20 May 1996 : Column: 1
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 20 May 1996
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Fishing Vessel Decommissioning
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the fishing vessels St. Benedict, St. Jerome and St. Jasper were decommissioned; how much was paid by his Department for each; to what (a) company and (b) liquidator; and who owned the vessels at the time they were decommissioned. [29568]
Mr. Baldry: The fishing vessels (financial assistance) scheme 1983 provided for the payment of decommissioning grant in respect of vessels which were either scrapped, exported for fishing outside Community waters or assigned permanently to another use.
| Amount | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Vessels | £ | Date of decommissioning | Owner at the time of decommissioning |
| St. Benedict | 581,504 | 17 February 1984 | Thomas Hamling and Co. Ltd. (in receivership) |
| St. Jerome | 515,280 | 2 October 1984(1) | Thomas Hamling and Co. Ltd. (in receivership) |
| St. Jasper | 51,484 | 6 August 1984 | Thomas Hamling and Co. Ltd. (in receivership) |
(1) Vessel sold for alternative use on 2 October 1984, but not removed from the fishing vessel register until 19 November 1984. It is not now possible to determine the reasons for this discrepancy.
Sugar Beet
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department is undertaking to find a means of sterilising soil in which sugar been has been grown, to avoid the necessity for its disposal in landfill. [29766]
Mr. Baldry: Maximising potential uses for soil such as landscaping is more likely to be cost effective than sterilisation.
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take to relieve sugar beet growers of the landfill tax on soil. [29767]
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Mr. Baldry: MAFF officials stand ready to explore with the sugar beet industry ways in which the volume of waste soil returned to farmland, and therefore not subject to the landfill tax, can be increased.
Beef and Suckler Cow Premiums
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has made to the Council of Ministers for increases in payments under (a) the beef special premium scheme and (b) the suckler cow premium; and if he will make a statement. [30140]
Mr. Baldry: The 29 to 30 April Agriculture Council asked the Commission to suggest measures at this week's Agriculture Council to assist beef producers affected by recent market turbulence and seek guidance on how and where the additional support should be targeted. This may include proposals to supplement the 1995 suckler cow and beef special premiums. I am determined to explore all possible ways of assisting producers and will be pressing for the implementation of such measures as soon as possible.
Meat Hygiene Service
Mr. Stephen: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has fixed the 1996-97 Meat Hygiene Service inspection charges; and if he will make a statement. [30458]
Mr. Douglas Hogg: The industry was notified by the Meat Hygiene Service in a letter from the MHS chief executive dated 15 March, of proposed increases to inspection charges for 1996-97. Bearing in mind the current crisis in the abattoir industry however, I have decided to defer the application of increased rates until 1 August 1996. In the light of BSE developments, we will be reviewing the proposed charges over the next few months against the aim of achieving full cost recovery for the Meat Hygiene Service in 1996-97. Should any change to the already notified charges prove to be necessary to meet that aim, they will be subject to further notification in accordance with statutory requirements. In the interim, the current charges will continue to apply.
Small Firms
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many firms with fewer than (a) 100, (b) 50, (c) 20 and (d) 10 employees were used by his Department in each of the last five years. [29430]
Mr. Boswell: No records are held centrally of how many firms with fewer than (a) 100, (b) 50, (c) 20, and (d) 10 employees were used by the Department in each of the last five years. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Beef Ban
Mr. Marlow: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the legality of (a) the original Fischler ban on United Kingdom beef, (b) the ban by individual EU countries on United Kingdom beef and (c) the Commission ban on United Kingdom beef (i) within the EU and (ii) internationally indicating how, whether and when the
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Government may seek to challenge any of the above; and under what circumstances and to whom compensation may be payable. [23997]
Mrs. Browning [holding answer 2 April 1996]: The EU ban on the export of British beef is not justified on the basis of science as a measure necessary to protect public health, and it is totally disproportionate. We are pressing at every opportunity in the Council of Ministers for this ban on the export of British beef to be lifted. We are also intending to challenge the legality of the ban before the European Court of Justice.
Compensation is a matter to be pursued by the private parties affected either before the domestic courts or the European Court.
Sandeels
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to call for a precautionary total allowable catch for sandeels at the forthcoming meeting of EU Ministers in Bergen; and if he will make a statement. [29883]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 17 May 1996]: I called for the introduction of precautionary total allowable catches for sandeels at the last meeting of EU Fisheries Ministers on 22 April.
Industrial Fishing
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the scale of industrial fishing in the North sea; and what is the Government's policy in respect of industrial fishing in sensitive areas. [29886]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 17 May 1996]: The fisheries scientists of the International Council for the Exploration of Sea advised last year that annual landings from the industrial fisheries of the North Sea increased to approximately 1.8 million tonnes in the early 1970s but have fluctuated around 1 million tonnes in recent years.
The UK applies a precautionary total allowable catch for sandeels in the Shetland territorial waters, taking account of the sensitivity of the area. The Government have also called for the introduction of TACs under the common fisheries policy for sandeels throughout the North sea, in the Skagerrak and west of Scotland. We have asked ICES to provide advice on the appropriate level of precautionary TACS and have urged that account be taken of the need to protect local aggregations of sandeels in sensitive areas by consideration of seasonal and localised catch regulations.
EU Ministers Meeting
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who will represent the United Kingdom at the meeting of EU Ministers scheduled for 10 June to discuss agriculture and fisheries; and what is the agenda of the meeting. [29887]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 17 May 1996]: I plan to represent the United Kingdom at the meeting of EU Fisheries Ministers on 10 June, along with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland.
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The draft agenda of the Council currently includes multi-annual guidance programmes 1997-99, technical conservation measures, fisheries research, redfish quotas in the north-east and north-west Atlantic, the sprat fishery in the Skagerrak and Kattegat, preparations for a conference on Mediterranean fisheries and a communication from the Commission on small-scale coastal fishing. Other items are likely to be added.
Mr. Salmond:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on industrial fishing in the North sea; and what proposals his officials plan to present at the meeting in Bergen on 13 and 14 June on steps to address industrial fishing in sensitive areas. [29888]
Mr. Baldry
[holding answer 17 May 1996]: I have recently received representations from Greenpeace on industrial fishing in the North Sea.
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