House of Commons Hansard Debates for 10 Jul 1992

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In addition, in order to receive an allocation, the smallest organisations will be asked to co-operate with others to keep the processing and distribution costs to a minimum.

I am placing a list of the organisations designated in the Libraries and officials will now be writing to all the organisations that applied.

Molluscs

Mr. Sykes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish the classification of shellfish harvesting areas which is required under EC directive 91/492 laying down the health conditions for the production and placing on the market of live bivalve molluscs.

Mr. Gummer : Officials from the Department have today circulated a preliminary version of the classification to interested parties for comment. I have placed a copy of the consultation letter and classification in the Library of the House.

All areas where bivalve mulluscs such as oysters, mussels and cockles are harvested are to be classified according to the bacterial contamination present in the mollusc flesh as required by EC directive 91/492/EEC.

The classification will provide an indication of whether the product can be placed on the market for human consumption or how it must be treated, either by purification, relaying or heat treatment. The preliminary classification has been based on samples of bivalve molluscs taken by local authority environmental health officers from 75 known harvesting areas. Sample testing has been undertaken by public health laboratories and the results classified by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's fish disease laboratory in Weymouth.

Food Premises

Mr. Whittingdale : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what statistical information for 1991 on inspection of food premises required by the EC Commission under directive 89/397 is available.

Mr. Gummer : The United Kingdom figures for food premises inspections during 1991 have been forwarded to the European Community Commission as required by directive 89/397. They are based on returns received from local authorities. A copy of the return has been placed in the Library of the House together with extracts covering England, Wales, Scotland and Northen Ireland respectively. Returns from individual authorities are available for inspection at my Department ; copies can be provided for a small charge to cover expenses.

Sherwood Forest

Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to revive Sherwood forest ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer : The name Sherwood forest is famous throughout the world and the forest is one of Britain's best-known tourist destinations. Little remains, however, of the ancient Sherwood forest, and what survives is subject to intense public pressure. The Government believe that the time is now right for a programme of work to improve, and perhaps recreate,

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the Sherwood forest of old. This would enhance the appearance of an area of historic importance, provide an alternative use for agricultural land in a nitrate sensitive area and create valuable leisure attraction for the east midlands.

I have therefore asked the Forestry Commission to redesign its existing forest areas. This will quickly achieve a considerable visual improvement and restore some of the original heathland. The long-term aim will be to reconstruct and revive areas of mixed woodland of a type native to Sherwood.

Informal discussions have been held with the local authorities, and other parties, and I am pleased to announce that there is enthusiastic support for the initiative. The proposals I am setting out will draw on the report of a feasibility study "Bringing Back the Sherwood Green" undertaken in 1988 by the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, the Conservation Foundation and David Bellamy Associates. The Nottinghamshire county structure plan of 1988 also referred to the development of Sherwood forest. A community forest to the south-east of the Sherwood area has recently been launched.

As a first step, the Forestry Commission will undertake a number of improvements to its 4,000 hectare landholding. These will diversify the mixture of species and ages of existing woodlands and take advantage of the scope for a degree of heathland restoration. Regeneration of the oak and birch woodlands will be encouraged by careful management and particular attention will be paid to forest areas adjacent to public roads. The commission will also encourage better management of existing woodland and further new planting by private landowners and tenants through the woodland grant scheme. More public access to the forest will be encouraged where it fits in with landowners' objectives.

To assist in taking these ideas forward, the Forestry Commission will set up a steering group, to include respresentatives of the local authorities, the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, forestry, landowning and farming interests, and others.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Paper Back Campaign

Mr. Cohen : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received about the Paper Back Campaign of the British Paper and Board Industry Federation ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Eggar : My Department has received various representations about the Paper Back Campaign, as a result of which officials have had discussions with representatives of the British Paper and Board Industry Federation and others in the waste paper industry ; further meetings are planned.

Assisted Areas

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to make available new investment funds to Cumbria under the assisted areas scheme.

Mr. Sainsbury : The Government will consider the needs and circumstances of all areas, including Cumbria, before making decisions later this year under the current review of the assisted areas.

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LASCAR

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many meetings of the LASCAR--large-scale commercial reprocessing plant safeguards--group on nuclear safeguards have been held since June 1990 ; what issues have been discussed and decided ; what United Kingdom representation there has been at LASCAR meetings ; which interim reports on LASCAR meetings have been published ; and when the final report of the LASCAR group will be made public.

Mr. Eggar : Eight meetings of the LASCAR group on large-scale reprocessing plant safeguards have been held since June 1990. Typically one representative from DTI and two from industry have attended for the United Kingdom.

The issues and conclusions of LASCAR are described in the "Report of the LASCAR Forum". In addition, a paper describing aspects of LASCAR's work was published in July 1990, at the Institute of Nuclear Materials management conference. Copies of both papers are available in the Library of the House.

Sellafield

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to order an investigation into the accuracy of the results obtained from the radiation monitor film badges used by the work force at British Nuclear Fuel's Sellafield plant over the past 20 years, following BNFL's recent announcement that significant under-recording has taken place.

Mr. Eggar : BNFL has not made any announcement suggesting under- recording of radiation dose assessments by film badges over the past 20 years. An expert review of historical radiation dose assessed by film badges was initiated by BNFL as a result of the litigation process into allegations of Sellafield being responsible for two cases of

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childhood leukaemia in the vicinity of the plant. These cases are currently before the courts. The indications from BNFL's expert review are that there are no compelling reasons to adjust the recorded doses from gamma radiation. I therefore see no need to carry out a further investigation of the type requested.

Parcelforce

Mr. Hain : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he plans to privatise the Post Office's Parcelforce business ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Leigh [holding answer 9 July 1992] : The Government's policy towards the Post Office remains as set out in the citizens charter and in our election manifesto.

Mr. Hain : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) why he has authorised the Post Office to drop the Royal Mail prefix from the name of its Parcelforce business ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) if he plans to retain the monarch's cipher on livery and vehicles owned by the Post Office's Parcelforce business, once the Royal Mail prefix has been dropped ;

(3) what consultations there were over the proposal to remove the Royal Mail prefix from the title of the Post Office's Parcelforce business ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Leigh [holding answer 9 July 1992] : Details about Parcelforce's name are an operational matter. This decision was taken by Parcelforce management for commercial reasons.

Correspondence

Mrs. Mahon : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he will be replying to the letter sent on 9 June from the hon. Member for Halifax.

Mr. Heseltine : I will write to the hon. Member.

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