| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Shellfish Dredging
Sir Richard Body: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has had with Eastern Sea Fisheries about the proposal to allow one particular boat to dredge for shellfish out of season. [141198]
30 Nov 2000 : Column: 881W
Mr. Morley: The Eastern Sea Fisheries Joint Committee (ESFJC) administer the fishery under the terms of the Wash Fishery Order 1992. There has been no consultation between the ESFJC and my Department on this particular issue.
Pithing
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the proportion of animals which remain conscious after being stunned in slaughterhouses. [141194]
Mr. Morley: No assessment has been made of the number of animals which remain conscious after being stunned in slaughterhouses, and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) conducts a biennial review of animal welfare in slaughterhouses, and the latest review indicated that in 0.6 per cent. of slaughterhouses some bovines, and in 0.3 per cent. of slaughterhouses some sheep, were stunned ineffectively.
Legislation protecting the welfare of livestock at slaughter requires that any animal inadequately stunned must be re-stunned immediately. The legislation is monitored and enforced on a daily basis in licensed slaughterhouses by Official Veterinary Surgeons of the MHS.
River Flooding
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to alleviate and prevent the flooding of non-main rivers. [141138]
Mr. Morley: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has policy responsibility for flood and coastal defence, while operational responsibility for delivering the service falls to the operating authorities: the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards. The Environment Agency has a general supervisory duty over all matters relating to flood defence. Local authorities and internal drainage boards are empowered to undertake work on non-main rivers. The Ministry provides grant aid for capital flood defence schemes. To be eligible for Ministry grant, schemes must meet specific economic, environmental and technical criteria and achieve an appropriate "priority score" (derived from an assessment of ministerial priorities, urgency and benefit:cost ratio).
Veterinary Dispensing
Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received from (a) farmers and (b) veterinary surgeons in Scotland regarding his consultation on the reform of the dispensing of veterinary products; and if he will make a statement. [141028]
Ms Quin: The group carrying out an independent review of dispensing as part of the Action Plan for Farming has received written representations from the National Farmers Union of Scotland and one individual farmer. The group has also received 32 representations from veterinary surgeons in Scotland. The chairman and a member of the Independent Review Group have met the National Farmers Union of Scotland and attended
30 Nov 2000 : Column: 882W
a meeting of the Northern and Scottish Veterinary Action Group in Edinburgh during November. These representations, along with those received from elsewhere in the United Kingdom, are being carefully considered by the review group, which will report to my right hon. Friend the Minister by 31 March 2001.
Sugar Beet
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will postpone (a) proposed increases in price and (b) reductions in quotas for sugar beet pending further reform of the common agricultural policy; and if he will make a statement. [140899]
Ms Quin: The Government have made it clear that they would like to see further reform of the EU sugar regime, and a review in two years would coincide with other reviews of agricultural sectors in the EU. We are not in favour of price increases or quota cuts.
Growth Promoters
Ms Jenny Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the antibiotics approved for use as growth promoters in farm animals in the (a) United Kingdom and (b) EU member states. [140898]
Ms Quin: Antimicrobial growth promoters are authorised as feed additives throughout the European Union under procedures set out in Council Directive 70/524 EEC as amended. The four growth promoters currently authorised are Avilamycin, Flavophospholipol, Monensin Sodium and Salinomycin Sodium. None of these antimicrobial compounds is authorised or is in a class of antibiotics authorised for the treatment of humans or animals.
Expenditure
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the departmental expenditure limits for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Intervention Board and the Forestry Commission for the period covered by the last three spending reviews, calculated according to the (a) cash and (b) resource budgeting method. [134009]
Mr. Nick Brown [holding answer 23 October 2000]: There have been only two spending reviews as such; the first was the Comprehensive Spending Review in 1998 and the second was the 2000 Spending Review. The relevant total MAFF, Intervention Board and Forestry Commission departmental expenditure limits are as follows:
| 1998 spending review | 2000 spending review | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Cash | Resource | Cash(35) | Resource |
| 1999-2000 | 1,344 | 1,385 | -- | -- |
| 2000-01 | 1,265 | 1,314 | -- | -- |
| 2001-02(36) | 1,303 | -- | -- | 1,258 |
| 2002-03 | -- | -- | -- | 1,328 |
| 2003-04 | -- | -- | -- | 1,348 |
(35) Departmental plans are currently being finalised. Cash requirements will not be available until that process is complete.
(36) Changes in the 2001-02 figures between the 1998 spending review and the 2000 spending review are explained in the answer to PQ 134008, Official Report, 31 October 2000, at column 377W.
30 Nov 2000 : Column: 883W
Departmental Employees (HIV)
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that people who are HIV-positive do not suffer discrimination as a result of employment practices followed by his Department. [137785]
Ms Quin: The Ministry aims to create and promote an environment in which all staff are treated fairly and with respect and have equality of opportunity for employment and advancement solely on the basis of their suitability for the work.
Beef Imports
Mr. Robert Jackson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what restrictions are imposed on the import of beef for processing and re-export; and what quantities of beef have been imported from France for such purposes in the last 12 months. [138777]
Ms Quin [holding answer 17 November 2000]: The re-export of beef and beef products produced in Great Britain from imported beef is subject to the restrictions of the XAP scheme as set out in the Bovines and Bovine Products (Trade) Regulations 1999. All establishments involved in the production chain from initial import through to final re-export must be officially approved under this scheme and under official veterinary supervision. They must also have a system of tracing and segregation in place and comply with strict requirements on labelling, storage, sealing and certification.
2,722 tonnes of beef carcase meat was imported from France during the 12 months ending August 2000. However, official overseas trade statistics do not record the end use of imported goods, and data on any re-export of this beef under the XAP scheme are not available.
Better Regulation Task Force
Mr. Steen: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to hold meetings with representatives of the farming industry in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Devon following the publication of the Better Regulation Task Force report on Environmental Regulations and Farmers. [139316]
Ms Quin [holding answer 22 November 2000]: I and my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment are considering the report very carefully. It was also discussed at the Agriculture Industry Forum on 23 November. We are now considering how to build on this, and what further discussions will be helpful to further work to reduce unnecessary burdens on farming while giving proper protection to the environment.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which regulations will be repealed as a result of the Better Regulation Task Force's review of environmental regulations and farmers. [140833]
Mr. Steen: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which regulations will be repealed following Better Regulation Task Force review of environmental regulations and farmers. [140872]
30 Nov 2000 : Column: 884W
Ms Quin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 27 November 2000, Official Report, column 402W.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |