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Fisheries
Dr. Godman: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to seek to ensure that Polish fishing vessels are prohibited from fishing in the North Sea and the Irish Sea; and if he will make a statement. [155442]
Mr. Morley: The Government's objective for fisheries is to ensure that any quotas granted to Poland and other acceding member states cover only those areas and stocks for which they already have recognised track records. As Poland has no track record in fishing in the North Sea and Irish Sea since the establishment of the Common Fisheries Policy it will not receive any quota for these upon accession.
Genetically Modified Crops
Mr. Livsey: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the pesticides approvals granted and extended by him for spraying in connection with genetically modified crops, indicating (a) the approval reference number, (b) the date where applicable of (i) approval and (ii) extension, (c) the permitted annual maximum area to be treated, (d) the date, where applicable, of (iii) expiry and (iv) extension of the approval, (e) the active ingredients and the products approved and (f) the company or other person holding the approval. [154337]
Ms Quin: The only approvals that we have specifically granted for the use of pesticides on genetically modified crops are experimental approvals. Unlike commercial level approvals, experimental approvals are not published for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
We are, however, in the process of reviewing the current arrangements to provide for greater openness and transparency. In the meantime the Pesticides Safety Directorate have been asked to seek the consent of the relevant approval holders to the release of the information requested. I will write with as much of the information requested as is consistent with proper safeguards for commercial confidentiality. Copies of the letter will be made available to the Libraries of the House.
SCOTLAND
Civil Servants (Salary Increases)
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the average percentage increase in salaries
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of non-industrial civil servants, excluding members of the senior civil service, was in her Department for 2000-01. [152791]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 14 March 2001]: The average performance-related increase in consolidated basic pay for staff of the Scotland Office was 5.6 per cent. An average non-consolidated performance bonus of £528 was also paid to staff who performed to a higher level.
Special Advisers
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many special advisers were employed by the Scottish Office in (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97; and at what cost. [154254]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 19 March 2001]: During both years there were two special advisers in post at any one time at a cost of £76,855 in 1995-96 and £92,587 in 1996-97.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Departmental Policies (Chichester)
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Chichester constituency, the effects on Chichester of she Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [155286]
Jane Kennedy: The Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible for the administration of the courts and for legal services. We have taken steps to improve the management and effectiveness of the services we provide and to meet customer needs, including working closely with other agencies to provide a fair, swift and effective system of justice, improve the availability of affordable and good-quality legal services and to improve the lives of children and help build and sustain strong families.
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The Arun, Chichester and Horsham Community Legal Services Partnership (CLSP), which covers the Chichester constituency, is one of 165 CLSPs throughout England and Wales.
Within Chichester, the Legal Services Commission awarded contracts for 2000-01 to the value of £111,339. The contracts cover a range of categories and these include family, employment, housing, mediation, mental health and personal injury.
Thames Valley Courts
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which courthouses in the Thames Valley magistrates courts committee area (a) do not meet the statutory requirements for disability and (b) do not comply with the provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 with regard to custody cases. [155814]
Jane Kennedy: The Thames Valley magistrates courts committee has made an assessment of its accommodation. Based on this assessment, the courthouses at Banbury, Bicester, Bracknell, Didcot, Maidenhead, Newbury, Oxford, Reading, Slough, Thame, Wantage and Witney do not fully meet the current statutory requirements for disability. The custody areas at Banbury, Oxford and Witney courthouses require work to remove potential ligature points and install panic alarms. Works will be carried out during the 2001-02 financial year to improve this position.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for how many hours each courtroom in the Thames Valley magistrates courts committee area was used in each of the last three years. [155813]
Jane Kennedy: Sitting hours were collected for the calendar year up to the end of 1998, and for the financial year from April 1999 onwards. No data were collected centrally for the period January to March 1999. Data are given for the three completed quarters in the current financial year. The information is in the table.
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Notes:
1. Thames Valley MCC was created in April 1999.
2. Data for the earlier year is the aggregation of Berkshire and Oxfordshire MCC and Buckinghamshire MCC.
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