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Agriculture (Somerset)
Mr. Ashdown: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people were employed in agriculture in Somerset in each year from 1984-85 to 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement. [111963]
Ms Quin [holding answer 28 February 2000]: People employed on main agricultural holdings in Somerset for the years 1984-85 to 1999-2000 are as follows:
| Employees | Total labour | |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 7,081 | 15,373 |
| 1985 | 7,187 | 15,436 |
| 1986 | 6,924 | 15,241 |
| 1987 | 6,808 | 15,229 |
| 1988 | 6,970 | 15,398 |
| 1989 | 6,579 | 15,056 |
| 1990 | 6,604 | 14,863 |
| 1991 | 6,501 | 14,605 |
| 1992 | 6,385 | 14,503 |
| 1993 | 6,491 | 14,611 |
| 1994 | 5,984 | 14,282 |
| 1995 | 5,879 | 13,866 |
| 1996 | 5,696 | 13,715 |
| 1997 | 5,724 | 13,695 |
| 1998 | 5,764 | 13,841 |
| 1999 | 5,277 | 13,197 |
Notes:
1. Employees consists of salaried managers, regular workers and seasonal/casual workers.
2. Total labour consists of employees and principal farmers, spouses, other farmers, partners and directors.
3. In 1998, fundamental changes were introduced to the labour questions on the June Agricultural and Horticultural Census in England, Wales and Scotland. It appears that this change in questions may have led to the recording of additional Labour who were not previously included in the returns. The change in questions has also led to a redistribution of labour between the various categories, most notably for salaried managers.
4. We therefore advise caution when comparing the 1998 results with previous years.
Source:
Agricultural and Horticultural Census
6 Mar 2000 : Column: 533W
Milk
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his latest estimates for the price paid to farmers, in (a) pence and (b) euros per litre for milk in (i) the UK and (ii) in each of the EU member states which has a milk sector. [111788]
Ms Quin: 1998 is the latest year for which farm-gate milk prices are available for all member states. The table shows the annual average price paid to farmers in 1998 for milk in each EU member state for raw milk, based on a milk fat content of 3.7 per cent. to ensure comparability. 1997 prices have been shown for comparison.
| £ per 100kg | Euros per 100kg | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member state | 1997 | 1998 | 1997 | 1998 |
| Austria | 18.63 | 18.60 | 26.91 | 27.50 |
| Belgium | 18.35 | 18.25 | 26.50 | 26.98 |
| Denmark | 21.37 | 20.83 | 30.87 | 30.80 |
| Finland | 22.11 | 20.99 | 31.94 | 31.03 |
| France | 19.47 | 19.31 | 28.13 | 28.55 |
| Germany | 19.52 | 19.96 | 28.19 | 29.51 |
| Greece | 23.32 | 22.13 | 33.69 | 32.72 |
| Ireland | 19.54 | 18.89 | 28.23 | 27.92 |
| Italy | 25.78 | 23.57 | 37.24 | 34.84 |
| Luxembourg | 19.86 | 20.16 | 28.69 | 29.81 |
| Netherlands | 20.19 | 29.69 | 29.17 | 30.59 |
| Portugal | 19.87 | 19.20 | 28.70 | 28.39 |
| Spain | 18.76 | 18.93 | 27.10 | 27.99 |
| Sweden | 23.50 | 22.15 | 33.94 | 32.75 |
| United Kingdom | 20.67 | 18.10 | 29.85 | 26.75 |
Notes:
1. Prices are reported to Eurostat by member state in national currency per 100kg
2. Conversion factors to litres are not available for each member state. In the UK 1 litre is approximately equal to 1.03kg of milk
Source:
Eurostat
Feeding Stuffs Regulations
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what recent representations he has received concerning the impact of proposed Regulation 13 of the Draft Feeding Stuffs Regulations 2000 on animal husbandry in the hill and upland areas of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement; [112066]
- (2) if he will amend Regulation 13 of the Draft Feeding Stuffs Regulation 2000 to allow the continued use for animal husbandry in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland of cobalt, selenium, copper and other trace minerals. [112065]
Ms Quin [holding answer 28 February 2000]: My Department has received a large number of representations concerned with the effect of the proposed regulation including on hill and upland areas of the United Kingdom.
Our recent consultation on the draft Feeding Stuffs Regulations 2000 specifically requested comments on this regulation. This was in order that all the implications of such a measure on additives in animal husbandry used outside feeds could be assessed. We will be in a position to make a decision on this issue shortly, when we have considered all the responses.
6 Mar 2000 : Column: 534W
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much agrimonetary compensation has been received by British farmers in the last three years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [111783]
Ms Quin:
The approximate figures are set out for the following CAP scheme years.
| Scheme Year | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 85 |
| 1998 | 48 |
| 1999 | 264 |
Because payments relate to scheme years, some of the expenditure falls between calendar years.
Fish Discards
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the research study on discards commissioned from Nautilus Consultants will be completed. [112345]
Mr. Morley: The study commenced in June 1999 and will take 18 months to complete. The final report is expected in December this year.
Pig Industry
Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many times he has raised the issue of BSE-related costs to the pig industry with the Agriculture Commissioner in Brussels in the last 12 months; [111704]
- (2) when he last raised the issue of BSE-related costs to the pig industry with the Farm Commissioner in Brussels. [111705]
Ms Quin: Ministers and officials have had a number of discussions with the European Commission in the last 12 months on the current difficulties being faced by UK pig producers. My right hon. Friend's most recent discussions with Agriculture Commissioner Fischler were in the margins of the Agriculture Council on Monday 24 January and at the National Farmers Union Annual General Meeting on 1 February.
Greyhounds
Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent research his Department has conducted into the welfare standards for racing greyhounds raised in the UK in Vietnam; and if he will make a statement. [112389]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 1 March 2000]: No such studies have been undertaken by this Department. We have no powers in relation to the matter raised.
6 Mar 2000 : Column: 535W
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the members of SEAC, indicating which (a) are and (b) have been involved in the production of vaccines, and listing their declared commercial interests. [111899]
6 Mar 2000 : Column: 536W
Ms Quin
[holding answer 1 March 2000]: In accordance with the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee's code of practice, members are asked to declare any commercial and non-commercial interests. The table lists the members of SEAC and their currently declared interests. This information is also published in the Committee's Annual Report.
6 Mar 2000 : Column: 535W
Committee
6 Mar 2000 : Column: 539W
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