5 Dec 1997 : Column: 359
Written Answers to Questions
Friday 5 December 1997
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Cattle Passports
Mr. Jack: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people will be involved in running his proposed computerised cattle passport scheme; and if he will publish a breakdown of the grades involved, together with their salary bandings. [18830]
Dr. John Cunningham: The British Cattle Movement Service will operate the Cattle Tracing System, providing a register of all cattle in Great Britain, their location and their movement history. Once it is fully operational, it will comprise an estimated 261 staff. The anticipated breakdown by grade and the salary bands are given in the following table.
| Grade | Estimated number | Salary band (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1 | 32,100-51,256 |
| 7 | 1 | 26,100-41,718 |
| SEO | 1 | 20,700-32,812 |
| HEO | 6 | 16,300-22,147 |
| EO | 24 | 10,093-17,715 |
| AO | 153 | 8,285-10,695 |
| AA | 61 | 6,612-8,050 |
| SGB2 | 14 | 6,612-8,050 |
| Total | 261 |
Mr. Jack: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under his proposed computerised cattle passport scheme (a) how many passports are estimated to be issued annually and (b) how many passports he estimates will be issued in each of the scheme's first three years. [18828]
Dr. John Cunningham: It is estimated that between 2.5 million and 3 million passports will be issued annually.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his proposals for the cattle passport scheme. [18939]
Mr. Rooker:
On 30 July I announced that the Government was setting up a computerised cattle tracing system (CTS) which would be fully operational in 1998. The system will be administered by a new public sector organisation, the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS), which will manage cattle movements and respond to database queries. On 7 October I also announced that the Government had decided to centralise the issue of cattle passports at the BCMS. The new scheme will give the UK one of the most advanced cattle tracing systems in Europe.
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Mr. Hunter:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact of his decision to restrict the general retail sale of higher dose vitamin B6 supplements on (a) consumers, (b) manufacturers and (c) retailers. [18969]
Mr. Rooker:
The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy has advised that 1.4 mg of vitamin B6 per day is enough to meet the needs of almost all individuals, even those with high needs. The proposed maximum limit of 10 mg per daily dose on the level of vitamin B6 in dietary supplements sold under food law is more than seven times greater than this amount. Those who need higher doses for the treatment of medical conditions will continue to be able to obtain them from pharmacies and on prescription.
Information on the impact of the proposed controls on manufacturers and retailers has been requested from relevant trade associations. This will be included in the regulatory assessment which will accompany the draft regulations that will give effect to the controls.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to further regulate farming; and if he will make a statement. [19259]
Mr. Rooker:
Farming will continue to be regulated where necessary for the implementation of national and EU policies. All regulations introduced will be carefully examined in line with the Government's policy for better regulation to ensure that they are simple, helpful and fair, taking account of the needs of businesses, the citizen and the environment.
Mrs. Spelman:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the (a) agencies and (b) committees which report to his Department on food safety. [19358]
Mr. Rooker:
The agencies of the Department which undertake work concerned with food safety are:
The committees that report to the Department on issues relevant to food safety are listed below. Most of these committees also report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.
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Mrs. Spelman:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much has been spent by his Department on food safety in the last year for which figures are available. [19354]
Mr. Rooker:
In 1996-97 expenditure on food safety matters totalled £28.13 million. A detailed breakdown of expenditure and receipts is shown under the entries for programmes PP1:01, 1:02, 1:03, 1:07 in Chapter 3 and in Table 33 in Chapter 8, of the MAFF/IB Departmental Report 1997, a copy of which may be found in the Library of the House.
Mrs. Spelman:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will assess the advantages of replacing the current HLCA with an area-based instrument for farmers in less-favoured areas. [19357]
Mr. Rooker:
Under current EC rules, compensatory allowances provided to livestock farmers in the less-favoured areas may be paid only per head of eligible livestock. The Commission's proposals in Agenda 2000 indicate that they are considering transforming compensatory allowances into a basic instrument to maintain and promote low-input farming systems. However, replacing HLCAs with an area-based instrument would not, on its own, necessarily fulfil this objective.
The pros and cons of an area-based instrument are one of the issues being addressed in an evaluation of the HLCA scheme in England, being undertaken by Drew Associates and Exeter University on behalf of the Ministry. That report will be published shortly. Other similar studies are in hand in respect of the other constituent parts of the UK. The Government is also considering HLCAs as part of its Comprehensive Spending Review and will further consider the options in the light of the Commission's detailed proposals following Agenda 2000.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers from (a) the Czech Republic and (b) the Slovak Republic have arrived (i) in the United Kingdom and (ii) at the port of Dover in each month since 1 May. [17137]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
The information requested is given in the table. Overall data for the month of November are not yet available, but provisional figures indicate that only five Czechs/Slovaks applied for asylum on arrival at Dover during November.
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The Pesticides Safety Directorate
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate
The Meat Hygiene Service
The Central Science Laboratory Agency
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency
Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food
Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes
Advisory Committee on Pesticides
Veterinary Products Committee
Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee
Food Advisory Committee
Consumer Panel
| Applications for asylum | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port | of whom: applied at Dover | In-country | Total | |
| Czech Republic | ||||
| May 1997 | 5 | 5 | * | 5 |
| June 1997 | 15 | 10 | -- | 15 |
| July 1997 | 30 | 30 | 5 | 30 |
| August 1997 | 25 | 20 | 10 | 30 |
| September 1997 | 15 | 10 | * | 15 |
| October 1997 | 85 | 70 | * | 85 |
| Total | 170 | 145 | 15 | 190 |
| Slovakia | ||||
| May 1997 | (2)15 | 15 | * | (2)15 |
| June 1997 | 25 | 15 | -- | 25 |
| July 1997 | 20 | 15 | * | 20 |
| August 1997 | 35 | 35 | 10 | 50 |
| September 1997 | 55 | 55 | * | 55 |
| October 1997 | 85 | 65 | -- | 85 |
| Total | 235 | 195 | 15 | 255 |
(1) Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.
(2) Revised.
Community Safety
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contribution county-based organisations will be expected to make to district-based community safety organisations and partnerships. [18937]
Mr. Michael: The Crime and Disorder Bill will place a joint obligation on local authorities and the police service to develop strategies for reducing crime and disorder in each district, borough and unitary local authority area in England and Wales. Where the two tier structure of local Government still exists, county councils will have an obligation to participate in this process on an equal basis.
The Bill will also give the Home Secretary power to designate by Order other key local agencies which must be involved. At county level or wider, these are likely to include police authorities, probation committees and health authorities.
Nothing in the Bill will prevent the developments (or continuation) of county-based co-ordination of the district strategies if that is what the partners locally want. The legal obligation, however, will be to produce strategies based on district, borough and unitary authority areas.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what future role the Crime Prevention Panel has, with particular reference to community safety. [18938]
Mr. Michael:
Crime Prevention Panels and their equivalent for young people, known as Youth Action Groups, have done some enormously valuable work over the years. I am determined that the knowledge and experience which they have amassed should not be lost as we move towards the creation of new statutory crime prevention partnerships. Some Crime Prevention Panels may merge into the new partnerships; that will be a matter for local decision. But where they do not, we intend to
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require the local authorities and the police, in discharging their new obligations, to invite them--along with a wide variety of other agencies--to participate in the process.
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