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Genetically Modified Crops
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been done by (a) his Department and (b) consultants to his Department into the possible effects of genetically modified crops or plants on (i) how insects pollinate and (ii) the quality of soil. [72527]
Mr. Rooker: All of the work within MAFF's research programme to assess the risks to the agricultural environment from the release of genetically modified crops is carried out by researchers under contract to the Ministry; none of the work is done in-house by the Ministry.
The Ministry has commissioned no research to date on possible effects of genetically modified crops on how insects pollinate, or on the quality of the soil.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if crops grown in genetically modified food trials will be allowed to enter the food chain. [71413]
Mr. Rooker
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: Foods or food ingredients produced from GM crops may enter the food chain provided they have first passed a rigorous safety assessment and have been approved and labelled in accordance with the EC Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients Regulation.
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Mrs. May:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many schools his Department estimates will be subject to the levy to fund the Food Standards Agency. [72238]
Mr. Rooker:
It is proposed that the levy be applied to certain food premises required to register with the local authority under the Food Premises (Registration) Regulations 1991. Schools as such will not be required to pay. The requirement to pay the levy would depend on whether the premises concerned were required to register. Details of the number of registered food premises located in schools are not collected centrally and could be derived only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many schools are currently registered under the Food Premises (Registration) Regulations 1991. [72236]
Mr. Rooker:
Registers of food premises under these regulations are prepared and maintained by individual local authorities. Details of the number of food premises located in schools that are required to register are not collected centrally and could be derived only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce cross-compliance measures which would prevent agricultural subsidies and other public money going to landowners who block public rights of way. [70889]
Mr. Rooker:
The Commission's proposals on CAP reform would provide for Member States to apply cross-compliance measures to protect the environment. Access provisions could not be applied under this provision.
We will consider cross-compliance measures further in light of the terms of the eventual Agenda 2000 agreement and the responses to the current consultation exercise.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. [70776]
Mr. Morley:
I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 15 February 1999, Official Report, columns 569-70.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much land held by his Department he estimates would fall within the definition of open country as set out in the consultation document "Access to the Open Countryside" of February 1998. [71639]
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Mr. Morley:
It is estimated that of the 4,000 or so hectares of agricultural land held by my Department--approximately 1,150 hectares (28%)--would come within the definition of open country. This is part of a research farm in Northumberland which is partly freehold and partly leasehold and has been let to ADAS Consulting Ltd. for moorland research.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what grants the Home Grown Cereals Authority has made for research into organic cereal production. [71534]
Mr. Rooker:
To date the Authority has funded no research projects directed specifically at organic cereal production. The Authority is, however, currently in the process of revising its cereals R&D strategy. As part of this process, it has held formal discussions with a number of organisations representing the interests of organic producers.
Sir Alastair Goodlad:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received about a possible ban on the sale of pork products whose methods of production are illegal in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [71525]
Mr. Rooker:
I and my Ministerial colleagues have received a large number of representations calling for a ban on the import of pork and pork products which do not match British production standards. It remains the case, however, that Single Market Legislation and European Court of Justice Rulings protect the free circulation of goods in the EU. In areas where there is a common market, such as pigmeat, if products conform to EU requirements, individual member states cannot introduce a unilateral ban.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 12 January 1999, Official Report, columns 160-61, if he will list the expenditure not included in his answer incurred (a) by task forces and review bodies, (b) by focus groups, (c) on market research and (d) for publications and publicity; and if he will list the bodies which incurred the expenditure, [71025]
(2)
pursuant to his answer of 12 January 1999, Official Report, columns 160-61, if he will list the expenditure not included in his answer incurred by (a) his agencies and non-departmental public bodies and (b) the Central Office of Information for relevant work carried out for his Department; [71024]
(3) if he will list the expenditure incurred by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies on (a) the setting up and (b) the operation of web sites, indicating the cases in which the expenditure has been
22 Feb 1999 : Column: 188
above that budgeted; and if he will list for each web site (i) the topics covered, (ii) the current average number of hits per month and (iii) the estimated expenditure on each web site for each of the next three years. [70978]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: The information asked for is not all held centrally. I will write to the hon. Member when it has been gathered together.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effects of the decline of the euro against sterling on the green pound. [70617]
Mr. Rooker:
As from 1 January 1999, "green" rates ceased to exist, because the agrimonetary system, which converts amounts under the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy into national currency, has been completely overhauled. Daily market exchange rates are now used to convert from euros into sterling.
Overall, sterling has strengthened slightly against the euro since 1 January 1999, but it is too soon to predict long term trends. Compensation may be available if the sterling value of direct payments or market support payments is adversely affected by a decline in the euro.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the impact of synthetic pyrethroid sheep dips on water courses. [71540]
Mr. Rooker:
The Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) reported to Ministers on the use of synthetic pyrethroid and other non-OP sheep dips in January 1998. The Committee's recommendations, which included the extension of the Certificate of Competence Scheme to non-OP dips with effect from 31 December 1998, are being implemented. Applications for Marketing Authorisations for all veterinary medicinal products must satisfy the statutory criteria of safety, quality and efficacy. Safety includes the safety of the environment. Environmental pollution incidents involving sheep dips should be reported to the Environment Agency or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Officials of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) liaise closely with the environment agencies and all suspected adverse reactions to veterinary medicinal products, including those affecting the environment, should also be reported to the VMD.
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