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Live Animal Exports
Mr. Etherington: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to bring into force the new arrangements whereby the veterinary surgeons responsible for inspecting live animals prior to export will be appointed and paid by him; and if he will make a statement. [13913]
Mr. Morley: Preliminary discussions have been held with the British Veterinary Association and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons about the arrangements for the appointment and payment of local veterinary inspectors by this Department. Following consideration of points raised by the BVA and the RCVS, formal proposals will be drawn up including a date for implementing the new arrangements.
Sheep Annual Payment Scheme
Mr. Jack: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is his Department's estimate for expenditure on the sheep annual payment scheme for 1997-98; [15461]
- (2) what was his Department's forecast of expenditure on sheep annual payment for the financial year 1997-98. [15460]
Mr. Morley: I am replying in my right hon. Friend's absence as he is on official business in South Africa.
The Department's published estimate provision for 1997-98 included £175 million for the sheep annual premium scheme, which is entirely funded by reimbursements from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund. The estimate has not changed.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make representations to the Treasury, in respect of his Department's underspend on current payments of sheep annual payment, to use the surplus to maintain 1997 levels of hill livestock compensatory allowance payments; and if he will make a statement. [15459]
Mr. Morley:
I am replying in my right hon. Friend's absence as he is on official business in South Africa.
The Sheep Annual Premium Scheme is fully funded by the European Union. To the extent that actual expenditure falls short of the published estimates, the shortfall is offset by a corresponding loss of receipts from the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund. As such, no spare funds result which could be directed towards the payment of Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's public expenditure ceiling for 1997-98. [15462]
Mr. Morley:
I am replying in my right hon. Friend's absence as he is on official business in South Africa.
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The published Estimate Provision for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for 1997-98, net of EAGGF reimbursement if £765 million.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department's maintenance of 1997 levels of Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance rates of payment for 1998 will breach his overall PES limit for 1997-98. [15463]
Mr. Morley:
I am replying in my right hon. Friend's absence as he is on official business in South Africa.
The rates of payment for Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances in 1997 included a one off increase to help farmers cope with the immediate effects of the BSE crisis. PES provision for 1997-98 does not provide for this increase to be sustained in 1998.
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Mr. Jack:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish for each month, for (a) 1995, (b) 1996 and (c) 1997 to date the levels of domestic beef consumption. [15458]
Mr. Morley:
I am replying in my right hon. Friend's absence as he is on official business in South Africa.
Available monthly information on the consumption of beef in the home is given in the table.
Source:
Sample estimates of household purchases from the National Food Survey.
(6) Information is not available about beef contained in a wide range of other products such as meat pies.
(7) In the case of the three meat products the weight shown is of the product not the weight of beef contained within it.
(8) May include a very small amount of veal.
(9) May contain a small amount of other corned meat.
(10) Consumption of frozen beefburgers is not separately available. Excludes cooked burgers taken home.
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11 Nov 1997 : Column: 515
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by species (a) the minimum landing size in force prior to the recent Fisheries Council meeting and (b) the proposed new minimum landing sizes. [15346]
Mr. Morley:
I have arranged for the material requested to be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the rules in respect of discarding prior to the Fisheries Council meeting on 30 October; what rules will apply to discards in future; and if he will make a statement on the changes involved. [15345]
Mr. Morley:
The present EC technical conservation regulation requires sorting of fish to be carried out immediately after nets have been hauled. The Regulation requires protected species (defined in the Regulation) in excess of catch composition percentages laid down, to be
11 Nov 1997 : Column: 516
discarded immediately into the sea. Other provisions require undersized fish, shellfish and crustaceans to be discarded immediately.
The new EC Regulation agreed at the Fisheries Council on 30 October to come into effect on 1 January 2000 alters these rules so that:
As in the present regulation, undersized specimens must be discarded immediately.
These changes are to reduce the quantity of fish discarded.
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Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what current plans there are to introduce new telecommunications infrastructure, with particular reference to the provision of fibre optics, into the whole of Wales; and if he will make a statement. [14550]
Mr. Hain:
Infrastructure investment is a matter for telecommunication companies. Nevertheless Welsh Office officials regularly meet telecommunication infrastructure providers to encourage the expansion and upgrading of the network throughout Wales. Support is also given to initiatives being driven forward by local authorities and development agencies which aim to improve the telecommunications infrastructure.
Mr. Ruane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by constituency the (a) number and (b) percentages of 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education ranked by descending percentage. [14828]
Mr. Hain:
In the academic year 1995-96, 59,026 16 to 18-year-olds--58 per cent of the age group--participated in full-time education. No comprehensive central record of students' home addresses is maintained so figures by constituency are not available.
for all vessels at all times the percentage of target species retained on board must be at least half that required by the Regulation;
in addition, for those vessels required to complete logbooks, after the first 24 hours of a trip the catch composition percentages must be correct at time of the daily completion of the logbooks;
in all cases, the catch composition percentages must be correct at time of return to port.
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