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Farmers (Low Interest Loans)

Dan Norris: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce low interest rate loans for farmers. [110236]

Ms Quin: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 24 January 2000, Official Report, column 13W.

Bees

Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what powers are available to him to control the importation of bees from New Zealand. [110122]

Ms Quin: Importation of bees into the UK is subject to the Importation of Bees Order 1997, which was made under the Bees Act 1980.

Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many consignments of bees from New Zealand have come to the United Kingdom in each of the last three years; and what authorisations he has issued for the importation of bees from New Zealand during 2000. [110123]

Ms Quin: Figures on the number of consignments are not available. However, the numbers of queen bees imported into the United Kingdom from New Zealand in the past three years are 1,305, 977 and 883 respectively. There have as yet been no imports of bees from New Zealand in 2000.

Genetic Modification

Mr. Webb: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to place genetically modified seeds on the National Seeds List; if any seeds so listed could thereby be used legally in animal feed; and if he will make it his policy not to list any GM seeds until the current programme of safety research has been completed. [109593]

Ms Quin [holding answer 11 February 2000]: Ministers are required by the Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 1982 (as amended) to consider

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applications for the entry of plant varieties to the UK National List. Such applications are considered against the requirements of these regulations: namely that a variety is distinct, uniform and stable (DUS) and has a value for cultivation and use (VCU) over those varieties already on the National List. Where the statutory criteria are met, a variety may be proposed for addition to the National List, and where they are not, it is proposed for refusal for addition to the National List. People affected by the proposed decision may make representations and be heard before the decision is taken.

In addition, before a GM plant variety may be proposed for addition to the National List, a marketing consent must have been promulgated under Directive 90/220/EEC, and where appropriate, clearance obtained under the Novel Foods Regulation No.258/97/EEC. Where all of these criteria have been met, a proposal may be made for addition of a plant variety to the National List.A GM forage maize variety (CHARDON LL) has completed National List tests and trials. The trait involved has a marketing clearance under Directive 90/220/EEC, including use for animal feed. It also has clearance under the Novel Foods Regulation. The application for the addition of this variety to the National List is being considered and a decision is likely to be taken shortly about whether to propose the variety for addition to the National List.

The UK's farm scale evaluation programme is additional to the environmental and health assessments of GM crops referred to above. The recent agreement between Government and SCIMAC precludes the general commercialisation of GM maize until 2003 at the earliest--subject to the results of the farm-scale evaluation programme. The programme is intended to provide objective evidence of the effect of growing of these GM crops on a farm scale on biodiversity.

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the antibiotic marker genes, and the antibiotics to which they convey resistance, that have been used in the genetic modification of crops which are used as animal feed in the United Kingdom. [109594]

Ms Quin [holding answer 11 February 2000]: Kanamycin and ampicillin resistance marker genes, in either complete or disrupted form, have been used in crops which could be used principally in the form of processed by-products in animal feed. These crops are not grown commercially in this country.

Farmers (Shropshire)

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers there were in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire in (i) 1997 and (ii) 1998. [110127]

Ms Quin: The figures requested are given in the tables:

Analysis of the agriculture labour force with Shrewsbury and Atcham

Category19971998
Total labour force2,0922,164
Total farmers, partners and spouses1,2751,281
Total all other workers817883


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Analysis of the agricultural labour force within Shropshire

Category19971998
Total labour force11,78212,069
Total farmers, partners and spouses7,1567,338
Total all other workers4,6264,731

Source:

Agricultural and Horticultural Census


In 1998 fundamental changes were introduced to the labour questions on the census. It appears that this change may have led to the recording of additional labour that was not previously included on the returns. The change on questions has also led to a redistribution of labour between the various categories. Caution is therefore advised when comparing the 1998 results with previous years.

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Farmers Network

Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to support the establishment of a national network of farmers' markets. [109807]

Ms Quin: We support the establishment of a national network of farmers' markets and we are working closely with the National Association of Farmers' Markets who have been set up to promote the development of farmers' markets.

BSE

Mr. Collins: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the latest figures for the incidence of BSE in Holstein cattle in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [105225]

Ms Quin [holding answer 18 January 2000]: From the start of the BSE epidemic until 1 January 2000, the numbers of BSE cases confirmed in the United Kingdom for Holstein cattle, Holstein cross cattle and similar breeds are given in the table.

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Number of confirmed cases in Friesian/Holstein breeds by year of restriction

Breed pre198819891990199119921993
Great Britain
Canadian Holstein--------------
Dutch Holstein----------1--
Friesian4141,8595,95811,64120,88529,32626,308
Friesian X50982044087131,1721,393
Holstein1651146274469472394
Holstein X------945132107
Red Friesian--2828507246
Red Friesian X----------2--
Red Holstein--------132
Red Holstein X----------1--
Total4802,0106,31612,36022,16331,18128,250
Northern Ireland
Friesian--42593138293367
Friesian X------141212
Friesian/Holstein----132----
Holstein----23135
Total--428100145308384
Total United Kingdom4802,0146,34412,46022,30831,48928,634

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Number of confirmed cases in Friesian/Holstein breeds by year of restriction

Breed 199419951996199719981999Total
Great Britain
Canadian Holstein------1----1
Dutch Holstein------------1
Friesian18,29710,7676,0113,0832,2281,438138,215
Friesian X1,2788655203373463287,712
Holstein2601591119096812,619
Holstein X8722112125432
Red Friesian47209732294
Red Friesian X--1--2----5
Red Holstein1--------18
Red Holstein X--------1--2
Total19,97011,8346,6623,5222,6861,855149,289
Northern Ireland
Friesian26713859151841,421
Friesian X21--------32
Friesian/Holstein------------6
Holstein743------28
Total27614362151841,487
Total United Kingdom20,24611,9776,7243,5372,7041,859150,776

Note:

Includes data from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man


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Incidence of disease cannot be calculated as my Department does not hold data on the number of cattle resident in the UK by breed.


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