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Organic Farming
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 10 April 2000, Official Report, column 56W, on organic farming, what plans he has to undertake research into the balance of trade in organic produce in the last 12 months for
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which figures are available; and what representations have been made to him regarding the balance of trade in this respect. [126474]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 27 June 2000]: We have no plans at present to undertake such research.
We have received a number of representations concerning the proportion of organic food which is imported, usually coupled with requests that support for organic conversion be increased. The Government have substantially increased funding for conversion: £12 million has been committed in the current financial year and we plan to spend £140 million on conversion aid over the life of the Rural Development Plan for England.
Sheep Farmers
Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will press for additional compensation for sheep farmers affected by cuts in the sheep annual premium. [128058]
Ms Quin: There have been no recent changes in the way the sheep annual premium is calculated. As part of the Action Plan for Farming, the Prime Minister announced on 30 March that this year sheep farmers will receive £22 million to compensate for the effects of exchange rate fluctuations during 1999.
Fishing (Russian Vessels)
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the appearance of Russian blue water vessels off Rockall; and if he has assessed the consequences for UK haddock fishing. [128158]
Mr. Morley: This spring there was evidence of increased activity by Russian vessels fishing for haddock and other demersal stocks in international waters to the west of Rockall. Unregulated fishing of this kind risks undermining EU management measures aimed at conserving stocks. At the Fisheries Council in June we called upon the European Commission to press for the adoption of specific management measures by the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) to constrain fishing in the area. We are supported by a number of other member states. The European Commission has undertaken to pursue the necessary action in NEAFC.
Staff Secondments
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon.
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Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis), of 10 February 2000, Official Report, column 292W, on secondments, if he will give the names, grades and job titles of the staff seconded into his Department from each organisation mentioned, stating in each case the name of the section they were seconded to and a summary of the work that they were involved with. [128246]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 29 June 2000]: Secondments and attachments are part of the Interchange Initiative, which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations. Before an Interchange can occur all parties must be satisfied that no conflict of interest arises.
Further to my earlier reply to the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis), the secondee from the Royal Bank of Scotland worked in the Finance Unit at the Central Science Laboratory in York on the production of a report on operating procedures for contracts. The secondee from Manor Bakeries undertook a programme of visits within the Department.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Sport Funding
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Government spent per head of population on supporting sport in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in the last financial year; what the planned figure is for 2000-01; and what assessment he has made of such spending in other EU member states. [127127]
Kate Hoey: The information requested by the hon. Member is included in the table.
Exchequer and Lottery funding for sport is channelled primarily through the four home nation sports councils (Sport England, SportScotland, Sports Council for Wales, Sports Council for Northern Ireland) and the UK Sports Council (UK Sport). Funding is also provided to the Football Licensing Authority, which is charged with ensuring the implementation of Government policy regarding grounds at which designated football matches are played. Support for sport and recreation is also provided by local Government expenditure.
No direct comparison of expenditure on sport by EU member states has been made by my Department or the Sports Councils. Meaningful comparisons are difficult because of the way in which sport is structured and financed from country to country.
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| Population (1998 Census) | Exchequer funding (£) | Lottery draw-down (£)(1) | Total (£) | Per capita expenditure (£) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England/Sport England | 49,495,000 | 37,900,000 | 250,686,000 | 288,586,000 | 5.83 |
| Scotland/Sport Scotland | 5,120,000 | 10,100,000 | 25,645,000 | 35,745,000 | 6.98 |
| Wales/Sports Council for Wales | 2,933,000 | 6,799,000 | 14,677,000 | 21,476,000 | 7.32 |
| Northern Ireland/Sports Council for Northern Ireland | 1,689,000 | 2,380,000 | 10,323,000 | 12,703,000 | 7.52 |
| UK Sport(3) | -- | 12,600,000 | 15,357,000 | 27,957,000 | -- |
| Football Licensing Authority | -- | 900,000 | -- | 900,000 | -- |
| Total(4) | 59,237,000 | 70,679,000 | 316,688,000 | 387,367,000 | 6.54 |
(1) The figures are taken from the National Lottery Awards database which uses information supplied by the distributing bodies.
(2) Data are based on information provided by the distributing bodies.
(3) UK Sport provides support to those sporting programmes and policies that are of benefit for the United Kingdom as a whole. It is not possible to determine the amount of benefit provided by UK Sport to sport in individual home countries.
(4) In addition, Local Authority estimated outturn on current and capital expenditure on sport and recreation activities in 1999-2000 totalled £767 million in England and £55 million in Wales. Expenditure details for 1999-2000 for Scotland and Northern Ireland and Planning figures for 2000-01 are not available.
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Spoliation Panel
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the Spoliation Panel inquiry into works of art looted by the Nazis has met; and if he will make a statement. [128118]
Mr. Alan Howarth [holding answer 29 June 2000]: The first meeting of the Spoliation Advisory Panel was held on Thursday 8 June. To date, the Panel is aware of only one claim--that of Jan Griffier the Elder's View of Hampton Court Palace--which was acquired by the Tate in 1961. On 12 June, the Panel issued a news release inviting both the claimants and the Tate to submit their case as soon as possible. The Panel desires to complete its proceedings on this claim as rapidly as possible consistent with proper consideration of the evidence.
Royal Palaces
Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what, at constant prices, has been the cost of maintenance projects in each year since 1991-92 at the occupied Royal Palaces after deducting the costs of the exceptional rewiring programme in hand at the time of the Windsor fire, and the costs relating to the restoration after that fire. [128461]
Mr. Alan Howarth: The costs are as follows:
| £000(5) | |
|---|---|
| 1991-92 | 14,999 |
| 1992-93 | 10,768 |
| 1993-94 | 9,105 |
| 1994-95 | 10,637 |
| 1995-96 | 12,547 |
| 1996-97 | 11,630 |
| 1997-98 | 7,437 |
| 1998-99 | 7,392 |
| 1999-2000 | 6,788 |
(5) Excluding minor maintenance costing less than £2,500
Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in each year since 1993-94, what has been the (a) gross income and (b) net income from charges to visit Buckingham Palace; and to which Department the income was paid. [128460]
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Mr. Alan Howarth: The gross income and net income from charges to visit Buckingham Palace in each year since 1993-94 are as follows:
| Net income | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross income | WCFR(6) | RCT(7) | |
| 1993-94 | 2,277 | 1,391 | 0 |
| 1994-95 | 2,662 | 1,398 | 0 |
| 1995-96 | 2,948 | 1,667 | 0 |
| 1996-97 | 2,812 | 1,686 | 0 |
| 1997-98 | 2,353 | 1,080 | 0 |
| 1998-99 | 2,505 | 1,066 | 0 |
| 1999-2000 | 2,349 | 0 | 907 |
(6) Windsor Castle Fire Restoration Project
(7) Royal Collection Trust
The net income accrues to the Royal Collection Trust rather than to any Government Department. Just under £8.3 million has been contributed toward the cost of the Windsor Castle Fire Restoration Project. Having completed the Fire Restoration Project, the net income has been retained by the Royal Collection Trust to fund ongoing conservation of the Royal Collection and the project to re-develop the Queen's Gallery.
Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in each year since 1993-94 what has been the (a) gross income and (b) net surplus from charges to visit Windsor Castle precincts. [128459]
Mr. Alan Howarth: No gross income is attributable to the Windsor Castle precincts as visitors buy one ticket which covers the State Apartments, Queen Mary's Dolls House, St. George's Chapel, the exhibition and the precincts. The net surplus from charges to visit Windsor Castle precincts in each year since 1993-94 is as follows:
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 1993-94 | (8)100 |
| 1994-95 | 1,616 |
| 1995-96 | 1,908 |
| 1996-97 | 2,257 |
| 1997-98 | 2,381 |
| 1998-99 | 3,416 |
| 1999-2000 | 2,400 |
(8) Charges for entry to the Windsor Castle precincts introduced on 4 January 1994
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