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General Practitioners

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding difficulties in appointing general practitioners in Blaenau Gwent. [4265]

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 560

Mr. Gwilym Jones: The Welsh Office has received two such representations during the last two years.

Teachers (Sickness)

Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of schoolteachers in Wales (a) retiring and (b) obliged to take extended leave as a result of (i) sickness and (ii) nervous strain in Wales between 1985 and 1995. [3681]

Mr. Jonathan Evans: Information on extended leave taken by teachers is not held centrally. Information on the number of teachers retiring on infirmity grounds is shown in the following table:

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 559

Number of teachers retiring on infirmity grounds 1985-86 to 1994-95(2)

Local education authority(3)	1985-86	1986-87	1987-88	1988-89	1989-90	1990-91	1991-92	1992-93	1993-94	1994-95
Clwyd	7	17	14	18	28	33	23	38	66	72
Dyfed	20	32	26	33	48	46	45	65	61	67
Gwent	16	25	22	26	47	41	51	53	52	64
Gwynedd	20	14	15	26	38	35	34	46	53	67
Mid Glamorgan	33	48	48	64	71	86	77	118	117	96
Powys	11	5	2	14	14	10	14	21	21	27
South Glamorgan	29	25	19	27	47	38	50	37	52	60
West Glamorgan	14	25	20	33	35	61	66	59	62	61
Wales	150	191	166	241	328	350	350	437	484	514

Notes:

(2) Includes grant-maintained and independent school staff who are in the teachers' superannuation scheme and further education or higher education teachers who are in the TSS. Excludes those returning to non pensionable occasional service.

(3) Last known LEA in which the teacher served.

Source:

DfEE, Database of Teacher Records.

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20 Nov 1996 : Column: 559

Fish-eating Birds (Killing)

Mr. Ron Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many licences he has issued during the last 12 months for the taking of piscivorous birds; how many birds of what species have been taken under each such licence; and on what evidence such licences have been issued. [4744]

Mr. Hague: During the 12-month period 1 October 1995 to 30 September 1996, 13 licences permitting the limited shooting of piscivorous birds were issued.

Under these licences, a total of eight cormorants and 13 goosanders were taken. Licences for the shooting of piscivorous birds, as a means of reinforcing other scaring methods, are granted taking account of information supplied by the applicant and on advice provided by ADAS following site visits and consultations with other interested bodies.

The number of birds shot against five of the licences is listed in the following table:

Birds	Number	Number	Number	Number	Number
Goosanders	1	6	3	0	3
Cormorants	0	3	1	1	3

No birds were shot under the remaining eight licences.

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 560

Cardiff Bay Barrage

Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress he has made to date on the implementation of the mitigation measures associated with the Cardiff bay barrage; and what recent relevant communications he has had with the European Commission. [4745]

Mr. Hague: The establishment of the bird reserve compensation measures in an operational matter for the corporation, assisted by the Land Authority for Wales.

My officials have recently reported the following progress to the European Commission:

301 hectares (743 acres), that is over 75 per cent. of the land required for the reserve has already been secured by agreement and discussions are continuing on the remainder;
a planning application is being considered by the local planning authority;
the corporation has tendered the works contract for development of the reserve and its objective is to establish the reserve before the start of the impoundment of water within Cardiff bay in 1998.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 561

arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5073]

Mr. Hague: The Department maintains a full record of information about private finance initiative projects it has approved. Information about long-term revenue commitments resulting from PFI projects will be published in the Welsh Office's departmental report and in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", published by HM Treasury.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Agriculture Council

Sir Ralph Howell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 18 and 19 November; and if he will make a statement. [5466]

Mr. Douglas Hogg: I represented the United Kingdom at the Agriculture Council in Brussels on 18 November, accompanied by my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office. The Council formally adopted the legislative text giving effect to changes in the EU beef regime agreed in principle at the Council in October. Germany maintained its negative vote.

The Council had a first discussion of proposals for a system identification and registration of bovine animals, together with a linked proposal on the labelling of beef and beef products. I urged the Council to proceed quickly with a technical examination of the proposal on identification and registration so as to reach early conclusions and so facilitate the work on a computerised cattle traceability system already begun in the United Kingdom. I welcomed efforts to improve information about beef and beef products for consumers, but cautioned against placing heavy bureaucratic burdens on small operators. I also took the opportunity of this Council meeting to report on the progress made in the United Kingdom on BSE eradication and in particular in meeting the pre-conditions laid down in the June Florence agreement.

The Council had general debates on proposals for amendments to EU support arrangements for durum wheat, and for a common organisation of the market in potatoes. On the latter, I indicated the UK Government's readiness to support a genuinely lightweight EU regime. The Council also drew up a declaration urging progress on establishing a European agency for veterinary and phytosanitary inspection.

On animal welfare issues, I joined my German and Swedish colleagues in pressing the Commission to bring forward its review and proposals on battery cages for laying hens, and proposals on staging posts and vehicle standards for the protection of animals during transport. I also urged the Commission to ensure the proper implementation of Commission decision 96/239 regarding consignments of beef and beef products made from material not originating in the United Kingdom.

The presidency and the Agriculture Commissioner reported to the Council on the conference on rural development which the presidency had hosted in Cork on

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7 to 9 November. I welcomed the impetus which the Cork conference conclusions would give to further thinking on rural development policy and the evolution of the common agricultural policy, especially in view of the need to adjust that policy to take account of international trade pressures and the prospect of EU enlargement.

Arable Area Payments

Dr. Strang: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money his Department spent in each region of England in 1995-96 on (a) set-aside payments under the arable area scheme and (b) arable area payments. [4220]

Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 18 November 1996]: The table gives figures for each MAFF region for claims in respect of (a) set-aside and (b) total payments under 1995 arable area payments scheme. The amounts paid will have been slightly lower because of the reductions made for various reasons. As such reductions normally have to be calculated on the basis of the total claim, which may include land in more than one region, it is not possible to give figures for the total amounts paid on a regional basis.

Payments claimed under arable area payments scheme in 1995

	Set-aside payments £	All arable area payments £
Anglia	46,798,016	289,913,141
East Midlands	33,075,309	219,326,503
North East	25,841,703	167,203,491
Northern	6,084,999	42,205,946
North Mercia	7,747,702	51,869,608
South Mercia	13,348,438	83,637,294
South East	30,979,065	177,429,223
South West	4,115,287	30,112,184
Wessex	11,717,915	73,109,534

Dr. Strang: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what area of land was set aside in 1995-96 under the arable area scheme for each region of England. [4221]

Mr. Hogg [holding answer 18 November 1996]: The areas of land set aside on which payments were made in each MAFF region under the 1995 arable area payments scheme were as follows:

	Hectare
Anglia	137,258
East Midlands	97,010
North East	75,794
Northern	17,847
North Mercia	22,724
South Mercia	39,151
South East	90,861
South West	12,070
Wessex	34,369

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Dr. Strang: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many payments were made in England in 1995-96 for set-aside under the arable area scheme (a) between £0 and £5,000, (b) £5,001 and £10,000, (c) £10,001 and £15,000, (d) £15,001 and £20,000, (e) £20,001 and £25,000, (f) £25,001 and £50,000, (g) £50,001 and £75,000, (h) £75,001 and £100,000, (i) £100,001 and £150,000, (j) £150,001 and £200,000, (k) £200,001 and £250,000, (l) £250,001 and £300,000, (m) £300,001 and £350,000, (n) £350,001 to £400,000, (o) £400,001 and £450,000, (p) £450,001 and £500,000 and (q) over £500,000. [4223]

Mr. Hogg [holding answer 18 November 1996]: The table sets out the number of set-aside payments made under the 1995 arable area payments scheme in the bands requested. Some claimants will have received more than one payment.

Set-aside payments in England banded by size of payment

Size band	Number of payments
£0 and £5,000	22,143
£5,001 and £10,000	6,934
£10,001 and £15,000	2,204
£15,001 and £20,000	977
£20,001 and £25,000	413
£25,001 and £50,000	37
£50,001 and £75,000	87
£75,001 and £100,000	23
£100,001 and £150,000	7
£150,001 and £200,000	2
£200,001 and £250,000	1
£250,001 and over	0

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