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Genetically Modified Food
Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out the terms of reference for the trials on patients in a Newcastle hospital involving genetically modified food. [85741]
Mr. Rooker: Any potential health risks that could arise as a result of the transfer of transgenes from genetically modified (GM) foods to human gut flora and gut cells are considered by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) as part of its rigorous safety assessment of such products. All the GM foods which have been approved for use in the UK to date have been assessed as safe for human consumption.
The project in question is being funded to provide further background data to quantify the very low probability of such transfer occurring, by examining some model systems. The majority of the work involves looking at in vitro systems for possible transfer of genes from GM micro-organisms to human gut flora and to isolated gut cells. It will also investigate the survival of GM material derived from plants in the human small intestine, firstly by looking at a model, in vitro, system which mimics the conditions in the small intestine. This will then be followed up by human volunteer studies to evaluate the applicability of the model to the in vivo situation.
The terms of reference of this work require the contractor to warrant that human volunteer studies carried out as part of the contract have obtained written approval from an ethics committee which has been properly constituted in accordance with all published guidelines, in particular those of the Department of Health.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what requirements are placed on honey producers in respect of the labelling of honey which may contain genetically modified pollen. [85923]
Mr. Rooker:
Any food, including honey, that contains genetically modified (GM) material must be clearly labelled in accordance with EC Regulations 258/97 and 1139/98.
8 Jun 1999 : Column: 249
Mr. Soames:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many licences to cull cormorants were issued by Her Majesty's Government in each of the last five years. [85773]
Mr. Morley:
Licences are issued to shoot a limited number of cormorants as an aid to scaring. The number of licences issued for the last five years in England are as follows:
| Number of licences issued | |
|---|---|
| 1 May 1994-30 April 1995 | 35 |
| 1 May 1995-30 April 1996 | 50 |
| 1 May 1996-30 April 1997 | 47 |
| 1 May 1997-30 April 1998 | 70 |
| 1 May 1998-28 February 1999(18) | 71 |
(18) Latest figures available
Details of licences issued in Wales and Scotland are the responsibility of the respective Secretaries of State.
Fisheries
Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the annual (a) value and (b) tonnage of fish caught by British-owned fishing vessels in each of the last five years. [84907]
Mr. Morley: The value and tonnage of catches landed by UK registered fishing vessels during the last five years was as follows:
| Year | Quantity (000 tonnes) | Value (£ million) |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 857.6 | 526.0 |
| 1994 | 874.9 | 561.4 |
| 1995 | 911.8 | 590.1 |
| 1996 | 892.3 | 636.5 |
| 1997 | 881.9 | 621.9 |
Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the number of jobs sustained (a) afloat and (b) ashore by the activities of British-owned fishing vessels. [84908]
Mr. Morley: Data from an annual survey indicate that the number of UK fishermen in 1997 was 18,604.
The annual Census of Employment carried out by the Office for National Statistics indicates that in 1997 there were 19,454 people employed in the processing and preserving of fish in Great Britain.
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 15 April 1999, Official Report, column 319, on special advisers, if he will give the total travel cost of each occasion when advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity since 2 May 1997 and the place visited. [82409]
8 Jun 1999 : Column: 250
Mr. Nick Brown:
For the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 1999, my predecessor's Special Advisers travelled overseas in an official capacity on 4 occasions to Brussels and South Africa. The total cost of travel and any hotel accommodation was £5,978.
My Special Advisers have travelled overseas in an official capacity on nine occasions to Brussels, Luxembourg and Stockholm. The total cost of travel and any hotel accommodation was £4,790.
In addition a Special Adviser travelled with me to Latin America in an official capacity on one occasion. The total cost of travel and any hotel accommodation was £5,023. These costs were met by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
All travel was judged to comply with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle passports have been produced at the Cattle Traceability Centre in Workington in each week in the last six months. [85465]
Mr. Rooker:
The number of cattle passports produced by the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) each week in the last six months is as follows:
| Week commencing | Number of passports produced |
|---|---|
| 16 November 1998 | 51,153 |
| 23 November 1998 | 54,860 |
| 30 November 1998 | 50,277 |
| 7 December 1998 | 59,383 |
| 14 December 1998 | 33,807 |
| 21 December 1998 | 36,710 |
| 28 December 1998 | 12,094 |
| 4 January 1999 | 59,595 |
| 11 January 1999 | 49,958 |
| 18 January 1999 | 52,910 |
| 25 January 1999 | 39,091 |
| 1 February 1999 | 37,935 |
| 8 February 1999 | 33,540 |
| 15 February 1999 | 47,021 |
| 22 February 1999 | 35,189 |
| 1 March 1999 | 54,290 |
| 8 March 1999 | 48,715 |
| 15 March 1999 | 52,226 |
| 22 March 1999 | 67,112 |
| 29 March 1999 | 57,496 |
| 5 April 1999 | 49,199 |
| 12 April 1999 | 115,476 |
| 19 April 1999 | 81,361 |
| 26 April 1999 | 90,455 |
| 3 May 1999 | 39,107 |
| 10 May 1999 | 129,758 |
| 17 May 1999 | 90,820 |
| Total for period | 1,529,538 |
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will account for the delay in responding to the question from the right hon. Member
8 Jun 1999 : Column: 251
for Penrith and the Border of 13 May 1999 [84698]; and if he was in possession of a provisional agenda at the time of issuing a holding answer. [85632]
Mr. Nick Brown:
At the time the holding reply was issued the Council had concluded. I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Rammell) on 24 May 1999, Official Report, columns 40-41, on the outcome of the Council.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of health risks related to higher dose supplements and vitamins. [85268]
Mr. Rooker
[holding answer 26 May 1999]: The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) has recommended that caution needs to be exercised in the use of high doses of purified supplements of micronutrients as they cannot be assumed to be without risk. It has also advised against the use of beta carotene supplements as a means of protecting against cancer.
The Government have since established the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals to consider the safety of vitamins and minerals in supplements sold under food law. It is expected to complete its task around the end of 2000.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what negotiations he has had with his European Union partners on policy relating to higher dose supplements and vitamins. [85269]
Mr. Rooker
[holding answer 26 May 1999]: The EU Commission is considering the possibility of harmonising controls on the sale of vitamin and mineral supplements but has not yet issued any proposals for legislation. There have not therefore been any negotiations on this matter.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the latest agenda of the Fisheries Council of 10 June, prior to the meeting. [85633]
Mr. Morley:
The agenda for the Council is expected to cover: reform of the structural funds for fisheries; a draft Council Regulation on serious infringements of the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy; the allocation of blue whiting TACs and new TACs for spurdog and Northern shrimp; an interim report from the Commission on its cost/benefit analysis of Third Country Agreements; EU fisheries relations with Morocco; follow-up to the Bergen Inter-Ministerial Meeting; and Sandeel conservation. Under Any Other Business Italy will be raising the situation in the Adriatic as a consequence of the Kosovo conflict.
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