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AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Seals
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the number of each type of seal found in United Kingdom waters, the total weight of fish consumed by these animals each year and the weight of each prey species this represents; and of these prey species, which, and in what numbers, weights or quantities, are exploited by (a) commercial fisherman and (b) anglers. [59032]
Mr. Morley: 1997 estimates (1996 for Northern Ireland) indicate UK populations of some 115,000 grey seals and 50,000 common seals.
Based on 1985 diet data it is estimated that in 1997 232,000 tonnes of fish was consumed by grey seals and 55,000 tonnes of fish by common seals. The predominant prey species were sandeels, cod and whiting. A significant proportion of the fish taken by seals are likely to have been juveniles which, given their high rates of natural mortality, may not in any case have reached a size at which they would be available to either commercial fishermen or anglers.
Mink
Angela Smith: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of recent reports of the use of carbon dioxide gas for the gassing of mink in fur farms; and if he will ban the use of such gas as a method of killing mink. [59085]
Mr. Morley: A recent article (Veterinary Record, 26 September) concluded that under experimental conditions mink detect high concentrations of carbon dioxide gas and avoid them when given the opportunity to express a preference. It suggests that alternative methods of killing may be preferable on welfare grounds, but acknowledges that the degree of aversion to other methods of killing has not been studied. The matter needs to be considered at the European Community level, as the permitted methods of killing which include carbon dioxide gas, are specified in EU regulations. We shall ensure that this new report is considered by the European Commission: however, the Government are in any case committed to banning the farming of animals for their fur.
Genetically Modified Food
Ms Drown: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans the Government have to commission research into the direct and indirect effects of releasing genetically modified organisms into the open. [59224]
Mr. Rooker:
In addition to studies currently underway or about to be commissioned, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to her on 12 November 1998, Official Report, column 316. We recently announced that the Government will be carrying out farm-scale evaluations
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of the first commercial plantings of genetically modified crops for ecological effects along with commercial plantings of conventional crops.
Mr. Andrew George:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much the United Kingdom has been awarded in 1998 to date from the European Fund for Fisheries Enforcement; and if he will list (a) the projects that will receive assistance, indicating the amount of grant (i) applied for and (ii) received, and (b) those projects that were put forward but not accepted. [59557]
Mr. Morley:
Information about Community assistance towards fisheries enforcement expenditure awarded to the United Kingdom in 1998 to date under the provisions of Commission Decision 98/439/EC is set out in the tables.
| Total number of projects on which grant aid has been awarded | Total planned expenditure (£) | Total planned expenditure eligible for grant aid (£) | Total grant aid awarded (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 9,280,077 | 5,367,054 | 2,797,882 |
| Total number of projects on which grant aid has not been awarded | Total planned expenditure (£) | Total planned aexpenditure eligible for grant aid (£) | Total grant aid awarded (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 1,974,254 | 0 | 0 |
| Total number of projects on which grant aid has been awarded | Total planned expenditure (£) | Total planned expenditure eligible for grant aid (£) | Total grant aid awarded (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 9,700 | 9,700 | 4,850 |
| Total number of projects on which grant aid has not been awarded | Total planned expenditure (£) | Total planned expenditure eligible for grant aid (£) | Total grant aid awarded (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 2,389,391 | 0 | 0 |
Note:
Amounts based on ecu exchange rate applied by Commission at time grant awarded.
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Sea Fisheries Committees
Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what money has been allocated to each of the United Kingdom's sea fisheries committees for 1998-99. [59558]
Mr. Morley: Sea Fisheries Committees are committees of local government. They are funded by their constituent local authorities. No funds are provided directly by central Government.
The Statutory Instruments establishing each committee specify the proportionate contribution that each constituent local authority has agreed to make towards its committee's costs.
Meat (Hygiene and Inspection)
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will publish comparisons of the extent to which the United Kingdom and other EU countries use (a) veterinary surgeons and (b) meat inspectors in the public health inspection of the meat slaughter process; [58449]
- (2) if he will publish comparisons of the different qualifications for (a) meat inspectors and (b) veterinarians involved in meat inspection in Britain and other EU countries. [58450]
Mr. Nick Brown: Harmonised EC meat hygiene rules, which apply equally in all EU Member States, lay down detailed and specific requirements for the supervision of licensed abattoirs by official veterinarians (ie fully qualified veterinary surgeons). The rules also specify the duties and responsibilities of such official veterinarians, including in respect of ante mortem and post mortem veterinary inspections. Council Directive 78/1026/EEC provides for the mutual recognition of the qualifications of veterinarians applying in different EU Member States.
The meat hygiene rules also provide for official veterinarians to be assisted in the performance of certain, specified, tasks by 'auxiliaries' whose qualifications must comply with the minimum qualifications laid down. In Great Britain the role of such 'auxiliaries' is performed by MHS Meat Hygiene Inspectors. My Department has no information on the qualifications of 'auxiliaries' employed on meat hygiene work in other EU Member States.
Information obtained by my Department recently about the implementation in other Member States of the veterinary supervision requirements laid down in EC meat hygiene rules shows that supervision levels and frequencies vary between States as one would expect. It does not support the claim that supervision levels in Great Britain premises are significantly higher then in other member States. I have arranged for this information to be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish comparisons of the proportion of farm gate prices for meat in the United Kingdom and other EU countries that results from meat inspection. [58451]
Mr. Nick Brown:
The information requested is not available.
17 Nov 1998 : Column: 577
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish comparisons of the quality and cost of meat hygiene standards across the EU. [58448]
Mr. Nick Brown:
Information about the quality and costs of enforcing meat hygiene standards in Great Britain is set out in the Annual Report and Accounts of the Meat Hygiene Service.
It is the European Commission's responsibility to ensure that Member States comply with their Community obligations as laid down in harmonised EC rules. The Commission's Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) carries out regular programmes of inspection visits to all Member States. If necessary, the Commission will take infraction proceedings against those Member States whose arrangements are considered inadequate. Reports of FVO visits are published on the Commission's website on the Internet (http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg24/health/vi/reports) and a list of such reports will appear in MAFF's Meat Hygiene Enforcement Report and BSE Enforcement Bulletin, both of which are published monthly.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to review the impact of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 within one year of its implementation date. [58237]
Mr. Nick Brown:
In common with all legislation, we will keep the impact of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 under review.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment he has made of the differences between the methods of implementing the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 in different EU countries; [58239]
(3) what assessment his Department has made of the cost of compliance with the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 in each Member State of the EU. [58241]
Mr. Nick Brown:
The Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 implement in Great Britain the provisions relating to charges for meat hygiene/ welfare inspections of Council Directive 85/73/EEC (as amended) on the financing of veterinary inspections and controls.
The level, method of calculation and compliance costs of such charges in other EU countries are matters for the relevant competent authority in each Member State. It is the European Commission's responsibility to ensure that individual Member States comply with their Community obligations as laid down in Directive 85/73/EEC.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment his Department has made of the cost to British industry of the implementation of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998; [58240]
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Mr. Nick Brown:
A Regulatory Appraisal in respect of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 has been prepared by my Department and will be placed in the Library of the House. The Regulatory Appraisal includes an assessment of the likely compliance costs for business of the Regulations and the likely impact on small businesses.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received about the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 since they were implemented. [58233]
Mr. Nick Brown:
My Department has received a small number of representations about the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 since they came into force.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the European Commission reasoned opinion document on which the interpretation of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 is based. [58238]
Mr. Nick Brown:
No. The Reasoned Opinion is the formal legal document in which the European Commission has set out its case against the UK Government in respect of our failure to implement fully the veterinary supervision requirements laid down in EC meat hygiene rules. Such formal communications between the European Commission and Member State Governments are confidential and not for publication.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the effect on prices received by livestock farmers of the implementation of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998. [58242]
Mr. Nick Brown:
The Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 relate to charges levied by the Meat Hygiene Service in Great Britain on licensed slaughterhouses, cutting plants and cold stores in respect of the hygiene/welfare inspections carried out in those premises. The prices received by livestock farmers for animals slaughtered in licensed slaughterhouses are a commercial matter for those involved.
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the cost to consumers of compliance with the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations in 1998 in each EU Member State; [58235]
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 on small and medium enterprises. [58232]
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