| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Betts: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for each scheme so far agreed under the private finance initiative the revenue commitment entered into by the Government for each year until the commitment ceases. [3415]
Mr. Boswell: While several projects are currently being assessed for their potential, no schemes have so far been agreed under the private finance initiative.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the policy changes which will arise from the final agreement in respect of each scheme agreed under the private finance initiative. [3416]
Mr. Boswell: The agreement of schemes under the private finance initiative does not result in changes to the policy of the Government on the PFI. Agreed schemes do, however, represent the application of the PFI policy and offer us the opportunity to further refine the process of implementation. The lessons learned are set out in the publication "Private Opportunity, Public Benefit". This is published jointly by HM Treasury and the private finance initiative panel, and a copy is available in the Members' Library.
Fish Discards
Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has of the weight and value of fish accidentally caught by United Kingdom-based fishing vessels which under current quota arrangements have to be thrown back; and what proposals he has in respect of this matter. [4010]
Mr. Baldry: Rates of discarding vary greatly between the various sections of the UK fleet due to the fact that the number of small fish entering the fisheries each year is itself highly variable. Discard rates in the haddock and whiting fisheries can be in the region of 50 per cent. by weight of the catch if there are large numbers of small fish present. Discard rates in the larger species fisheries such as cod are very substantially less than this. The impression gained of discard practices by scientific observers is that relatively low volumes of fish are discarded for quota reasons.
The problem is a Community-wide one and needs to be addressed on a Community level. I am determined to have a thorough reappraisal of discarding and technical conservation measures and I shall be pressing in the Fisheries Council for a concerted effort on this in 1996.
Tuna
Mr. Morely: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, (1) if he has received a copy of the interim report of the observer programme, conducted on
7 Dec 1995 : Column: 370
the United Kingdom drift net fishery for albacore tuna in the summer of 1995, under contract to his Ministry; if he will make a statement on the results; if he will place a copy of the report in the Library; [4040]
(2) if he will make the results of the observer programme of the United Kingdom tuna drift net fishery available to the European Commission, and to the members of the Council of Fisheries Ministers, prior to their next meeting on 21 December; [4041]
(3) if he will make a statement on results of the observer programme of the United Kingdom tuna drift net fishery in respect of (a) the by-catch of dolphins and other species and (b) the adequacy of current EU regulations, limiting drift nets to 2.5 km in length, to protect non-target species. [4045]
Mr. Baldry: We have just received and are studying an interim report by the sea mammals research unit of the Natural Environment Research Council on the UK's 1995 tuna drift net fishery. I will place a copy in the Library of the House together with the Ministry's analysis of it. The report will also be made available to the Council of Ministers and the European Commission.
Drift Net Fishing
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to ban high seas drift nets in EU waters and by EU vessels at the next Council of Fisheries Ministers meeting. [4042]
Mr. Baldry: The European Commission's Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries has twice examined the science relating to drift net fishing by EU vessels and concluded that there is no justification for a ban. My policy will continue to be based on the science, including an interim report just received from the sea mammals research unit.
School Milk Scheme
Dr. Strang: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the consumption of milk in (a) secondary schools and (b) primary schools, of EU subsidies on milk in secondary schools and on milk in school catering. [3381]
Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 30 November 1995]: We do not keep detailed figures on the consumption of subsidised milk in different categories of school. We estimate, however, that of the total expenditure under the EC school milk scheme in the United Kingdom, direct consumption in secondary schools accounts for about 15 per cent. and use as an ingredient in meals in both primary and secondary schools accounts for about 17 per cent.
Alport Dale
Ms Ruddock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 28 November, Official Report, column 533 (1) on what date English Nature lodged its formal objection to Forest Enterprise's proposals for Alport dale; and on what date his Department was informed of the formal objection; [4276]
7 Dec 1995 : Column: 371
(2) on what dates the two letters objecting to the proposals by Forest Enterprise, for Alport dale were received by the Forestry Authority; and on what dates his Department was informed of the letters. [4278]
Mr. Boswell: The two letters objecting to the proposals by the Forest Enterprise for Alport dale were received by the Forestry Authority on 7 June and 15 August, and English Nature's formal objection was received on 17 August. The Forestry Commission reports directly to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on forestry matters in England.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Royal Fine Art Commission
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she will place in the Library the report of Sir Geoffrey Chipperfield into the Royal Fine Art Commission, together with his conclusions. [3666]
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 4 December 1995]: Sir Geoffrey's report will be placed in the Library when we have completed the necessary consultations with other interested Departments and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has come to conclusions on the recommendations. I hope this will be early in the new year.
Mobile Telephones
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many mobile telephones there are available in her Department for the use of Ministers. [4253]
Mr. Sproat: The Department of National Heritage has three mobile phones and two car phones available for the use of Ministers.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many times mobile telephones used by Ministers in her Department have been cloned during (a) the last six months, (b) the last 12 months and (c) the last 18 months; and which Ministers within her Department have had their mobile telephones cloned. [4254]
Mr. Sproat: None of the mobile phones used by Ministers or officials in my Department has been cloned.
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the policy changes which will arise from the final agreement in respect of each scheme agreed under the private finance initiative. [3408]
7 Dec 1995 : Column: 372
Mr. Sproat: The agreement of schemes under the private finance initiative does not result in changes to the policy of the Government on the PFI. Agreed schemes do, however, represent the application of the PFI policy and offer the opportunity to refine further the process of implementation. The lessons learnt are set out in the publication "Private Opportunity, Public Benefit". This is published jointly by the Treasury and the private finance panel, and a copy is available in the Library of the House.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much capital expenditure is forecast to be included in the private finance initiative for the current financial year and the next five financial years. [3829]
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 6 December 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to table 6.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report, 1996-97", which was laid before the House on 28 November 1995.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list for each scheme so far agreed under the private finance initiative (a) capital and (b) revenue costs to public funds (i) under the PFI and (ii) estimated to have been incurred had the scheme been funded wholly within the public sector. [3813]
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 6 December 1995]: The central Government contributions to the capital costs of projects so far agreed under the private finance initiative are as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| Royal Armouries, Leeds | (7)20.0 |
| Hampton Court catering | 0.3 |
| Dell Restaurant, Regents Park | 0.14 |
| Lido, Hyde Park | 0.3 |
| Car Parking, Regents Park and Hyde Park | None |
| British Library IT equipment | None |
(7) Over financial years 1992-93 to 1997-98.
There are no continuing revenue costs. Indeed, projects (2) to (5) above have generated, and will continue to generate, a positive annual return.
All the projects were appraised in the normal way against other options, including wholly public funded alternatives, and represented best value for money.
Mr. Betts:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list for each scheme so far agreed under the private finance initiative the revenue commitment entered into by the Government for each year until the commitment ceases. [3407]
Mr. Sproat:
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 7 November 1995 at column 717 for the value of the initial and continuing public sector contributions to, and returns from, projects so far approved under the private finance initiative. The annual profile of these contributions and returns is as follows:
| £ million | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | ||
| Royal Armouries, Leeds | 1.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 1.5 | |
| Hampton Court catering | -- | -- | 0.3 | (8)+0.17 | Positive annual return expected | ||
| Dell Restaurant, Regents Park | -- | -- | -- | 0.14 | Positive annual return expected | ||
| Lido, Hyde Park | -- | -- | -- | 0.3 | Positive annual return expected | ||
| Car Parking, Regents Park and Hyde Park | -- | -- | -- | +0.275 | Positive annual return expected | ||
| British Library IT equipment | -- | -- | - | -- | -- | -- | |
(8) Positive figures indicate that projects generate income rather than requiring continuing revenue support.
7 Dec 1995 : Column: 371
7 Dec 1995 : Column: 373
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |