You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Commons Debates by date > Commons Debates - previous sessions > Bound Volume Hansard - Written Answers
Previous Section Index Home Page

Directorate of Fisheries Research

Mr. David Porter: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for the future organisation of the directorate of fisheries research. [30671]

Mr. Douglas Hogg: The directorate of fisheries research was recently the subject of a prior options review. This looked at the need for its services, and how they could be provided most effectively. Following this review, the Government have decided that the directorate of fisheries research should become a next steps executive agency of MAFF. This will give it greater management freedom to improve performance within a framework of targets set by Ministers while retaining it within the public sector. My intention is that this change should take place on 1 April 1997 if this can be achieved, and in any event as soon as practicable.

Horticulture Research International

Mr. Atkins: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what representations he has received about the proposed privatisation of Horticulture Research International; [30013]

Mr. Boswell: No decisions have been taken on privatisation of Horticulture Research International.

Mr. Atkins: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the meetings and consultations which he has had with representatives of the horticultural industry to discuss the future of Horticulture Research International in the last six months. [30014]

Mr. Boswell: Horticulture Research International is the subject of a prior options review which is looking at a variety of options, including whether it should remain in the public sector. The review team has met the following representatives of the horticultural industry:


22 May 1996 : Column: 210

Written comments were received from the following additional horticulture associations:



    East Malling Research Association
    Horticultural Research Association
    Horticultural Trades Association
    Mushroom Growers Association
    National Hop Association
    Potato Marketing Board
    Processors and Growers Research Organisation

Mr. Atkins: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his plans for the future of Horticulture Research International; and if he will make a statement. [30018]

Mr. Boswell: As part of the prior options review, the future status of HRI is now to be considered by the Prime Minister's adviser on efficiency, Sir Peter Levene. Decisions on the outcome will be announced as soon as possible.

Mr. Atkins: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the benefits to small to medium-sized horticultural enterprises which will accrue from privatisation of Horticulture Research International. [30019]

Mr. Boswell: In reaching a decision on Horticulture Research International's future status, the Government will take into account the responses received from the horticulture industry in the course of the prior options review.

Departmental Staff (Directorships)

Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those MAFF employees who currently hold directorships with companies engaged in the sourcing, processing, distribution or retailing of food, the dates of their appointment and the income or secondment received by his Department for their service. [30392]

Mr. Boswell: Under the guide to non-executive directorships for civil servants, Mr. A. R. Burne and Mr. B. J. Harding currently hold directorships in companies engaged in the sourcing, processing, distribution or retailing of food. The dates of their appointments are October 1994 and March 1996 respectively. The Department does not receive any income or secondment from these appointments.

Lindane

Mr. Thomason: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to publish the results of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides' review of the agricultural uses of the pesticide substance lindane. [30786]

Mrs. Browning: The committee completed this review at its meeting on 15 February. The Government have accepted the committee's recommendation that all present agricultural uses of lindane should continue without unacceptable risks to people or the environment.

Full details of the review are given in the committee's evaluation document which was published on 2 May. Copies of the document have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

22 May 1996 : Column: 211

Live Animal Transport

Mr. Forman: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made on the implementation of the new EU rules on the welfare of animals in transport; and if he will make a statement. [30962]

Mr. Douglas Hogg: In October last year, we circulated our proposals for implementing the new EU rules on the welfare of animals in transport to over 600 interested organisations and individuals. That initial consultation ended in December and we have been considering the comments received. There are some issues on which it is now possible to give a clearer indication of the shape of future legislation. There are other issues where we shall need to consult interested parties further on how we should take practicalities into account while providing improved welfare conditions.

It is now clear that there is nothing to be gained by bringing forward early legislation on particular aspects of the directive. We shall, instead, develop practical and workable measures, which we shall implement in a single statutory instrument later in the year.

One of the central issues to emerge from consultation has been how livestock markets will fit in with the new rules. Consultation has clearly underlined the difficulties in requiring a "paper trail" to follow individual animals from farm of origin through markets and beyond and we will not now be pursuing this. We shall be consulting further on alternative approaches to markets to ensure that the continuity of protection required by the EU rules is provided.

We have also been considering the requirement for transporters to be competent. It had been our intention to require such transporters to undergo a formal assessment of their competence. However, we have decided, in the light of the consultation exercise, that this would impose an unnecessary burden on the majority of transporters and that, in common with approaches in other sectors, the onus should instead be on transporters to show that their staff have the necessary competence. In order to help both transporters and enforcers, it is our intention to provide a framework of the competences required.

We want to take the time available to us to make sure that all the detail of our implementing measures is sound and practical. We have therefore asked officials to continue discussions with all interested parties. When we have firmer proposals, we shall set these out in a further consultation document before finally deciding what approaches to adopt.

Collection Centres

Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a list of collection centres approved in accordance with EU legislation on animal health. [28626]

Mrs. Browning [holding answer 10 May 1996]: As at 17 May 1996, the following livestock markets and assembly points were approved as collection centres, as defined in Council directive 64/432/EEC:


22 May 1996 : Column: 212



    Chester Auction Centre, Bumpers Lane, Chester;
    Hilltop Farm, Newton by Frodsham, Warrington;
    Elm Bank, Whitchurch Rd, Rowton, Chester;
    Chelford Agricultural Centre, Chelford, Cheshire;
    Bank Farm, Hough, Crewe;
    Ross-on-Wye Livestock Centre, Overross, Ross on Wye, Herefordshire;
    Hereford Cattle Market, Hereford Market, (Market Office), Hereford;
    Shrewsbury Livestock Auction, The Smithfield, Harlescott Lane, Shrewsbury;
    Market Drayton, Cattle Market, Addreley Rd, Market Drayton, Shropshire;
    Oswestry Cattle Auctions, New Smithfield, Shrewsbury Rd, Oswestry, Shropshire;
    Kidderminister Cattle Market, Comberton Hill, Kidderminster;
    Salisbury Agricultural Centre, Salisbury Road, Netherthampton, Salisbury;
    Gloucester Market Auctioneers, The Cattle Market, St Oswalds Road, Gloucester;
    Forest Gate Farm, Pewsham, Chippenham, Wiltshire;
    Chippenham Livestock Market, Cocklebury Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire;
    Chowle Farm, Faringdon, Oxford;

22 May 1996 : Column: 213

    Lodge Farm Calf Holding Shed, Lodge Farm, Barnard Gate, Witney Oxon;
    Banbury Market, Banbury, Oxfordshire;
    Homestead Farm, Petham, Canterbury, Kent;
    Abbotsland Farm, Capel Le Ferne, Folkstone, Kent;
    Kingsley Hill Farm, Warbleton, Rushlake Green, Heathfield, East Sussex;
    Coxhill Farm, Shepherdswell, Dover, Kent;
    Ashford Market, Ashford, Kent;
    Maidstone Market, Detling, Maidstone, Kent;
    'Wyjac' Ashill, Nr. Ilminster, Somerset;
    Chancellors Farm Calf Unit, Chancellors Farm, Wanstron, Nr. Shepton Mallet;
    Halsey Cross Farm, Over Stowey, Bridgwater, Somerset;
    Mendip Farm, Hornblotton, Shepton Mallet, Somerset;
    Frome Market, Standerwick, Frome;
    Truro Market, 58 Lemon St, Truro, Cornwall;
    Helston Market, St. Johns Rd, Helston, Cornwall;
    Penzance Livestock Market, Poniou Road, Long Rock, Penzance, Cornwall;
    Liskeard Market, Liskeard, Cornwall;
    St. Austell Market, Pentenan Rd, St. Austell, Cornwall;
    Wadebridge Market, Wadebridge, Cornwall;
    Upperwood Farm, Threapwood, Malpas, Cheshire;
    Gaerwen Livestock Market, Gaerwen, Ynys Mon;
    St. Asaph Market, The Roe, St. Asaph, Clwyd;
    Dolgellau Market, Dolgellau Smithfield, Dolgellau;
    'Davela', Llyswen, Brecon, Powys;
    Halifax Agriculral Services, 5 Walters Rd, Swansea;
    Cowbridge Cattle Market, The Buthe, Cowbridge;
    Newport Cattle Market, Newport, Gwent;
    Penderyn Market, Boedwiged Farm, Penderyn;
    Cardigan Market, Station Road, Cardigan, Wales;
    Whitland Livestock Market, West St, Whitland;
    Llanybydder Market, Carms, Wales;
    Dingwall Auction Mart, 15 Tulloch St, Dingwall Ross-Shire;
    Ben Nevis Auction Mart, Corpach, Fort Williams, Invernesshire;
    Thurso Auction Market, Ormlie Road, Thurso, Caithness;
    Lochmaddy Auction Mart, Lochmaddy, North Uist, Western Isles;
    Caithness Livestock Centre, Quoybrae, Watten, Caithness;
    Agricultural Marketing Centre, Staneyhill, Lerwick, Shetland;
    Orkney Auction Mart, 44 Junction Rd, Kirkwall, Orkney;
    Huntley Auction Market, The Ward, Huntley, Aberdeenshire;
    Thainstone Agricultural Centre, Thainstone, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire;
    Glenfield Market, Glenfield Road, Paisley;
    Stathaven Auction Mart, Station Road, Strathaven;
    Stirling Auction Mart, Kildean, Stirling;
    Oliver and Son, New Mart Rd, Edinburgh.

Next Section Index Home Page