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Hazardous Chemicals (Transport)
Ms Walley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of hazardous chemicals were transported by (a) road, (b) rail and (c) into or out of United Kingdom ports in each of the last five years.
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Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I have been ask to reply.
Only limited information is available.
The quantity of chemicals, including those classed as dangerous, moved by road in vehicles over 3.5 tonnes in each of the last five years for which figures are available was :
|Million tonnes
---------------------------------------------
1987 |49
1988 |52
1989 |55
1990 |53
1991 |45
There were 1.4 million tonnes of dangerous chemicals moved by rail in wagons in 1989-90, 1.5 million tonnes in 1990-91, and 1.2 million tonnes in 1991-92. In addition, British Rail has moved annually some 14,000 tank containers of differing sizes.
Special surveys of movements of hazardous substances through United Kingdom ports recorded 3.1 and 3.5 million tonnes of packaged dangerous goods-- which would include some dangerous chemicals in 1988 and 1989 respectively, and 7.8 and 8.1 million tonnes of bulk dangerous chemicals in 1989 and 1990 respectively.
Post Office
Mr. Rowe : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial and efficiency targets he has set for the Post Office in 1993.
Mr. Leigh : The President of the Board of Trade, in agreement with the Treasury and in consultation with the Post Office, has set Royal Mail and Post Office Counters Ltd. targets to achieve respectively an annual average return of 16 per cent. and 9.3 per cent. on capital employed over the three years 1992-93 to 1994-95. The profit used when calculating the return will be struck after interest--excluding interest on past surpluses- -but before tax. The capital employed on which returns will be calculated will be the greater of either opening fixed assets or the previous year's closing capital employed.
The President of the Board of Trade, in agreement with the Treasury and in consultation with the Post Office, has set the following real unit cost targets for Royal Mail and Post Office Counters Ltd. : Cumulative reduction by 1994-95 over 1991-92
Royal Mail--4 per cent.
Post Office Counters Ltd.--3 per cent.
As Parcelforce operates in a competitive market, the President of the Board of Trade has agreed with the Post Office that an efficiency target need not be set. The President of the Board of Trade announced on 15 July 1992 that Parcelforce is to be sold. Parcelforce has been set the financial target of achieving at least break even in each of the years 1992-93 and 1993-94, but has not been set a financial target in respect of 1994-95.
Ms Estelle Morris : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make it his policy, in the event of privatisation of Parcelforce, to impose an obligation on those who assume responsibility for the employment of Parcelforce staff to ensure that the pension rights and expectations of these staff are equal to those they enjoy as members of the Post Office superannuation scheme the Post Office pension scheme ;
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(2) what will be the basis in which he proposes to aportion the surpluses in the Post Office superannuation scheme and the Post Office pension scheme in the event of the privatisation of Parcelforce ;(3) what external advice his Department has sought on the legal implications of unilaterally changing the pension rights and entitlements on Parcelforce staff in the event of privatisation ; (4) what action he proposes to take to ensure that the long-term pension expectations of Post Office staff in Parcelforce are in no way diminished as a result of any privatisation.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 15 March 1993] : We are considering the form and timing of the sale of Parcelforce, including such issues as pensions. Our decisions will be announced in due course.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the impact that adoption of any of the three new forms for new pensioners that the Department of Social Security currently has under trial, would have on the viability of the current network of post offices and sub-post offices.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 12 March 1993] : The purpose of the trial is to enable an assessment to be made of the impact of different types of form. Any impact on post offices will be considered once the trial has been completed.
Free Flight Offers
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 17 February to the hon. Members for Cunninghame, South (Mr. Donohoe) and for Coventry South-East (Mr. Cunningham) Official Report , column 261 , what evidence he now has on whether certain free flight offers accompanying the sale of goods or services are other than bona fide sales promotions.
Mr. Leigh : I have received no evidence which would cause me to change my answer of 17 February.
Regional Aid
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out by travel-to-work area the total amount of money received since 1984 in (a) United Kingdom regional assistance and (b) European regional development funds.
Mr. Sainsbury : Since little data on UK regional assistance, and none of the European regional development fund, are recorded by travel-to- work areas, the information requested could not be provided other than at disproportionate cost.
Ms Harman : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much of the European Community's regional development fund earmarked in the present accounting period for use within the United Kingdom has yet to be disbursed ; and how much of the undisbursed allocation he expects to be drawn down during the remainder of the present accounting period.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 15 March 1993] : Of the United Kingdom's share of the fund for the period of the present regulations, 1989 -1993, £1,521 million has been allocated and the remainder will have been allocated by the end of the year.
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Deregulation Task Forces
Mr. Sproat : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the chairmen of the task forces appointed to look into aspects of possible deregulation ; which areas each chairman will cover ; what will be the method of operation of each task force ; who will serve on each task force, additional to the chairman ; by what date he has ordered each task force to report their findings ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : We have set up seven task forces to undertake a comprehensive review of regulations affecting business and to advise Ministers on priorities for repeal and simplification. The task forces will work for the next six months, making regular reports to Ministers. The names of the task force chairmen and the areas they will cover are as follows :
Michael Heron--Food, drink and agriculture
Duncan Bluck CBE--Communications and transport
Christopher Spackman--Construction
Malcolm Bates--Engineering industries
John Robb--Chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Sir Sydney Lipworth--Financial services
Nigel Whittaker--Retail and Tourism
The Chairmen will meet Lord Sainsbury, the DTI's special adviser on deregulation, later this week to agree the method of operation of the task forces. The names of the other members of the task forces will be announced shortly.
Debt Payments
Mr. Cousins : To ask the President of the Board of Trade further to his answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) of 18 November, Official Report, column 225, if he has concluded his consultations on proposals to require large companies to state in their reports and accounts how quickly they pay ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : [holding answer 9 February 1993] : My Department issued on 25 January a consultative document on the options for taking forward our commitment that in future large companies will be required to state in their report and accounts how quickly they pay. We are asking for comments by 26 March. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Milk Marketing Board
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the size of the site and the offices of the headquarters of the Milk Marketing Board at Thames Ditton ; and what estimate has been made of their value.
Mr. Curry : The Milk Marketing Board has informed us that the size of its Thames Ditton headquarters site is about 22 acres. The gross area of buildings on site is about 254,000 sq ft. The value of the site would depend on a number of factors, such as the state of the market and the intended use for it.
Under the Agriculture Bill, the Milk Marketing Board would be able to apply to Ministers for approval of formal proposals for the transfer and distribution of its assets including its Thames Ditton headquarters. In deciding
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whether to grant approval, Ministers would have to have regard to all the circumstances and in particular to whether the proposals made reasonable provision for the distribution of assets to registered producers.Veal
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to impose restrictions on the import of white veal into the United Kingdom ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to set a target date for banning the export from the United Kingdom of calves destined for veal crates.
Mr. Soames : I have no such plans as my legal advice is that these actions would be illegal under the treaty of Rome.
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many calves have been exported from the United Kingdom for rearing in veal calf crates in each year since 1985.
Mr. Soames : Totals of the number of calves exported from Great Britain to other EC countries for further fattening are given. It is not possible to determine what proportion of the totals were for rearing in veal calf crates.
$ Year |£ thousands ------------------------------------ 1985 |142.4 1986 |190.7 1987 |365.2 1988 |234.7 1989 |302.2 1990 |338.8 1991 |399.6 1992 |420.6
Source : Statistics prepared for the reports of the Chief Veterinary Officer--Animal Health, 1985 to 1992.
Laying Hens
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has (a) to increase the mandatory space allowance for battery cages containing laying hens and (b) to establish a target date for phasing out the use of battery cages in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Soames : It is already the Government's policy to seek revised Community rules to phase out the current design of battery cages and to increase the minimum space allowances set by the existing Community legislation. We look to the Commission to publish proposals for new welfare rules for laying hens as soon as possible.
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the Farm Animal Welfare Council concerning the welfare of laying hens in colony systems.
Mr. Soames : The Government intend to publish a response to the Farm Animal Welfare Council's report in the near future.
Wildlife Diseases
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to develop a United Kingdom-wide database of wildlife diseases.
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Mr. Soames : The Ministry has no plans to establish such a database.
Pigs
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to establish a target date for banning the use of stall and tether systems by United Kingdom pig breeders ; (2) what plans he has to introduce legislation establishing minimum space allocations and minimum standards for bedding and foraging material for reared pigs in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Soames : The Welfare of Pigs Regulations 1991 already ban the installation of new stall and tether systems in this country and require all such systems to be phased out by the end of 1998. The Community directive adopted in 1991 which sets minimum standards for the welfare of pigs addresses the need for bedding and foraging material. This directive must be implemented in the United Kingdom by the beginning of 1994. However, the Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1990 already require pigs and certain other livestock to have a lying area which is well drained or well maintained with dry bedding.
Departmental Spending
Dr. Wright : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what share of total departmental spending was accounted for by non- departmental public bodies in each year since 1979.
Mr. Curry : Information relating to expenditure on non-departmental public bodies is contained in the annual publication "Public Bodies", which has been published each year since 1982. I regret that information prior to that date is not readily available.
Figures for departmental expenditure for the years to 1990 are contained in the public expenditure White Paper for each year and are summarised in the cash plan table given at the beginning of chapter 3 of each White Paper. Figures for 1991 onwards are contained in the Ministry's departmental reports and may be found in the cash plan at annex 1 to each report.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of confirmed cases of BSE, by county, for the month of February.
Mr. Soames : The information requested is available in the Library of the House.
Deregulation Initiative
Dr. Strang : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the organisations which have been or will be consulted about his deregulation initiative ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : The organisations consulted by my Department about the deregulation initiative number many hundreds. On food measures alone, 240 organisations have been consulted.
Dr. Strang : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which licences of regulations from the
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list which he placed in the Library as referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 17 February 1992, Official Report, column 26, he is still considering as part of his deregulation initiative ; what new licences and regulations he is considering as part of this initiative ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Gummer : The list of regulatory measures placed in the Library of the House on 17 February 1992 is shortly to be superseded by a more detailed list of regulations which affect industry. This is referred to as the baseline list. Under the Prime Minister's initiative on deregulation, all Whitehall Departments will include their baseline lists in a composite document to be laid in the House Library. Deregulation plans are being drawn up within my Department on the basis of the baseline list and informed by comments being received on the original list of measures placed in the Library of the House. A plan for deregulating food law was sent to interested organisations for comment earlier this month and has been in the Library of the House. All measures on the baseline list are open to review under the deregulation initiative. I have introduced five deregulatory principles :
regulation last : the regulatory approach will be followed only where fully justified and where some less burdensome route--e.g., through codes of conduct--is seen to be inadequate ;
need criteria : all national and EC regulations will be examined against strict need criteria and, in the case of legislation arising out of EC obligations, the principle of subsidiarity, as agreed at the Edinburgh European summit ;
cost : the EC Commission will be asked to produce compliance cost assessments with all new proposals for EC legislation ; and Government Departments will produce such assessments for all proposed national legislation which does not arise directly out of Community law ;
competition : in implementing Community law, the Government will seek to ensure that United Kingdom industry is not placed at a disadvantage compared with its competitors in other member states ; consultation : business representatives will be fully consulted at the earliest possible stage on the effect of proposed new regulations on their own sectors.
Proposals for new licences and regulations will be scrutinised against these principles and will be subject to widespread consultation with the business and other interests concerned.
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 5 February, Official Report , column 375 , if he has now finished compiling and has checked for accuracy and consistency of definition the comprehensive provisional list of regulations for which his Department is responsible ; and when he intends to place the list in the Library.
Mr. Curry : Work is proceeding as quickly as possible on checking my Department's list of regulations affecting business. A consolidated list of regulations for all Departments will be compiled by the central deregulation unit of the DTI and placed in the Library as soon as possible.
Farmers (Regulations and Licences)
Dr. Strang : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which licences or regulations relating to farmers have subsequently been (a) withdrawn or (b) amended after he placed in the Library the list mentioned
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in his answer of 17 February 1992 to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark), Official Report , column 26 ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Gummer : Comments from industry on the list of regulatory measures placed in the Library of the House on 17 February 1992 are still being received by my department. A particular effort is being made to obtain the views of small businesses. On the basis of this wide consultation, deregulation plans are being drawn up for the department's main policy areas with a view to reducing the level of regulatory burden placed on industry.
Fishermen
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all major changes to the law affecting fishermen since 1963.
Mr. Curry : The following is a list of Acts of Parliament affecting fishermen since 1963 :
Sea Fisheries Regulation Act 1966
Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967
Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967
Conservation of Seals Act 1970
Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975
Fishery Limits Act 1976
Fisheries Act 1981
British Fishing Boats Act 1983
Diseases of Fish Act 1983
Salmon Act 1986
Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1992
Potatoes
Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the future of research and development in potatoes when the new potato regime is introduced.
Mr. Curry : The EC proposals for a regime in potatoes would have no direct effect on research and development. However, it is unlikely that the Potato Marketing Board would be able to continue in its present form. That is why the Agriculture Bill, presently before the House, allows for the transfer of the board's assets including the research station at Sutton Bridge to a successor body or bodies in order to continue the industry's involvement in R and D.
Animal Health and Veterinary Group
Dr. Spink : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for the future organisation of his Ministry's animal health and veterinary group.
Mr. Gummer : I have decided to proceed with a management review of the animal health and veterinary group, including the state veterinary service. The review will examine in detail the group's functions and organisation with a view to improving the use of the Ministry's resources in this area. It will be headed by a grade 5 official from my Ministry who has been asked to report by the end of this year.
Chinchilla
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what legal provisions apply to (a) the keeping of and (b) the commercial breeding and farming of chinchilla ; and what steps his Department takes to ensure inspection and enforcement ;
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(2) what guidelines or standards are laid down on the keeping of chinchilla with particular reference to minimum cage size.Mr. Soames : There is no legislation relating specifically to the keeping of chinchilla. Any chinchilla kept on agricultural land for farming purposes, including fur production, would be subject to the general animal welfare provisions of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 and inspection by the state veterinary service. I am not, however, aware that any chinchilla are currently kept in the United Kingdom for such purposes.
The keeping of chinchilla for other purposes, like that of all domestic and captive animals, is covered by the Protection of Animals Act 1911 which is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The Act makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any captive or domestic animal. In addition, pet shops are licensed by local authorities, which have the right of inspection under the Pet Animals Act 1951.
Salmon
Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many salmon were caught in England, Scotland and Wales during the season 1991 and the season 1992, by (a) rod and line, (b) commercial nets and (c) north-east coast drift net fishery.
Mr. Curry [pursuant to the reply, 27 January 1993, column 719] : I regret that the catch statistics were prepared on different bases : those for England and Wales included grilse, but those for Scotland excluded grilse. The table provides reported catches of salmon and grilse for each country.
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