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Ozone Layer (Concorde)
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what study he is making of the impact of Concorde on the ozone layer relative to that of aerosols and sulphur particles; and if he will make a statement. [4505]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The importance of aerosols and particles emitted from aircraft has only recently been recognised and there is still uncertainty about the effects. Some data on emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from Concorde are in the ANCAT/EC Global Inventory of NOx Emissions from Aircraft, in which the UK has taken a leading role. The date are being used extensively by stratospheric ozone researchers and climate modellers internationally.
Heathrow Airport (Terminal 5)
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is his Department's policy that the construction of Heathrow Terminal 5 is conditional on the widening of the M25.[5648]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The Government remains strictly neutral in respect of the planning application by BAA plc for a fifth terminal at Heathrow. Arrangements for surface access to the M25 are being considered by the current public inquiry.
SCOTLAND
East of Scotland Water
Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what parts of their area of operations East of Scotland Water propose an embargo on all future developments because no additional effluent can be accommodated in the existing sewerage systems. [4612]
Mr. Chisholm:
East of Scotland Water has no plans to introduce any such embargoes nor has any power to do so. When the Authority was established last year, however, it inherited insufficient capacity in the public sewerage system in a number of areas which prevents new connections. The areas principally affected are West Edinburgh and South East Edinburgh, and part of West Lothian and Midlothian. The Authority has made
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substantial progress in procuring additional infrastructure which should result in the lifting of restrictions in these areas from the year 2000.
There are a number of other parts of the Water Authority's area, mainly small towns and rural areas, where restrictions on new connections to the public sewer may also apply. In all of these areas, the Authority plans to take appropriate action as soon as possible to resolve any problems.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what notification his Department receives in respect of the interception of telephone lines by Scottish police forces other than those carried out by the security services under the terms of the Interception of Communications Act 1985; and on how many occasions in the last twelve months Scottish police forces have intercepted telephone lines of suspected criminals. [5129]
Mr. McLeish:
Telephone communications may be intercepted only under the personal authority of a Secretary of State. Where an address in Scotland is concerned, it would normally by me right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland whose authority is sought. Information about the number of occasions telephone interception took place is not available in the form requested. But, in 1996, 228 new telephone warrants were issued.
Mr. Sedgemore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what circumstances plastic baton rounds are used by police in Scotland. [6117]
Mr. McLeish:
Plastic baton rounds have not been used by the police in Scotland.
Animal Breeding (Ethics)
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he is doing to respond to the recommendations of the committee chaired by Michael Banner, Professor of Moral and Social Theology at King's College, London, on the ethical implications of new technologies in animal breeding. [4500]
Mr. Rooker: Much progress has already been made on the various recommendations in this report, but we will be considering what more is needed.
MAFF already holds annual meetings on the need to conserve farm animal breeds, maintains a register of breeds and supports research on animal biodiversity. In addition, following discussions with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, a working party was set up last year to look into the role of non-veterinarians in relation to the artificial insemination (AI) of cattle and horses. The results of this exercise, which may affect the way the recommendations of the Banner Committee are taken forward in relation to AI, are currently awaited.
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The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) has been operating the general principles set out in the report for some time now and has established arrangements for liaison with the Animal Procedures Committee. Additionally, an ethicist has been appointed to the Council.
Finally, the Government is presently seeking an acceptable outcome from negotiations on the EC patents Directive taking account of the Banner recommendations.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the work of the Institute of Food Research in Reading in relation to E. coli 157 and bifidobacteria; and if he will make a statement. [4504]
Mr. Rooker:
The project in question began just over a year ago. The work is not yet sufficiently advanced to make an assessment of the potential benefits of the results.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he plans to take to implement the recommendations of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, Fourth report, 1996-97, sustainable management of North Sea fisheries, (HL 63) into fisheries research relevant to the setting of quotas, and the provision of data on fish stocks. [4564]
Mr. Morley:
The Government will be responding to the report in the near future, and I shall send my hon. Friend a copy of the response.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for (a) 1980, (b) 1990 and (c) the latest two available years (i) the estimated numbers of farmers and (ii) the estimated numbers of organic farmers, indicating (ii) as a percentage of (i). [4859]
Mr. Morley:
Figures are available on the numbers of registered organic holdings rather than on the numbers of organic farmers as such. No figures are, however, available for 1980 and 1990.
| Year | (A) | (B) | (C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered organic holdings | Total main holdings | (A) as percentage of (B) | |
| 1995 (June) | 784 | 234,921 | 0.33 |
| 1996 (June) | 867 | 234,268 | 0.37 |
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DEFENCE
Organophosphates
Mr. Rapson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the disposal of army surplus tents and other equipment sprayed with organophosphates during the Gulf war, indicating whether any equipment was passed on the Scouts movement. [5665]
Dr. Reid: As my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement has said in another place, what is now known about the use of organophosphate (OP) pesticides during the Gulf War was described in the organophosphate pesticides investigation team report which was published last December. Some of the tents used by British troops were sprayed whilst in theatre with organophosphate-based residual insecticide, which was applied to the outside surfaces. The investigation found no evidence that any clothing, bedding or personal kit was treated with organophosphate-based products, although there exists the possibility that some clothing was contaminated whilst being worn by those using such products for other purposes.
Many of the tents used by British troops during the Gulf war were subsequently burned or buried in theatre because it was generally thought not to be cost-effective to ship such material back to the UK or Germany. It is not now possible to identify those tents which were brought back from the Gulf; some of them are likely to have been retained by units or at depots, while some others will probably have since been sold as surplus stock.
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