| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Scheduled Offences
Mr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many individuals from (a) loyalist and (b) republican backgrounds have served prison sentences following conviction for scheduled offences in each of the past 10 years; how many of these persons are still in prison; and if he will make a statement. [30967]
Mr. McLeish: Details of prisoners convicted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and released before 1996 are not available. No prisoners were convicted under the Act in 1996 or 1997; one prisoner was convicted in 1998. He has no known loyalist or republican links.
White Fish Landings
Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on progress towards deciding upon designated ports for the purposes of white fish landings. [30025]
Mr. Macdonald:
The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency, together with UK Fisheries Departments, are currently giving consideration to steps which can be taken to improve the effectiveness of fisheries enforcement in the UK. Details of their proposals for a related scheme of designated landing ports for other than pelagic landings, for which separate arrangements apply, will be set out in a consultation paper to be issued shortly.
25 Feb 1998 : Column: 272
Mr. Charles Kennedy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received over his decision to initiate a review of the future opportunities for digital broadcasting of Gaelic, with particular reference to potential conflicts of interest; and if he will make a statement. [30027]
Mr. Wilson:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Perth (Ms Cunningham) on 12 February 1998, Official Report, column 369.
Mr. Charles Kennedy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will report on progress towards implementation of section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in respect of prison officers; and if he will make a statement. [30029]
Mr. McLeish:
This matter is under consideration, with consultations taking place between the Scottish Prison Service and the Prison Services for England and Wales and Northern Ireland to determine what arrangements might be made for reaching agreement on the pay of prison staff.
25 Feb 1998 : Column: 273
Mr. Moore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department intends to provide an answer to the question from the hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (reference 20060) tabled on 5 December 1997. [31123]
Mr. Galbraith:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23 February 1998, Official Report, column 73.
Mr. Ernie Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to publish the Government's response to the report of the Scottish Committee of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education. [31500]
Mr. Wilson:
I have today placed in the Libraries of both Houses copies of the Scottish Office response to the report of the Scottish (Garrick) Committee of the National (Dearing) Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education.
I would like to commend Sir Ron Garrick and his committee for their work in producing such a comprehensive report in a comparatively short time. The Government look forward to working with the higher and further education sectors in Scotland in implementing the agreed recommendations and those of the main Dearing Report to which it relates.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on the potential redefinition of British yoghurt products containing fruit and/or nuts under Codex proposals. [30696]
Mr. Rooker:
The UK is opposed to any definition of 'yoghurt' which might unreasonably restrict product innovation and diversity, without providing any clear benefit to our consumers. The UK believes that the definition of composite yoghurt products, containing ingredients such as fruit or nuts, is unnecessary in the draft Codex text.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what representations he has received from (a) consumers and (b) retailers in respect of the Codex proposals on the labelling of bio-yoghurt products; [30695]
Mr. Rooker:
The Department has received no formal representations from consumers, or the International Dairy Federation, concerning the draft codex text covering yoghurt. However, the Provision Trade Federation, who represent some retailers, and the Dairy Industry Federation have written to express their opposition to the draft text as it restricts the use of the term yoghurt to products which contain cultures of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii.subsp.
25 Feb 1998 : Column: 274
bulgaricus
Consumer groups, and industry and retail bodies, will have a further opportunity to express their views on the issue to officials prior to European and worldwide meetings scheduled for May this year.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with (a) EU countries and (b) the USA about the labelling of bio-yoghurt products. [30699]
Mr. Rooker:
Officials had discussions with EU Member States, but not the USA, on the definition and labelling of yoghurt in 1996. Views vary from those who want the term yoghurt to be restricted to fermented milk products containing cultures of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii.subsp. bulgaricus only, to those, such as the UK, who want a broader definition to reflect products currently sold legally in the Member State. Further discussions, both in Europe and worldwide, are scheduled for May this year.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the means of funding of the Food Standards Agency. [31277]
Mr. Rooker:
Chapter 8 of the White Paper, "The Food Standards Agency: A Force for Change", sets out the Government's proposal to pass a greater proportion of the cost of funding food safety work from the taxpayer onto the food industry. The Government will consult with the main interested parties on detailed options for achieving this before drawing up final proposals.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which locations were considered for the siting of the cattle passport centre; and if he will publish the results of the operating and capital cost analysis conducted in respect of the location exercise. [28857]
Dr. John Cunningham
[holding answer 10 February 1998]: Some 80 sites were considered against selection criteria such as whether there was sufficient space. Seven sites were visited. These were in Exeter, Guildford, Huntingdon, Manchester (two sites), Sheffield and Workington.
Three sites were shortlisted. These sites were at Guildford (a MAFF site), Manchester (a vacant Government Office outside the MAFF Estate) and Workington (a British Steel site).
At the time of the decision to locate in Workington, it was clear that running costs for that site were likely to be lower than elsewhere. Subsequently, a cost benefit analysis was carried out which took account of the site specific costs, the set up costs and the running costs of each site, as estimated at that stage, over a fifteen year period. The analysis did not include the common costs of the whole Cattle Tracing System project, for instance procuring specialist equipment.
25 Feb 1998 : Column: 275
The results showed that Workington was the lowest cost of the three sites analysed. The comparative costs over 15 years (discounted to present day terms) were:
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the conferences held by his Department since 1 May 1997, giving in each case the (a) purpose and (b) estimated cost. [27774]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 5 February 1998]: Conferences organised by the Department since 1 May 1997 are as follows:
(2) what representations he has received from (a) the Dairy Industry Federation and (b) the International Dairy Federation following the Codex proposals regarding the labelling of bio-yoghurt products. [30694]
Workington: £14.3 million;
Manchester: £15.6 million;
Guildford: £17.7 million.
| Date | Conference | Cost £ |
|---|---|---|
| 18 June | Direct Selling Seminar--Market Task Force | 9,373 |
| 23 October | Alternative Crops Unit/Link Conference--Competitive industrial materials from non-food crops and renewable feedstocks for the Specialist Chemicals Industry | 7,952 |
| 5 November | Food Intolerance Conference | 8,615 |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |