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Bass Trawling
Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the results of the recent consultation on bass trawling regulations in respect of (a) the number, (b) the percentage of respondents (i) agreeing and (ii) disagreeing with the proposed regulations (c) the number and (d) the percentage of respondents in favour of (i) partial and (ii) complete closure of the offshore fishery for bass. [115774]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 27 March 2000]: There were a total of 174 responses to the consultation carried out last autumn about possible restrictions on landing bass from UK commercial vessels. Only 13 respondents (7.5 per cent.) were opposed to the proposals made. A total of 53 respondents (30.5 per cent.) wished to go further than the proposals and called for a complete closure of the fishery. The number of responses calling for a partial closure was not recorded.
Farmers (Early Retirement)
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to make assistance for early retirement available to farmers under the provisions of the Rural Development Regulation (EC No. 1750/1999). [116222]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 27 March 2000]: Neither the England Rural Development Plan nor the Northern Ireland Rural Development Plan include an early retirement scheme for farmers under the provisions of the Rural Development Regulation (EC No 1257/1999). These plans are subject to the approval of the European
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Commission and to mid-term reviews. Decisions on which measures to use were taken in the light of extensive consultation and an economic appraisal.
Implementation of the Rural Development Regulation in Scotland and Wales is a matter for the devolved administrations.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of recent trends in the value of agricultural land. [115949]
Ms Quin:
The most comprehensive information on the sales of agricultural land is collected by the Valuation Office Agency and is analysed and published by MAFF. The table shows the average price of all agricultural land sold in England from 1993 to 1998.
| Average sale | Price £/ha |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 3,791 |
| 1994 | 4,229 |
| 1995 | 4,788 |
| 1996 | 6,058 |
| 1997(6) | 6,456 |
| 1998(6) | 6,185 |
(6) Provisional data
Initial information for sales in the first two quarters of 1999 indicate a slight increase in price compared with the same period in the previous year.
Similar data for Wales are published by the National Assembly for Wales.
Dr. Naysmith:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his Department's future relations with consumers' organisations following the establishment of the Food Standards Agency. [116826]
Mr. Nick Brown:
The Ministry already has well- developed relations with consumers and their representative organisations which we intend to build on, following separation of the Food Standards Agency on 1 April.
The consumer interest in food safety will become the principal responsibility of the Food Standards Agency. The Ministry's aim already states clearly the central role which consumer benefit plays in our work. This will not change, but the Ministry's first Objective will be amended (the word "food" in the former Objective will be replaced by the words "farm produce") to become:
I want to strengthen the Ministry's links with consumer organisations. I have given my noble Friend Baroness Hayman specific responsibility for MAFF's relationship with consumers. She and I intend to meet representatives of the main consumer organisations as soon as possible after the establishment of the Food Standards Agency.
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Our goal is to ensure that consumer concerns are fully reflected in decision making across the Ministry's responsibilities.
We will also be looking to change existing arrangements, which no longer serve to deliver real benefits to consumers. The Consumer's Committee for Great Britain was established under the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958. Despite its name, the Committee's statutory responsibilities relate only to the interests of consumers in the operation of marketing schemes made under the Act. As a result of changes over the years, only one such scheme now remains, covering wool, and this scheme does not have any direct impact on consumers. We are considering, along with the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly, whether the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958 should be amended. In the meantime, I intend to leave the Committee in abeyance and not re-appoint members.
Ms Oona King:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to reduce the number of passports lost by his Department when returning them to their owners; and if he will introduce guidance to ensure they are returned using a registered delivery postal service. [115331]
Mrs. Roche:
We believe that the most important factor in reducing the numbers of lost passports is the rapid turnaround of casework and the elimination of backlogs. Over 70 per cent. of all after entry casework is now completed within two weeks and we expect the backlog to be eliminated by the summer. In addition, we are examining our processes with a view to improving the security of passports. We are also examining the costs that would be associated with returning passports by recorded delivery.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the estimated number of illegal immigrants who entered the United Kingdom by hiding in motor vehicles during 1999. [115596]
Mrs. Roche:
Information is recorded centrally on the numbers of persons issued with notice of illegal entry as clandestine entrants. This information is collated by the date of issue of notice of illegal entry and does not contain details of the date of entry to the United Kingdom. We have no estimate of the number of persons entering clandestinely whose illegal entry has not yet come to light or of those who claim to have entered illegally, but where a notice of illegal entry has not yet been served. For these reasons, I am unable to provide the information requested.
Provisional information indicates that around 16,500 persons were issued with notice of illegal entry as clandestine illegal entrants during 1999.
Miss Widdecombe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of the £100 million
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for modernising policing across the UK referred to in paragraph 5.75 of Budget 2000 (HC 346) will be spent on DNA technology; if this funding is in addition to the £34 million for the DNA database announced in Home Office Press Release 299/99; how the money will be spent; and if he will make a statement; [116256]
(3) if he will list the capital modernisation projects that have been approved for criminal justice agencies, referred to in Paragraph 5.75 of Budget 2000 (HC 346); [116260]
(4) how the £100 million for modernising policing across the UK referred to in paragraph 5.75 of Budget 2000 (HC 346) is to be spent; and if he will make a statement; [116255]
(5) what proportion of the £100 million for modernising policing across the UK referred to in paragraph 5.75 of Budget 2000 (HC 346) will be spent on police radios; whether this funding is in addition to the £50 million of central funding announced for the Public Safety Radio Communications Project in Home Office Press Release 3033/99; and if he will make a statement. [116257]
Mr. Straw
[holding answers 24 March 2000]: I refer the right hon. Member to the replies I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 27 March 2000, Official Report, columns 1-3W.
Miss Widdecombe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders released under the Home Detention Curfew scheme to date were convicted of each category of drug offence. [116661]
Mr. Boateng:
Of those prisoners released up to 14 March 2000 under the Home Detention Curfew scheme, 2,931 were convicted of drugs related offences. The numbers of prisoners convicted of each type of drugs offence are shown in the table.
To protect public health in relation to farm produce and to animal diseases transmissible to humans.
The Ministry will retain all its other objectives unchanged as set out in the Departmental Report.
(2) what proportion of the £100 million for modernising policing across the UK referred to in paragraph 5.75 of Budget 2000 (HC 346) will be spent on accelerating recruitment under the Crime Fighting Fund; by how much recruitment will be accelerated; whether this funding is in addition to the funding for 5,000 additional recruits announced in Home Office Press Release 304/99; if this funding means that more than 5,000 recruits will be recruited over the next three years using money from the Crime Fighting Fund; and if he will make a statement; [116258]
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Production | 103 |
| Supply | 969 |
| Possession with intent | 1,238 |
| Possession | 396 |
| Unlawful import/export | 190 |
| Other drugs | 35 |
| Total drugs | 2,931 |
Miss Widdecombe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders released on the Home Detention Curfew scheme have subsequently been (a) charged with and (b) convicted of further offences after completing the scheme; how many such
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offenders were charged with or convicted of an offence similar in character to the one for which they were originally convicted prior to their release through the scheme; and if he will make a statement. [116533]
Mr. Boateng:
Information about offences committed by offenders who have completed a period on the Home Detention Curfew scheme is not held centrally.
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