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Fishing Discards
Mr. Nicholls: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate by area in relation to each species of fish covered by quota, the amount of fish discarded from United Kingdom registered fishing vessels in the last five years; what proportion of the fish discarded in each case were (a) of a marketable condition and (b) undersized; and if he will make a statement. [90733]
Mr. Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 17 June 1999, Official Report, columns 216-18, and 8 July 1999, Official Report, column 626.
Research work is continuing on why fish are discarded.
Glyphosate
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of the use of the herbicide glyphosphate when it is applied to the land as an aid in conservation tillage schemes. [90599]
Mr. Rooker: I believe my hon. Friend is referring to the herbicide glyphosate. All pesticides are subject to strict statutory control and are approved only following thorough scientific evaluation of the risk that they pose to people, wildlife and to the wider environment. Only if this assessment shows that there is no unacceptable risk will approval be granted.
Glyphosate has been approved as a herbicide since 1974. The environmental impact of its use in conservation tillage schemes would have been assessed at that time. Glyphosate is currently being reviewed by the EU Commission and the UK is playing an active part in this work. The review is expected to be completed by about late 2000.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Brady: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many parliamentary questions were tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day between May 1997 and 14 April 1999; and what percentage of them received a substantive response on that named day. [91067]
Mr. Morley:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 15 April 1999, Official Report, column 322. All questions for a named day up to 14 April 1999 were tabled by 31 March 1999.
14 Jul 1999 : Column: 266
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those sectors of the food and drink industry which are obliged to pay for the inspection of their products. [90383] R
Mr. Rooker:
In the food and drink industry, charges are made for the hygiene inspection of meat, milk production and fish. Where export certification is required, the necessary inspections are paid for by the industry. In addition, the industry also pays for the sampling and analysis of food of animal origin for residues of veterinary medicines, and the agrochemical sector pays part of the cost of the pesticide residue monitoring arrangements.
Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total amount spent by the EU on the subsidising of dumping of surplus fruit and vegetables in the most recent year for which figures are available. [90421]
Mr. Rooker
[holding answer 12 July 1999]: Unpublished EU figures give the total cost of compensation for fruit and vegetables withdrawn from the market as £96.56 million 1 for the financial year ending 15 October 1998.
Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement explaining the total amount spent by the EU on the disposal of fruit and vegetables in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and if he will list the tonnage of each particular fruit and vegetable so disposed of. [90422]
Mr. Rooker
[holding answer 12 July 1999]: The Government have no wish to see good food go to waste and have consistently opposed the system of paying compensation for produce withdrawn from the market, arguing that it distorts the market and encourages surpluses. The reform of the EU fruit and vegetable regime in 1996 was a step in the right direction, providing for reductions in withdrawal prices and volumes withdrawn over the first six years of the reform. The reform also encouraged greater use of free distribution to charities and other non-profit making institutions. A considerable amount of produce withdrawn in the UK has been distributed to such bodies in the past year.
1 Source:
EU Commission data, converted from ecu to £ using representative rate on 31 December 1998.
Source:
EU Commission data
14 Jul 1999 : Column: 267
Dairy Hygiene Inspection Charges
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the levels of dairy hygiene inspection charges, or equivalent, levied in each European Union member state in sterling. [90856]
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Mr. Rooker:
The information requested is not currently available. I have asked for inquiries to be made about charges in other member states and I will write to my hon. Friend when I have further information.
Mr. Paterson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many invitations (a) he and (b) the Minister have received to visit slaughterhouses since their appointments; and how many each has visited. [88337]
Mr. Nick Brown
[pursuant to his reply, 7 July 1999, c. 554]: My hon. Friend the Minister of State has visited slaughterhouses on nine occasions since 1 May 1997.
14 Jul 1999 : Column: 267