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Food Surpluses

Mr. Dowd: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans exist for EU food surplus distribution schemes in the next 12 months; and if he will give details of them. [40189]

Mr. Baldry: An EU surplus food scheme was introduced in 1988. This will continue in place next year, but there are no plans to distribute food in the United Kingdom through the scheme. Last November my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced, as part of the Government's expenditure plans, the UK's permanent withdrawal from participation, in line with the recommendations of the Ministry's fundamental expenditure review.

Bovine Somatotropin

Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to allow the experimental use of the growth hormone BST on dairy cattle in the United Kingdom. [40229]

Mrs. Browning: None. The use of BST in dairy cattle is subject to an EC moratorium until 31 December 1999, which allows for limited practical tests to obtain any additional scientific data that might be taken into account in taking a final decision on the authorisation of BST. Applications for such tests would have to be approved by the EC's Standing Veterinary Committee. No application has been received in the United Kingdom.

14 Oct 1996 : Column: 792

Bovine Brain and Spinal Columns

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what health and safety requirements in respect of the removal of the brain and spinal column from cattle have been published and on what date; from what date such material was required to be removed; and if he will make a statement. [40249]

Mrs. Browning: The Bovine Offal (Prohibition) Regulations 1989, which came into force on 13 November 1989, required brain and spinal cord, as well as certain other offals, to be treated as specified bovine offal (now known as specified bovine material--SBM) and prohibited such material from use for human consumption.

The Department of Health in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive and the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens have published a number of guidelines on the handling of brain and spinal cord and other BSE issues. These include "Categorisation of pathogens according to hazard and categories of containment", HSE and DoH, 1990, and "Precautions for work with human and transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies", ACDP, HSE and DoH, 1994.

In addition, the Health and Safety Commission issued on 16 August this year, new general guidance on BSE for occupational groups. This new guidance re-affirms the precautions recommended in the other guidance material on BSE published since 1990 as outlined above. It follows a detailed review of all the earlier publications specific to the various sectors of employment. This new guidance has been published jointly by the HSC, the Department of Health and MAFF.

Crayfish

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the number of sites in the United Kingdom in which the American Signal crayfish, Pacifartacus Leniusulus, is (a) present and (b) breeds; and what effect its presence has had on the native British white clawed crayfish.[40381]

Mr. Baldry: American signal crayfish are widespread in England, predominantly south of a line between the Wash and the Bristol Channel, and also in parts of Wales. There are no known populations of signal crayfish in Scotland or in Northern Ireland. Many populations of native British white clawed crayfish have been displaced by the larger, more aggressive signal crayfish which breed and grow more quickly. They have also been affected by the fungal disease known as crayfish plague, which can be carried by signal crayfish.

Woodland (North Yorkshire)

Mr. Bayley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what acreage of woodlands in North Yorkshire was owned by the Government in (a) 1979 and (b) 1996; [38930]

14 Oct 1996 : Column: 793

Mr. Boswell [holding answer 23 July 1996]: The subjects of the question relate to matters undertaken by Forest Enterprise. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. Gordon Cowie, to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Gordon M. Cowie to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 14 October 1996:


14 Oct 1996 : Column: 795

14 Oct 1996 : Column: 796

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