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Quarantine Kennels
Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department intends to enact the provisions of the Animal Health (Amendment) Act 1998, in respect of minimum animal welfare standards in quarantine kennels; and if he will make a statement. [115506]
Ms Quin [holding answer 22 March 2000]: Statutory welfare standards for dogs and cats in quarantine premises will be introduced in the same statutory instrument that will implement the full pet travel scheme. It is intended that this will be in place by the end of March 2001.
Regional Service Centres
Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to close regional service centres; and if he will make a statement. [116264]
Ms Quin [holding answer 23 March 2000]: No decisions have yet been taken on the future of the Ministry's regional service centres (RSCs) following the recent review of CAP scheme administration, which was commissioned to help us identify the best way to improve the service we offer to farmers and traders eligible to claim CAP payments, taking full advantage of the benefits offered by modern technology.
We are now considering, in the context of the spending review 2000, how best to restructure MAFF's RSCs and the Intervention Board Executive Agency. Any major restructuring will only be possible if funding can be made available.
My right hon. Friend the Minister has made it clear that he will not implement the recommendations of the review unless he is satisfied that we will be able to deliver real improvements in the service which MAFF and the Intervention Board currently provide to farmers and traders, as well as reductions in the cost to the taxpayer of administration of CAP payments.
We are also taking forward plans to align MAFF's other regional activities, particularly on rural development, with the Government Offices for the Regions. This will ensure that we are able to work effectively with other regional partners including the regional development agencies.
Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to ban the commercial release of GM crops until tests demonstrate that they are safe for (a) people and (b) the environment. [115032]
Mr. Meacher:
I have been asked to reply.
27 Mar 2000 : Column: 38W
It is the Government's policy to ban the commercial release of GM crops until it can be demonstrated that they are safe for people and the environment. The current European and UK legislation prohibits the commercial release of any genetically modified organism, including GM crops, until the applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of European member states that they will not cause harm to human health or the environment and a marketing consent has been issued under the terms of the Directive 90/220.
Mr. Brady:
To ask the Prime Minister what representations were made to him by (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Department of Trade and Industry regarding the Diamond Synchrotron Project. [115756]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 21 March 2000]: Since my response to a question in the House from the hon. Member for Wantage (Mr. Jackson) on 8 December 1999, Official Report, column 826. I have been kept fully informed by Ministers and officials in the Department of Trade and Industry on important issues relating to the New Synchrotron project.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Prime Minister what representations he received from, or on behalf of, the telecommunications industries between 20 January and 2 March in connection with the Utilities Bill; and if he will list the telecommunications companies involved. [115771]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 22 March 2000]: None.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list (a) the meetings and contacts he had with the telecommunications industry between 20 January and 2 March and (b) the telecommunications companies involved; and on which occasions ministers from the Cabinet Office attended. [115783]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 22 March 2000]: I have meetings with a wide range of individuals and organisations.
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Prime Minister which Government Ministers will attend the forthcoming United Nations Millennium Summit. [116252]
The Prime Minister:
The United Kingdom delegation to the summit has yet to be decided.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Prime Minister with what frequency he examines the comments posted by members of the public on the No. 10 interactive website he established in February; and what criteria he uses to judge whether comments should be deleted. [116265]
27 Mar 2000 : Column: 39W
The Prime Minister:
The No. 10 Downing Street Internet Site was relaunched on 11 February 2000. The public can post comments in the "Your Say" section. There have been more than 17,000 postings since the site's launch. "Your Say" is divided into two parts:
Postings are deleted in the following circumstances:
Irrelevant and dormant postings are removed to ensure the site operates as quickly as possible, and users can enjoy a focused discussion on the issues they are interested in. Inappropriate postings are deleted so that everyone (including young children) can use the discussion forums.
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 8 March 2000, Official Report, column 999, what steps he is taking to fulfil his commitment to assist pig farmers. [116239]
The Prime Minister:
In my speech to the National Farmers Union AGM on 1 February, I made it clear that further Government help for the UK pig industry had not been ruled out. But I made it equally clear that any investment by Government must be linked to long-term change in the structure of the industry and be part of an agreed overall strategy. How we take this forward will be part of the meeting I am holding with leaders from the agriculture and food industries on 30 March.
Mr. Ottaway:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 20 March 2000, Official Report, column 403W, on Roger Liddle, for what reason he did not provide the information requested about what occasions and at which venues during November and December 1999 his Defence and Foreign Affairs adviser made speeches in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) other European countries. [116127]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 24 March 2000]: As my answer of 20 March made clear, Mr. Liddle attended seminars during the period in question and made some introductory remarks. He did not speak from a written text.
27 Mar 2000 : Column: 40W
Mr. Breed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if the £500 subsidy for teachers purchasing computer equipment will be liable for income tax; [115565]
Mr. Wills:
The subsidy is an addition to income over and above salary, so income tax and national insurance contributions are payable. However, the DfEE has made arrangements with the Inland Revenue for these liabilities to be met centrally. No liability will fall on individual teachers, and they will not have to include the subsidy in any income tax return.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in each of the last 10 years. [115094]
Mr. Wills:
The Department's spending on advertising as the Department for Education and Employment, and previously as the Employment Department and Department for Education, over the past 10 years is:
(a) Policy Forum: the public are invited to respond to specific questions posed by the Government. I see a synopsis of the responses, and a selection of individual postings, which are sent to the relevant Government Department for a ministerial reply. I also receive a copy of the reply.
(b) Speakers' Corner: this is an open forum where people can submit postings on any issue. A monthly report is sent to me and I see a selection of individual postings.
(a) They are irrelevant (i.e. have no relation to the discussion stream into which they are posted);
(b) They are dormant (i.e. have not provoked any discussion for five or more days). This only applies to the Speakers' Corner section;
(c) They are inappropriate (including those containing offensive, defamatory or libellous comments).
(2) if the grant which teachers can claim towards computer purchase, as part of the "Computer for Teachers" initiative, is taxable as a benefit in kind. [115790]
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Employment Department | |
| 1989-90 | 2,016,305 |
| 1990-91 | 7,094,284 |
| 1991-92 | 9,154,140 |
| 1992-93 | 3,180,585 |
| 1993-94 | 7,259,450 |
| 1994-95 | 6,477,791 |
| 1995-96 | 7,713,740 |
| Department for Education | |
| 1989-90 | 260,883 |
| 1990-91 | 2,405,522 |
| 1991-92 | 2,562,505 |
| 1992-93 | 734,599 |
| 1993-94 | 1,379,573 |
| 1994-95 | 114,423 |
| 1995-96 | 582,134 |
| Department for Education and Employment | |
| 1996-97 | 7,537,917 |
| 1997-98 | (15)9,992,350 |
| 1998-99 | (16)15,673,258 |
(15) Of this £6,093.649 was used to attract businesses to New Deal
(16) Of this £6,578,202 was used to attract businesses to New Deal--by December 1999, New Deal had helped find jobs for 219,420 people and is helping cut welfare bills--and £1,848,223 was spent on a campaign to encourage parents to help with their children's reading.
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