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PRIME MINISTER
Foot and Mouth
Mr. Cash: To ask the Prime Minister what emergency powers he has to take action to halt the spread of foot and mouth disease; and which such powers he has exercised. [156121]
The Prime Minister: The Animal Health Act 1981 and the Foot and Mouth Disease Order 1983 provide the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with a wide range of powers to control the disease. These include powers:
- to detain the movement of animals and other things while conducting a veterinary inquiry into suspected disease
to slaughter animals affected or suspected of being affected by disease or which have been in contact with infected animals or which have in any way been exposed to the infection of the disease
to impose disease control rules to be observed within an infected place
to impose infected area restrictions around an infected premises in accordance with EU rules
to apply restrictions to animals exposed to disease
to order the cleansing and disinfection of premises and vehicles
to control the disposal of manure, slurry and litter in an infected area
to require stray animals to be controlled in an infected area
to control milk produced in an infected area
- to close footpaths and prevent entry onto land (including roads) or premises in an infected area
to prohibit certain sporting and recreational activities (such as hunting and point to point meetings) in an infected area
to apply movement controls to or from slaughterhouses
to apply movement restrictions on animals and other controls within a controlled area (which at present covers the whole of Great Britain)
to prohibit hunting and stalking in a controlled area
to prohibit the holding of fairs, markets, shows or other gatherings of animals.
- within a controlled area, the power to allow the Minister (or a local authority with the prior agreement of the Minister) to close roads
granting a temporary easing of the drivers hours rules for various types of operation affected by foot and mouth (including the transport of animal feed, livestock, agricultural products, disinfectant and milk)
restriction of exports to member states of certain products
amended rules as regards the closure of footpaths and prohibited areas
disinfection of tyres of road vehicles transported out of the UK
establishment of a flat rate valuation for slaughtered animals.
4 Apr 2001 : Column: 201W
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Departmental Press Office
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many non-career civil servants there are in his Department's Press Office; in what position; and how much (a) they and (b) career civil servants of equivalent rank are paid. [156823]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 3 April 2001]: Two: Head of News and one Press Officer. Both officers' salaries fall within the pay scales appropriate to their grade. We do not disclose individual officers' salaries.
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the procedure is for appointing non-career civil servants in his Department's Press Office. [156822]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 3 April 2001]: All recruitment to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is conducted under the Civil Service Commissioner's Recruitment Rules. We either recruit using fair and open recruitment competitions, or make use of the flexibility allowed in the Commissioners' Recruitment Code for short term appointments of up to 12 months.
Iraq
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his (a) United Nations and (b) United States counterparts regarding non-military sanctions against Iraq. [156540]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 3 April 2001]: The Secretary of State holds regular discussions with US and other key allies on all aspects of Iraq policy, including that of non-military sanctions. UK representatives have regular contact with UN officials.
Air Passenger Duty
Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those EU member states which make a distinction between EU member states and candidate countries in the application of air passenger duty; and if he will make a statement. [156831]
Mr. Timms: I have been asked to reply.
It is not possible to provide the information requested. Air passenger duty is specific to the UK. Other EU member states' air travel taxation systems do not operate on the same basis.
Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the compatibility of proposed changes to air passenger duty with the Czech-UK Agreement on Air Services signed in Prague on 20 March 1998. [156829]
Mr. Timms: I have been asked to reply.
It is the assessment of the UK Government that the changes to air passenger duty that were introduced on 1 April 2001 are compatible with the Czech Republic-UK Agreement on Air Services signed in Prague on 20 March 1998.
4 Apr 2001 : Column: 202W
Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if candidate countries to the European Union will be treated as EU member states for the purposes of air passenger duty from the time that the European Common Aviation Area multilateral agreement becomes applicable. [156830]
Mr. Timms: I have been asked to reply.
Candidate countries to the European Union will be treated as EU member states for air passenger duty purposes only when they have completed the accessionary process.
Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact on competitiveness of changes in air passenger duty on flights within the European Economic Area; and if he will make a statement. [156827]
Mr. Timms: I have been asked to reply.
The changes to air passenger duty implemented on 1 April 2001 should have a positive impact on the UK's competitiveness within the European Economic Area. For those passengers travelling economy class the duty is reduced to £5.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Film
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people are employed in (a) the British Film Commission, (b) the Arts Council of England's Lottery Film Department, (c) the British Film Institute's Production Department, (d) British Screen Finance and (d) the British Film Institute; and how many were employed in April (i) 1999 and (ii) 2000. [156149]
Mr. Chris Smith: The British Film Commission, Arts Council of England's Lottery Film Department and the British Film Institute's Production Department were absorbed into the Film Council on 1 April 2000. British Screen Finance transferred to the Film Council on 1 October 2000. The Film Council currently employs 73 staff. 1
Figures for preceding years are as follows:
| April 1999 | April 2000(6) | |
|---|---|---|
| British Film Commission | 11 | 11 |
| Arts Council of England's Lottery Film Department | 11 | 13 |
| British Film Institute's Production Department | 9 | 11 |
| British Screen Finance | 17 | 15 |
| British Film Institute(7) | 445 | 403 |
| Total | 541 | 524 |
(5) The Film Council staff total takes into account staff for finance, business affairs, policy and industry training functions which previously either did or did not exist as activities or were functions undertaken by external lawyers and accountants or by other departments within the Arts Council or the British Film Institute.
(6) In respect of all but British Film Institute figures, these relate to the numbers of staff transferring into the Film Council on 1 April 2000.
(7) Figures are based on averages for the year. These figures exclude British Film Institute Production but include externally funded staff of 48 in 1999, 71 in 2000 and 83 at present: these staff are on fixed-term contracts and are funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for restoration work at the BFI Archive in Berkhamsted.
4 Apr 2001 : Column: 203W
Arts Funding (Liverpool)
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding was available for the arts in Liverpool (a) since 1997 and (b) between 1993 and 1997. [156458]
Mr. Alan Howarth: For the financial years 1993-2000 the figures for grant in aid allocated to the arts in Liverpool are as follows:
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 1,153,751 |
| 1994 | 1,678,132 |
| 1995 | 1,284,251 |
| 1996 | 1,648,064 |
| 1997 | 1,766,049 |
| 1998 | 1,712,828 |
| 1999 | 2,090,915 |
| 2000 | (8)4,112,172 |
| 2001 | (9)-- |
(8) Includes delegation of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra from the Arts Council of England
(9) Figures for 2000-01 will not be available until the audited accounts are released later in the year
The total Lottery allocation to Liverpool from 1995 to date has been £21,434,276. I have asked the Arts Council for a breakdown of this figure and will write to my hon. Friend when the information is available.
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