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Personal Pensions

Mr. Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to disregard income from a personal pension for people with reserved rights who have a spouse living in the family home. [16741]

Mr. Roger Evans: Regulations are being amended with effect from 7 April 1997 so that 50 per cent. of the income from a personal pension or retirement annuity contract will be disregarded where a resident of a residential care or nursing home with preserved rights to income support, or income-based jobseeker's allowance, passes at least half of their pension or annuity income to a spouse living at home. A similar disregard for occupational pensions was introduced in April 1996.

Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema

Mr. Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the implementation of the recommendations by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council concerning chronic bronchitis and emphysema. [16742]

Mr. Roger Evans: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in November 1996 that the Government would implement, in full, the recommendations made by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council to change the qualifying conditions for the award of disablement benefit for chronic bronchitis and emphysema--Cm 3240. Good progress has been made in the meantime, and I can now announce that we will be able to bring the changes into operation from 9 April. These changes will make it more straightforward for coal miners who are disabled by these diseases to qualify for benefit, and easier to administer the scheme.

The Benefits Agency has undertaken extensive planning to implement these changes efficiently and as soon as practicable. Arrangements are in hand to publicise the change locally in a way that will target the communities most affected and use the means most likely to reach the people concerned.

18 Feb 1997 : Column: 511

People making claims under the new arrangements are advised to do so from the beginning of April, but not before. We expect a relatively small number of Benefits Agency offices to receive a large number of claims over a short period of time. Inevitably, this work will take some time to process, however, arrangements will be put in place to inform people who claim of progress from written acknowledgment of the claim through to decision and, where appropriate, payment. Successful claims made at the right time will be paid with effect from 9 April.

A new edition of leaflet N17 "People who have worked underground in a coal mine for 20 years" will be available in English and Welsh in social security offices from April. Revised claim forms will also be available.

The Benefits Agency is contacting mining organisations, GPs and citizen advice bureaux in mining areas to ensure that everyone is informed. Administration of claims will be simplified wherever possible.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Farm Tenancies

Dr. Strang: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the number of farm business tenancies entered into to date.[15491]

Mr. Douglas Hogg: My Department is currently analysing data on the uptake of farm business tenancies under a new annual survey of tenanted land. This survey was launched in October last year and the results are expected to be published in March 1997.

BSE

Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total cost to public funds of the BSE crisis in Britain since 20 March 1996 broken down by category; and what proportion of this total he estimates will be recovered from the European Community. [15489]

Mrs. Browning: For details of the cost of the BSE crisis, I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 3 February 1997, Official Report, column 513. The proportion of this cost to be recovered from the EU is estimated at approximately 45 per cent.

Mr. Williams: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total amount paid in compensation to the beef industry in Britain for price damage since 20 March 1996. [15488]

Mr. Baldry: Compensation is not paid to the beef industry for price damage. For details of expenditure on BSE eradication and compensation schemes, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Palriamentary Secretary on 3 February 1997, Official Report, column 513.

Mr. Williams: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle have been slaughtered to date under the over-30 months scheme; and what is the average amount per cow paid in compensation to farmers. [15486]

18 Feb 1997 : Column: 512

Mr. Baldry: More than 1.25 million cattle have now been slaughtered under the over-30-months scheme. For an average cull cow weighing 560 kg, the amount paid to producers, depending on the date on which the animal was slaughtered, is:

	£
3 May 1996 to 30 June 1996	479.64
1 July 1996 to 20 October 1996	466.93
21 October 1996 to 31 October 1996	420.22
1 November 1996 to 31 January 1997	408.18
1 February 1997 to	387.18

Mr. Williams: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) farmers' incomes and (b) the economy of rural areas of the European ban on beef exports. [15478]

Mr. Boswell: The European Union ban on exports of UK beef, together with the fall in consumption on the UK market, is estimated to have reduced the value of UK cattle sales by approximately £800 million in 1996. However, this reduction in revenue has been largely offset by measures put in place by the Government to assist the industry.

The Ministry is commissioning an independent study to provide a comprehensive assessment of the economic impact of BSE across the whole UK economy and within particular regions.

Mr. Williams: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for a further selective cull based on the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee's report on maternal transmission.[15882]

Mr. Baldry: SEAC has asked for more work to be done regarding the study on maternal transmission before making final recommendations to the Government. We shall consider the implications for the selective cull once we have SEAC's advice.

Sir Ralph Howell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of confirmed cases of BSE in each month in 1995 to 1996. [15873]

Mrs. Browning: The following table shows the monthly breakdown of confirmed BSE cases for 1995 to 1996:

	1995	1996
January	1,720	920
February	2,035	1,192
March	1,629	847
April	1,173	592
May	1,403	629
June	1,232	1,026
July	1,266	801
August	1,094	541
September	956	655
October	1,054	673
November	1,107	594
December	784	268

18 Feb 1997 : Column: 513

Ms Walley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the number of carcases of slaughtered cattle currently in container ships awaiting disposal. [16529]

Mr. Baldry: None.

Rabies

Dr. Strang: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the reliability of blood tests for rabies antibodies subsequent to vaccination. [15639]

Mr. Douglas Hogg: Under the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974, as amended in particular by the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) (Amendment) Order 1994, dogs and cats which are the subject of a commercial transaction may be imported into the United Kingdom from another EU member state provided that they have, inter alia, been tested for antibodies using a

"serological test carried out in accordance with World Health Organisation specifications".

The test commonly used by laboratories throughout the EU is the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test. This test is based on a World Health Organisation specification, but has undergone a number of modifications over the years in different laboratories. A revised protocol which should overcome problems with test result variability has now been submitted for ratification following a detailed collaborative study between a number of EU laboratories.

Waste Disposal at Sea

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his Department's definition of bulky waste in respect of disposal at sea.[15627]

Mr. Boswell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him today in response to his question to the Secretary of State for the Environment.

Newcastle Disease

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 10 February, Official Report, column 43, when he expects the information on birds involved in outbreaks of Newcastle disease and the total amount of compensation paid to be available. [15724]

Mrs Browning: The total amount of compensation to be paid as a result of the recent outbreaks of Newcastle disease is dependant on information to be supplied by the claimants involved and our consideration of their claims. The claims will be processed as quickly as possible.

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