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Genetically Modified Organisms

Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations Ministers in his Department have received on genetically modified organisms and the biotechnology industry from the US Government. [72760]

Mr. Rooker [holding answer 1 March 1999]: Genetically modified organisms and the biotechnology industry have been raised on three occasions by representatives of the US Government since May 1997. This took place during meetings between my right hon. Friend the previous Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the US Ambassador to London on 26 November 1997; and between my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and (a) the US Trade Representative, Ambassador Barshefsky, on 23 October 1998 and (b) Mr. Dan Glickman, the US Agriculture Secretary, on 22 January 1999.

English Wine

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are (a) the maximum permitted quota for English wine, (b) the current output of English vineyards and (c) the types of grapes which are allowed to be grown in England. [76159]

Mr. Morley: There is no quota for English wine. Because of the UK climate, vineyard output is variable: average production in England and Wales over the period 1993-97 was 16,344 hectolitres, while in 1997 (the last available year) it was 6,523 hectolitres. The vine varieties which may be used for table wine and quality wine in the UK are set out in the CAP (Wine) Regulations 1996, as amended.

Flood and Coastal Defences

Mr. Gummer: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish his Department's revised Flood and Coastal Defence Project Appraisal Guidance Notes. [76372]

Mr. Morley: We plan to replace the Project Appraisal Guidance Notes with a series of six documents covering strategic planning and appraisal; economic appraisal; risk assessment; environmental appraisal; post project evaluation in addition to an introductory volume. The series will be published over the next eighteen months. The guidance on economic appraisal is nearing finalisation and publication is due by the summer.

Mr. Gummer: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those who have been formally asked to comment on drafts of his Department's Flood and Coastal Defence Project Appraisal Guidance Notes; and if he will publish a list of consultees and their responses. [76380]

Mr. Morley: Prior to embarking on a review of the Project Appraisal Guidance Notes operating authorities--the Environment Agency, local authorities and Internal Drainage Bodies--the Ministry's Flood and Coastal Defence Policy and Review Group consultants and contractors were consulted on their effectiveness and provided the opportunity to contribute to a revision. We concluded that the current Notes should be replaced with a series which would continue to elaborate Treasury

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guidelines, but would update and present existing guidance in a single series. Preparation of these documents is being progressed under the guidance of specific steering groups with appropriate representation drawn from among operating authorities, English nature, and consultants.

Appointments

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those people he has appointed to public bodies since 1 November 1998, indicating the positions to which they have been appointed and if they receive remuneration. [76413]

Mr. Morley: The following appointments or re-appointments have been made since 1 November 1998:













































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Electronic Red Boxes

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will name the Ministers in his Department who are regular users of electronic Red Boxes. [76180]

Mr. Nick Brown: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, the Cabinet Office on 16 March 1999, Official Report, columns 651-52.

No "laptop red boxes" are currently in use in my Department.

Wildlife Protection

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what measures he has put in place to improve protection for wildlife. [77187]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 16 March 1999]: The Government are committed to a continuing expansion of areas under agreement under the major agri-environment schemes and are making an extra £40 million available over the next three years for these schemes in England.

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Other measures include introducing stronger protection for internationally important wildlife sites from flooding and coastal erosion, persuading the European Commission to simplify the arrangements for voluntary set-aside to enable it to be of greater benefit for wildlife, encouraging the development of the flax protocol, and updating Codes of Practice for Pesticides and the Protection of Water, Soil and Air.

Multinational Food Companies

Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards, and what assessment he has made of, the implications for food security of the increased role of multinational companies in the food chain. [76499]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 16 March 1999]: My Department has every confidence in the security of food supplies due to the diverse make-up of the sector which ranges from a myriad of small domestic companies through to a small number of large multinational companies. Each has its own important role to play in the market place.