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Dairy Production
23. Mr. Swayne: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the productive capacity of the dairy industry over the next year. [131286]
Ms Quin: The UK's milk production capacity is constrained by the milk quota system. The UK's current allocation of quota is 14.2 billion litres. Although current milk production is running at a little below the seasonal
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profile, at this stage of the year there is no reason to believe that the UK production will not be close to its quota allocation, as has been the case in previous years.
Regulation (Farm Incomes and Operating Costs)
24. Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact of Government regulation on agriculture with respect to farm (a) incomes and (b) operating costs. [131287]
Ms Quin: All regulations affecting business costs are subject to a Regulatory Impact Assessment and these are published. Most recently, and in addition to earlier cuts, farm incomes will be saved some £30 million by the removal or freezing of charges imposed by certain regulations announced in the Action Plan for Farming. Operating costs are helped where we can save farmers' time through simplified forms and census requirements, co-ordinated inspections and the move towards electronic forms.
Dairy Regime
25. Mr. Best: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what his priorities are for the next reform of the common agricultural policy dairy regime. [131288]
Ms Quin: The Government's priorities for the reform of the dairy regime are clear--we want an orderly removal of milk quotas in combination with a reduction in EU support prices to world levels. We will press the European Commission and our EU partners for this in the run up to the review of the regime in 2003.
BSE
26. Mr. Pike: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in identifying the reason for the most recently announced BSE case. [131289]
Ms Quin: Although our investigations are not quite complete, we are unlikely to discover sufficient further information which will lead us to form a definite conclusion on the cause of infection in this case.
Investigations now indicate that the mother died suddenly on the farm in mid-November 1996 and that it was not slaughtered as a casualty in November 1996 as previously thought. The farm was a mixed dairy and pig fattening enterprise. I am still unable to rule out infection by maternal transmission or infection by accidental exposure to infected feed. In so far as the investigations can determine, the animal had not been vaccinated as a calf or exposed to organophosphates or oestrus synchronisation using pituitary extracts. There is no evidence of any other likely source of infection.
Any further significant information will, however, be published on the MAFF BSE internet site.
Fisheries Regulations
27. Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of recent industry proposals for the reform of fisheries regulations. [131290]
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Mr. Morley: The Government have welcomed the document issued jointly by the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations and Scottish Fishermen's Federation, "Zonal management: a new vision for Europe's fisheries" as a helpful and constructive contribution to the debate on how to secure an improved regional dimension to the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The document contains a number of useful ideas for ensuring increased involvement by fishermen and other stakeholders in fisheries management and a greater focus on issues at the regional level. It builds upon the recent experience gained with the regional consultations which underpinned the development of the Irish Sea cod recovery programme. The Government will take the industry's ideas fully into account in further developing its approach to the 2002 review of the CFP.
Dolphins
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many dolphins have been (a) killed and (b) injured as a result of fishing in United Kingdom coastal areas in each of the last five years for which figures are available; [130375]
- (2) what recent estimates he has made of the dolphin population in United Kingdom coastal areas; and what guidelines he has issued to the fisheries industry regarding dolphins and their protection. [130376]
Mr. Morley: Information on the full extent of dolphin casualties caused by fishing is not available. MAFF is funding a research programme to obtain better information on by-catch figures.
The Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) estimate, on the basis of 1994 data, that there are some 75,000 Common dolphins and 12,000 White-Sided and White-Beaked dolphins in the Celtic and North Seas. No information is available for populations of Risso's or Striped dolphins in these areas or any of these species elsewhere. Estimates however indicate discrete populations of Bottlenose dolphins of up to 350 in Cardigan Bay and 130 in the Moray Firth.
Pilot projects are currently being carried out on gear modification and acoustic pingers. Following evaluation appropriate action will be taken.
Pesticides Tax
Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the (a) representations he has received and (b) meetings he has held on the proposed pesticides tax with the (i) British Agrochemicals Association, (ii) UKASTA, (iii) NOAH, (iv) the National Farmers Union, (v) Country Landowners Association and (vi) agrochemicals companies indicating which companies. [131105]
Ms Quin: MAFF Ministers meet from time to time with the organisations listed and discussions typically cover a range of issues.
The Government have received a number of representations on a possible pesticides tax and on a voluntary package of measures to reduce the environmental impact of pesticides use.
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The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) has just completed a period of consultation on a formal set of voluntary proposals published by the British Agrochemicals Association. DETR wished to receive the views of all interested parties on these proposals and their effectiveness in tackling the environmental impacts of pesticides use.
Animal Carcases (Disposal)
Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to amend European Commission proposals relating to the disposal of animal carcases on farm land. [131599]
Ms Quin: The European Commission has not yet formally presented its proposals for revising the Animal Waste Directive to the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. However, in preliminary discussions officials have advanced the view that a complete ban on the burial of fallen stock in all circumstances would not be practicable.
Farmers' Grants (Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total grants paid to farmers in Shrewsbury and Atcham for each year since 1992 for the (a) beef industry, (b) sheep industry, (c) pig industry, (d) poultry industry and (e) arable sector; and if he will make a statement. [131709]
Ms Quin: Information at lower than county level is available only at disproportionate cost.
Farmers (Ribble Valley)
Mr. Evans: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the type and amount of farm aid which has been given to farmers in the Ribble Valley in each year since 1994. [131644]
Ms Quin [holding answer 24 July 2000]: Information at lower than county level is available only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farm holdings there were in the Ribble Valley in each year since 1994. [131671]
Ms Quin [holding answer 24 July 2000]: The requested figures are provided in the following table:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 835 |
| 1995 | 802 |
| 1996 | 798 |
| 1997 | 793 |
| 1998 | 809 |
| 1999 | 812 |
Source:
The above data were taken from the June Agricultural and Horticultural Census and relate to main holdings only
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Organic Food Standards
Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the British Egg Industry Council will be consulted prior to the finalisation of the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards standards on organic livestock products. [132639]
Mr. Morley: I understand that UKROFS has already taken into account the concerns of the British Egg Industry Council about its proposed standards, which will shortly be considered by Ministers.
Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the British Egg Industry Council was consulted on further proposals concerning the egg industry made by the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards on 30 May. [132637]
Mr. Morley: The British Egg Industry Council was included in the list of consultees whose comments were sought by UKROFS on their proposals for implementing Council Regulation (EC) 1804/1999, which were issued on 10 April. In the light of responses to the initial consultation, UKROFS subsequently consulted organic producers, through the organic inspection bodies with which they are registered, on amendments to the proposals.
Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reason the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards has made proposals concerning organic livestock and livestock products for standards which go beyond those required by European Council Regulation 1804/1999. [132638]
Mr. Morley: UKROFS has made a limited number of such proposals, which are permitted by Council Regulation (EC) 1804/1999. In some cases UKROFS has done so in order to carry forward existing UK organic standards and in others because it believes it necessary to do so in order to maintain consumer confidence in organic standards.
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