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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 6 June 2000
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Salmon
Mr. Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received from the Environment Agency on a possible extension of the salmon netting season in North-East England. [124985]
Mr. Morley: Following a debate in the House on 10 November 1999, I undertook to obtain advice from the Environment Agency on the implications of extending the salmon netting season by 20 days in North-East England. I emphasised that I would not wish to proceed with any measure that was not in the interests of salmon conservation. I also sought the Agency's advice on whether additional measures were needed to conserve large salmon in river fisheries in the autumn, particularly in the North-East.
I have now received the Agency's advice, which I have accepted. I am placing a copy in the Library of the House. In summary, the Agency has advised that such an extension would substantially increase the level of exploitation of both multi-sea-winter salmon and grilse and would not be in the interests of salmon conservation. The Agency does not believe at present that there is an immediate need for further measures to restrict exploitation by either rods or nets in North-East England, and notes that half of the rod catch in North-East England in 1999 was released. Nevertheless, it will continue to keep the position under review.
Farming (Financial Assistance)
Mr. Dobson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much financial assistance has been given to the farming industry from European and UK sources in each year since 1990-91. [123988]
Ms Quin: The figures are set out in the table. Most but not all will be transferred to the farming industry. The farming industry also benefits from higher food prices as a result of the CAP, which are paid for by consumers.
(1) Forecast
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Over-30-months Scheme
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of claims under the over-30-months slaughter scheme for the period between 29 April and 25 May 1996 remain unresolved. [123435]
Ms Quin: In July 1999, the Agricultural Departments put in place arrangements for the Intervention Board Executive Agency to make ex gratia payments in respect of certain bovine animals, referred to as "Early Casualty Cases". These were casualty animals requiring emergency slaughter on welfare grounds, and which could not be presented onto the Over-30-months Slaughter Scheme between 29 April and 24 May (9 June in Scotland) 1996 solely due to the limited casualty processing facilities then available under the scheme.
Applications for Early Casualty Case payment were invited during the period 23 July to 31 August 1999. The Intervention Board received claims for payment on 132 animals put down during the relevant period in 1996, and a written response has been provided to each of these. Therefore, no cases remain unresolved.
Payment was made in respect of 115 animals. Eleven were found to be not payable, and six did not respond to requests for further information.
Mr. Hurst: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what payments were made under the over-30-months scheme in each month during the past two years. [123411]
Ms Quin: The number of animals slaughtered under the OTMS and the amounts of compensation paid in each month over the period are set out in the table. It is not possible to relate directly the compensation paid to the number of animals slaughtered in any month mainly because payments are generally made up to five weeks after the date of slaughter. Apart from the compensation payments, expenditure totalling about £115 million in 1998-99 and £130 million in 1999-2000 was incurred for services such as slaughtering, rendering, incineration, storage and transport.
(2) Provisional
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Beef Exports
Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contact Ministers or officials have had during the last 12 months with the United States Department of Agriculture with the aim of lifting the ban on UK beef exports. [123136]
Ms Quin [holding answer 22 May 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Minister raised the issue of the lifting of the US import ban on UK beef during his visit to the USA in February. The Chief Veterinary Officer and officials from our Embassy in Washington DC have also lobbied for the lifting of the US ban. The USA currently bans the import of beef from all European Union countries.
Pig Industry
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to introduce the outgoer and ongoer elements of the pig industry restructuring scheme; and what projection has been made of the funds to be allocated to each element in each of the three years of the overall scheme. [122990]
Mr. Nick Brown [holding answer 22 May 2000]: Under state aid rules, the European Commission must approve the Pig Industry Restructuring Scheme (PIRS) before it can be introduced. To begin that process, the scheme was formally notified to the Commission on 30 March. The Commission has since carried out its initial study of the scheme and raised a number of questions; my officials have already answered these. The outgoers element of the scheme will be introduced as soon as possible following Commission approval. At present we are working towards introducing the ongoers element in early autumn. The outgoers scheme will operate using a sealed bid system, with the expectation that a good proportion of the £26 million plus the additional funds for which bids have been made will be available for the ongoers element.
GMOs
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral statement on
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GMOs and conventional crops of 18 May 2000, Official Report, column 473, whether any of the genetically- modified seeds contained the terminator gene. [123543]
Ms Quin [holding answer 24 May 2000]: The genetically modified oilseed rape variety in question (RT73) does not contain the terminator gene.
Correspondence
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will reply to the letter dated 21 February from the hon. Member for Stafford concerning Alex Nixon. [123773]
Ms Quin: I replied to the letter from my hon. Friend on 11 May 2000.
Farm Incinerators
Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the number of small incinerators used on farms. [123653]
Mr. Morley: My Department has made no such estimate. I understand that the National Farmers' Union considers the number to be somewhere between 2,000 and 3,000, but precise information is not available.
Bovine TB
Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies his Department is conducting into the relationship of cattle movements to the possible spread of bovine TB. [123909]
Ms Quin: The risk factors which may increase the likelihood of TB infection in cattle herds, including any relationship between cattle movements and the spread of the disease, is being studied through the analysis of epidemiological data. These data are being collected by MAFF through a detailed survey of farms with TB outbreaks.
Statistics
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what statistics relating to the responsibilities of his Department are collated by parliamentary constituency, indicating the dates covered in each case. [123841]
Ms Quin [holding answer 25 May 2000]: Statistics from the annual June Census of Agriculture and Horticulture have recently been collated by parliamentary constituency. Our intentions are to place the information in the House of Commons data library.
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