| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Whales
Angela Smith: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government support the planned joint proposal by Australia and New Zealand to the International Whaling Commission for a whale sanctuary in the Southern Pacific; and if the Government will be actively seeking support from other International Whaling Commission countries for the proposal. [76025]
Mr. Morley: The UK Government strongly support the current International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling and the existing whale sanctuaries. We are opposed to all forms of whaling other than some limited subsistence whaling by indigenous people, and would like to see a permanent, comprehensive international ban on whaling introduced.
We are keen to develop ways of further these objectives and of improving the conservation of whales. We are therefore in favour of the proposal being developed jointly by Australia and New Zealand for a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary, and will strongly support any firm proposal for such a sanctuary that is submitted to the IWC.
Countryside Stewardship Scheme
Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the total budget for the Countryside Stewardship Scheme is in each of the next three years in England. [76093]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 11 March 1999]: The total budget available in the 1999-2000 financial year for the Countryside Stewardship including the main scheme, the Arable Stewardship Pilot Scheme and the Upland Experiment is estimated to be over £32 million. This includes payments to farmers, scheme monitoring costs and the work of the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency (FRCA) and not MAFF administrative costs. Figures for 2000-01 and 2001-02 are not yet available.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications were received in England during 1998 to join the Countryside
15 Mar 1999 : Column: 552
Stewardship Scheme; what area of land they represented; how many were approved; and what area of land they represented. [76095]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 11 March 1999]: The number of applications received for the Countryside Stewardship Scheme in 1998 was 2,445. Of these, 1,290 agreements have been offered to date, covering an area of 21,919 ha of land. Data on the area of land covered by applications which were rejected or deferred are not recorded.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total area of farmland in England covered by the Countryside Stewardship Scheme; and what is the area covered by the scheme within the less favoured areas and its proportion of the total LFA area. [76091]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 11 March 1999]: The total area of land currently under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme in England is 161,896 ha, virtually all of which is managed agriculturally.
The area covered by the scheme in the Less Favoured Areas is approximately 55,500 ha which is 3 per cent. of the total area of LFA.
Mr. Lepper:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce proposals on reform of quarantine law. [76221]
Mr. Rooker:
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope) on 5 March 1999, Official Report, column 946.
Mr. Letwin:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has recorded the number of predatory birds killed by poison in the United Kingdom in the last five years. [76756]
Mr. Rooker:
MAFF co-ordinates the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme which monitors the effects of pesticides on wildlife. The figures are taken from the annual publication, 'Pesticide Poisoning of Animals--Investigations of Suspected Incidents in the UK'.
| Year | Number of pesticide related incidents involving birds of prey and owls |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 34 |
| 1994 | 38 |
| 1995 | 31 |
| 1996 | 42 |
| 1997 | 21 |
Note:
In addition one incident of an owl poisoned by a veterinary medicine has been recorded.
15 Mar 1999 : Column: 553
Brit Awards
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those Ministers in his Department who were present at the recent Brit awards in an official capacity, indicating the organisation acting as their sponsor or host. [76654]
Badgers
Mr. McNulty: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has appointed an external auditor for the randomised badger culling trial. [77232]
Mr. Rooker: In its report of July 1998 to Ministers, the Independent Scientific Group on TB in cattle recommended that an external auditor be appointed to check field operations. Cresswell Associates, Environmental Consultants of Stroud, Gloucestershire, have now been appointed to carry out this work until November 1999. Audit work after that date will be the subject of a further invitation to tender.
HEALTH
Capital Allocations (London)
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis the Regional Office for London will be allocating the general allocation for capital; and if he will list the amount to be allowed to each London health authority. [75134]
Mr. Denham: The basis for capital allocations is in accordance with the priorities set out in Health Service Circular 1998/214. Initial capital allocations to National Health Service trusts and health authorities are set out in the table. Further allocations will be made throughout the year following approval of business cases.
Notes:
1. Above list excludes Trusts potentially involved in mergers.
2. Above excludes additional allocations from A&E and Waiting List Capital Modernisation Funds, together with contribution from general allocation which will be used to supplement the money from the Modernisation Fund.
15 Mar 1999 : Column: 554
Waiting Lists
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate how many people in each health region are currently waiting for an appointment with a consultant following referral by a general practitioner; if he will provide a breakdown of the length of time for which those people (a) have already waited and (b) are expected to wait; and if he will list for each region the waiting time being given to new entrants to this waiting list for (i) ear, nose and throat, (ii) trauma and orthopaedic, (iii) general surgery, (iv) ophthalmology and (v) gynaecology consultants. [75041]
Mr. Denham:
Available information on waiting times for first outpatient appointments following general practitioner written referral is shown in the table. Information on expected waiting times is not available centrally.
15 Mar 1999 : Column: 555
| Region | Number who had been waiting 13 to 25 weeks | Number who had been waiting 26 plus weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Northern and Yorkshire | 36,569 | 17,764 |
| Trent | 35,903 | 20,784 |
| Anglia and Oxford | 34,480 | 14,850 |
| North Thames | 54,606 | 20,841 |
| South Thames | 40,305 | 15,005 |
| South and West | 35,109 | 17,283 |
| West Midlands | 31,366 | 11,353 |
| North West | 54,880 | 26,534 |
| England | 323,218 | 144,404 |
Note:
Figures derived from waiting times form QM08 completed by National Health Service trusts each quarter.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting for hospital treatment in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area in (a) October 1998, (b) November 1998, (c) December 1998 and (d) January 1999. [72888]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 25 February 1999]: Mid Essex Hospital National Health Service Trust's total waiting list was 11,832 at 31 October 1998; 11,347 at 30 November 1998; 11,359 at the end of December 1998; and 11,172 at the end of January 1999.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |