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Numbers of live animals imported into the United Kingdom during 1992
|All bovines|Of which: |Sheep |Goats |Pigs |All horses |Of which: |Other live
|fat<1> |for |animals
|slaughter
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
France |2,948 |202 |261 |- |- |515 |- |2
Belgium-Luxembourg |11 |59 |- |- |416 |- |15
Netherlands |5,115 |538 |392 |- |- |393 |1 |35
Germany |212 |35 |5 |- |- |354 |- |4
Italy |19 |- |- |- |- |104 |- |-
Irish Republic |112,506 |40,385 |204,230 |71 |109,280 |4,359 |- |202
Denmark |420 |91 |- |- |- |214 |- |1
Greece |- |- |- |- |- |13 |- |-
Portugal |- |- |- |- |- |15 |- |-
Spain |- |- |- |- |- |11 |- |3
Iceland |- |- |- |- |- |20 |- |-
Norway |- |- |- |- |- |6 |- |-
Sweden |- |- |- |- |- |27 |- |5
Finland |- |- |- |- |- |3 |- |-
Switzerland |- |- |- |- |- |20 |- |7
Austria |- |- |- |- |- |25 |- |-
Turkey |- |- |- |- |- |2 |- |-
Poland |187 |- |- |- |- |122 |- |-
Czechoslovakia |250 |- |- |- |- |2 |- |-
Hungary |- |- |- |- |- |55 |- |-
Former USSR |- |- |- |- |- |83 |- |-
Canada |234 |- |- |- |- |13 |- |1
USA |- |- |- |- |12 |488 |- |41
Austral-Oceania |29 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Puerto Rico |- |- |- |- |- |1 |- |-
Nicaragua<2> |163 |30 |730 |- |- |1 |- |29
Colombia |- |- |- |- |- |1 |- |-
Chile |- |- |- |- |- |7 |- |-
Argentina |- |- |- |- |- |4,116 |- |-
Barbados |- |- |- |- |- |3 |- |-
Sudan |- |- |- |- |- |2 |- |-
Jordan |- |- |- |- |- |8 |- |-
Kuwait |- |- |- |- |- |5 |- |-
Guyana |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |5
Israel |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2
Senegal |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3
Guinea |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1
Ghana |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2
Cameroon |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2
South Africa |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1
Namibia |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |6
Dubai |- |- |- |- |- |3 |- |-
Japan |- |- |- |- |- |1 |- |-
Australia |- |- |- |- |- |12 |- |1
New Zealand |- |- |- |- |- |41 |- |-
Hong Kong |- |- |- |- |- |1 |- |1
Malaysia |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1
China |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3
Philippines |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |10
Indonesia |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2
Iran |30 |15 |340 |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |122,124 |41,296 |206,017 |71 |109,292 |11,462 |1 |385
Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.
<1> Recorded as "fat" and covers heifers and steers for slaughter.
<2> Sheep import data estimated on weight of animals concerned.
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Parliamentary Questions
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many parliamentary questions to her Department have not been answered because of disproportionate costs or because the information requested was not held centrally over the last five years ; how many could be answered now due to computerisation and/or more effective operational systems ; and if she will list each such question along with the name and constituency of the hon. Member who tabled it.
Mr. Jack : The POLIS database lists 85 parliamentary questions as not having been answered between January 1989 and December 1993 on the grounds of disproportionate cost or because the information was not held centrally. Details of each of these questions can be obtained from the POLIS database, access to which is available in the Library.
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Information relating to questions which could be answered now due to computerisation and/or more effective operational systems could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Farm Statistics
Dr. Strang : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average size for (a) each English county and (b) each farm business survey county group of all (i) severely disadvantaged area, (ii) disadvantaged area and (iii) less-favoured area farms and for (1) SDA, (2) DA and (3) less-favoured areas farms larger than eight ESUs--European size units.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 20 April 1994] : Estimates of the average sizes of main holdings are obtained from the annual June agricultural census. The average size in 1992 of all main holdings which are wholly or mainly in the less-favoured areas and those greater than eight ESUs is given in the table.
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Estimated average size of farms wholly or mainly in the less favoured areas in 1992<1> (excluding minor holdings)
Average size of
farms (ESU)
All main holdings Holdings 8 ESU
and over
FBS province and |Wholly or mainly|Of which: |Wholly or mainly|Of which:
county
|in the LFA |SDA<2> |DA<3> |in the LFA |SDA<2> |DA<3>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
East Midland
Derbyshire |25 |25 |25 |44 |46 |39
-------
|25 |25 |25 |44 |46 |39
Northern
Cumbria |36 |34 |41 |47 |46 |52
Durham |26 |26 |30 |40 |40 |39
Northumberland |46 |46 |46 |60 |61 |56
-------
|37 |36 |40 |50 |50 |50
North Eastern
Cleveland |43 |40 |59 |59 |54 |83
North Yorkshire |35 |33 |38 |48 |46 |52
South Yorkshire |29 |29 |29 |45 |44 |45
West Yorkshire |15 |13 |26 |37 |33 |45
-------
|28 |25 |35 |45 |43 |50
North Western
Cheshire |20 |19 |25 |36 |37 |34
Greater Manchester |18 |15 |20 |35 |33 |36
Lancashire |28 |22 |35 |46 |40 |50
Shropshire |27 |27 |28 |43 |41 |47
Staffordshire |25 |22 |26 |44 |39 |46
-------
|26 |22 |30 |44 |40 |47
Southern
Hereford and Worcester |21 |22 |19 |31 |31 |32
-------
|21 |22 |19 |31 |31 |32
South Western
Cornwall |23 |26 |22 |46 |45 |46
Devon |24 |21 |26 |41 |36 |45
Isles of Scilly |11 |11 |- |16 |16 |-
Somerset |23 |24 |20 |41 |42 |39
-------
|23 |22 |24 |42 |38 |46
England |28 |28 |30 |46 |45 |47
<1>Based on 1988 Standard Gross Margins; 1 ESU is equal to 1,200 ecu of standard gross margin (average 1987-1989 values).
<2>Holdings with 50 per cent. or more of their less favour area land in the SDA.
<3>Holdings with 50 per cent. or more of their less favoured area land in the DA.
Source: Agricultural Census.
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Dr. Strang : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many (a) full-time hired farm workers and (b) part-time hired farm workers were employed on farm holdings in the less-favoured areas for (i) each English county and (ii) each farm business survey group in each year since 1992 and in 1994.
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Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 20 April 1994] : Estimates of the numbers of full-time and part-time hired workers on holdings are obtained from the annual June agricultural census. The information requested for 1992 and 1993 is given in the table ; information for 1994 is not available.
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Estimated number of hired workers on holdings wholly or mainly in less favoured areas (excluding minor holdings)
1992 1993
FBS Province and |full time hired<1>|part time hired<2>|full time hired<1>|part time hired<2>
County
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
East Midland
Derbyshire |161 |114 |173 |106
|------- |------- |------- |-------
|161 |114 |173 |106
Northern
Cumbria |364 |211 |364 |195
Durham |243 |65 |222 |72
Northumberland |610 |191 |604 |188
|------- |------- |------- |-------
|1,217 |467 |1,190 |455
North Eastern
Cleveland |46 |15 |52 |8
North Yorkshire |371 |190 |381 |212
South Yorkshire |33 |25 |34 |25
West Yorkshire |196 |102 |185 |111
|------- |------- |------- |-------
|646 |332 |652 |356
North Western
Cheshire |13 |19 |14 |21
Greater Manchester |28 |27 |35 |22
Lancashire |203 |154 |193 |163
Shropshire |119 |64 |134 |70
Staffordshire |84 |63 |70 |68
|------- |------- |------- |-------
|447 |327 |446 |344
Southern
Hereford and Worcester |37 |21 |31 |20
|------- |------- |------- |-------
|37 |21 |31 |20
South Western
Cornwall (including Isles of Scilly) |137 |139 |132 |147
Devon |330 |243 |342 |263
Somerset |84 |46 |70 |49
|------- |------- |------- |-------
|551 |428 |544 |459
England Total |3,059 |1,689 |3,036 |1,740
<1>Full time hired workers includes regular whole time workers and salaried managers.
<2>Part time hired workers includes regular part time hired workers.
Source: Agricultural Census
Milk Marketing
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has received in 1994 from North Devon about the future of milk marketing.
Mr. Jack : My right hon. Friend and her Department have received a small number of letters about the Milk Marketing Board's reorganisation proposals from, or on behalf of, individuals and organisations in North Devon.
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Executive Agencies
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated gross income and net income likely to be generated by each executive agency for which her Department is responsible for the financial year 1994-95.
Mr. Jack : The agencies for which my Department is responsible are required to recover the full costs of their activities each year. None is permitted to make a surplus. Gross income in 1994-95 is expected to be :
|£ million
-----------------------------------------------------
ADAS |85.3
Central Science Laboratory |26.3
Central Veterinary Laboratory |26.2
Pesticides Safety Directorate |12.8
Veterinary Medicines Directorate |8.1
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will give the date on which such executive agency for which her Department has responsibility was set up and its terms of reference.
Mr. Jack : The Ministry has responsibility for five executive agencies which were established as follows :
ADAS--launched 1 April 1992
Central Science Laboratory--launched 1 April 1992
Central Veterinary Laboratory--launched 2 April 1990
Pesticides Safety Directorate--launched 1 April 1993
Veterinary Medicines Directorate--launched 2 April 1990
With effect from 1 April 1994, the Central Science Laboratory was merged with the food science laboratories at Norwich and Torry to form an enlarged Central Science Laboratory.
The terms of reference for each of the above are set out in their respective framework documents, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether she will itemise the estimated net cost or net profit likely to be generated for the financial year 1994-95 in each executive agency for which her Department is responsible.
Mr. Jack : My Department is a major customer of each of the agencies in question. They are required to recover the full costs of the services they provide ; in respect of ADAS this is after taking account of all funding, including departmental contributions to certain charged advisory services.
Rabies
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the recent changes in the arrangements to prevent the return of rabies to these islands present a risk of such a return.
Mr. Soames : The new procedures for importing certain commercially traded rabies susceptible animals, mainly rodents, into this country from other member states of the European Union, with effect from 1 January 1994, and traded dogs and cats with effect from 1 July 1994, do not increase the risk of importing rabies into the United Kingdom.
Chocolate
Ms Glenda Jackson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what tests of chocolate manufactured in the United Kingdom for pesticide residues are (a) currently being undertaken and (b) planned by her Department.
Mr. Soames : The Government's working party on pesticide residues will be carrying out a survey of samples of milk, plain and white chocolate later this year. Samples will be analysed for residues of a range of organochlorine and organophoshorus pesticides and the results are expected to be published in 1995 in the working party's annual report for 1994. Future work will depend on the results obtained from the current survey.
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Sunken Barge, South Devon
Mr. Steen : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will ensure the removal of the barge that was sunk at Hall Sands off the south Devon coast before the tourist season starts ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Jack : This Department has no powers to do so. I shall be writing to the hon. Member.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Driving Offences
Mr. Miller : To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many drivers, prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service on a principal charge under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1991 causing death by dangerous driving, have pleaded guilty ;
(2) how many drivers prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service under a principal charge of causing death by dangerous driving were (a) convicted and (b) acquitted by a Crown court jury ; (3) how many drivers have been prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service on a principal charge of careless driving or driving without due care and attention since (a) 1985 and (b) the introduction of the Road Traffic Act 1991 ;
(4) how many drivers were prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service under a principal charge of causing death by reckless driving (a) in each year between 1985 and the introduction of the Road Traffic Act 1991 and (b) in total ;
(5) how many prosecutions brought by the Crown Prosecution Service under a principal charge of section 3A of the Road Trafic Act 1991, of causing death by careless driving under the influence of drink or drugs have been discontinued or have failed (a) as a consequence of breath or blood tests being deemed inadmissible or of questionable veracity and (b) for other reasons ;
(6) how many drivers have been prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service on a principal charge of manslaughter since (a) 1985 and (b) since the introduction of the Road Traffic Act 1991 ; (7) how many prosecutions brought by the Crown Prosecution Service under a principal charge under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1991 causing death by dangerous driving were discontinued ; and for what reasons ;
(8) how many prosecutions brought by the Crown Prosecution Service under a principal charge of causing death by reckless driving between 1985 and the introduction of the Road Traffic Act 1991 were discontinued, or left on file because the accused pleaded guilty to a lesser summary motoring offence ;
(9) how many drivers prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service on a principal charge under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1991 causing death by dangerous driving have (a) been convicted by a Crown court jury and (b) been acquitted by a Crown courty jury ; (10) how many prosecutions have been brought by the Crown Prosecution Service under a principal charge under section 3(A) of the Road Traffic Act 1991, causing death by careless driving under the influence of drink or drugs (a) in each year since the Act came into operation and (b) in total ;
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(11) how many drivers have been prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service under a principal charge under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1991 causing death by dangerous driving in each year since the Act came into force ;(12) in how many cases since (a) 1985 and (b) the coming into force of the Road Traffic Act 1991, a death has been caused by a driver prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service under a principal charge of driving without due care and attention ;
(13) how many prosecutions brought by the Crown Prosecution Service on a principal charge of causing death by reckless driving between 1985 and the introduction of the Road Traffic Act 1991 were discontinued ; and for what reasons ;
(14) how many prosecutions brought by the Crown Prosecution Service under a principal charge of section 3(A) of the Road Traffic Act 1991, causing death by careless driving under the influence of drink or drugs resulted in successful convictions ;
(15) how many drivers prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service under a principal charge of causing death by reckless driving between 1985 and the introduction of the Road Traffic Act 1991 pleaded guilty ;
(16) how many private prosecutions for (a) manslaughter and (b) causing death by dangerous driving have been taken over by the Crown Prosecution Service and (i) discontinued or (ii) prosecuted successfully ;
(17) how many prosecutions brought by the Crown Prosecution Service under a principal charge under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1991 of causing death by dangerous driving were discontinued, or left on file because the accused pleaded guilty to a lesser summary motoring offence.
The Attorney-General : The Crown Prosecution Service does not maintain central records of proceedings in respect of specific offences. The information is recorded on individual case files, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Dropped Cases
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Attorney-General whether the Crown Prosecution Service has completed its internal investigation into the reasons for the proportion of cases submitted to it which are dropped ; when he intends to publish a report on the investigation's findings ; and what action he intends to take in the light of the investigation's findings.
The Attorney-General : The findings of the survey of cases discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service during November 1993 was placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament on 26 January 1994. The issues are being addressed by the CPS in a number of ways in particular by steps to improve liaison between the police and the CPS including the development of agreed charging standards so that the occasions on which it is necessary to vary charges are kept to a minimum. It is already the policy of the CPS to consult the police in relation to significant variations of charges.
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Fraud
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to publish the report of his review team on the work of the Serious Fraud Office and its relationship with the fraud group of the Crown Prosecution Service ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : The report and the question of publication are both under consideration at present.
Racially Motivated Offences
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Attorney-General what action he is planning to take in the light of his meeting with the all-party parliamentary group on race and community on Thursday 3 February, on the subject of the Crown Prosecution Service's attitude to racially motivated offences.
The Attorney-General : The Crown Prosecution Service's approach to racially motivated offences is set out in the code for Crown prosecutors. When assessing whether a prosecution is required in the public interest, a clear racial motivation is regarded as an aggravating feature pointing towards prosecution if there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of a conviction. The CPS is considering the introduction of race awareness training nationally. In London the National Association of Care and Resettlement Officers has been consulted about providing such training. The CPS is also carefully considering systems to monitor the implementation of its policies which are designed to ensure that defendants of all ethnic origins are treated equally.
Serious Fraud Office
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to (a) privatise or (b) make into a "next steps" agency, the Serious Fraud Office.
The Attorney-General : I announced on 6 December 1993, Official Report, column 60, that consideration was to be given to whether the Serious Fraud Office, and two other of my Departments, should become agencies under the "next steps" programme. My decision will be reached in the light of the relevant study of whether agency status is appropriate and this study will, as is usual, cover the question of the extent to which the work in question should be performed in the public sector. A decision that the Serious Fraud Office should become an agency would not involve any change in my superintendence of the office or my accountability for it.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Braille Ballot Papers
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce legislation to provide Braille ballot papers at polling stations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ancram : The problems faced by voters with visual disabilities have been discussed during the course of the post-election review established by the Secretaries of State for the Home Departments, but there are currently no plans to introduce legislation to provide Braille ballot papers at polling stations.
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Community Care
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from organisations in the voluntary sector in Northern Ireland concerning the new community care arrangements ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ancram : LEAD, a coalition of voluntary organisations involved with mentally handicapped people in Northern Ireland, wrote to my noble Friend Baroness Denton on 28 March 1994 about its concerns in relation to the implementation of the new community care arrangements. Officials from the Department of Health and Social Services are due to meet LEAD on 20 May 1994 to discuss these concerns.
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if community care trusts in Northern Ireland will be obliged to set aside a predetermined and fixed proportion of their overall funding for care of the elderly in private establishments ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ancram : It is for health and social services boards to determine the community services they will purchase for elderly people from a range of providers, including health and social services trusts, and the private and voluntary sectors. The Department of Health and Social Services does not require boards to spend a fixed proportion of their "People First" community care funds on services provided by the private sector. However, boards are expected to make full use of the private sector whenever it is appropriate and cost effective to do so.
New Household Formation
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the rate of new household formation has been in 1991, 1992 and 1993 ; what the projected rate is to the end of 1994 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Tim Smith : Information is not available for 1991 and 1994. Estimates are available for the years 1992 and 1993 and are shown in the table.
Rate of new household formation
1992 1.9 per cent. (9,929 new households)
1993 2.4 per cent. (12,894 new households)
Electricity Industry
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions in the last year he has met the Director General of Electricity Supply and those involved in the electricity industry ; and what matters were discussed.
Mr. Tim Smith : My right hon. and learned Friend met the Director General of Electricity Supply informally in June 1993 and in July 1993 visited Kilroot power station where he was briefed on the operation of the plant. Officials from the Department of Economic Development meet the Director General regularly to discuss matters of mutual interest.
Electoral Registers
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what records and research findings are held within his Department of the numbers of homeless people who are registered on electoral registers ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Ancram : No such records are held.
HOME DEPARTMENT
DNA Testing
13. Sir Fergus Montgomery : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the police regarding DNA sampling.
Mr. Howard : The police have warmly welcomed my proposals to allow DNA samples to be taken in all recordable offences.
Witness Intimidation
14. Mr. Brazier : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to protect witnesses from intimidation.
Mr. Maclean : The Criminal Justice Bill contains a new offence of witness intimidation. This will make it easier to prosecute anyone who seeks to intimidate or take revenge on witnesses, jurors or any person assisting the police.
Body Armour
15. Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that police authorities make body armour available for all police officers who request it.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Decisions about issuing protecting equipment are for chief officers of police.
Animal Experimentation
17. Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animals destroyed were as a result of, or after the conclusion of, scientific experiment or testing in (i) 1983 and in (ii) 1993.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Statistics on the number of animals destroyed as a result of, or after the conclusion of, scientific experiment or testing, are not currently collected.
Crack
18. Mr. Cyril D. Townsend : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of possession of the drug crack are known to the Metropolitan police in 1994 ; and what further action he plans to deal with this.
Mr. Maclean : Provisional figures which have been supplied by the Metropolitan police for January and February this year show that there were 88 seizures of crack. I understand, though, that as an agreed Metropolitan police force strategy all area drug squads give priority to tackling crack dealing.
Young Offenders
19. Mr. Garnier : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish details of the proposed secure training centres for young offenders.
Mr. Maclean : Notifications to those companies invited to tender for the design, build, operate, maintain and
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finance contracts for five secure training centres will be issued this month. I am able to announce today the locations of four of these :Campsfield House (Oxfordshire)
Gringley (Nottinghamshire)
Medomsley (Durham)
Onley (Warwickshire)
A decision on the fifth site from which a secure training centre will serve London and the south-east will be announced as soon as possible.
Security Firms
21. Mr. Enright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has held into the posssibility of local police authorities setting up separate security firms to run in competition with private security firms currently operating.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend has had no such discussions.
Drug Dealers
22. Mr. Fabricant : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to seek a change in the law to increase custodial sentences for criminals convicted of selling drugs to young people in the proximity of schools.
Mr. Maclean : The maximum sentence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 for those convicted of supplying controlled drugs in class A--for example, heroin and ecstasy--class B--for example, cannabis and amphetamines--and class C--for example, the benzodiazepine tranquillisers-- are life imprisonment, 14 years and five years respectively. The Government have no plans to increase those penalties.
Prison Interviews
23. Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the arrangements by which convicted prisoners give interviews while in prison.
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