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Antibiotics

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what his policy is on legislation at EU level on prevention of use of antibiotics in animal food. [147454]

Ms Quin: The Government are aware of concerns about the development of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria affecting humans as a result of antibiotic use in farm-animal production. We supported an EU ban on the use of four antimicrobial growth promoters which were authorised as feed additives, which came into effect on 1 July 1999. We will continue to be guided by the principles established in the report of the Joint Committee on the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry and veterinary medicines (the Swann report) 1969. This report proposed that antibiotics authorised for growth promotion should be restricted to those which have little or no application as therapeutic agents in man or animals, and which will not impair the efficacy of prescribed therapeutic drugs through the development of resistant strains of organisms.

Inspectors

Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many inspectors were employed within his Department and its agencies in each year from 1992 to 2000. [145247]

Ms Quin: The number of staff with powers to enter or inspect property at 1 April in each of the years in question are set out in the table.

Inspectors in MAFF 1992-2000 as at 1 April

Department/agency199219931994199519961997199819992000
Core MAFF(1)1,0191,0831,1011,0669271,0211,0291,0181,080
Farming and Rural Conservation Agency(2)n/an/an/an/an/a49545555
Pesticides Safety Directorate000000000
Veterinary Medicine Directorate777576443
Veterinary Laboratories Agency000000000
Central Science Laboratory(3)n/an/a33344643424647
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science(4)n/an/an/an/an/a19181315
Meat Hygiene Service(5)n/an/an/a8117759401,0981,089n/a
Total1,0261,0901,1411,9161,7552,0782,2452,2251,200

(1) The figures for core-MAFF include staff, in the following functions, who have statutory powers to enter or inspect property:

Plant Health and Seed Inspectorate; Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate; Egg Marketing Inspectorate; Sea Fisheries Inspectorate; Fisheries Officers; Field Officers; Veterinary Officers, advisers and managers; Animal Health Officers; Scientific Officers (Nuclear specialists)--with FSA from 1 April 2000.

(2) FRCA was formed as a MAFF agency on 1 April 1997

(3) CSL was formed from MAFF as an agency on 1 April 1994

(4) CEFAS was formed from MAFF as an agency on 1 April 1997

(5) MHS was a MAFF agency from 1 April 1995 to 31 March 2000


5 Feb 2001 : Column: 373W

5 Feb 2001 : Column: 373W

Flooding

Mrs. Fiona Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to compensate farmers for the losses caused by recent flooding. [147473]

Ms Quin: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Vale of York (Miss McIntosh) on 30 January 2001, Official Report, column 137W.

Departmental Projects

Mr. Brady: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the projects undertaken for his Department by (a) outside consultants, (b) academic researchers and (c) university departments since 1 May 1997, giving the total expenditure incurred in each category. [144072]

Ms Quin: From information held centrally, outside consultants have undertaken projects to the value of £41,894,360 in the Department since 1 May 1997. A list of these projects is shown.

In respect of (b) and (c), I regret that a full reply is not possible without incurring disproportionate cost. As far as research projects are concerned, the Department funds over 1,000 of these each year, many of which are placed with academic researchers/universities. A list of all current research projects can be found on the Department's website at http://www.maff.gov.uk.













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