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Certified Herds Scheme

Mr. Swinney: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what estimate he has made of the percentage of beef herds in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland which would be eligible under the export certified herds scheme for re-entry into world beef markets; [9548]

(2) what estimate he has made of the percentage of beef herds in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and d) Northern Ireland which would be eligible under a date-based certified herds scheme, using a cut-off date of 1 August 1996, for re-entry into world beef markets. [9549]

Mr. Rooker: Discussions on an export certified herds scheme and a date-based export scheme are still at an early stage in Brussels. Some 84 per cent. of beef suckler herds in Great Britain and 98 per cent. of such herds in Northern Ireland have never experienced a case of BSE,

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but it is not possible to estimate the proportions of these or other herds that would have eligible animals for export under either scheme until the rules have been finalised.

Cormorant Cull

Mr. Soames: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will order a cormorant cull. [9599]

Mr. Morley: Cormorants are protected by the 1979 EC birds directive, implemented in the UK by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This Act provides for them to be shot under licence in strictly limited numbers in cases where they are causing serious damage to a fishery and where there is no other satisfactory solution. There are no powers to undertake a general cull.

Sheep Dips

Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the environmental consequences of the use of synthetic pyrethroid sheep dips; and if he will make a statement.[9702]

Mr. Rooker: As with all veterinary medicines, no sheep dip is authorised for use unless it meets stringent statutory requirements for safety, quality and efficacy. Safety includes safety of the environment.

Following its review in 1996 of the effectiveness of the certificate of competence scheme for the purchase of organophosphorus sheep dips, the independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee--VPC--which advises Agriculture and Health Ministers on veterinary medicines, has begun a further review of the use of non-OP sheep dips, including synthetic pyrethroid dips. Ministers expect to receive the VPC's advice later this year.

South-west Regional Service Centre

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the (a) target and (b) performance data percentage for each of the services provided by (i) the regional service centre in Exeter and (ii) the Truro office of the regional service centre in each year since 1992. [9658]

Mr. Morley: Performance targets were introduced for some schemes in 1993-94 in "Commitment to Service" as part of the citizens charter arrangements. Further schemes were covered subsequently. Information on the main common agricultural policy and other schemes in the south-west region is as follows:

Performance data for South-west RSC (all figures shown as percentages)

Scheme	Target	1993-94	1994-95	1995-96	1996-97
Administered from Exeter
Arable Area Payments Scheme	Advanced oilseed payments made by end September	--	100	n/a	100
	Final oilseed payments made within 60 days of publication of rate by EU	--	100	n/a	100
	Main payments made between 16 October and 31 December	--	100	73	99
Five-year Set-aside Scheme	Claims received by 30 September paid by 15 December	100	100	100	100
Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances	Claims paid within three months of receipt	96	83	74	95
Sheep Annual Premium Scheme	Final payment made by the end of the April following scheme year (or if rate not fixed until after 1 April, within one month of public announcement of rate)	86	94	99	96
Suckler Cow Premium Scheme	Advanced payments to be made within three months of scheme closing date; balance to be paid by 30 June	--	99	99	99
Beef Special Premium Scheme	Advanced payments made by 15 December if retention period completed by 1 November, otherwise within six weeks of end of retention period	--	98	97	98
	Balance payments made by 30 June in year following claim	--	--	99	100
	Applications processed and CIDs issued within 10 working days of receipt	--	99	98	99
	Premium claimed CIDs returned before end of retention period	--	99	99	99
Farm Woodland Premium	Applications accepted or rejected within 1 month of receipt	100	100	100	100
Scheme	Claims received by 1 August paid between 17 October; those received after 1 August paid within three months of receipt	100	(20)0	100	100
Environmentally Sensitive Areas--Dartmoor and Blackdown Hills(22)	Applications: in first year agreement or rejection of application six months after end of application period; for existing claims, within four months	--	99	100	100
	Claims: received by 1 October paid by 30 November except Stage IV claims (Blackdown Hills) received by 1 March paid by 30 April	--	54	95	100
	Conservation Plan applications: accepted or rejected within three months of receipt or completion of Management Agreement (whichever is later)	--	100	100	100
	Conservation Plan claims: paid within two months of receipt	--	100	100	100
Administered from Truro(23)
Agricultural Improvement Scheme	Claims paid within three months of receipt	100	100	100	100
Farm and Conservation Grants Scheme (Capital	Applications accepted or rejected within four months of receipt	(21)95	98	100	--
Grants) 1991	Claims paid within three months of receipt	(21)98	99	100	100
Farm and Conservation	Plan Claims paid within three months of receipt	(21)--	100	69	100
Grants Scheme (Capital Grants) 1989	Non-plan claims paid within three months of receipt	(21)--	99	100	43
Environmentally Sensitive Areas--West Penwith	Applications: in first year agreement or rejection of application 6 months after end of application period; for existing claims, within four months	100	100	100	66
	Claims: received by 1 October paid by 30 November except Stage IV claims (Blackdown Hills) received by 1 March paid by 30 April	100	100	100	99
	Conservation Plan applications: accepted or rejected within three months of receipt or completion of Management Agreement (whichever is later)	--	100	100	90
	Conservation Plan claims: paid within two months of receipt	--	100	100	66

(20) Due to a combination of changes in FEOGA reimbursement dates and the difficulties of linkage with charter targets and payment dates, a large proportion of payments were made after target date for 1994-95.

(21) Data for 1989 and 1991 schemes aggregated.

(22) Not designated until 1994.

(23) Performance in respect of countryside stewardship scheme and objective 5(b) is not covered by the citizens charter.

n/a not available.

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Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the estimated redundancy costs of closing the Truro office of the regional service centre. [9660]

Mr. Morley: It is too early to say what redundancy costs there might be. We are closing the office over a period of six months or so to find alternative employment for as many of the staff as possible and have appointed a resettlement officer to assist with that objective.

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff were employed in the regional service centre in Exeter on (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) temporary contracts in each year since 1992. [9662]

Mr. Morley: The table shows the number of staff in post at Exeter as at 1 April each year from 1992. This includes field inspectors out-stationed from Exeter, including at Truro, but who form part of the Exeter RSC. Data on part-time staff are compiled on a head count basis.

Staffing figures for the Exeter RSC, April 1992 to April 1997

	Permanent		Temporary
	Full-time	Part-time	Full-time	Part-time	Total
Figures as at:
1 April 1992	60	8	16	0	84
1 April 1993	105	13	24	3	145
1 April 1994	104	10	72	2	188
1 April 1995	137	10	44	1	192
1 April 1996	154	17	10	0	181
1 April 1997	204	20	5	0	229

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of representations received by his Department (a) supporting and (b) opposing his decision to close the Truro office of the regional service centre. [9657]

Mr. Morely: We have received a petition and a number of letters from organisations and individuals, all opposing the decision to close the Truro office.

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff were employed on less than (a) £2.50 per hour, (b) £3 per hour, (c) £3.50 per hour, (d) £4 per hour and (e) £4.50 per hour in the regional service centre in Exeter in each year since 1992.[9659]

Mr. Morley: This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff were made redundant from the regional service centre in Exeter in each year since 1992. [9661]

Mr. Morely: None.

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