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24 Nov 2000 : Column: 325W

Written Answers to Questions

Friday 24 November 2000

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Meat Inspection Charges

Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many names were appended to the petition presented to the Prime Minister last month regarding meat inspection charges; and what action he has taken in response. [137568]

Ms Quin: Although not counted individually, there were several thousands of signatures on the petition. We are aware of the considerable public support for the recommendations made by Colin Maclean in respect of meat hygiene charges for small and medium-sized abattoirs. The Government are considering whether those recommendations may be implemented.

Abattoirs

Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the geographical spread of abattoirs and their proximity to livestock production areas. [137556]

Ms Quin: There is over-capacity in the slaughtering sector and a reasonable spread of abattoirs across the country.

Despite the closure of some abattoirs in recent months, we are not aware that animal welfare has been in any way compromised by longer journey times from farm to slaughter. The welfare of livestock in transit and at their arrival at abattoirs is closely monitored.

Field Margins

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 28 July 2000, Official Report, column 1128W, what further discussions he has had with other EU ministers regarding rules on hedgerows and field margins; and if he will make a statement. [136930]

Ms Quin [holding answer 8 November 2000]: The reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 7 November 2000, Official Report, column 150W, explained that the European Commission had proposed a change to the rules of the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) which would allow United Kingdom farmers to continue, on a permanent basis, to treat hedges and other field margins in the same way as they had done in the past so far as their inclusion in IACS claims was concerned. I am pleased to say that the adoption of this proposal has now been secured. It will enter into force on 1 January 2001.

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Swine Fever

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many samples of imported meat have been tested for classical swine fever virus by Government scientists since July. [138412]

Ms Quin [holding answer 14 November 2000]: Meat which is legally imported must be accompanied by veterinary certificates giving assurances about the health status of the animals from which it came. It is not routinely tested for specific diseases such as classical swine fever virus. In connection with the recent outbreaks in East Anglia, epidemiological studies revealed that the strain was an Asian one. Work was then carried out to establish in which countries it had previously been reported. From 18 September, the Government have been conducting tests on any meat imported from those countries. Since none of the countries concerned is approved to export meat to the European Community the tests are carried out only when illegally imported meat is identified. To date two such tests have been conducted, each of which gave a negative result.

Departmental Legal Advisers

Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many legal advisers are employed by his Department; and how many of those advise on matters relating to animals. [138920]

Ms Quin [holding answer 21 November 2000]: The Ministry currently has 45 lawyers in post, of whom six advise on matters relating to animal health and welfare. Other lawyers (eg prosecutors and litigators) also deal with these issues from time to time.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Children's Society

Mr. Robertson: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent discussions he has had with the Children's Society regarding (a) the adoption and (b) the fostering of children within their care; and if he will make a statement. [140027]

Mr. Stuart Bell: The Church Commissioners' responsibility is to manage their investments so as to provide support for the payment of clergy stipends, pensions and other legal commitments. As to the Children's Society, this is not a matter for the Church Commissioners.

PRIME MINISTER

COP6

Mr. Brake: To ask the Prime Minister if he will attend COP6 in The Hague. [139509]

The Prime Minister: A top-level delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for the Environment is representing the UK at the climate change negotiations in The Hague.

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ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

Civil Servants (Relocation)

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which relocation companies hold contracts with his Department for the relocation of civil servants; when the contracts were last renewed; where the contracts were advertised; and what the length and value of each contract is. [137194]

Ms Beverley Hughes: DETR(C) and its Agencies use the services of two relocation companies.

Bradford and Bingley: This contract commenced in April 2000. It was advertised through OJEC. It is a three-year contract and the approximate annual value is £35,000 but this fluctuates from year to year.

Phoenix ARC: This contract was extended for a year to 31 March 2001. It was advertised through OJEC. The initial contract term was three years. The approximate annual cost is £8,000 but fluctuates from year to year.

Railway Safety

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reason the former Principal Rail Safety Inspector was relieved of responsibility for safety of the London Underground; and if he will make a statement. [138644]

Mr. Hill [holding answer 16 November 2000]: This is internal management issue for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). I have asked the HSE Director General to write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Capital Allocations

Mr. Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reason the Local Transport Plan Settlement announced on 13 November allocated to Stoke-on-Trent a reduction in capital allocations between 2000-01 and 2002-03. [139502]

Mr. Hill: The capital allocations for highway maintenance were calculated using a formula applied on a consistent basis to all authorities. One criteria was that authorities should not receive a smaller allocation in 2001-02 or 2002-03 than they did in 2000-01. However, allocations were rounded to the nearest £1,000.

Vehicle Licences

Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency will assess the benefit of introducing a fixed sum per licence payment mechanism for post offices issuing vehicle licences. [139496]

Mr. Hill: The current agreement between the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and Post Office Network Banking (PONB) expires at the end of March 2002. A variety of payment methods will be considered when negotiations take place on the next agreement.

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Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency will make it its policy to grant all post offices in England and Wales the authority to issue vehicle licences. [139495]

Mr. Hill: No. The current nation-wide network of 4,000 motor vehicle licence-issuing post offices provides the best balance between the needs of customers and cost to the taxpayer.

Abandoned Vehicles

Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the Tidy Britain Group's proposals on the disposal of abandoned vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [139501]

Mr. Hill: My officials are currently discussing with interested parties including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the Local Government Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers how to improve the legislation and arrangements for abandoned vehicles. We have replied to the Tidy Britain Groups's letter which set out their proposals and I have placed a copy of the correspondence in the Library.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to (a) review the Union Railways Property's handling of land acquisition programme in relation to the new high speed rail link in Kent and (b) seek representations from the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Complaints Commissioner; and if he will make a statement. [139684]

Mr. Hill: The information is as follows:

(a) The Secretary of State's powers under the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) Act 1996 only allow for the acquisition and retention of as much land as is needed for the operation of the CTRL. The application of these powers is closely regulated by my Department and its engineering advisers. For properties that are not actually required for the CTRL there is a Discretionary Purchase Scheme operated by Union Railways and policed for consistency and fairness by an independent Discretionary Purchase Auditor who makes regular reports to this Department.

(b) The Complaints Commissioner has no locus in property matters. There is a recognised statutory mechanism for the remedy of disputes arising from compulsory purchase through the Lands Tribunal. In addition Union Railways are actively promoting the availability of a range of other new disputes resolution mechanisms which are simpler and quicker for owners and occupiers.

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