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AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Beef

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the NFU on the decline in the price of beef in the UK market. [3038]

Mr. Rooker: The matter of beef prices was most recently discussed when our right hon. Friend, the Minister, met the NFU on 3 June.

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his Department's forecasts of the amount of beef that it is expected will be held in intervention in each of the next four years. [3039]

Mr. Rooker: The extent to which UK beef will be purchased into intervention over the next four years will depend upon the state of the EU and UK beef markets and the rules governing access to intervention. The Department has not attempted to make forecasts over such a long timescale in this difficult area.

Organophosphates

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the environmental hazards associated with organophosphates. [2827]

Mr. Rooker: (a) The Ministry has commissioned no research into the environmental hazards associated with organophosphates (OPs).

(b) No veterinary medicine is authorised for use unless it meets stringent statutory criteria of safety, quality and efficacy. Safety includes safety to the environment. Applications for marketing authorisations must be supported by data which are assessed against the statutory criteria, including details of research.

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Organophosphates are also used as agricultural pesticides. The marketing or use of a pesticide is approved only after thorough evaluation. No approval is given to pesticides that pose any unacceptable risk to human beings, non-target species or the wider environment.

Farmers (Forms)

Mrs. Ballard: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to simplify and rationalise the forms that farmers are obliged to complete. [3074]

Mr. Rooker: An Efficiency Scrutiny on Simplifying Farmers' Paperwork was conducted last year by my and the Welsh Office Agriculture Departments, with the assistance of working farmers. These recommendations are being implemented subject to compatibility with legislation and further views of the industry.

Abattoirs

Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of approved abattoirs operating within England for each year from 1975 to date. [1572]

Mr. Rooker: At 1 June 1997 there were 381 licensed red meat slaughterhouses in England. The table below gives figures for each year from 1975 to 1996. Prior to 1993 red meat slaughterhouses in England were licensed not by MAFF but by local authorities. The figures for 1975 to 1992 have therefore been derived from records of State Veterinary Service visits during each year and are approximate.

Year	Numbers
1975	1,385
1976	1,320
1977	1,280
1978	1,145
1979	975
1980	960
1981	910
1982	840
1983	875
1984	860
1985	850
1986	815
1987	795
1988	780
1989	690
1990	645
1991	595
1992	(3)540
1993(4)	434
1994(4)	424
1995(4)	402
1996(4)	384

(3) At the end of 1992, 455 applications had been made to MAFF for licences under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1992.

(4) As at 31 December.

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Live Animal Transport

Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to minimise journey times for animals between point of production and place of slaughter; and if he will make a statement. [1573]

Mr. Morley: The rules on journey times for live farm animals are laid down by EU Directive 91/628, as amended in 1995. We shall be seeking improvements, especially in relation to slaughter animals, when these rules come up for review in 1999. In the meantime we have made the new Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 to bring about overdue implementation of the 1995 EU rules and to enable controls on the welfare of animals in transit to be tightened. We will not compromise on these rules.

Meat Hygiene Service

Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to return the functions currently exercised by the Meat Hygiene Service to local authority control; and if he will make a statement. [1574]

Mr. Rooker: The Government has published for consultation Professor James's report into the establishment of an independent Food Standards Agency and will look carefully at the options for the future of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) following the consultation exercise. Professor James himself states in his report that the arguments for dismantling the MHS and redistributing its responsibilities to Local Authorities are unconvincing, and that the new Agency should take over responsibility for the MHS.

Animal Health (Prosecutions)

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports his Department obtains regarding prosecutions by local authorities for offences under the Bovine Animals (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 1995; and if he will make a statement. [2805]

Mr. Rooker: The Department obtains quarterly reports from local authorities regarding prosecutions under the Animal Health Act 1981 for offences under the Bovine Animals (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 1995.

Mr. Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports his Department obtains regarding prosecutions by local authorities for offences under the Heads of Sheep and Goats Order 1996; and if he will make a statement. [2806]

Mr. Rooker: The Heads of Sheep and Goats Order is made under the Animal Health Act 1981. Local authorities are required to inform the Ministry of any prosecutions taken in 1996, including by local authorities, are contained in the "Return of Expenditure Incurred and

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Prosecutions taken under the Animal Health Act 1981, and Incidence of Disease in Imported Animals for the Year 1996" made to Parliament under Section 80 of the Act. That shows no prosecutions taken in 1996 under this Order and we are aware of none so far this year.

Mr. Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports his Department obtains regarding prosecutions by local authorities for offences under the SBM Order; and if he will make a statement. [2810]

Mr. Rooker: The SBM Order is made under the Animal Health Act 1981. Local authorities are required to inform the Ministry of any prosecutions taken under Orders made under the Act. Details of prosecutions taken in 1996, including by local authorities, are contained in the "Return of Expenditure Incurred and Prosecutions taken under the Animal Health Act 1981, and Incidences of Disease in Imported Animals for the Year 1996" made to Parliament under Section 80 of the Act. They are also reported in the monthly BSE Enforcement Bulletin, copies of which are available in the Library of the House, and the latest of which was sent by me to every Right hon. and hon. Member last week.

Mr. Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports his Department obtains regarding prosecutions by local authorities for offences under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995; and if he will make a statement. [2811]

Mr. Rooker: Local authorities have no enforcement responsibilities under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995. These Regulations are enforced by the Meat Hygiene Service, an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, created in 1995. Details of any prosecutions under these Regulations will be reported in the monthly Meat Hygiene Enforcement Report which was first published at the end of May 1997, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. A copy was also sent by me to all hon. Members last week.

Mr. Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports his Department obtains regarding prosecutions by local authorities for offences under the Fresh Meat (Beef Control) Regulations 1996; and if he will make a statement. [2812]

Mr. Rooker: There is no statutory requirement for local authorities to notify my Department of prosecutions they make under the Fresh Meat (Beef Controls) Regulations 1996. However, the Ministry obtains as much information as possible on such prosecutions by other means, including the BSE Regulatory Forum which is attended by local authority representatives to co-ordinate enforcement activity, and from day to day contacts between local authorities and Ministry staff around the country. Details are reported in the monthly BSE Enforcement Bulletin, copies of which are available in the Library of the House, the latest of which was sent to all hon. Members last week.

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