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Social Fund
Mr. Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to publish his annual report on the Social Fund for 1998-99 and the Social Fund Commissioner's annual report. [91644]
Angela Eagle: The Secretary of State's annual report on the Social Fund for 1998-99 (Cm 4351) was published today and has been laid before Parliament.
The report records that total gross expenditure in 1998-99 was £558 million. This included 225,000 non-repayable grants and 1,801,000 interest free loans together worth £501 million and funeral, maternity and cold weather payments totalling £57.2 million. In addition, around 10 million pensioners in over 7 million households received winter fuel payments totalling £200 million.
The Social Fund Commissioner's annual report has also been published today and copies have been placed in the Library.
Mr. Rapson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will make available the 1998-99 annual reports and accounts for each of his Next Steps agencies. [91645]
Mr. Darling:
The 1998-99 annual reports and accounts for the Benefits Agency (HC 580), Child Support Agency (HC 533), Information Technology Services Agency (HC 518), War Pensions Agency (HC 527) and Contributions Agency (HC 523) have been laid before Parliament today. The Contributions Agency transferred to the Inland Revenue on 1 April 1999.
Organophosphorous Sheep Dips
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 1 July 1999, Official Report, column 267, on a report from the Institute of Occupational Medicine on the effects of exposure to organophosphorous sheep dips, when he expects to receive advice from the Veterinary Products Committee; and if he will make a statement. [91660]
Mr. Rooker: I have received advice from the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) on the implications of the IOM report for marketing authorisations of OPs and, in particular, OP sheep dips. A copy of the VPC's advice has been placed in the Library of the House.
I have accepted the VPC's recommendation that marketing authorisation holders should be asked to submit practical and workable plans to improve and standardise the design of sheep dip containers. If such plans are not submitted within three months, action will be commenced to revoke marketing authorisations.
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I have also accepted recommendations on emphasising the importance of handling OP concentrate safely in advice to farmers and in training and the examination which leads to the issue of a Certificate of Competence. We are giving urgent consideration to the recommendation that handlers of OP sheep dip concentrate should be required to hold a Certificate of Competence.
The VPC made it clear that this is interim advice. The VPC will be offering further advice together with COT and the other independent advisory committees before the end of the year.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce the outcome of his review of quarantine regulations applying to animals originating from the United States and Canada. [90501]
Mr. Rooker:
An announcement will be made as soon as possible.
Joan Ruddock:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, (1) pursuant to his answer of 7 July 1999, Official Report, column 554, if he will list the amounts of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphoric acid in residues of glufosinate-treated conventionally bred soya and genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant soya and the residues of glufosinate in conventionally bred soya and glufosinate and n-acetyl glufosinate in genetically modified varieties treated with glufosinate ammonium; and what the maximum permitted United Kingdom levels of retained residue are for each chemical; [91183]
Mr. Rooker:
[holding answer 13 July 1999]: Glyphosate: Experimental studies indicate that two major residues may be found in soya and maize crops treated with glyphosate. The residues concerned are glyphosate itself and its metabolite aminomethylphosphoric acid (AMPA). These two residues occur in both conventionally treated and genetically modified (GM) glyphosate tolerant crops. However, the levels of the metabolite AMPA are generally higher in the GM crops.
The maximum residue level (MRL) permitted for glyphosate in maize in the UK is 0.1 mg/kg. This was the lowest level at which glyphosate could be reliably detected at the time the MRL was set, so represents an effective 'zero'. No MRL has been set for AMPA, as it is of less toxicological significance to humans than glyphosate.
The UK MRL for glyphosate on soya is 20 mg/kg. All maize and soya, including imports of GM and conventional crops, must comply with these MRLs.
The Government carried out monitoring for residues of glyphosate in imported and home produced maize during 1998. The results of this monitoring, including information on the actual levels found, will be published
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later this year. We are monitoring for residues of glyphosate and its metabolite in soya products during 1999. The results will be published next year.
Glufosinate ammonium: In the case of glufosinate ammonium, the major residue in traditional soya varieties is glufosinate. In GM soya varieties, the major components of the residue are glufosinate and a metabolite n-acetyl glufosinate.
No consent has been given to market genetically modified glufosinate ammonium tolerant soya in Europe, so setting an MRL for n-acetyl glufosinate has not been considered. There are currently no UK statutory MRLs for glufosinate ammonium, but any food treated with glufosinate ammonium must pose no unacceptable risk to consumers under general UK food safety legislation. The Government are monitoring for residues of glufosinate ammonium and its metabolite in soya products during 1999. The results will be published in the year 2000.
Joan Ruddock:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent reports he has received from the United States Department of Agriculture on (a) the yields of genetically modified crops grown in the United States and (b) the quantities of chemical treatments used for such crops compared to non-genetically modified crops; and if he will make a statement. [91048]
Mr. Rooker
[holding answer 13 July 1999]: I have received no such reports from the US Department of Agriculture.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what comparative assessment his Department has made of the herbicide-residue levels in (a) GM soya and (b) non-GM soya; and if he will make a statement. [90722]
Mr. Rooker
[holding answer 13 July 1999]: Data on residue levels of the herbicide glyphosate in both traditionally bred and GM soya have been submitted to the EU in support of the Maximum Residue Level (MRL). The data for traditionally bred soya were evaluated by EU experts and assessed by all EU member states, including the UK, by the MRL setting process. Subsequently, the data for GM soya were evaluated. The same MRL was set.
No approval has been given for the marketing of glufosinate ammonium tolerant soya in the UK.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many kilometres have been travelled on his Department's business in each of the last three years broken down by (a) foot, (b) bike, (c) bus, (d) train, (e) tram, (f) light-rail, (g) plane, (h) motorbike, (i) car, (j) taxi, (k) river-taxi and (l) other modes of transport; what plans and targets his Department has to reduce the kilometres travelled by private transport by his Department's employees; and if he will make a statement. [91016]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 13 July 1999]: The information on business travel is not collected in the form requested and therefore cannot be provided. As published in the Integrated Transport White Paper in July 1998, the Government have set a target that all Government Department headquarters buildings and main buildings
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occupied by Executive Agencies should have Green Transport Plans by March 1999 and all other key buildings by March 2000.
(2) if he will list the chemical residues retained as a result of crop treatment of (a) imported genetically modified maize and (b) imported non-genetically modified maize; if he will give the amounts of each retained chemical and the current maximum permitted levels for each chemical. [91047]
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