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Arable Area Payments Scheme
Mr. Tipping: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many payments of £1 million or more were made under the Arable Area Payments Scheme in 1996. [6300]
MAFF Service Centres
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) which organisations were consulted over his decision to centralise his Department's South West Regional Service Centre's operation at Exeter; [6171]
- (2) what has been the cost of maintaining regional service centre activity in Truro in each year since its establishment in 1992. [6172]
Mr. Rooker: None. We have taken this decision to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department. Maintaining the unit at Truro has cost the taxpayer an additional £100,000 a year (at current prices) since 1992.
Grant Applications (Truro)
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many grant applications have been processed by staff at his Department's Truro office in each year since its establishment in 1992. [6170]
Mr. Rooker:
The following numbers of applications and claims have been processed at the Truro office since 1992:
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| Scheme | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 (To 30 June) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farms Grants(13) | 1.095 | 1,655 | 1,086 | 687 | 803 | 60 |
| West Penwith ESA | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 257 |
| Countryside Stewardship(13) | -- | -- | -- | -- | 888 | 223 |
| Objective 5b(13) | -- | -- | -- | 116 | 238 | 135 |
(13) Includes applications and claims for both Devon and Cornwall. Since 1992 all applications and claims for Devon and Cornwall under the Integrated Administration and Control System, the Arable Area Payments Scheme, the Beef Special Premium Scheme, Cattle Passports, the Suckler Cow premium Scheme, the Sheep Annual Premium Scheme, Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances, the Dartmoor and Blackdown Hills ESAs and to her environmental schemes have been processed at the Ministry's Regional Service Centre at Exeter.
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Mr. Whittingdale:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many incidents of food poisoning have been attributed to the sale and consumption of New York dressed poultry in each of the last five years. [5312]
Ms Jowell:
I have been asked to reply.
There is no record of any incident of food poisoning implicating New York dressed poultry during the last five years. Although the majority of food poisoning outbreaks are investigated the cause of infection is not always identified. For single (sporadic) cases it is not feasible to investigate the infective vehicle.
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Dr. Moonie:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the dumping of radioactive waste in Beaufort's Dyke. [6461]
Mr. Rooker:
Documents recently discovered in the Public Record Office show that small quantities of laboratory waste and luminous materials which fall within the definition of low or intermediate level radioactive waste were dumped in Beaufort's Dyke during the 1950s. The "Report of the Independent Review of Disposal of Radioactive Waste in the North East Atlantic" by Professor F. G. T. Holliday, which was placed in the library of the House on its publication in 1984 and on which Ministers have relied in answering subsequent questions in this House, makes no reference to such activities.
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Naturally it is regretted that the House was given inaccurate information in the past. Copies of the documents have now been placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament. Further searches of the archive records are being undertaken as a matter of urgency and if any new information comes to light we will make it public.
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