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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 15 March 2000
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Lindane
Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to control the importation of seeds treated with Lindane; what estimate he has made of the quantity of such seeds imported within the last month for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [112560]
Ms Quin [holding answer 7 March 2000]: A ban on seed treatment uses of lindane was introduced in July 1999 following advice from the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) that the level of exposure of those treating seed with lindane was above acceptable levels. However, the ACP was satisfied that seed already treated and present in the supply chain posed no concerns.
EU seeds marketing directives, which have been implemented by seeds marketing regulations in this country, do not require nor permit controls to be placed on the importation of seeds treated with lindane. Consequently, my Department does not have the statistical information available to enable any reliable estimate to be made of the quantity of imported seeds treated with lindane.
Pets (Travel)
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what safeguards have been put in place to ensure that animal owners participating in the pets travel pilot scheme are not overcharged for any of the services required to clear their pets for travel; and if he will make a statement. [113741]
Ms Quin: The charges made by veterinary surgeons to their clients for animals participating in the pets scheme are a private matter between the client and the veterinary surgeon. However, pet owners should consider shopping around between veterinary practices. The Guidance issued to all veterinary surgeons by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) states that they must give realistic fee estimates based on treatment options. If clients feel that a veterinary surgeon has acted unprofessionally in setting fees they should contact the RCVS. Alternatively, if they feel that there may have been an infringement of trading standards legislation, they should contact the local Trading Standards Office.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department has issued to pet owners to enable them to identify veterinary surgeons in France and Belgium who are able to provide the required tick and tapeworm treatment for animals under the pets travel pilot scheme; and if he will make a statement. [113740]
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Ms Quin:
We encourage pet owners to (a) consult official lists of veterinary surgeons held by the French local authorities, or other sources of local information, (b) seek advice from their transport operators as to vets that are available. In addition, each British Consulate in France will hold a copy of the Annual Directory of Veterinary Surgeons in France. In Belgium, information on vets providing this treatment is available on the British Embassy and Belgian Ministry websites and to telephone inquirers to the Embassy and Consular Offices and the Belgian Ministry helpline. Several of the transport companies participating in the PETS pilot provide lists of veterinary surgeons in France who are able to provide treatment required under the PETS scheme. There are also several independent websites which provide details of English-speaking vets in other member states.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the cost per animal of (a) vaccination against rabies, (b) insertion of a microchip and (c) treatment against ticks and tapeworms in connection with the pets travel pilot scheme. [113739]
Ms Quin:
The charges made by veterinary surgeons to their clients for animals participating in the pets scheme are a private matter between the client and the veterinary surgeon. However, an indicative cost of treatment in the UK would be as follows: £50 for an initial vaccination against rabies, £30 for insertion of a microchip and from £25 for treatment against ticks and tapeworms.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to implement Recommendation 10 of the Red Tape Working Group on the Meat Industry. [113882]
Ms Quin
[holding answer 10 March 2000]: A meeting of the Government/Industry Working Group Microbiology Sub-Group has been arranged for 5 April with a view to recommending standards which plants would have to meet to be considered for exemption from Hygiene Assessment Scores procedures.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to commence the next quinquennial review of the Meat Hygiene Service. [113883]
Ms Quin
[holding answer 10 March 2000]: The Meat Hygiene Service transfers to the Food Standards Agency on 1 April 2000; it will be for the latter to decide when to carry out a Quinquennial Review.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tenanted farms there are in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire; what is the percentage of these farms compared to the total farming area of (i) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (ii) Shropshire; and if he will make a statement. [114381]
Ms Quin
[holding answer 13 March 2000]: The table provides information on farms with all their agricultural land subject to a tenancy agreement.
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| (a) | (b) | |
|---|---|---|
| Shrewsbury and Atcham | Shropshire | |
| Number of wholly tenanted farms | 119 | 658 |
| Percentage of agricultural land in the area accounted for by these farms | (1)13.4 | (1)15.2 |
Source:
Agricultural and Horticultural Census, 1999
Dairy Calves
Mr. Peter Atkinson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many male dairy calves have been registered with BCMS, Workington in the three months following the end of the Calf Slaughter Scheme. [111503]
Ms Quin [holding answer 28 February 2000]: In the three months following the end of the Calf Processing Aid Scheme in July 1999 BCMS registered 144,128 male dairy calves on the Cattle Tracing System database.
WALES
NHS Trusts
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial arrangements are being made in respect of the NHS trusts in Wales dissolved on 1 April 1999 in connection with the new NHS trusts established on that day. [115216]
Mr. Paul Murphy: Pursuant to the dissolution of 20 NHS trusts in Wales on 1 April 1999 and their reconfiguration through the establishment of 10 new trusts on that date, and the remission of the outstanding debt of each of the dissolved trusts, HM Treasury presented a minute to the House on 14 March 2000 giving particulars and circumstances of the remission proposed by the National Assembly for Wales, which it has approved in principle.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Segregation Units
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the longest period of time that (a) men and (b) women had been held in a segregation unit in a prison in England and Wales on 1 March. [113835]
Mr. Boateng: The information requested cannot be obtained from the centrally available data.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the regimes to be followed in the segregation units of prisons in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [114250]
Mr. Boateng:
Prison Service Performance Standards require that there is a published regime for all segregation units, which is known and observed by prisoners and staff. The published regime takes account of exercise, shower or bath, visits, education, library and telephone calls.
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Prison Service Order 1700 is to be published in the summer of 2000 and a copy will be placed in the Library. It will provide specific guidance on the management of segregation units and the standards by which they will be measured. The Order makes it a requirement to have a published regime. Regimes for individual prisoners can be varied by governors following an assessment of the risks involved.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) boys and (b) girls under the age of 16 years were serving a custodial sentence on 1 March. [113832]
Mr. Boateng:
The latest available information for persons held in Prison Service establishments is for 31 January 2000. On that date, there were 166 males and five females aged 15 years serving a custodial sentence in prisons in England and Wales. Information on the numbers held in Secure Training Centres (STCs) is available only for the current date and shows that on 9 March there were 103 sentenced 12-14 year-old males held. Information on other persons aged less than 16 years in local authority accommodation is published in a Department of Health statistical bulletin entitled "Children Accommodated in Secure Units". This information is presented on a financial year basis with the last report covering the year ending 31 March 1999.
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