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Grey Squirrels
Mr. Soames: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will re-instate the bounty for grey squirrel tails. [85772]
Mr. Morley:
No. We are taking several steps to help landowners protect woodland from the damage caused by grey squirrels. However, we do not consider that a bounty is an appropriate or satisfactory mechanism.
8 Jun 1999 : Column: 245
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) of 21 May 1999, Official Report, columns 451-52 on spending priorities, what has been the total grant paid through the fisheries grant scheme in each of the last five years; and what was the total grant allocation available for spending. [85853]
Mr. Morley:
The grant paid, in each of the last five years, for fishing vessel safety equipment grants, harbour grants, processing and marketing grants and port facilities grants against the grant allocation held by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for these schemes was as follows:
| Year | Allocation | Grant paid |
|---|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 5,819,000 | 5,060,452 |
| 1995-96 | 4,827,000 | 3,315,804 |
| 1996-97 | 4,572,000 | 1,573,884 |
| 1997-98 | 4,572,000 | 2,781,378 |
| 1998-99 | 4,072,000 | 2,176,749 |
Mr. Steen: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many grants and to what value have been given to the fishermen from (i) Brixham, (ii) Paignton, (iii) Kingswear, (iv) Dartmouth, (v) Salcombe and (vi) the West Country in total for harbour and fishing vessel safety equipment in each of the last five years. [85852]
Mr. Morley: No grants under the national harbour grant scheme or the EU port facilities grant scheme have been awarded to Brixham, Dartmouth, Kingswear, Paignton or Salcombe in the last five years. The numbers of projects and value of grants awarded to the West Country (Devon and Cornwall) under both schemes is as follows:
| Year | Projects | Amounts |
|---|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 4 | 112,000 |
| 1995-96 | 2 | 12,000 |
| 1996-97 | 3 | 66,000 |
| 1997-98 | 6 | 99,000 |
| 1998-99 | 2 | 112,000 |
| Total | 17 | 401,000 |
Information on numbers and value of grants for fishing vessel safety equipment is not held by port or region and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total grants available from (i) his Department and (ii) the EU for each of the last 10 years for fishing safety measures. [85952]
Mr. Morley:
Prior to the introduction of the Fishing Vessels (Safety Improvements) (Grants) Scheme 1993 fishing safety measures were subsumed in the wider fishing vessel modernisation schemes and separate
8 Jun 1999 : Column: 246
funding figures for these elements are not available. From 1993-94 the figures for this and subsequent schemes are as follows:
| Year | National (UK) | EU (England) |
|---|---|---|
| 1993-94 | 1,800 | 0 |
| 1994-95 | 2,500 | 50 |
| 1995-96 | 1,177 | 213 |
| 1996-97 | 965 | 212 |
| 1997-98 | 965 | 212 |
| 1998-99 | 965 | 212 |
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what grants will be available from (i) his Department and (ii) the EU for each of the next three years for fishing safety measures. [85953]
Mr. Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 21 May 1999, Official Report, columns 451-52 on spending priorities. This made clear that the fishing vessel safety equipment grants scheme was being closed to new applicants from that day. Thus, no further grants will be available for fishing safety measures from the Department. Neither will EU grants be available as these require national co-funding. However, all grant approvals in respect of applications received before 21 May will be honoured.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) of 21 May 1999, Official Report, columns 451-52 on spending priorities, what was the legislative authority for the introduction of the fishing vessel safety equipment grant; and what compliance cost assessment was carried out (a) at its introduction and (b) prior to its discontinuation. [85854]
Mr. Morley: The legislative authority for nationally funded fishing vessel safety equipment grants is the Fishing Vessels (Safety Improvements) (Grants) Scheme 1995 (SI 1995 No 1609) made under section 15 of the Fisheries Act 1981. The legislative authority for EU grants and the necessary national back-up grant is the Fisheries and Aquaculture Structures (Grants) Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No 1576).
Compliance cost assessments are not required for the introduction or discontinuation of grant schemes such as these.
Genetically Modified Crops
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what compensation is available for farmers whose businesses are compromised through the cross- pollination of their non-genetically modified crops with genetically modified crops. [86130]
Mr. Nick Brown:
The Government believe that observance of best agriculture practice, including the SCIMAC "Guidelines for growing newly developed herbicide tolerant crops" will ensure that the risk of cross pollination of non-GM crops, and hence compromise to neighbouring farmers' businesses, is minimised.
8 Jun 1999 : Column: 247
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what protection from cross-pollination of genetically modified crops and non-genetically modified crops exists for (a) organic farmers and (b) conventional farmers. [86129]
Mr. Nick Brown:
When evaluating applications for the release of genetically modified crops the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) considers the risks associated with cross pollination and would recommend conditions on the release consent if this was believed to be necessary. Additionally, the SCIMAC "Guidelines for growing newly developed herbicide tolerant crops" include separation distances between GM and non-GM (conventional and organic) crops to ensure that the risk of cross pollination is minimised.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that companies involved in the commercial growing of genetically modified crops segregate genetically modified crops from non-genetically modified crops. [86134]
Mr. Nick Brown:
The SCIMAC stewardship programme for the introduction of genetically modified crops launched on 21 May includes the key principle of preserving the identity of GM crops up to the point that they leave the farm gate. This will enable food processors and manufacturers to distinguish between GM and non-GM products and provide consumers with a choice if that is what they want.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the new measures he announced in his statement to the House on biotechnology on 21 May 1999, Official Report, columns 1371-84, will include the extension of buffer zones between fields of genetically modified crops and fields of non-genetically modified crops. [86132]
Mr. Nick Brown:
The statement by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office welcomed the SCIMAC "Guidelines for growing newly developed herbicide tolerant crops", which include separation distances between GM and non-GM crops to ensure that the risk of cross pollination is minimised. SCIMAC has indicated that it is happy to review these guidelines, including the separation distances, if new evidence shows that this is required.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the research commissioned by his Department into the cross-contamination between genetically modified crops and crops that are not genetically modified. [84533]
Mr. Nick Brown:
[holding answer 17 May 1999]: Yes. The report on organic farming and gene transfer from genetically modified crops, commissioned from the John Innes Centre, is being prepared by them for publication and we expect it to be published shortly.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what trials of the synthetically genetically engineered dairy hormone bovine somatotropin were conducted in the UK prior to the imposition of an EU moratorium and between which dates; how many farms
8 Jun 1999 : Column: 248
were involved; what the locations of the farms involved were; what quantity of milk containing this hormone was sold for human consumption; and if he will make a statement. [85743]
Mr. Rooker:
Two Animal Test Certificates (ATCs) were issued in 1985 under the terms of the Medicines Act 1968 to Monsanto Europe SA and Lilly Industries Ltd respectively. A total of 38 farms and agricultural institutes were used in the tests at sites across the country. The timing of trials and the location of the farms and institutes concerned are confidential to the manufacturers but all trials took place before the imposition of the EU moratorium. No conditions were applied to the disposal of milk from treated cows. The normal concentration of BST in milk is not affected by the treatment of cows with BST.
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