---

Permaculture

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has made of the number of farms or holdings operating on permaculture principles; and if he will make a statement. [2346]

Mr. Boswell: No estimate has been made of the number of farms or holdings operating on permaculture principles.

Beef (Emergency Control) Order 1996

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions have been initiated against individuals claimed to be flouting article 2 of the Beef (Emergency Control) Order 1996--statutory instrument 1996/961--and the subsequent amendments. [816]

Mrs. Browning: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Small Beef Producers

Mr. Hardy: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further action he plans to take to secure the continued operation of smaller beef producers; and what estimate he has made of the number of such farmers who still face serious difficulties. [2338]

Mr. Baldry: The effects of the current depressed market for beef cattle will be felt by beef producers in enterprises of all sizes. We have never subscribed to the view, often argued by the Commission and other EU member states, that support for agriculture should be concentrated on small family farms at the expense of larger enterprises. All farms will, however, benefit from the £235 million which is being made available from EU and Exchequer funds to support the incomes of beef producers.

Beef Consumption

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to restrict the availability for human consumption of dried, canned or frozen beef from cattle over 30 months of age and slaughtered before 29 March. [827]

Mrs. Browning: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

6 Nov 1996 : Column: 583

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much beef from animals aged over 30 months has been consumed for personal use since 29 March. [817]

Mrs. Browning: The Fresh Meat (Beef Controls) (No.2) Regulations 1996, SI 1996 No. 2097, as amended, prohibit the sale for human consumption of any meat derived from bovine animals aged over 30 months and slaughtered on or after 29 March, save for that from countries specified in the regulations where the Government are satisfied we can import beef without risk, and from animals slaughtered for human consumption under the beef assurance scheme. It has, however, been possible for the meat from bovine animals aged over 30 months to be returned for personal consumption by their owners--the so called "private kill" provision. Such meat is not permitted to be sold or made available in circumstances equivalent to retail sale. We have no information on the amount of meat that may have been consumed in this way, but believe that only a small number of animals are involved. We are currently considering proposals for tightening the controls on private kills.

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what legislation prevents the use of beef in processed food for human consumption from animals aged over 30 months deposited in intervention cold store before 29 March. [818]

Mrs. Browning: Commission regulation 1757/96 of 10 September authorised the removal from intervention store, with a view to incineration, of all beef held in intervention on 27 March.

Bovines

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the (a) average age and (b) range of (i) beef and (ii) dairy cattle present in the bovine population in each year between 1984 and 1996. [681]

Mrs. Browning: Statistics on the numbers of cattle are contained in "The Digest of Agricultural Census Statistics". The latest edition, 1995, provides data up to 1995 and is available from the Library of the House. Totals for dairy and beef herds are shown. It is not possible to give an average age for cattle although age categories are shown in the tables. Provisional results for the 1996 agricultural census are available in separate statistical notices for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Gelatine

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what weight of gelatine derived entirely or partly from bovine sources was exported in each month of 1996. [819]

Mrs. Browning: Data on the export of gelatine derived entirely or partly from bovine sources are not separately identifiable. Provisional figures for exports of total gelatine for the first six months of 1996 as recorded in the overseas trade statistics are as follows:

January: 643 tonnes
February: 589 tonnes

6 Nov 1996 : Column: 584

March: 525 tonnes
April: 828 tonnes
May: 547 tonnes
June: 492 tonnes.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Business Support (South-West)

23. Mr. Mark Robinson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what support his Department is giving to businesses located in the south-west. [551]

Mr. Greg Knight: My Department provides a wide range of services for businesses in the south-west, including business links and two regional supply offices. In addition, since April 1995 £12.7 million of regional selective assistance has been offered to companies in the region generating over £84 million worth of investment and 2,655 jobs.

The Government have also promoted a new south-west competitiveness network aimed at improving a considerable number of factors influencing the international competitiveness of business in the region. The new local competitiveness budget will also increase the extent to which key business support services, funded by the Government, are designed and delivered within the region.

Inward Investment

24. Mr. John Marshall: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about inward investment in the United Kingdom. [552]

Mr. Greg Knight: In 1995-96 my Department's Invest in Britain Bureau recorded 477 decisions to locate in the UK involving over 96,000 associated jobs. The UK is the No. 1 location in the European Union for investment from Japan, the US and Korea. That is an excellent performance and a vote of confidence in the strength of our economy and the skills of our work force.

Renewable Energy Schemes

25. Mr. Pickthall: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for changes to subsidies for renewable energy schemes. [553]

Mr. Page: On 2 November 1995, I announced my proposals for a fourth Renewables Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation Order for approximately 400 to 500 MW of new capacity. I expect to make the order in spring next year.

The Government hope that it will be possible to announce proposals for a fifth order in 1997, to come into effect in 1998. However, before that there will be a review of the NFFO process.

Water Industry

26. Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the occasions on which the Monopolies and Mergers Commission has been asked to intervene in the water industry in the last two years. [554]

6 Nov 1996 : Column: 585

Mr. John M. Taylor: Four mergers involving water companies have been referred to the MMC in the last two years. During the same period, the Director General of Water Services has made two price control references.

The merger references were:

Lyonnaise des Eaux/Northumbrian Water
General Utilities and SAUR Water Services/Mid Kent Holdings (inquiry still in progress)
Wessex Water/South West Water
Severn Trent/South West Water

The price control references were:

Portsmouth Water plc
South West Water Services Ltd.

Mr. Harvey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he (a) has taken and (b) intends to take to ensure that SAUR and Societe Generale des Eaux comply with the undertakings made in 1991 following the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's review of Mid Kent Water; and what discussions he has had with regulators concerning the difficulties arising from regulating subsidiaries of multinational or conglomerate companies. [2308]

Mr. Taylor: When, in May, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade referred the proposed acquisition of Mid Kent by General Utilities and SAUR to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, he concluded that it would not be appropriate to exercise his discretion at that stage to bring proceedings against General Utilities in relation to the undertakings given by it in 1991. He noted, however, that those undertakings remained in force. He decided to keep the position under review and, in particular, to consider further the options open to him in respect of the undertakings once he had received the report of the MMC. That remains the position. The MMC must report to the President by 9 December 1996.

It is for those issuing and enforcing licences--normally the sectoral regulator--to consider any specific issues relating to the regulation of subsidiaries. This subject has however arisen in the context of mergers in the electricity and water industries where, on a number of occasions, companies have given assurances to my right hon. Friend that they will agree to appropriate licence amendments in order to address regulatory concerns of the relevant director general.

In relation to telecommunications, where my Department acts as the licensing authority, a number of conditions in licences under the Telecommunications Act 1984 govern relations between the licensee and other parts of its corporate group. We consult with the Director General of Telecommunications on the terms of these, as of other, conditions.

---