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Hunting with Dogs
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) by whom it was decided to widen the initial remit of his Department's inquiry into hunting with dogs; and what factors led to this decision; [122527]
- (2) if he will list the persons involved (a) within and (b) outside his Department in drawing up the remit of the Burns inquiry; [122525]
(3) what was the role of Baroness Jay in determining the remit of his Department's inquiry into hunting with dogs; what role she has played in the inquiry; and if he will make a statement. [122526]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The terms of reference of the Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs were drawn up by Home Office Officials, in consultation with Lord Burns, and approved by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.
Baroness Jay has had no role whatsoever either in drawing up the terms of reference or in the Inquiry itself.
The remit has always been about hunting with dogs--not shooting or retrieval of quarry with dogs. The question of "widening" the Terms of Reference is a misunderstanding.
Female Circumcision
Ms McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department issues to chief constables concerning training for the policing of the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985. [122491]
Mr. Charles Clarke: New Government guidance "Working Together to Safeguard Children" which is available in the Library and which has been circulated to chief officers of police, recommends that in local areas where there are communities who traditionally practice female genital mutilation, the policy of Area Child Protection Committees (on which the police are represented) should focus on a preventive strategy involving community education.
Ms McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) arrests and (b) convictions have been made under the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985; [122490]
- (2) how many (a) arrests and (b) convictions have been made under (i) the Children Act 1989 and (ii) the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998, in relation to the practice of female genital mutilation in the UK and abroad. [122494]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Arrest data are not collected centrally by individual offence.
The Home Office Court Proceedings Database show no defendants proceeded against under the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985. Information collected
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under the Children Act 1989 and the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998 does not distinguish such offences from others within these Acts.
Departmental Vehicles
Mr. Pearson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) cars and (b) commercial vehicles operated by his Department were manufactured (i) in the UK, (ii) in the EU and (iii) elsewhere. [122257]
Mr. Straw: The information requested is given in the table. It has not been possible to identify the exact origin of all the vehicles as this would require individual chassis numbers which are not readily to hand.
| Cars | Commercial vehicles | Total (3) | Total percentage of fleet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 95 | 330 | 425 | 42 |
| European Union | 295 | 81 | 376 | 37 |
| United Kingdom/European Union(4) | 45 | 95 | 140 | 14 |
| Other | 0 | 18 | 18 | 2 |
| Not known(4) | 20 | 25 | 45 | 5 |
(3) Figures exclude any vehicles over 10 years old
(4) Some manufacturers (eg Vauxhall) require details regarding individual chassis numbers and model specifications to be able to give this information
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Seed Purity
Judy Mallaber: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action the Government are taking to address the issue of seed purity. [122925]
Ms Quin: We are taking several new steps to ensure seed purity, in addition to the current consultation on the importation and labelling of seeds. These include pressing internationally for agreed standards, testing of seed imports to the UK and working with the industry on a Code of Practice. The need for action in this area is highlighted by the recent information we have received from Advanta Seeds UK that some of its conventional rapeseed sold and sown in 1999 and 2000 in several EU member states, including the UK, contained about 1 per cent. of genetically modified rapeseed. The genetic modification in question has already been assessed and cleared for food use and for field trials in the UK. We have consulted both ACRE (The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment) and the Food Standards Agency who have confirmed the view that there is no risk to public health or the environment.
Forest Enterprise
Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements are being made for the quinquennial review of the Forest Enterprise Executive Agency. [122800]
Mr. Morley: As an executive agency, Forest Enterprise is subject to review every five years--part of the process of continuous improvement of Government services
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promised in the "Modernising Government" White Paper of March 1999. Forest Enterprise was established as an executive agency on 1 April 1996 and its review has now started. Stage 1 is concerned with getting the organisation right, and its conclusions will be reported to Forestry Ministers in July. Stage 2, which is concerned with improving the agency's performance, will be completed in December.
The review will include wide ranging consultation with Forest Enterprise's customers, visitors and other interested parties, who are invited to contact the Secretary to the Forestry Commissioners, at 231 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh EH12 7AT or to visit the Forestry Commission's website at www.forestry.gov.uk/fereview.
Over-30-months Scheme
Judy Mallaber: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the weight limit on payments for cattle entering the over-30-months scheme will be removed; and if he will make a statement. [122926]
Ms Quin: On 12 May the Beef Management Committee agreed a Commission proposal to remove the weight limit on payments for all cattle entering the over-30-months scheme. This will take effect for all cattle entering the scheme on or after 5 June. This delivers on a key element of the Government's Action Plan for Farming. It is worth £20 million a year in payments to UK farmers and will also increase asset values. It will be of particular benefit to those running suckler heards.
Pig Industry
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate his Department has made of the number of UK pig slaughterings per week over the last two years; and what are his projections for next year. [121763]
Ms Quin: The table gives UK weekly clean pig slaughterings for the past two years. Estimates of slaughterings for future years are not prepared on a weekly basis, but a Eurostat estimate of UK slaughterings for the year 2000 as a whole amount to 13.5 million heads.
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Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take, with regard to the recently announced aid package for United Kingdom pig farmers, to ensure that the complexity of meeting the scheme's requirements does not deter the industry from accessing the funds available. [121767]
Ms Quin: The Pig Industry Restructuring Scheme is being developed in close consultation with the National Pig Association and the Meat and Livestock Commission to ensure as far as is possible that the scheme is relevant to the needs of pig producers. Clearly the scheme must also remain within UK and EU law and meet any financial propriety concerns.
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