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Shipman Inquiry

Mr. Darvill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the judgment on the Shipman Inquiry. [132643]

Mr. Denham: Families who have been victims of Dr. Shipman have suffered enormously and we have great sympathy for them.

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From the outset, we have wanted to make sure we learn the lessons from the Shipman case as quickly and effectively as possible so that we can take all the necessary measures to protect patients. We are considering the judgment in full.

Hepatitis C

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has plans to carry out routine screening for hepatitis C. [132429]

Ms Stuart: There are currently no plans to carry out routine screening for hepatitis C.

PRIME MINISTER

Appointments (Historians)

Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 10 July 2000, Official Report, column 425W, on appointments, if he will list the official historians he has appointed since 1 May 1997; and if he will make a statement on each. [132329]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 24 July 2000]: Since 1 May 1997 I have appointed two official historians: Professor Lawrence Freedman and Professor Alexander Kemp.

G8 Summit

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the matters discussed at and the outcome of the G8 Summit in Okinawa. [132025]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the Statement I gave to the House on 24 July 2000, Official Report, columns 763-65.

Kosovo

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the situation in Kosovo. [132514]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on 18 July 2000, Official Report, columns 140-41W, to our hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Coaker).

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Veterinary Medicines Directorate

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish the 1999-2000 annual report for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. [132879]

Mr. Nick Brown: The 1999-2000 annual report and accounts for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate have been laid before Parliament. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

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Centre for Environment, Fisheries and

Aquaculture Science

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish the 1999-2000 annual report for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. [132880]

Mr. Nick Brown: The 1999-2000 annual report and accounts for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

Veterinary Laboratory Agency

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish the 1999-2000 annual report for the Veterinary Laboratory Agency. [132881]

Mr. Nick Brown: The 1999-2000 annual report and accounts for the Veterinary Laboratory Agency were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

Solway Fishery

Mr. Martlew: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received from the Environment Agency on the possible earlier opening of the Haf net fishing season on the Solway in 2001. [131405]

Mr. Morley: We have not received any advice from the Environment Agency on the possible earlier opening of the Haf net fishing season on the Solway in 2001.

Fertilisers

Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what regulations deal with fertilisers and soil improvers; and what plans he has to decrease regulation in this area. [131809]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 21 July 2000]: Fertilisers and soil improvers are regulated in Great Britain by the Fertilisers Regulations 1991, SI 1991/2197 (as amended by SI 1995/16, SI 1997/1543 and SI 1998/2024). The regulations implement EU Directives 76/116/EEC, 80/876/EEC, 88/183/EEC, 89/284/EEC, 89/530 and 93/69/EEC. A Commission-led working group is examining consolidation of the existing Directives into a single Directive, but it is unlikely to propose any decrease in regulation in this area.

Farm Diversification

Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the publicly-funded organisations which provide advice to farmers about diversification; and if he will make a statement. [131803]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 21 July 2000]: MAFF will be publishing a free advisory booklet on farm diversification in the autumn as part of the Prime Minister's Action Plan for Farming. The booklet will

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contain a comprehensive list of organisations which can provide advice to farmers on diversification. The action plan also included a new programme of business advice for farmers through the Small Business Service.

Pollution Controls

Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with his European counterparts about ensuring (a) uniform implementation of integrated pollution prevention and controls and (b) that disproportionate burdens are not placed on British farmers as a result of these controls; and if he will make a statement. [131899]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 21 July 2000]: Discussions about the Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) have taken place between EU Environment Ministers. Measures to comply with the requirements of the IPPC Directive will be based on Best Available Techniques reference (BREF) documents, which will be agreed at Community level. These documents aim to ensure all member states adopt measures that offer equivalent environmental protection.

Under the Action Plan for Farming, announced by the Prime Minister following the Agriculture Summit on 30 March, the Government are committed to implementing environmental legislation that impacts on the farming industry in the least bureaucratic and burdensome way. Farmers with existing installations in England and Wales will not be required to implement these measures until 2007. Some other member states already apply environmental controls similar to those required to be implemented under IPPC.

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the changes to be applied to the poultry industry under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control regulations for (a) England and Wales and (b) each EU country; and if he will make a statement. [131710]

Mr. Morley: The measures that we expect will apply to most of the poultry industry in England under the IPPC Directive will be set out in general binding rules. These are currently under discussion between the Environment Agency, the Government and representatives of the poultry sector and will be put out for public consultation shortly. Poultry farmers with existing installations will not be required to implement these measures until 2007.

Some member states already impose environmental controls similar to those required to be put in place under IPPC. Others plan to implement IPPC for the poultry sector before 2007. The EU-wide Best Available Techniques reference (BREF) document for the intensive livestock sector is expected to be in place in 2001 and will set out measures to control emissions which all EU member states will be expected to apply.

Rural Enterprise Schemes

Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the costs of administering rural enterprise schemes through (a) his Department and (b) regional development agencies. [131816]

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Mr. Morley [holding answer 21 July 2000]: My Department will be running the new Rural Enterprise Scheme as part of the England Rural Development Programme.

The cost of its administration will depend in part upon the level of demand, but in 2001-02, its first full year of operation, we estimate the cost to be £1.375 million; this includes £0.628 million for technical support by the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency. This is additional to the programme cost for the scheme.

The cost of schemes run by the Regional Development Agencies is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the costs of increasing the proportion of less favoured areas covered by the Countryside Stewardship Scheme from 3 per cent. to 10 per cent. [131814]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 21 July 2000]: It is estimated that the cost of increasing the proportion of less favoured areas covered by the Countryside Stewardship Scheme from 3 per cent. to 10 per cent. would be approximately £5 million per annum.

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