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Mr. Lang [holding answer 17 December 1991] : The information is as follows :
Registers of Scotland : as for a Grade 4 civil servant ;5 year contract from 6 June 1990 ;
Historic Scotland : as for a Grade 3 civil servant ; open contract ; it is intended that the post will be filled by open competition in due course ;
Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency : as for a Grade 5 civil servant ; appointment for 3 years from 1 April 1991.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the new forms of alternative working patterns introduced into each of his Department's executive agencies since their establishment ; and provide a break down by grade of the numbers of staff taking up each new working pattern for each new agency.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 17 December 1991] : None.
Foresterhill Hospital
Mr. Stephen : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether the Foresterhill hospital trust will purchase or lease land and property which is to be part of the trust but is currently owned by Aberdeen university ;
(2) whether compensation will be paid to Aberdeen university for land and property allocated to, or to be used by, the Foresterhill trust, but owned by the university.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 16 December 1991] : The greater part of the property to be transferred to the Foresterhill national health service trust is currently held in joint title in the names of the Secretary of State and the university of Aberdeen. It is intended that the Secretary of State's interest in such property would transfer to the trust. I see no reason why the present arrangements between the Foresterhill group of hospitals and Aberdeen university
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over use of facilities on the site should change. It is not envisaged that a Foresterhill national health service trust would require property, the title to which was solely in the name of the university of Aberdeen. Consequently no issue of compensation appears to arise in relation to such property.AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Common Agricultural Policy
9. Mr. Moate : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to meet his EC colleagues to discuss reform of the common agricultural policy.
Mr. Gummer : At the next meeting of the Agriculture Council on 27-28 January.
21. Mr. Ron Brown : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much the common agricultural policy has cost the British Exchequer during the past five years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : The information is as follows. In addition, however, the Exchequer supports CAP spending elsewhere in the Community through our net contribution to the EC budget.
United Kingdom Public Expenditure
under the CAP<1>
|£ million
------------------------------------
1987-88 |1,611
1988-89 |1,363
1989-90 |1,230
1990-91 |1,848
1991-92 |2,000
<1> United Kingdom expenditure
under the CAP covers market
support and structural aid schemes.
Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery Alliance
16. Mr. Gregory : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to meet the president of the Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery Alliance to discuss problems concerning this sector of the food industry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : I am always ready to meet the alliance on any current point of concern.
MacSharry Proposals
17. Mr. Patchett : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the National Farmers Union to discuss the MacSharry proposals for the reform of the common agricultural policy.
Mr. Gummer : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Barnsley, West and Penistone (Mr. McKay).
28. Mr. Butler : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will report on progress with the MacSharry common agricultural policy reform plans.
Mr. Gummer : I refer to the reply I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Westmoreland and Lonsdale (Mr. Jopling) on 13 December 1991, at column 595.
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Animal Welfare
18. Mr. Canavan : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received this year about animal welfare ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The Department continues to receive a very large number of representations on animal welfare.
The Government attach great importance to this issue and will continue to press for the high standards in this country to be adopted throughout the European Community.
19. Mr. Burns : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to improve animal welfare throughout the EC.
Mr. Maclean : The Government will continue to press for the Community to set the highest welfare standards, in line with the declaration which has been agreed at Maastricht, following a United Kingdom initiative, on the need for Community legislation to take full account of animal welfare.
Food Labelling
20. Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on food labelling.
Mr. Maclean : The Food Advisory Committee's report of its review of food labelling legislation and practices recommends a number of further improvements in important areas of food labelling to which the Government have already responded positively.
I shall shortly be considering the results of extensive consultation with all interested parties on the Committee's recommendations, along with any further recommendations which the Committee may wish to make as a result of that consultation, before taking any further action.
25. Mr. Evennett : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times he has met consumer representatives during 1991 to discuss food labelling.
Mr. Maclean : I meet the consumer panel and representatives of consumer organisations on a very regular basis to discuss matters of interest, including food labelling.
I have taken the opportunity at these meetings to keep consumer organisations informed of progress on the Food Advisory Committee's review of food labelling, the report of which was published in April this year.
27. Mr. Michael : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what fresh steps he is taking to make the information on the labels of food and food products (a) clearer, (b) simpler and (c) more relevant.
Mr. Maclean : The Food Advisory Committee's report of its review of food labelling legislation and practices, published in April this year, recommends a number of improvements in important areas of existing food labelling requirements, including the presentation of statutory labelling information, to which the Government has already responded positively.
I shall shortly be considering the results of extensive consultation with all interested parties on the Committee's
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recommendations, along with any further recommendations which the Committee may wish to make as a result of that consultation, before making any final decisions and taking further action.Agriculture Expenditure
22. Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current level of public expenditure on agriculture ; and what the comparable figure was for 1990.
Mr. Curry : Public expenditure under the common agricultural policy and on national grants and subsidies for the 1991-92 financial year is forecast at £2,086 million. The comparable figure for 1990-91 was £1,910 million.
Farm Subsidies
23. Sir John Farr : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress towards reaching agreement on farm subsidies over the next five years.
Mr. Gummer : The Government aim to secure, through reform of the common agricultural policy and through
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agreement in the GATT Uruguay round negotiations, lower levels of agricultural support both within the European Community and worldwide.Set-aside Scheme
24. Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations on set-aside arrangements he has received over the last month.
Mr. Gummer : I have received a number of representations on various aspects of set-aside over the last month.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers have received payment under the set-aside scheme, for each year since 1988, in each county in England for (a) horse based activities, (b) golf courses, (c) game cover for commercial shoots, (d) sports grounds, (e) other recreational facilities and (f) other ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer [holding answer 12 December 1991] : The following tables list all agreements under the non-agricultural use option of the set -aside scheme for 1988, 1989 and 1990, the three years for which payments have been made under the scheme.
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1988
Horse based Golf Courses Game cover for Sports Ground Other recreationalOther uses under
activities<1> commercial shoots facilities non agricultural
use option
|Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land
|of |area |of |area |of |area |of |area |of |area |of |area
|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares
|ments |ments |ments |ments |ments |ments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |8 |73 |- |- |- |- |1 |6 |1 |1 |- |-
Bedfordshire |5 |22 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Berkshire |6 |146 |- |- |1 |4 |- |- |- |- |1 |2
Buckinghamshire |14 |157 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |112
Cambridgeshire |8 |117 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |16
Cheshire |7 |64 |1 |3 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |29
Cleveland |1 |5 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Cornwall |5 |53 |1 |9 |1 |11 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Cumbria |2 |10 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Derbyshire |1 |10 |2 |56 |- |- |1 |16 |- |- |- |-
Devonshire |4 |37 |- |- |1 |6 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Dorset |1 |12 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |13 |1 |23
Durham |6 |99 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Essex |16 |93 |2 |95 |- |- |1 |2 |- |- |2 |2
Gloucestershire |8 |51 |2 |15 |1 |10 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Greater London |2 |39 |- |- |- |- |1 |6 |- |- |1 |10
Greater Manchester 3 25 - - - - - - - - - -
Hampshire |6 |62 |- |- |1 |22 |1 |13 |- |- |1 |17
Hereford/Worcestershire 5 23 - - - - - - - - - -
Hertfordshire |4 |24 |1 |53 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Humberside |2 |19 |3 |49 |- |- |- |- |- |- |2 |45
Kent |14 |137 |1 |7 |2 |6 |1 |20 |- |- |1 |41
Leicestershire |6 |32 |- |- |1 |1 |1 |2 |- |- |- |-
Lincolnshire |2 |71 |1 |147 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Merseyside |3 |19 |- |- |- |- |1 |2 |- |- |1 |25
Norfolk |6 |30 |1 |53 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Northamptonshire |4 |30 |- |- |- |- |1 |2 |- |- |- |-
Northumberland |3 |12 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Nottinghamshire |2 |12 |1 |40 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |8
Oxfordshire |12 |80 |1 |44 |- |- |2 |4 |1 |1 |- |-
Shropshire |3 |30 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |41
Somerset |7 |30 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |3
Staffordshire |4 |35 |- |- |- |- |1 |20 |- |- |- |-
Suffolk |13 |125 |- |- |- |- |1 |13 |- |- |1 |<2>-
Surrey |2 |5 |- |- |1 |3 |- |- |- |- |1 |3
East Sussex |2 |26 |- |- |2 |6 |- |- |1 |8 |- |-
West Sussex | 11 |157 |1 |14 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |12
Warwickshire |11 |78 |2 |73 |- |- |- |- |- |- |2 |9
Wiltshire |6 |59 |1 |12 |1 |3 |- |- |1 |12 |- |-
North Yorkshire |5 |62 |- |- |1 |1 |- |- |- |- |5 |27
West Yorkshire |2 |22 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total (1988) |232 |2,193 |21 |671 |13 |72 |13 |107 |5 |35 |26 |424
<1> Livery stables, riding schools, stud farms, hay for horses, grazing for horses, horse rides.
<2> Less than 1 hectare.
Note: Total may differ due to rounding
1989
Horse based Golf Courses Game cover for Sports Ground Other recreationalOther uses under
activities<1> commercial shoots facilities non agricultural
use option
|Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land
|of |area |of |area |of |area |of |area |of |area |of |area
|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares
|ments |ments |ments |ments |ments |ments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |8 |77 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Bedfordshire |8 |86 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |2 |- |-
Berkshire |7 |244 |- |- |1 |4 |- |- |1 |16 |- |-
Buckinghamshire |16 |164 |1 |65 |1 |4 |3 |31 |- |- |1 |4
Cambridgeshire |9 |165 |- |- |- |- |1 |6 |- |- |2 |19
Cheshire |7 |79 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Cornwall |4 |29 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |4 |- |-
Derbyshire |6 |63 |- |- |1 |2 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Devonshire |13 |74 |1 |48 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Dorset |6 |68 |1 |63 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Durham |1 |4 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Essex |16 |83 |1 |54 |1 |1 |- |- |- |- |2 |12
Gloucestershire |14 |251 |- |- |1 |3 |1 |22 |- |- |- |-
Greater London |1 |26 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Greater Manchester 2 32 - - - - - - - - - -
Hampshire |17 |163 |- |- |2 |28 |- |- |- |- |1 |6
Hereford/Worcestershire 7 98 2 100 1 11 - - 1 1 1 3
Hertfordshire |11 |95 |1 |46 |1 |6 |- |- |- |- |1 |19
Humberside |2 |20 |2 |76 |- |- |- |- |- |- |2 |47
Isle of Wight |2 |19 |- |- |- |- |1 |4 |1 |4 |- |-
Kent |14 |123 |1 |50 |3 |21 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Lancashire |- |- |1 |4 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Leicestershire |8 |144 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |1 |1 |2
Lincolnshire |4 |49 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Merseyside |4 |56 |- |- |2 |7 |1 |3 |- |- |1 |4
Norfolk |8 |81 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |2
Northamptonshire |5 |78 |2 |84 |- |- |1 |3 |- |- |2 |17
Northumberland |6 |105 |- |- |1 |43 |- |- |- |- |1 |8
Nottinghamshire |2 |28 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |8 |2 |5
Oxfordshire |18 |181 |2 |121 |1 |6 |- |- |- |- |2 |15
Shropshire |5 |89 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |24
Somerset |4 |43 |2 |55 |- |- |- |- |1 |4 |- |-
Staffordshire |5 |35 |1 |63 |- |- |- |- |- |- |2 |19
Suffolk |10 |165 |1 |32 |- |- |3 |6 |- |- |- |-
Surrey |9 |111 |1 |5 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
East Sussex |6 |46 |- |- |1 |3 |- |- |- |- |3 |44
West Sussex |8 |83 |2 |61 |- |- |- |- |1 |1 |- |-
Tyne and Wear |3 |48 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Warwickshire |4 |37 |2 |55 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |34
Wiltshire |10 |87 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
North Yorkshire |11 |135 |1 |36 |2 |15 |- |- |1 |2 |1 |6
South Yorkshire |1 |8 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
West Yorkshire |2 |18 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total (1989) |304 |3,590 |25 |1,019 |19 |153 |11 |76 |10 |43 |28 |290
<1> (Livery stables, riding schools, stud farms, hay for horses, grazing for horses, horse rides)
<2>- less than 1 hectare.
Note: Total may differ due to rounding
Column 305
1990
Horse based Golf Courses Game cover for Sports Ground Other recreationalOther uses under
activities<1> commercial shoots facilities non agricultural
use option
|Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land |Number |Land
|of |area |of |area |of |area |of |area |of |area |of |area
|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares|agree- |hectares
|ments |ments |ments |ments |ments |ments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |3 |17 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Bedfordshire |5 |37 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Berkshire |6 |108 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Buckinghamshire |6 |133 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |37
Cambridgeshire |7 |34 |5 |270 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |1
Cheshire |1 |19 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Cleveland |- |- |- |- |1 |5 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Cornwall |5 |36 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Cumbria |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |26
Derbyshire |3 |36 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Devonshire |2 |77 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Dorset |2 |34 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Durham |3 |86 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Essex |13 |131 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |2
Gloucestershire |8 |38 |- |- |1 |7 |2 |44 |- |- |1 |9
Greater London |3 |46 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |8
Greater Manchester 5 26 - - - - - - - - - -
Hampshire |6 |60 |- |- |1 |8 |- |- |- |- |1 |64
Hereford/Worcestershire 5 41 1 50 - - - - 1 2 - -
Hertfordshire |1 |10 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Humberside |2 |9 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2 |94
Kent |16 |222 |3 |133 |1 |2 |- |- |- |- |3 |136
Lancashire |1 |26 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Leicestershire |8 |67 |1 |66 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Lincolnshire |6 |76 |2 |92 |1 |2 |- |- |- |- |1 |<2>-
Merseyside |2 |53 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Norfolk |3 |25 |- |- |- |- |1 |1 |- |- |- |-
Northamptonshire |5 |85 |1 |96 |1 |2 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Nottinghamshire |4 |13 |2 |104 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Oxfordshire |12 |144 |2 |127 |- |- |1 |29 |- |- |- |-
Shropshire |2 |4 |1 |31 |1 |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Somerset |7 |141 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |6
Staffordshire |6 |49 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Suffolk |10 |85 |1 |23 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |44
Surrey |5 |71 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |1 |- |-
East Sussex |7 |70 |2 |94 |1 |2 |- |- |- |- |2 |17
West Sussex |5 |42 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |15
Tyne and Wear |2 |25 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Warwickshire |7 |67 |2 |124 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Wiltshire |11 |194 |- |- |- |- |1 |13 |- |- |1 |1
North Yorkshire |7 |67 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |5 |167
West Yorkshire |1 |24 |1 |50 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total (1990) |213 |2,528 |24 |1,259 |8 |29 |5 |87 |2 |3 |24 |627
<1> (Livery stables, riding schools, stud farms, hay for horses, grazing for horses, horse rides)
<2>- less than 1 hectare
Note: Total may differ due to rounding
Fishing Boats (Decommissioning)
26. Mr. McGrady : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been taken to introduce a decommissioning scheme for fishermen ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : My right hon. Friend has already made it clear that he is prepared to consider proposals for a decommissioning scheme, but only as part of a wider package including effort control. We are currently debating these ideas with the industry.
Sheep Producers
Miss Emma Nicholson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has made of the likely effect on United Kingdom sheep producers of the MacSharry proposals to reform the common agricultural policy.
Column 306
Mr. Gummer : The proposed reform of the sheepmeat regime seriously discriminates against United Kingdom producers, many of them in the most difficult areas of the country. Reducing ewe premium headage limits would exclude up to 15 per cent. of our animals from the premium whereas only about 3 per cent. of the rest of the EC's ewes would be excluded.
Farmers
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of farmers in 1980 to 1991.
Mr. Curry : The number of farmers, partners and directors in England in the years 1980 to 1991 as at the annual June census, including estimates for minor holdings, are shown in the table.
Column 307
Farmers, partners and directors, England (including minor holdings) Year |Thousands ------------------------------ 1980 |196.4 1981 |193.9 1982 |192.1 1983 |189.8 1984 |190.1 1985 |187.8 1986 |187.4 1987 |185.5 1988 |183.5 1989 |182.4 1990 |181.9 1991 |<1>179.5 <1> Provisional.
Bottled Mineral Water
Mr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the adequacy for consumers of current regulations for the labelling of bottled mineral water ; and whether he has raised this issue with his consumer panel.
Mr. Gummer : The labelling and marketing of natural mineral waters is harmonised in the EC by the natural mineral waters directive (80/777) and implemented in the UK by the Natural Mineral Waters Regulations 1985. The EC Commission is currently reviewing the operation of the directive and some time ago we passed to it comments on improvements in labelling. We expect the Commission to propose amendments to the directive. When these are received we will consult UK interests, including consumer organisations. I will at that time assess the need to consult the consumer panel as well ; in the meantime it is always open for a member of the panel to raise any relevant issues with me.
Salmonella
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the percentage of poultry consumed in the United Kingdom which has been imported for the latest available date ; how many tests for the presence of salmonella were carried out and with what results ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : In 1990, imports of poultrymeat represented 12.4 per cent. of domestic use and is forecast at 12 per cent. for 1991. Information on the results from the bacteriological testing of imported poultrymeat is not held centrally.
Fallen Animals
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what information he has on the number of reports received by local authorities and water companies about carcases of farm animals left by the roadside or in water courses for each year since 1986 ; (2) if he will list the number of (a) initiated and (b) successful prosecutions against those who deliberately leave carcases unburied or dump them under the (i) Control of Pollution Act 1974, (ii) Environmental Protection Act 1990 and (iii) Dogs Act 1906 in 1990 and 1991, respectively.
Mr. Maclean : This information is not available centrally.
Column 308
Knackers and Renderers
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any proposals to monitor the range of prices that different renderers charge knackers across the country.
Mr. Maclean : Although some information is obtained regularly by the Ministry on the broad movement of collection charges by renderers, I have no intention of setting up a formal monitoring system in relation to the financial arrangements between knackers and renderers.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list, in tonnes, the amount of waste arising from knackers' yards in each year since 1986.
Mr. Maclean : The information in the form requested is not available. However, it is estimated that the animal waste arising from knackers' yards accounts for between 5 per cent. and 10 per cent. of the material processed by the rendering industry. The rendering industry currently processes up to 1.75 million tonnes of animal waste a year.
Illegal Catches
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many United Kingdom trawler captains have been successfully prosecuted during the last 12 months for landing illegal catches of fish at United Kingdom ports and harbours ;
(2) how many United Kingdom trawler captains have cases awaiting to be dealt with by the courts for landing illegal catches of fish at United Kingdom ports and harbours.
Mr. Curry : Ninety-one United Kingdom fishing skippers have been successfully prosecuted during 1991 for offences against fisheries legislation ; 153 cases are waiting to be dealt with by the courts. Information on how many of these convictions and pending cases result from the landing of illegal catches is not readily available.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what precautions he is taking to prevent United Kingdom trawler fishermen from landing illegal catches at United Kingdom ports and harbours.
Mr. Curry : Enforcement of national and community fisheries legislation is carried out by the sea fisheries inspectorates of the Fisheries Departments in co-operation with patrol ships of the Royal Navy and the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency and surveillance aircraft. The United Kingdom control and inspection procedures are acknowledged to be among the best in the Community.
Badgers
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to ensure that local badger groups and wildlife protection groups are notified in advance of any section 43 licences it may be proposed to issue within their area ; if he will allow a period for representations to be made prior to such licences taking effect ; and if he has yet finalised details of his licensing scheme.
Mr. Maclean : In considering an application for a licence to permit interference with a badger sett the licensing authorities will consult local interests as they consider appropriate.
Column 309
Horses
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to review the status of the horse as an agricultural animal ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : I have no current plans to do so.
Fallen Animals
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the numbers and proportion of fallen stock disposed of by (a) knackering/rendering, (b) hunt kennels and (c) on farm burial for the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Maclean : It is estimated that knackers and hunt kennels dispose of well in excess of 700,000 fallen animals each year. Figures for other means of disposal, such as burial on farm, licensed landfill sites or incineration are not known.
Dioxins and Furans
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish his food surveillance report on dioxins and furans.
Mr. Gummer : I hope to be able to publish this report by the end of January.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Pensioners (Welfare)
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being considered to look after the welfare of pensioners during the winter months, particularly regarding financial support for adequate heating in their homes.
Mr. Hanley : Basic pensions, together with any income support which may be payable, are intended to cover pensioner's day-to-day living costs, including heating throughout the year. Income support includes special premiums, ranging from £13.75 to £26.20, to help with pensioners' extra needs. From April 1992 there will be, over and above the normal uprating provision, a special increase of £1 a week in premiums for single pensioners and £1.50 for pensioner couples who are disabled or over 80. The cold weather payments scheme has also been considerably improved. Payments of £6 will be paid automatically to eligible people as soon as a seven-day period of exceptionally cold weather is forecast by the Meteorological Office or actually occurs. The capital rule has also been abolished, making more people eligible.
In addition to cash benefits, the Department of Health and Social Services seeks to provide elderly people with practical advice and information as part of its annual "Keep Warm, Keep Well" campaign. This aims to alert elderly people and their carers to the dangers of winter weather ; encourage them to take simple steps to keep well ; and provide them with information on services, such as insulation and draught-proofing schemes, and the availability of social security benefits.
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Housing Benefit
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will bring forward proposals to abolish the non-dependant deduction in relation to housing benefit cases.
Mr. Hanley : There are no plans to do so.
Education Authorities (Duties)
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which sections of legislation covering education in Northern Ireland contain provisions comparable to section 70 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.
Dr. Mawhinney : Provisions comparable to section 70 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 are contained in article 101 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, as substituted by article 158 of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989.
Northern Ireland Block
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) further to his answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Knapman) of 9 December, Official Report, column 324, if he will now publish details of the programmes of expenditure which have been running ahead of plans in this financial year, and of those which have been behind forecast expenditures, showing in each case the subheadings and the sums involved ; if he will show details of the capital works postponed and the maintenance works deferred until next year ; and what is his estimate of the consequences for employment in the current and the next financial year ;
(2) further to his answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Knapman) on 9 December, Official Report, column 324, when the above target expenditures which have led him to postpone expenditure on maintenance works and capital works in Northern Ireland first became known to him.
Dr. Mawhinney : Expenditure requirements are monitored by Departments from the start of the financial year. It was the balance between new demands and savings emerging in the third quarter which led to the decision to postpone some expenditure. The situation continues to evolve and final decisions on the adjustments required will be taken in the context of spring supplementary estimates. The details will be available in the revised estimates, which cover most areas of public expenditure. These will show the main changes proposed and will be laid before the House in February. The debate on the appropriation order will provide the opportunity for discussion. Information on individual projects affected is not centrally available but the delay in releasing new projects will be short-lived. The overall employment effects are also expected to be minimal --at most only a temporary change in the balance of activity between sectors--as the total volume of public expenditure is not being reduced.
Criminal Injury and Damage
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision was made for (a) criminal injury, and (b) criminal damage in each financial
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year since 1987-88 ; how much was actually expended in those years ; and what projections he has made for the current financial year and the next two financial years.Dr. Mawhinney : The information requested is shown in the table :
|Criminal|Criminal
|injuries|damage
|£ k |£ k
---------------------------------------
1987-88
Provision |12,100 |17,855
Expenditure |12,925 |19,004
1988-89
Provision |14,500 |19,600
Expenditure |14,968 |20,606
1989-90
Provision |17,063 |21,592
Expenditure |16,450 |22,124
1990-91
Provision |19,000 |23,396
Expenditure |19,548 |22,711
1991-92
Projection |25,000 |33,500
1992-93
Projection |25,235 |27,884
1993-94
Projection |23,477 |22,406
Note: Provision includes supplementary
provision.
Salmon
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to the incidence of farmed salmon escapees entering salmon rivers in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.
Mr. Hanley : Northern Ireland salmon rivers are not regularly monitored for farmed salmon escapees. All the information available in shown in the table.
River Number of Escapees
|1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991
--------------------------------------------------
Bush |4 |0 |1 |2 |3
Glenarm |n/a |n/a |n/a |<1>159|0
Other Co. Antrimn/aversn/aa <1>0 n/a
Notes
n/a -No monitoring undertaken.
<1> As a result of a special exercise undertaken
following a known
escape from a salmon farm.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums he has expended on research into the effect of farmed salmon escapes on the native stocks of salmon in Northern Ireland rivers in each of the last three financial years and the current year.
Mr. Hanley : The sums expended were as follows :
|£
---------------------------
1988-89 |Nil
1989-90 |Nil
1990-91 |2,560
1991-92 |<1>4,844
<1> Up to 30 November
1991.
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Housing Benefit
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will co-ordinate the activities of the Social Security Agency and the Housing Executive in order that they use their computerised systems to synchronise all transactions relating to housing benefit changes, benefit deductions, payment of rent from such deductions, and rent statements to tenants.
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