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Pig Meat
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on trends in the level of pig meat imports into the UK since 1997. [140205]
Mr. Nick Brown [holding answer 27 November 2000]: Official Overseas Trade Statistics show that the level of pig meat imports into the UK since 1997 has been as follows:
(17) Product weight
Source:
HM Customs and Excise
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Pig Farmers
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) the economic position of British pig farmers and (b) animal welfare of his proposals for a reduction in domestic pig production. [140204]
Mr. Nick Brown [holding answer 27 November 2000]: I have made no proposals for a reduction in current British pig production. On the contrary, I believe the market can absorb the present level of domestic pig production and this is reflected in the fact that our market price is some 15 to 20 per cent. higher than the EU average.
Farm Diversification
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to channel state support for farm diversification through bodies other than the Countryside Agency. [140196]
Mr. Nick Brown [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The England Rural Development Programme provides grant aid for a range of farm diversification activities including agricultural and non-agricultural enterprises and grants for planting woodland and energy crops. The Programme has been drawn up in collaboration with other Government Departments, environmental and countryside agencies and rural interests but MAFF and the Forestry Commission are responsible for operating the Programme.
Some other Government Departments and agencies also provide support for farm diversification.
Flood Prevention
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on responsibility for flood preventative measures. [138947]
Mr. Morley: MAFF has policy responsibility for flood and coastal defence in England. Operational responsibility falls to the "operating authorities", the Environment Agency, internal drainage boards and local authorities.
The Environment Agency has a statutory supervisory duty over all matters relating to flood defence and has permissive powers to undertake sea defence works and works on designated main rivers. Internal drainage boards have permissive powers and undertake works on ordinary watercourses within their districts while local authorities have similar powers on ordinary watercourses outside those districts. Where defences are privately owned, responsibility rests with the riparian owner. Finally, maritime local authorities have coast protection powers and may also undertake sea defence works.
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Mr. David Heath: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to reform the system of financing flood prevention. [138972]
Mr. Morley: The Government are currently carrying out a review of the funding arrangements for flood and coastal defence, focusing in particular on the mechanisms and the balance of costs and benefits achieved. This review should be completed by September 2001.
CABINET OFFICE
Alcohol and Tobacco
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list the estimated number of deaths resulting from (a) alcohol use and (b) tobacco use in each of the last 10 years. [140343]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 27 November 2000]: I have been asked to reply.
There is no currently accepted definition of the term "alcohol-related". Estimates provided by different methods of calculation since 1985 produce a range between 4,000 and 40,000 for the number of alcohol- related deaths to which the table refers.
In the case of tobacco-related deaths, information is not available on a year by year basis. However, the available evidence suggests that smoking causes in the region of 120,000 deaths in the United Kingdom each year.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Royal College of Psychiatrists (1986) | 4,000 |
| McDonnell and Maynard (1985)(18) | 5,099-8,073 |
| Godfrey and Maynard (1992)(18) | 6,467-9,633 |
| Royal College of Physicians (1987) | 17,000 |
| Godfrey and Maynard (1992)(19) | 22,508 |
| Anderson (1988) | 28,000 |
| Royal College of GPs (1986) | 40,000 |
(18) Based on Adelstein and White
(19) Based on Centre for Disease Control
Source:
Health Education Authority: Health Update: Alcohol (1997)--after Godfrey, C. and Hardmen, G. (1994)
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 8 June 2000, Official Report, column 348W, on Special Advisers, if he will list the destination and the total cost, including travel, accommodation and subsistence allowance, on each of the occasions when departmental or non-departmental Special Advisers travelled abroad in an official capacity. [135250]
Mr. Blunkett: During the period 31 March 1999 to 31 March 2000, Special Advisers in this department travelled on official business to the US/Canada at a total cost of £3,482 and to Brussels at a total cost of £325. The costs of these visits were accounted for in expenditure on Ministers' travel overseas published by the Prime Minister
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on 28 July 2000, Official Report, column 969W, which for 1999-2000 was £4.6 million compared to £7.9 million for the last year of the previous Administration.
Teachers
Mr. Prior: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many qualified teachers have not gone on to be practising teachers in each of the last five years. [138901]
Ms Estelle Morris: The number of candidates who obtained Qualified Teacher Status in England each year, who had not entered teaching in the maintained schools sector in England or Wales by 31 March in the following year, is as follows:
| Calendar year of completion | Not entered the maintained schools sector(20) |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 6,650 |
| 1995 | 8,550 |
| 1996 | 8,080 |
| 1997 | 7,690 |
| 1998 | 7,490 |
(20) Teachers who entered service in the independent, Further Education and Higher Education sectors are included in the table as 'not entered service'
4,640 candidates who obtained Qualified Teacher Status in England during the calendar year 1994 had not entered teaching in the maintained schools sector in England or Wales by March 1999.
There was a growth of 2,000 in the number of people training to be teachers between 1999-2000 and 2000-01.
Mr. Prior: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers are not teaching through reasons of ill health. [138903]
Ms Estelle Morris: In March 1999 there were approximately 30,000 teachers who had taken ill health retirement from the maintained schools sector in England, had not returned to teaching and were aged under 60. About 28,000 of these teachers had retired by March 1998.
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The annual number of teachers with ill health retirement has now stabilised, following the reform of the Teachers Pensions Scheme in 1997.
Mr. Prior: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers are aged (a) 20 to 24, (b) 25 to 29, (c) 30 to 34, (d) 35 to 39, (e) 40 to 44, (f) 45 to 49, (g) 50 to 54 and (h) 55 years and over. [138933]
Ms Estelle Morris: Full-time teachers, by age, in the maintained schools sector in England at March 1999 are as follows:
| Age Range | Number of Teachers |
|---|---|
| 20-24 | 16,500 |
| 25-29 | 52,900 |
| 30-34 | 41,300 |
| 35-39 | 36,200 |
| 40-44 | 56,200 |
| 45-49 | 81,600 |
| 50-54 | 58,500 |
| 55 and over | 22,100 |
| Total | 365,300 |
Note:
All numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100.
The full-time equivalent number of regular teachers in the maintained sector has increased by 6,900 since January 1998.
There was a growth of 2000 in the number of people training to be teachers between 1999-2000 and 2000-01.
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