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Mr. Jack : All nine current chairmen of the regional flood defence committees in England have farming or landowning interests.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she will select the chairmen for appointment to the regional flood defence committees of the National Rivers Authority who will serve from July.
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Mr. Jack : It is expected that chairmen-designate of the nine regional flood defence committees in England will be appointed within the next two months.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria she will use to select the chairmen for appointment to the regional flood defence committees of the National Rivers Authority who will serve from July.
Mr. Jack : Under section 10 of the Water Resources Act 1991 those responsible for appointing the chairman or a member of a regional flood defence committee are required to have regard to the desirability of appointing a person who has experience of, and has shown capacity in, some matter relevant to the functions of the committee. These criteria will be used in selecting the chairmen of the nine committees in England.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the appointments she makes to regional flood defence committees of the National Rivers Authority reflect the priorities set out in the flood and coastal defence strategy.
Mr. Jack : All members of the NRA's regional flood defence committees in England are expected to take account of the priorities set out in the MAFF-Welsh Office flood and coastal defence strategy in their work on the committees.
Essex Coast Environmentally Sensitive Area
Dr. Spink : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she expects to implement the Essex coast ESA ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Jack : I plan to launch the Essex coast ESA on 16 March.
Pigs
Mr. Bowden : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what progress has been made with the implementation of the Welfare of Pigs Regulations 1991 ;
(2) how many dry sows in the United Kingdom are currently housed in sow stalls or tethers ; what plans she has to phase out such systems by 1 January 1999 ; and what action will be taken against producers who fail to comply with this deadline.
Mr. Soames : The Welfare of Pigs Regulations 1991 prohibit the keeping of sows in close confinement stalls or tethers on agricultural land unless the stalls and tethers were in use on that land before 1 October 1991. This temporary exemption will end on 1 January 1999 when the use of all such stalls or tethers will be prohibited. The regulations are enforced by the state veterinary service and producers who fail to comply can expect to be prosecuted.
It is estimated that approximately two thirds of the indoor breeding heard of 640,000 sows is now housed in alternative systems. To assist the industry, this Department is funding a programme of research into alternative systems of husbandry. It has also contributed to the work of the pig welfare advisory group and financed the publication of a series of nine booklets and associated workshops on alternative systems.
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Sheep Exports
Dr. Strang : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if all sheep exported from the United Kingdom to Spain for further fattening are subsequently killed in EC-approved abattoirs.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Council directive 64/433/EEC as amended, on health conditions for the production and marketing of fresh meat, requires member states to ensure that meat placed on the market for human consumption has been obtained from premises which meet the conditions laid down in that directive. This means that sheep which are exported to Spain for further fattening and subsequently placed on the market for human consumption must be slaughtered in approved abattoirs.
Family Food Bills
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if she will estimate by how much the average food bill of the average family of four is inflated as a direct result of the common agricultural policy, giving figures separately for (a) dairy products, (b) sugar, (c) beef, (d) cereals, (e) rice, (f) fruit and vegetables, (g) potatoes, (h) oilseeds, (i) linseed, (j) olive oil, (k) wine and (l) tobacco ;
(2) if she will estimate by how much the average food bill of the average family of four is inflated as a direct result of the common agricultural policy.
Mr. Jack : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mr. Grocott) on 11 January, at columns 65-6. For the reasons given, it is not possible to estimate the effect of the CAP on the food bill for individual commodities.
Farmers Charter
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representation she has received concerning the preparation of a farmers charter.
Mr. Jack : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers which I and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales gave to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) on 2 February, Official Report, column 735, and 3 February, Official Report, column 861.
Potato Producers
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will set out the material available to her on the information on state aid provided to potato producers in other European Union member states.
Mr. Jack : Since November 1991 the EC Commission has published in the C series of the Official Journal brief details of the state aids, including our own potato marketing scheme, to which it has raised no objection. Those in other member states are summarised : Aids to potato processors and producers in the EC
Denmark
1. 1988 expenditure and 1990 draft budget for potato trade association funds.
Adopted : 30 October 1991. Published : OJ C 18/8 of 24 January 1992.
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2. Aid for potato quality control.Adopted : 25 March 1992. Published : OJ C 155/7 of 20 June 1992. Italy
1. Aid to support the horticulture sector (potatoes).
Adopted : 21 January 1992. Published : OJ C 185/6 of 22 July 1992. 2. Special intervention by AIMA for new potatoes for consumption. Adopted : 31 August 1992. Published : OJ C 286/9 of 4 November 1992.
3. AIMA national programme for private storage of potatoes for consumption 1992 marketing year.
Adopted : 15 October 1992. Published : OJ C 316/6 of 3 December 1992.
4. AIMA programme for the implementation of the inter-branch agreement on the processing of potatoes (1992 programme). Adopted : 19 January 1993. Published : OJ C 104/5 of 15 April 1993.
5. Implementation of the inter-branch agreement on the processing of potatoes (1993 marketing year).
Adopted : 2 July 1993. Published : OJ C 256/11 of 21 September 1993.
Luxembourg
1. Assistance to farmers suffering from natural disasters in 1991 (including potato producers).
Adopted : 11 March 1992. Published : OJ C 185/6 of 22 July 1992. France
1. Aid to compensate producers of new potatoes who have agreed to keep part of their harvest off the market.
Adopted : 24 November 1993. Published : OJ C 42/15 of 12 February 1994.
2. Aid for producers of potatoes for human consumption. Adopted : 24 November 1993. Published : OJ C 42/17 of 12 February 1994.
Child Care
Ms Harman : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much her Department spends on child care ; on what provision the sum is spent ; how many children receive the child care ; and if she will make a statement about child care.
Mr. Jack : The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is committed to making every effort to help with the provision of child care provided a value for money case can be made to support the need for such facilities. Currently, there are some 48 nursery places for children aged between six months and five years, and some 100 holiday play scheme places for children aged between four and 14 years. The Ministry has a purpose- built 40-place nursery at its Guildford site and a 30-place nursery is due to open at its new King's Pool site in York this autumn. Also, a 33-place nursery is under construction at the central science laboratory's new site at Sand Hutton, near York, which is due to open in 1996.
In addition a survey is being carried out at all offices in the Ministry currently without child care facilities to assess the level of demand. All options for child care will be considered including general advice on facilities available locally and participation in nurseries and play schemes run by other organisations.
The amount spent on child care is not available centrally.
Public Appointments
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of public appointments made by her Department in 1993 were of women ; and if she will make a statement.
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Mr. Jack [holding answer 28 February 1994] : The percentage of appointments made by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food held by women has increased from 10 per cent. in 1991 to 18 per cent. in 1993. Our aim is to increase this to 25 per cent. in 1996. If achieved, this would represent an increase of just under 40 per cent. compared to 1993 figures.
Group Actions
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what stage the fundamental review of the rules governing group actions has reached ; and when he expects the report and recommendations arising from the review to be published.
Mr. John M. Taylor : On 16 December last year the Lord Chancellor announced the terms of reference for his Department's fundamental review of expenditure. This will cover all areas of the Department's business, including civil litigation, and will report to the Lord Chancellor in June. As any conclusions and recommendations resulting from this review will clearly have implications for group actions, procedures with regard to such actions are being examined as part of the review.
The results of fundamental reviews are not commonly made public. Any action which the Lord Chancellor decides to take as a result of the review's conclusions will, however, be preceded by public consultation in the usual way.
Magistracy
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to ensure that the magistracy is made more representative in terms of gender, race and social class.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The Lord Chancellor and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster seek, through central initiatives and through their local advisory committees, to ensure that, so far as possible, candidates who are put forward for appointment to the magistracy reflect the local community they will serve in terms of such factors as age, gender, ethnic origin, political affiliation and employment background. Notices are placed in the press and local initiatives are undertaken such as letters to organisations and court open days to encourage suitable men and women from all walks of life to put themselves forward.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the political balance of magistrates within west Yorkshire.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The political balance of magistrates within west Yorkshire on the latest information available is as follows :
|West
|Yorkshire
------------------------------------------
Conservative |572
Labour |397
Liberal/Democrat |220
Independent/Not known |163
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the members of the committees responsible for recommending magistrates in west Yorkshire.
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Mr. John M. Taylor : The members of the eight advisory committees responsible for recomending candidates for the magistracy in west Yorkshire are as follows :
Bradford--
Chairman :
M. Bendig, Esq., JP
Members :
M. Spooner, Esq., JP
Mrs. M. S. Barker, JP
J. D. Birrell, Esq.
J. D. Godward, Esq., JP
Mrs. K. M. Lee, JP
R. Singh, Esq.
J. Heslop, Esq., JP
P. Clough, Esq., JP
Miss S. F. A. Walker, JP
Mrs. P. Wilson, JP
Keighley--
Chairman :
K. Davy, Esq., OBE, JP
Members :
Mrs. S. R. Montague, JP
J. Oldfield, Esq., JP
D. L. Wilberforce, Esq.
A. Sharpe, Esq., JP
D. Hanson, Esq., JP
Mrs. S. O. Duckitt, JP
Mrs. B. M. L. Collins, JP
Mrs. S. Morton
W. I. Thompson, Esq., JP
Calderdale--
Chairman :
Mrs. M. Berry, JP
Members :
Dr. B. P. Fernandez
D. R. Marshall, Esq., JP
Mrs. J. Braithwaite, JP
K. Edmonson, JP
Mrs. P. Sheerman, JP
E. Crossley, Esq., JP
J. C. Webster, Esq., JP
Mrs. E. M. Bavidge, JP
G. R. Lawrence, Esq., JP
Mrs. M. E. Sykes, JP
Batley and Dewsbury--
Chairman :
Mrs. B. A. Ripley JP
Members :
D. Popplewell Esq. JP
J. D. Williams Esq. JP
Mrs. K. J. Robinson JP
D. Green Esq. JP
Dr. A. R. Rajpura Esq.
J. B. Atkinson Esq. JP
Mrs. E. Wildey JP
Huddersfield--
Chairman :
D. A. Wright Esq. JP
Members :
A. M. Pearson Esq. JP
J. R. Rotchell Esq. JP
Mrs. R. J. Neary JP
Mrs. J. M. Netherwood JP
S. Haigh Esq. JP
J. Akhtar Esq. JP
Mrs. C. Shepherd JP
Mrs. S. M. Nutbrown JP
P. S. Blakey Esq. JP
B. Hebblethwaite Esq. JP
Mrs. N. M. Wise
Leeds--
Chairman :
H. Swain Esq. JP
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