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Zinc Cadmium Sulphide Trials
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former staff of the Porton Down chemical and biological defence establishment were in contact with Professor Peter Lachmann and his panel
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during the course of their inquiry into the zinc cadmium sulphide trials; and if he will place all the communications between them and Professor Lachmann and his team in the Library. [117058]
Dr. Moonie:
I understand that Professor Lachmann's team had a number of telephone conversations with one former member of staff at Porton Down. No record of these conversations was made and any advice supplied was used in the final report, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent reports he has received about the presence of radioactive dust as a result of NATO bombing in Serbia. [117109]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 3 April 2000]: None. The most recent independent and objective report on the environmental consequences of the Kosovo conflict that I am aware of is the UN Environment Programme report: "The Kosovo Conflict: Consequences for the Environment". The report concluded, inter alia, that an environmental catastrophe had not taken place in Kosovo. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the United States about the use of depleted uranium-tipped shells in Serbia. [117112]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 3 April 2000]: I have had no recent discussions with the United States Government about the use of depleted uranium-based munitions in Serbia.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain a copy of the study by the Institute of Health Protection in Nis, concerning the measurement of the levels of radioactivity in soil samples. [117110]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 3 April 2000]: We are willing to consider carefully any peer-reviewed studies based on appropriately validated data.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent reports he has received about concentrations of radioactive heavy metal in (a) Pljackovica, (b) Bratoselce, (c) Cerenovac and (d) Rehjan. [117111]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 3 April 2000]: I have received no recent reports about concentrations of radioactive heavy metal in the areas quoted.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the Royal Air Force's role in the A400M Project; and if he will make a statement. [117846]
Dr. Moonie:
The Royal Air Force has been involved at every stage in the Department's work to fulfil our Future Transport Aircraft requirement, for which one of the candidates is the Airbus A400M.
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Mr. Woolas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what authorisation there is for low flying in the Saddleworth area; and if any part of the Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency is designated as a Royal Air Force training area. [117922]
Dr. Moonie:
In principle the whole of the UK is available for military low flying training. A number of areas, including controlled airspace and towns with a population of over 10,000, are unavailable. Military low flying training is not permitted over the western half of the hon. Member's constituency as it is located within controlled airspace. The eastern half of the constituency, including the Saddleworth area, is, however, available.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. [117475]
Dr. Moonie:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 4 April 2000, Official Report, columns 391-93W, by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts.
Mr. Donald Anderson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the contribution funded from his Department to the United Nations force in Kosovo; and what have been the levels of contribution made by other countries. [117158]
Mr. Hoon:
UNMIK is a Foreign and Commonwealth Office responsibility. The Ministry of Defence has incurred costs of £1,500 in financial year 1999-2000 which are expected to be repaid by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Information on the costs incurred by other nations is not available.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement about the availability of the community legal service in Hendon. [117856]
Mr. Lock:
Hendon, as part of the London Borough of Barnet, is covered by the Barnet Community Legal Service (CLS) Partnership, which will plan how best to fund and co-ordinate legal services to meet priority local needs more effectively. In the constituency of Hendon, there are nine solicitors' firms which have one or more contracts with the Legal Services Commission to supply services under the CLS Fund and hold the CLS Quality Mark. Details of the nine solicitors' firms and other legal service providers in Hendon can be found in the CLS Directory of legal services, which is accessible on the "Just Ask" website at www.justask.org.uk, or by phoning 0845 6081122. The CLS Directory is also available in hard copy in a number of public locations, including all public libraries and county and magistrates courts.
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Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which organisations took part in the consultation on the development of the Motor Accident Solicitors Society Road Traffic Accident protocol; how much time was allowed for public consultation; and when the protocol will enter into force. [117371]
Mr. Lock:
Working groups of interested parties are responsible for developing pre-action protocols, with the Lord Chancellor's Department acting as a facilitator. The proposed Road Traffic Accident protocol is still in the development stage and has not yet been subject to full public consultation.
Mr. Ruane:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total value of UK organic farm produce in each of the past 10 years. [117542]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 3 March 2000]: The estimated retail sales value of UK organic produce in the 1997 Mintel Market Intelligence Report on Organic and Ethical Foods is given in the table:
| Year | £ million | £ million (at 1992 prices) |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 93 | 93 |
| 1993 | 105 | 103 |
| 1994 | 121 | 118 |
| 1995 | 140 | 131 |
| 1996 | 200 | 179 |
| 1997(20) | 260 | 228 |
(20) Estimate
The Soil Association's Organic Food and Farming Report 1999 estimates the retail value of UK sales in 1997-98 and 1998-99 as £260 million and £390 million respectively.
Mr. Ruane:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many organic farms there were in the UK in each of the past 10 years; [117540]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 3 April 2000]: The numbers of registered organic farmers and growers are given in the table:
(2) how many farms have been converted to organic farming in each of the past 10 years. [117541]
| Year | Number of farmers/growers |
|---|---|
| December 1994 | 715 |
| December 1995 | 828 |
| December 1996 | 865 |
| December 1997 | 1,026 |
| December 1998 | 1,462 |
| November 1999 | 2,322 |
We do not have statistics for the years preceding December 1994.
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Mr. Breed:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the underspend in the Treasury's budget for the last financial year for BSE-related expenditures. [113864]
Ms Quin:
In the 1998-99 financial year, MAFF underspent its provision for BSE-related expenditure by £2 million and the Intervention Board by £17 million. The unspent amounts which were ring-fenced for spending on BSE measures only, were returned to Treasury.
Mr. Wyatt:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons primates were exported to Gabon and Croatia in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000 to date. [116709]
Ms Quin:
Exporters are not required to notify this Department of their reasons for exporting consignments of primates.
Mr. Wyatt:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many primates were exported through Dover on the Cap Afrique on 20 and 21 March. [116708]
Ms Quin:
Inquiries indicate that five primates were exported through Dover on the Cap Afrique on the night of 20-21 March.
Mr. Wyatt:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many primates, of which species, were carried on the Cap Afrique in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000 to date; how many were captive bred; and what was their (i) origin and (ii) destination. [116287]
Ms Quin:
The import licences issued by the Department do not identify the names of vessels or craft used to import consignments of primates. The number of licences actually used to import primates, as distinct from being issued (import licences are valid for six months after issue), in each year since 1997 together with the number of premises of destination involved is as set out:
| Year | Number of licences used | Number of premises of destination involved |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 80 | 19 |
| 1998 | 86 | 20 |
| 1999 | 67 | 18 |
| 2000 | 6 | 4 |
Consolidated information on the origin and total number of primates by species imported into the UK in each year since 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The destination of all such consignments are quarantine premises authorised by the Department, which may be located in zoos, wildlife centres or research premises.
Mr. Wyatt:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 8 March 2000, Official Report, column 716W, on primate exports, if he will list the reasons, as listed on their permits, for the import and export of the types of primates listed. [116710]
6 Apr 2000 : Column: 559W
Ms Quin:
Exporters are not required to notify this Department of their reasons for exporting consignments of primates.
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