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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 29 March 2000
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
GM Crops
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the cost is of farm-scale trials of GM herbicide tolerant crops; what is the contribution from public funds; and what is the Government's policy with respect to funding such trials. [116689]
Mr. Meacher: The Farm-Scale Evaluations of genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops are being organised by the Government, in conjunction with the industry body SCIMAC. SCIMAC are providing the required number of fields of GM crops and equivalent non-GM crops (the crops involved are forage maize, beet, spring and autumn sown oil seed rape). The Government are funding an independent research consortium to carry out ecological studies. The cost of the ecological studies is currently £4.4 million over the period March 1999 to December 2003.
It is usually the responsibility of the organisation applying for consent to place GM crops on the market to provide evidence of environmental impact. This is likely to include the results of studies carried out to support that evidence. In the case of the GM herbicide tolerant crops involved in the Farm-Scale Evaluations programme, the Government and industry agreed that additional research on the environmental impact of growing and managing the crops was required before general cultivation could be contemplated. It was agreed that these studies would be jointly funded as described above. It is anticipated that, in future, applicants will include such evidence in their dossiers when making applications.
The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment sub-group on Wider Biodiversity Issues, announced in February 1999, is working on guidance and criteria for carrying out such assessments in the future.
Mr. Watts:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has for new regulations relating to number plates. [117295]
Mr. Hill:
The Department has recently concluded public consultation on proposals for new regulations relating to the display of vehicle number plates. Details of the Department's response in the light of the comments made will be placed in the Library of the House tomorrow.
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Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the environmental impact on (a) historic hedges and (b) wildlife of the implementation of the two metre rule for subsidies. [115542]
Ms Quin:
I have been asked to reply.
This Department has held discussions with all the principal farming organisations and statutory environmental bodies on the issues mentioned by the hon. Member as well as with the European Commission.
Last week my right hon. Friend the Minister reached agreement with the EU Agriculture Commissioner, Franz Fischler, that the United Kingdom should, for this year, apply the same criteria as were used in 1999 and earlier years for determining the acceptability of hedges and other field margins included in claims based on whole Ordnance Survey field areas under the Integrated Administration and Control System. For 2001 and subsequent years, MAFF will work with the Commission in order to clarify what types of margins are acceptable for inclusion in aid claims and identify ways of safeguarding environmentally valuable hedges so that we can reach a permanent resolution of this issue.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many tonnes of methyl tertiary butyl ether were imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last five years. [116246]
Mrs. Liddell:
I have been asked to reply.
Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) is not separately identified within the system for classifying products imported into the UK used by HM Customs and Excise. As such it is not possible to provide the information requested. However, we estimate that the average MTBE content in petrol in the UK is less than one per cent.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated cost of his plans to pump foul sewage from Crossgar to Killyleagh; what percentage of the capacity of Killyleagh Sewage Works is available; what percentage of Killyleagh Sewage Works would still be available if the sewage were pumped from Crossgar into Killyleagh Sewage Works; what representations he has received concerning the plans to pump sewage from Crossgar to Killyleagh; what consultation there has been with the residents and elected representatives of Killyleagh; and if he will make a statement. [116088]
Mr. Ingram:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Water Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. Robert C. Martin. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
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Letter from Robert C. Martin to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 28 March 2000:
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if an application for a nursery unit at Kircubbin Integrated Primary School would be eligible for financial support from the childhood funds; and if he will make a statement. [116087]
Mr. George Howarth:
No. The deadline for commitment of funds under the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation was 31 December 1999, and no new project could be approved at this stage.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at which locations nursery units have been provided with financial support from the childhood funds; how many of these units are associated with the Council of Catholic Maintained Schools; how many children of (a) Catholics and (b) Protestant background attend each of the units associated with the CCMS; and if he will make a statement on the impact of the EU package for peace and reconciliation on provision of cross- community nursery units. [116086]
Mr. George Howarth:
Capital funds under the EU Childhood Fund were distributed on the basis of applications received and considered in the first place by the relevant Area Early Years Committee (AEYC), which made recommendations to the Department of Education. The Department considered and approved applications on the basis of whether the proposed provision: was sited where it would have maximum educational impact, in targeting area of greatest social/educational need; would create access for as many children as possible; and represented good value for money, taking account of viability considerations in particular.
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The deadline for commitment of funds under the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation was 31 December 1999.
Nursery units have been provided or offered funding at the following locations under each tranche of the EU Childhood Fund:
You recently asked the Secretary of State a Parliamentary Question about Killyleagh Sewage Works. I have been asked to respond as Chief Executive of Water Service with operational responsibility for the provision of water and sewerage services.
An appraisal of the options for improving wastewater treatment facilities at Crossgar concluded that the most cost-effective option was to pump wastewater from Crossgar to Killyleagh for treatment. The estimated cost of this is almost £1.6 million. The scheme will also help to improve the water quality in the River Quoile system.
In undertaking the appraisal study, account was taken of projected residential and industrial expansion to the year 2021 on the basis of figures provided by the Department of the Environment's Planning Service. These figures allow for an additional 350 houses at Crossgar and 335 houses at Killyleagh. Following the closure of local industry, the wastewater treatment works in Killyleagh is currently operating at approximately 32% of its design capacity. After the transfer of the wastewater from Crossgar, and taking into account the projected increases up to 2021, the Killyleagh works will operate at approximately 71% of its design capacity leaving considerable surplus capacity for additional residential and industrial expansion.
No significant development work is required at the Killyleagh Works. Indeed, the key changes envisaged are mainly of an operational nature. In these circumstances the residents of the Killyleagh area were not directly consulted about the project. However, Down District Council was consulted and we received a small number of written representations, about various aspects of the project, from public representatives including the constituency Member of Parliament, Mr. E. McGrady. Our proposals were fully explained to these public representatives.
Twenty-one of the projects are associated with the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools.
Tranche 1
Ashlea Primary School, Londonderry
Barrack Street Boys' Primary School, Strabane
Bushmills Primary School
College Farm Nursery School, Armagh
Enniskillen Nursery School
Glendermott Primary School, Londonderry
Harpur's Hill Primary School, Coleraine
Kilcooley Primary School, Bangor
Old Warren Primary School, Lisburn
St. James' Primary School, Whiteabbey
St. John's Primary School, Carnlough
St. Joseph's Primary School, Newry
St. Patrick's Primary School, Castlederg
St. Patrick's Primary School, Crossmaglen
St. Patrick's Primary School, Cullyhanna
St. Patrick's Primary School, Dungannon (one unit in the school, one unit in Ballysaggart estate)
St. Patrick's Primary School, Newry
St. Ronan's Primary School, Lisnaskea
West Winds Primary School, Newtownards
Tranche 2
Holy Family Primary School, Magherafelt
Kircubbin Community Nursery
Limavady Nursery School
Magherafelt Nursery School
Newcastle Primary School
North Lurgan Nursery School
Portavogie Primary School
St. Patrick's Primary School, Loughguile
St. Peter's Primary School, Ardboe
Tranche 3
Annalong Primary School
Ballyward/Drumadonnell
Clonoe Nursery School
Cookstown Nursery School (additional room)
Edwards Primary School, Castlederg
Killowen Primary School, Lisburn
Longtower Primary School, Londonderry
McKinney Primary School, Dundrod
St. Laurence's Primary School, Fintona
St. Patrick's Primary School, Rasharkin.
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The nine projects under Tranches 2 and 3 which are associated with CCMS have not yet opened.
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