session, to ensure that effect continues to be given to the Government's Scottish lowland airports policy, as set out in the 1985 White Paper (Cmnd. 9542).
The White Paper said that this policy, under which Prestwick is designated as the gateway for long-haul flights, would be reviewed if by 1989 there had not been a steady improvement in Prestwick's financial results. Earlier this year, the chairman of BAA plc requested an immediate review on general grounds.
Though Prestwick's financial position has in fact enjoyed a steady improvement, I have nevertheless considered the BAA request and have consulted my right
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hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. I have concluded that a review of current policy would not be appropriate. The Government are, however, conscious of the belief that Prestwick would be better able to play its part in meeting demand for air transport in Scotland if it enjoyed better surface access. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is making a separate statement about this.OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Overseas Students
36. Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs how many students on Overseas Development Administration grants, and from which countries of origin, are currently studying in the United Kingdom ; what is the comparable information for five, 10 and 15 years ago ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chris Patten : More than 14,350 overseas students were studying in the United Kingdom on ODA grants, or held grants from organisations financed from the aid programme, in the 1988-89 financial year. I shall arrange for a list of their countries of origin to be published in the Official Report . Comparable figures for 1983, 1978 and 1973 were 11,847, 14,387 and 14,970 respectively. The information for students on ODA grants is as follows :
Country |Number here financial
|year 1988-89
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afghanistan |17
Africa (Regional) |4
Algeria |50
Angola |44
Anguilla |3
Antigua |11
Bahamas |-
Bangladesh |593
Barbados |29
Belize |23
Bermuda |2
Benin |25
Bhutan |28
Bolivia |34
Botswana |320
Brazil |89
British Virgin Islands |9
Burkina Faso |19
Burma |82
Burundi |5
Cameroon |170
Cape Verde Islands |6
Caribbean Regional |25
Central African Republic |6
Chad |13
Chile |15
China |1,159
Colombia |81
Congo |17
Costa Rica |20
Cyprus |67
Djibouti |6
Dominica |16
Dominican Republic |4
Ecuador |47
Egypt |132
Ethiopia |87
Falklands |33
Fiji |38
Gabon |7
Gambia |82
Ghana |265
Gibraltar |23
Grenada |18
Guatemala |5
Guinea Bissau |6
Guinea Conakry |22
Guyana |41
Honduras |13
Hong Kong |36
India |1,597
Indonesia |284
Ivory Coast |18
Jamaica |43
Jordan |94
Kenya |831
Kiribati |19
Korea |18
Lebanon |-
Lesotho |131
Liberia |52
Madagascar |17
Malawi |599
Malaysia |176
Maldive Islands |40
Mali |25
Malta |8
Mauritania |17
Mauritius |159
Mexico |80
Montserrat |11
Morocco |24
Mozambique |157
Namibia |181
Nepal |208
Nicaragua |-
Niger |24
Nigeria |389
Oman |49
Pakistan |405
Panama |17
Papua New Guinea |2
Paraguay |25
Peru |53
Philippines |81
Rwanda |8
Senegal |32
Seychelles |47
Sierra Leone |146
Singapore |12
Solomon Islands |40
Somalia |75
South Africa |492
Sri Lanka |257
St. Helena |44
St. Kitts and Nevis |13
St. Lucia |16
St. Vincent |18
Sudan |306
Swaziland |158
Syria |1
Tanzania |467
Thailand |108
Togo |22
Tonga |16
Trinidad and Tobago |10
Tunisia |18
Turkey |27
Turks and Caicos |27
Tuvalu |10
Uganda |458
Vanuatu |25
Western Samoa |3
Yemen Arab Republic |122
Yemen PDR |26
Zaire |51
Zambia |471
Zimbabwe |311
Southern Africa Development Coordination
Conference (SADCC) |101
UN Water Decade |30
|------
Total |13,649
West Bank and Gaza Strip
37. Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for increasing aid in the current and next financial year to the West Bank and Gaza Strip ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chris Patten : We aim to increase our bilateral programme to the West Bank and Gaza to over £1 million this year. Our contribution to the budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees rose to £5.25 million last year and has been increased to £5.5 million this year ; in addition we are providing £0.25 million for a special study of housing.
Kampuchea
38. Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give figures for the level of Her Majesty's Government's aid given to Kampuchea in 1988 ; and if he will make a statement on future aid policy for Kampuchea.
Mr. Chris Patten : Aid to Cambodia amounted to £402,000 in the 1988-89 financial year. This comprised a contribution of £100,000 to the special FAO/World Food Programme appeal, £250,000 to the UNICEF programme, and £52,000 on projects administered by British voluntary agencies.
It is still too early to consider the provision of
Government-to-Government aid. We will reconsider the position when Vietnam has fully withdrawn from its illegal occupation of Cambodia and an acceptable political settlement is in place.
43. Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give figures for the level of United Kingdom aid given to Kampuchea in 1988 ; and if he will make a statement on future aid policy for Kampuchea.
Mr. Chris Patten : Aid to Cambodia amounted to £402,000 in the 1988-89 financial year. This comprised a contribution of £100,000 to the special FAO/World Food Programme appeal, £250,000 to the UNICEF programme, and £52,000 on projects administered by British Voluntary agencies.
It is still too early to consider the provision of
Government-to-Government aid. We will reconsider the position when Vietnam has fully withdrawn from its illegal occupation of Cambodia and an acceptable political settlement is in place.
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Africa (Refugees)
39. Mr. Tredinnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department is providing for refugees in Africa.
Mr. Chris Patten : In 1988 we provided nearly £31 million for refugees and displaced persons in Africa. This included Britain's share of the European Community's refugee assistance. So far this year we have announced a total of over £14 million in assistance for refugees and displaced persons in countries including Sudan, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia and Uganda.
Namibia
40. Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have for aid to Namibia.
Mr. Chris Patten : I expect our programme to Namibia to continue its present focus on English language training and scholarships, on which we are spending £1.5 million this year. I have also announced £500,000 of aid to help repatriate refugees.
Women
41. Mr. Greg Knight : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British aid development policy in relation to women.
Mr. Chris Patten : Our recent booklet, "Women, Development and the British Aid Programme", copies of which are in the Library, explains our women in development policy and progress in implementing it.
Ethiopia (Somalian Refugees)
42. Miss Lestor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current level of aid given by the United Kingdom to Somalian refugees in Ethiopia.
Mr. Chris Patten : Since the outbreak of the civil conflict in Somalia last year, we have provided assistance totalling some £2.45 million for Somali refugees in Ethiopia. We have provided a further £2.73 million in support of programmes, run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, for the benefit of both Sudanese and Somali refugees in Ethiopia.
Amnesty International
44. Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met Amnesty International to discuss human rights aspects of Her Majesty's Government's aid policy.
Mr. Chris Patten : Amnesty International is one of a number of human rights organisations with which Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have regular consultations to discuss all aspects of human rights policy.
Child Health Care
45. Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to support immunisation and other programmes to improve child health in the developing countries.
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Mr. Chris Patten : We support immunisation programmes and other measures to improve child health care through our contributions to the United Nations Children's Fund and the special programmes of the World Health Organisation ; through our bilaterally-funded health-care projects, including those financed jointly with non-governmental organisations ; and through our support for research.
Nicaragua
46. Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the level of aid given to Nicaragua by Her Majesty's Government in 1988, expressed as per capita sum of the population of Nicaragua.
Mr. Chris Patten : The level of aid given to Nicaragua by Her Majesty's Government in 1988 through the European Community, disaster relief and other channels was around £1.05 per capita.
AIDS
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the overseas development budget is devoted to helping overseas countries in their efforts against AIDS.
Mr. Chris Patten : We have committed over £17.6 million in support of activities aimed specifically at helping to prevent the further spread of AIDS. Of this, about £11 million was spent in the past two financial years, representing some 0.4 per cent. of the overseas aid budget for those years. Much of our help is given through the World Health Organisation. We are currently the third largest donor to its global programme on AIDS. This year, subject to parliamentary approval, we shall contribute a further £4.5 million to the programme.
ENVIRONMENT
Property Services Agency
Sir Eldon Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the course of his examining the case for transferring Property Services Agency staff from Newmarket in the rural district of Forest Heath to the city of Cambridge, he took account of the submissions made to him by the Cambridgeshire Small Business Group about the impact on business and jobs and of the shortage and high cost of land in Cambridge and it's environs ; how much land Property Services Agency now occupies at the Brooklands avenue site in Cambridge ; how many civil servants of all Departments work there ; what is his policy on accommodating civil servants in town centre sites in single storey accommodation built during the second world war ; and whether, in view of his study of the housing situation in Cambridge, he will invite the Property Services Agency to reconsider its intention to abandon its site in Newmarket in favour of accommodation in Cambridge.
Mr. Chope : The site at Brooklands avenue, Cambridge, comprising some 30 acres, contains offices housing about 1,100 civil servants. The decision to transfer 49 Property Services Agency staff from Newmarket to Cambridge was taken some time ago on grounds of operational efficiency. It did not necessitate the acquisition of any more land. The
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chairman of the Cambridgeshire Small Business Group wrote to my right hon. Friend in March this year and has received a reply to the points he made in his letter. There is no reason to change the decision about the closure of the Property Services Agency office in Newmarket.Brooklands Site, Cambridge
Sir Eldon Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest estimate of the market value with planning consent for residential use of the Brooklands site currently occupied by Government servants in Cambridge ; how many square feet of office space are occupied per civil servant employed on this site ; and what is the average space per office employee in (a) the city of Cambridge, (b) the town of Newmarket and (c) the London borough of Westminster.
Mr. Chope : The market value of land for housing in the Cambridge area is estimated to be around £650,000 an acre depending on size, location and planning constraints. The 1,100 staff at Brooklands avenue occupy about 175,000 sq ft of office and circulation space, an average of 159 sq ft each. These staff, like all civil servants throughout the country, are accommodated in accordance with nationally agreed space standards.
Sea Levels
Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been commissioned into the likely effect of a rise in sea levels on wild birds which depend on Britain's estuaries and soft coasts ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Government Departments are currently spending nearly £13 million on research into climate change. Whilst some of this is related to the effects of a resulting rise in sea levels, none is directed specifically at the effects on birds habitats.
The Department has commissioned research to predict the effects of reductions in shore width caused by land claim on estuarine wading bird numbers. A report on this research will be available shortly. We intend to utilise and extend these studies to examine the impacts of reductions in shore width from the seaward side, resulting from sea levels rise.
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