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The total cost of the tuberculosis eradication programme in the financial year 1989-90 was £7.3 million. Of this, £0.4 million was spent on the badger control strategy.Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the findings of the Stormont research laboratory on the spread of bovine tuberculosis ; what action he proposes to take in the light of the reports' findings ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : I am aware of the work done by the veterinary research division at Stormont. The conclusions in no way invalidate the existing badger control strategy.
Record Keeping
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new administrative responsibilities regarding the keeping of records on the movement of animals, artificial insemination, home mixing of feed, and use of medicines and crop sprays have been imposed on farmers since 1 September 1989.
Mr. Curry : On 1 September 1989 the requirements of the Movement of Animals (Records) Order 1960 were extended to the movement of deer. As regards crop spraying, the health surveillance requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988, parts of which took effect after 1 September 1989, involve keeping of records of employees' work with pesticides containing anticholinesterase compounds. This builds upon obligations previously in the Poisonous Substances in Agriculture Regulations 1984. There have been no new administrative responsibilities placed upon farmers as regards the keeping of records relating to artificial insemination, home mixing of feed and on the use of veterinary medicines since 1 September 1989.
Bass
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he proposes to proceed with plans to designate nursery areas for the protection of juvenile bass stocks ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have decided that, following extensive consultations with interested parties over the last two years, regulations should be introduced as soon as practical to establish 34 nursery areas in the coastal waters of England and Wales in which fishing for bass from any boat will be prohibited for all or part of the year. The nursery areas and the duration of the seasonal prohibition on bass fishing will be as follows :
Area |Duration of prohibition
| (dates inclusive)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bradwell Power Station outfall |1 May to 31 October
(River Blackwater)
Isle of Grain Power Station outfall |All year
(River Medway)
Kingsnorth Power Station outfall |All year
(River Medway)
Chichester Harbour |1 May to 31 October
Langstone Harbour |1 May to 31 October
Portsmouth Harbour |1 May to 31 October
Southampton Water |1 May to 31 October
Fawley Power Station outfall |1 May to 31 October
(Stanswood Bay, Solent)
Poole Harbour |1 May to 31 October
The Fleet |All year
River Exe |1 May to 31 October
River Teign |1 May to 31 October
River Dart |1 May to 31 December
Salcombe Harbour |1 May to 31 December
River Avon (Devon) |1 May to 31 December
River Yealm |1 May to 31 December
Plymouth Rivers |All year
River Fowey |1 May to 31 December
Fal Estuary |1 May to 31 December
Percuil River |1 May to 31 December
Helford River |1 May to 31 December
River Camel |1 May to 30 November
River Torridge |1 May to 31 October
River Taw |1 May to 31 October
Aberthaw Power Station outfall |All year
Burry Inlet |1 May to 31 October
Taf, Twyi and Gwendraeth Estuary |1 May to 31 October
Milford Haven |1 May to 31 October
River Dyfi |1 May to 31 October
River Mawddach |1 May to 31 October
Dwyryd/Glaslyn Estuary |1 May to 31 October
Conwy Estuary |1 May to 31 October
Dee Estuary |1 June to 30 September
Heysham Power Station outfall
(Morecambe Bay) |1 June to 30 September
We shall also be inviting the National Rivers Authority and sea fisheries committees to consider the introduction of additional restrictions in some areas or parts of areas where juvenile bass stocks are particularly vulnerable to other fishing activities. Full details of the extent of the 34 nursery areas and the additional restrictions proposed have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. It is not proposed that any restrictions should be placed on fishing from the shore for which primary legislation would be necessary. However, any bass taken from the shore and landed will still need to comply with the minimum landing size of 36 cm. The introduction of nursery areas forms the final part of the package of measures that are being adopted for the long term conservation and management of the bass fishery in our coastal waters. The other measures, the introduction of mesh size controls for gill and similar nets and an increase in the minimum landing size for bass from 32 to 36 cm, which was subsequently adopted by the European Community, took effect from 1 January this year.
Drift Net Fishing
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on drift net fishing.
Mr. Curry : Properly regulated drift net fishing is an efficient method of fishing. We oppose the indiscriminate use such as the large-scale drift net operations for tuna on the high seas which has been occurring in the south Pacific and the United Kingdom has supported the recent United Nations resolution promulgated to deal with by such misuse. In United Kingdom waters drift nets are generally used in small-scale coastal operations for herring or salmon and where needed controls are placed on these fisheries.
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PRIME MINISTER
Official Information
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list those statutes currently in force which control the release of official information.
The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office, to my hon. Friend the Member for Aldridge-Brownhills (Mr. Shepherd) on 2 April 1990 at columns 439-41, which listed statutes other than the Official Secrets Acts which create criminal sanctions for the release of certain kinds of information.
Television Licences
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Prime Minister what correspondence she has received from Key housing association about concessionary television licences ; what were its terms ; and what action she proposes.
The Prime Minister : Key housing association wrote to me on 20 March asking that its accommodation should attract the £5 concessionary television licence available to occupants of certain residential homes and comparable accommodation.
I welcome Key housing's policy of providing mixed housing developments designed to integrate mentally handicapped people into the community. But I am advised that such accommodation cannot qualify for the concessionary television licence. The regulations approved by Parliament in 1988 were explicitly intended to restore the original intention of the concessionary scheme, which was to cater for self-contained units of accommodation rather than those which are mixed in with other housing.
Nuclear Non-proliferation
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister when she last raised the issue of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and its forthcoming fourth review conference with a visiting Head of State or Government ; and when she next expects to do so.
The Prime Minister : I have not recently discussed this issue thoroughly with a visiting Head of State or Government, and do not have plans to do so. The non-proliferation treaty and other matters related to non-proliferation are regularly discussed in the appropriate fora, and in bilateral contacts at various levels.
Engagements
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 April.
Ms Short : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 April.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 April.
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 April.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 April.
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The Prime Minister : This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today.NORTHERN IRELAND
Ramsar Convention
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last designated an area under the Ramsar convention on the conservation of wetlands of international importance ; if he will indicate the area which is next to be designated ; and when he expects to designate it.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : At the time of ratification of the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance especially as waterfowl habitat by the United Kingdom in 1976 Lough Neagh and Lough Beg were jointly listed as being conserved under the terms of the convention. This is the only Ramsar site in Northern Ireland, although a number of other areas are under consideration. It is essential that any further sites in Northern Ireland are fully protected under the provisions of the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 before designation as Ramsar sites and there are no plans for the listing of further sites in the immediate future.
Police and Criminal Evidence
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the authorities and officials who have to operate under (a) a code of practice under article 65 of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 and (b) the persons, authorities and officials who are covered for the purposes of article 65 by section 66.
Mr. Cope : Those who have to operate under a code of practice issued under article 65 of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 are members of the following police forces : the Royal Ulster Constabulary ;
the Belfast Harbour Police ;
the Larne Harbour Police ;
the Northern Ireland Airport Police.
Those who are covered for the purposes of article 65 by article 66 and who are therefore required to have regard to the provision of such a code are persons, other than police officers, who are charged with the duty of investigating offences or charging offenders.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the persons and organisations whom he consulted before introducing codes of practice under the provisions of article 65 of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989.
Mr. Cope : The information is as follows :
Kevin McNamara Esq MP
Labour Party
Right Hon. Paddy Ashdown MP
Social and Liberal Democrats
Right Hon. Dr. David Owen MP
Social Democratic Party
Column 980
The Lord Prys-DaviesLabour Party
The Lord Blease
Labour Party
The Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridge OBE
Social and Liberal Democrats
The Lord Hampton
Social and Liberal Democrats
The Lord Hylton DL
Rt Hon. James Molyneaux MP
Ulster Unionist Party
Rev I R K Paisley MP MEP
Democratic Unionist Party
John Hume Esq MP MEP
Social Democratic and Labour Party
J A Kilfedder Esq MP
Ulster Popular Unionist Party
Dr. J Alderdice
Alliance Party
The Secretary
Progressive Unionist Party
The Secretary
The Workers' Party
The Secretary
Labour Party of Northern Ireland
The Secretary
Irish Independence Party
The Lord Chief Justice for Northern Ireland
Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland
The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Director
Northern Ireland Court Service
The Chairman
Independent Commission for Police Complaints for Northern Ireland
The Chairman
Police Authority for Northern Ireland
The Chairman
Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights
The Secretary
Association of Chief Police Officers for Northern Ireland The Secretary
Superintendents' Association for Northern Ireland
The Secretary
Police Federation for Northern Ireland
The Secretary
Northern Ireland Committee
Irish Congress of Trade Unions
The Secretary
Northern Ireland Resident Magistrates' Association
The Secretary
Belfast Solicitors' Association
The Secretary
The Law Society for Northern Ireland
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The SecretaryThe Committee on the Administration of Justice
The Secretary
Bar Council
Belfast
The Secretary
The Belfast Law Centre
Information Officer
Northern Ireland Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux The Secretary
Northern Consensus Group
Belfast
The Secretary
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