| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Cereal Farming
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current state of cereal farming in England. [136740]
Mr. Nick Brown [holding answer 6 November 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Helen Jackson) on 2 November 2000, Official Report, column 620W.
GM Technology
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much funding he has provided for research into GM technology in each of the past five years. [136841]
Ms Quin: The information requested is set out in the table:
| Year | MAFF research funding in respect to GM technology |
|---|---|
| 1999-2000 | 4.2 |
| 1998-99 | 2.7 |
| 1997-98 | 1.9 |
| 1996-97 | 1.7 |
| 1995-96 | 1.8 |
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 656W
Of the £4.2 million for 1999-2000, £1 million was in respect of food safety research, which became the responsibility of the Food Standards Agency in April this year.
EU Sugar Regime
Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of current levels of employment dependent upon the British sugar beet crop and the impact implementation of the new EU sugar regime would have on such employment. [137592]
Ms Quin: Industry sources estimate that around 24,000 people are involved in the sugar beet industry. These figures are not full-time equivalents; much employment in the sugar beet sector is on a seasonal basis. We have received no representations to suggest that the Commission's immediate sugar regime reform proposals would of themselves have a significant effect on employment.
Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect upon farm incomes of implementing the new EU sugar beet regime. [137593]
Ms Quin: No agreement has yet been reached on the proposals for reform of the EU sugar regime. The impact on farm incomes of the proposal in its current form is not expected to be significant.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has had with the European Commission concerning the financing of the UK sugar beet industry; and if he will make a statement. [138907]
Ms Quin [holding answer 17 November 2000]: In discussions in Brussels on the EU sugar regime and its reform, the Government regularly draw the Commission's attention to the economic position of the UK sugar industry, both cane and beet.
Plant Species Testing Regime
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what external Counsel's opinion he has received on the French testing regime for variety distinctness, uniformity and stability. [138841]
Ms Quin: It is not the practice of Government to provide information on whether external legal advice has been sought in any particular matter.
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many varieties have been placed on (a) the National List of Agricultural Plant Species since 1995 on the basis of tests for distinctness, uniformity and stability carried out by the French authorities, categorised by species and year and (b) the EU Common Catalogue of Agricultural Plant Species since 1995 on the basis of decisions made in other member states relying on tests for distinctness, uniformity
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 657W
and stability carried out by the French authorities, categorised by (i) member state species and (ii) in the case of genetically modified varieties, variety name. [138797]
Ms Quin: The number of varieties which have been placed on the UK National List of Agricultural Plant Species since 1995 on the basis of tests for distinctness, uniformity and stability carried out by the French authorities is as follows:
| Species | Year | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat | 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 2 | |
| Barley | 1996 | 1 |
| 1998 | 3 | |
| 1999 | 1 | |
| Lucerne | 1996 | 1 |
| Cocksfoot | 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 2 | |
| 2000 | 1 | |
| Tall fescue | 1995 | 1 |
| Spring field bean | 1997 | 2 |
| Oilseed rape | 1995 | 1 |
| 1998 | 1 | |
| Red fescue | 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 2 | |
| 1997 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 2 | |
| Maize | 1995 | 11 |
| 1996 | 16 | |
| 1997 | 16 | |
| 1998 | 21 | |
| 1999 | 17 | |
| 2000 | 21 | |
| Soya bean | 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 1 | |
| Flax/linseed | 1996 | 1 |
| 1998 | 4 | |
| White lupin | 1996 | 2 |
| 1997 | 1 | |
| Sunflower | 1995 | 5 |
| 1996 | 2 | |
| 1997 | 2 | |
| 1998 | 2 | |
| 1999 | 2 | |
| Fodder beet | 2000 | 1 |
Where varieties have reached the Common Catalogue through National Lists in other member states, information as to whether those decisions were based on tests undertaken by the French authorities would be held by the member states concerned rather than by the UK authorities. No GM varieties have been placed on the UK National List.
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the varieties seeking addition to the National List of Agricultural Plant Species for the testing for distinctness, uniformity and stability for which he has made arrangements to be carried out by the French authorities, categorised by (a) species and (b) year of application. [138794]
Ms Quin: The varieties, which are currently seeking addition to the UK National List of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species, and which have been or are being tested for distinctness, uniformity and stability by the French authorities are in the table:
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 658W
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 659W
GM Seeds
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 8 November 2000, Official Report, columns 262-63W, on GM seeds, if
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 660W
he will specify, in respect of each variety set out in the table, in which country tests for distinctness, uniformity and stability have been, or are being, carried out. [138996]
Ms Quin: The information is set out in the table.
| Name of breeder's ref | Species | DUS tests conducted in |
|---|---|---|
| Archimedes | Spring Oilseed Rape | United Kingdom |
| Socrates | Spring Oilseed Rape | United Kingdom |
| PHW98-407 | Winter Oilseed Rape | United Kingdom |
| PH96S452 | Spring Oilseed Rape | United Kingdom |
| PH96S443 | Spring Oilseed Rape | United Kingdom |
| PHW99-429 | Winter Oilseed Rape | United Kingdom |
| PHW00-433 | Winter Oilseed Rape | United Kingdom |
| PHW00-434 | Winter Oilseed Rape | United Kingdom |
| PHW01-441 | Winter Oilseed Rape | United Kingdom |
| PHW01-446 | Winter Oilseed Rape | United Kingdom |
| Sturgeon | Sugar Beet | United Kingdom |
| KWS8191 | Sugar Beet | United Kingdom |
| DS 8003 | Sugar Beet | United Kingdom |
| KWS 9193 | Sugar Beet | United Kingdom |
| HM 1976 | Sugar Beet | United Kingdom |
| Andorra | Sugar Beet | United Kingdom |
| HI 0156 | Sugar Beet | United Kingdom |
| H75011 | Sugar Beet | United Kingdom |
| Chardon LL | Maize | France |
| Sheridan | Maize | France |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |