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House Builders
Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on how many occasions the NHBC has taken court action against (a) Redrow and (b) other house builders over the past five years. [92496]
Mr. Raynsford: The NHBC is an independent private sector company and, with the exception of certain housing statistical returns provided by its subsidiary, NHBC Building Control Services Ltd., it does not report to my right hon. Friend on its day-to-day operations.
Conservation Areas
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Government have taken to ensure the favourable conservation status of special areas of conservation. [92797]
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 705
Mr. Meale:
The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 transpose the requirements of the EC Habitats Directive in England, Scotland and Wales. The Directive requires that member states should nominate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) which are the best areas to represent the range and variety of the habitats and species identified by the Directive.
The Government have recently announced that a virtually complete list of 340 wildlife sites nominated for special protection as candidate SACs under the Habitats Directive has been submitted to the European Commission.
It is a matter of Government policy that the Regulations should be applied to candidate sites as if the sites were already designated, and they are given the full protection of the Regulations to ensure their favourable condition. These sites are given the highest priority for conservation action by the nature conservation agencies.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the extent of trade within the UK of limestone pavement; what amount is traded with other European Union countries; and if the Government will ban trade in limestone pavements. [92798]
Mr. Meale:
The Limestone Pavement Biodiversity Action Plan Working Group, chaired by the Countryside Agency, has commissioned research into the extent and nature of trade in waterworn limestone. In the light of the report the Group will be advising Ministers whether a ban on trade is feasible.
In the meantime the Department fully supports the activities of the Limestone Pavement Action Group in seeking to discourage the sale and purchase of waterworn limestone.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made towards completing the Limestone Pavement Order process under section 34 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for England, Scotland and Wales; and when the process is expected to be completed. [92796]
Mr. Meale:
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority recently made seven further Limestone Pavement Orders (LPO), bringing the total in England to 92, and proposes to make a further seven in 1999. It is, therefore expected that all pavements in England will be protected under section 34 by the end of this year.
Scottish Natural Heritage will be considering making use of this provision. Information about important localities in Wales is being passed to local authorities. Several local authorities are considering making LPOs under section 34.
The making of LPOs in Scotland and Wales is a matter for the authorities there.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the GM crops being tested in pre-commercial farm-scale
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 706
trials, which contain antibiotic resistant marker genes, giving details of the marker genes concerned in each case. [92723]
Mr. Meale:
None of the genetically modified (GM) crops being grown under the joint Government/SCIMAC farm-scale evaluations contain functional antibiotic resistant marker genes.
Mr. Stinchcombe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is the Government's policy to seek an amendment of EC Directive 90/220/EEC so that companies with marketing consents for genetically modified crops must inform the relevant local authority of their intention to plant genetically modified crops in their area. [82261]
Mr. Meale:
The Government strongly support the revision of Council Directive 90/220/EEC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on which political agreement was reached at the recent EU Environment Council. The political agreement did not include provision that companies with marketing consents for genetically modified (GM) crops must inform the relevant local authority of their intention to plant GM crops in their area. However, the agreement does provide for mandatory consultation of the public on all releases. Provisions require the Commission to make all summary notifications for applications to place GMOs on the market and assessment reports available to the public, which has the right to comment within 30 days. Assessment reports and the opinions of the Scientific Committees for all consents issued and rejected must also be made available to the public.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department has commissioned or evaluated on the effects of herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant genetically-modified crops on the environment; and if he will make a statement. [92712]
Mr. Meale:
DETR carries out extensive research on the environmental impact of genetically modified (GM) crops. Two important recent reports are, "The Commercial use of Genetically Modified Crops in the United Kingdom: the Potential Wider Impact on Farmland Wildlife", that includes consideration of the environmental effects of both herbicide tolerant and insect resistant GM crops and "Environmental Risks of Herbicide Tolerant Oilseed Rape". Copies of both reports are in the Library.
The farm-scale evaluations--announced in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson) on 15 April 1999, Official Report, columns 301-02--are investigating whether there are any differences in the diversity and abundance of wildlife associated with the management of genetically modified (GM) herbicide tolerant oil seed rape and maize compared with the management of equivalent conventional crops.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what reports he has received about the effect of genetically-modified pollen on butterfly survival rates. [92632]
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 707
Mr. Meale:
My Department is aware of the potential risks of genetically modified (GM) insect resistant crops to non-target and beneficial organisms, and we are funding research to investigate these. This research will underpin future regulatory decision making.
My right hon. Friend the Minister for Environment reported in his reply to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 24 May 1999, Official Report, column 8, that the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) had been asked to give consideration to the report in Nature about the possible adverse effects of pollen from genetically modified insect resistant maize on the Monarch Butterfly in America. ACRE concluded that the laboratory studies presented in the article are preliminary and that more work needs to be done, particularly to study the effects under field conditions. Despite the questions remaining about the study, the results do suggest that Bt pollen from the genetically modified maize is harmful to Monarch butterfly larvae under the laboratory conditions tested, although this may not necessarily reflect what actually happens in the natural environment.
This study alone does not justify any immediate action in the UK. There are currently no Bt crops being grown here and none will be for the next three years. The issues raised in the Nature article will be kept under review by ACRE and no GM crops will be given approval if there is reason to believe the pollen would harm the environment.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department has commissioned or evaluated on the impact of gene escape from genetically modified crops on wild plants; and if he will make a statement. [92708]
Mr. Meale:
DETR carries out extensive research on the environmental impact of genetically modified (GM) crops. Two important recent reports dealing with gene transfer from GM crops to wild relatives are "The Commercial use of Genetically Modified Crops in the United Kingdom: the Potential Wider Impact on Farmland Wildlife", and "Environmental Risks of Herbicide Tolerant Oilseed Rape". Copies of both reports are in the Library. Ongoing research commissioned by MAFF on pollen transfer will be published when the work is complete.
Mr. Woodward:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to give statutory force to local transport plans. [91529]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
We believe that there would be advantages in making local transport plans statutory and propose to legislate in due course.
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