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Intervention Beef

Dr. Strang: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is his estimate of the average cost in the United Kingdom of storing 1 tonne of intervention beef for one year, including the depreciation of the value of the beef; [9468]

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Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 17 January 1996]: I have asked the chief executive of the Intervention Board to reply to the hon. Member direct.

Letter from G. Trevelyan to Dr. Gavin Strang, dated 23 January 1996:

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Questions (9467, 9468 and 9469) tabled for answer on Wednesday 17 January 1996:


Whales

Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports he has received on the under-reporting of whale species by the former Soviet Union. [10150]

Mr. Baldry: At the meeting of the International Whaling Commission held in Mexico in 1994 the Russian Federation gave details of the inaccurate catch reporting by the former Soviet Union. Revised historical catch data were submitted to the scientific committee at the IWC meeting in Dublin in 1995 and further revised information is expected to be submitted to the scientific committee at this year's meeting of the IWC in Aberdeen.

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Set-aside Payments

Mr. Allason: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of set-aside payments are made after the date recommended by the European Commission. [10682]

Mr. Baldry: So far as possible, MAFF aims to make main payments under the arable area payments scheme between 16 October and 31 December, as required by European Community regulations. This year some 83 per cent. of claims were paid in that period. I regret the delay to the remainder, which was caused by the need to validate claims to the exacting standards required under the Community rules. Payment of these claims will be made as soon as possible.

Egg Imports

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many eggs were imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; and how many of those were successfully sold as British after grading. [11213]

Mr. Baldry: Total imports of poultry eggs in shell-fresh, preserved or cooked, not for hatching were as follows:

Million dozen
199057.2
199134.2
199224.8
199320.7
199432.2
1995(12)16.7

(12) Year to September inclusive (provisional figure).


No records are kept on the destination of imported eggs once they have entered the UK, but we understand that the majority go for processing into egg products. We are not aware that imported shell eggs have been passed off as British.

TRANSPORT

National Rail Timetable

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that Railtrack should be required to continue to publish a national rail timetable. [8491]

Mr. Watts: It is a condition of Railtrack's network licence that it must publish, or procure the publication of, a national timetable of railway passenger services unless the Rail Regulator consents otherwise.

Railways (Public Service Obligation Grant)

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what revenue subsidy was paid through the PSO grant to each of the rail services comprising (a) Great

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Western Intercity, (b) South West Trains and (c) London Tilbury and Southend in (i) 1993-94 and (ii) the last year in which British Rail was wholly responsible for these services. [8492]

Mr. Watts: The year 1993-94 was the last year in which support payments to British Rail were made entirely under the PSO grant provisions; in 1994-95 payments were made under both the PSO provisions and under section 52 of the Railways Act 1993. In 1993-94, InterCity services received no PSO grant. Network SouthEast--formerly responsible for the services now operated by South West Trains and London Tilbury and Southend--received no PSO grant in support of revenue, but received some £372 million of PSO grant in support of investment.

Grant payments in 1994-95, the last year in which BR will have been wholly responsible for these services, are not comparable with those in 1993-94, because the basis for payment was changed, as a result of restructuring the railway industry. In 1994-95, Great Western received £57.5 million, South West Trains £93.7 million and London Tilbury and Southend £30.7 million. These figures included administered profits of £3 million, £3.7 million and £900,000 respectively.

Local Authority Transport Packages

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total bid for transport packages by local authorities for the year 1996-97; how much in total has been allocated in response to these bids; and how much is represented by (a) grants and (b) loans sanctions. [8525]

Mr. Norris: Local authorities outside London bid a total of £685.586 million for major highway schemes, major public transport schemes and minor work in packages.

Some £78.7 million in supplementary credit approval has been allocated towards minor works in the 53 packages that were accepted for funding in 1996-97. In addition, £115.227 million has been allocated in that year towards major schemes in areas with approved packages, of which 50 per cent. is grant and 50 per cent. credit approval.

Traffic Signs (Environmental Impact)

Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if roads circular 3/95 "Traffic Signs to Tourist Attractions and Facilities in England" has been subject to an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment", produced by the Department of the Environment; and if he will publish the appraisal. [10612]

Mr. Watts: The policy advice in circular roads 3/95 was developed in accordance with the guidance in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment". The circular itself makes it clear that consideration of environmental factors is an on-going process in signing policy decisions. We will consider whether to publish additional material in the light of developments.

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Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of roads circular 3/95 "Traffic Signs to Tourist Attractions and Facilities in England". [10615]

Mr. Watts: Arrangements for monitoring are still under discussion with other interested Government Departments, including the Department of the Enviornment.

Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what alternative courses of action from those listed in roads circular 3/95 "Traffic Signs to Tourist Attractions and Facilities in England" were considered in the environmental appraisal undertaken by his Department. [10613]

Mr. Watts: The purpose of the circular is to develop existing traffic signing policy and practice in an environmentally acceptable way. It empowers local authorities to take appropriate decisions in individual cases in the light of local circumstances, bearing in mind environmental and other factors.

Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how roads circular 3/95 "Traffic Signs to Tourist Attractions and Facilities in England" was modified by the results of the environmental appraisal undertaken by his Department. [10614]

Mr. Watts: Following public consultation, the circular was modified to give greater prominence to environmental factors.


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