| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Sugar Beet Regime
Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the value was of the ex-farm sugar beet crop in each of the past five years; and what is the estimated comparable figure post implementation of the proposed new EU sugar regime. [137588]
Ms Quin: The value of the UK sugar beet crop in the last five years was as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 355 |
| 1996 | 358 |
| 1997 | 329 |
| 1998 | 295 |
| 1999 | 291 |
The future value of the crop will depend on a number of factors, including sugar beet yields and the level of sugar production quotas. Quotas are expected to continue
20 Nov 2000 : Column: 60W
to be constrained by current WTO limits on export subsidies; the extent of the constraint will be determined in part by future world market prices.
Seed Purity
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many spot checks have been undertaken in the last six months to ensure seed purity. [137347]
Ms Quin [holding answer 9 November 2000]: Between 1 May and 31 October 2000, MAFF arranged for 611 samples to be taken and tested from seed offered for sale. These were tested to ensure compliance with the minimum standards for analytical purity and 'other seeds content' required by the EU seeds directives. Of the samples tested, two failed to reach these minimum standards due to excessive presence of ergot or other seeds.
In addition, the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) has delegated powers under Section 125 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to carry out inspection and enforcement with respect to the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms. CSL inspectors have audited 11 main seed importers to ensure that appropriate checks and tests are being carried out to prevent unapproved GM seed varieties being released.
In response to a Government request for information, the seeds industry has advised that they have reviewed their seed production methods and, where a risk assessment deems it appropriate, seed companies are having samples of seed tested to detect any presence of GM material.
BSE
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) undertaken into the possibility that cow dung used as a fertiliser could transmit BSE in cattle to humans as CJD; what were the findings; and what advice he has issued on the matter. [137624]
Ms Quin: No work has been commissioned to demonstrate directly that cow dung used as fertiliser could transmit BSE to humans as CJD. In studies commissioned by MAFF, BSE infectivity has been found in the wall of the gut of cattle that were given BSE infected cattle brain by mouth, but none has been seen in the gut of natural cases of BSE. Analysis of data from the epidemic (by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) and other groups) suggests that horizontal transmission between animals does not occur, by any route. It has proved difficult to test faeces directly for infection, as it is highly toxic to mice, but no infection has been transmitted to mice from the faeces of cattle experimentally infected with BSE.
20 Nov 2000 : Column: 61W
Although MAFF has not issued advice on this matter, SEAC have considered and issued advice on the disposal of excreta from experimentally infected cattle. The Committee's advice applies specifically to experimentally infected cattle and SEAC has not issued broader advice on this question.
Swine Fever
Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the first payments under the new pig welfare compensation scheme will be paid to farmers in areas affected by swine fever. [138274]
Ms Quin: Producers with welfare difficulties as a result of being subject to movement controls due to the classical swine fever outbreak in East Anglia are eligible to enter their pigs into the Pig Welfare (Disposal) Scheme. Payments under that scheme since its inception on 29 August and up to 13 November have amounted to £1.5 million. Changes to the payment structure of the scheme, announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister on 1 November, may result in a few minor adjustments to those payments.
20 Nov 2000 : Column: 62W
Mrs. Shephard: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the causes of the outbreak of swine fever in East Anglia. [138096]
Ms Quin [holding answer 13 November 2000]: The most likely source of infection is still thought to be consumption by a pig or pigs of an infected pork product. However, epidemiological investigations are continuing and the results of these investigations will be reported in full in due course.
Eggs
Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the countries of origin of eggs sold in the UK in each of the past 10 years. [138271]
Ms Quin: The table shows the country of origin of eggs sold in the UK. For imported eggs the country of dispatch is given. Some of these eggs may have been produced in another country, but such information is not available on a reliable basis. The data include the shell egg equivalent of whole (dried, frozen and liquid) egg, egg yolk, and albumen.
20 Nov 2000 : Column: 61W
| Country | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 791 | 80 | 791 | 772 | 770 | 752 | 761 | 76 | 754 | 726 |
| Netherlands | 47 | 2 | 19 | 22 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 3 | 25 | 31 |
| France | 12 | -- | 6 | 13 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 1 | 20 | 19 |
| Germany | 8 | -- | 8 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | -- | 7 | 8 |
| Belgium | 3 | -- | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 7 | -- | 3 | 5 |
| Denmark | 2 | -- | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | -- | 3 | 3 |
| Italy | 0 | -- | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -- | 3 | 1 |
| Irish Republic | 0 | -- | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | -- | 1 | 0 |
| Others | 0 | -- | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -- | 3 | 2 |
| Total | 864 | 85 | 831 | 821 | 837 | 818 | 833 | 83 | 819 | 795 |
0 = less than 0.5 million dozen eggs
Source:
HM Customs and Excise; MAFF
20 Nov 2000 : Column: 61W
Poultry
Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what forecasts he has made in respect of the economic prospects of the poultry sector for the next 12 months. [138433]
Ms Quin: Income forecasts for pig and poultry farms, year ending February 2001, will be published in a Statistical News Release on 31 January 2001. More detailed information underlying these forecasts will be published in "Farm Incomes in the UK, 1999-2000" in March 2001.
Organophosphates
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will receive the report from CBD Porton Down on the dose effect profiles for organophosphate sheep dips on brain electrical activity and sensitive behaviour indices in non-human primates; and if he will make a statement on the progress of organophosphate research. [138049]
20 Nov 2000 : Column: 62W
Ms Quin [holding answer 15 November 2000]: The research project at CBD Porton Down commenced in April 1998. This is a particularly exacting study and progress is such that the final report may not be available before April 2002.
On the broader range of organophosphate research, following the publication of the Report of the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, a government funded programme of research is being put in place. The issues to be addressed were discussed in a Scientific Workshop on 28 March and a Research Requirements Document was published on 20 July. Concept notes submitted in response to this document have been evaluated by independent scientists and 18 proposers have been invited to submit full proposals. We expect that full proposals will be evaluated in December and our aim is to complete the commissioning process by February 2001. We are also funding a review of data on suspected health complaints in humans held by the OP Information Network, the Pesticides Action Network and the Northern Ireland OP Sufferers Association which will be carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
20 Nov 2000 : Column: 63W
A database of Government-funded OP research generally since 1995 has been prepared and is available on-line to the public at www.csl.gov.uk/ops (passwords are 'public' then 'access'.
Farming
Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farming businesses (a) closed and (b) went bankrupt in each year between 1990 and 2000. [139025]
Ms Quin: Statistics on the number of farming business closures are not available. Data on farming bankruptcies are available only for England and Wales, and only up to 1999. These data are presented in the table.
| Year | Total bankruptcies (including insolvencies(20)) |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 309 |
| 1991 | 401 |
| 1992 | 504 |
| 1993 | 434 |
| 1994 | 397 |
| 1995 | 317 |
| 1996 | 257 |
| 1997 | 206 |
| 1998 | 222 |
| 1999 | 224 |
(20) Companies and Partnerships
Source:
Department of Trade and Industry
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |