| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Departmental Title Change Costs
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the total cost of (a) design, (b) stationery, (c) new name plaques and (d) other costs of the naming of her Department; and if she will make a statement. [3032]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 10 July 2001]: Our records currently show the following expenditure as being related to the naming of the New Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
Note:
All expenditure is in sterling and exclusive of VAT.
12 Jul 2001 : Column: 627W
Foot and Mouth
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will make a statement on the causes and transmission of the foot and mouth epidemic. [1668]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 3 July 2001]: The current epidemic has been caused by a specific strain of the foot and mouth virus (PanAsian Strain O) which has occurred in a number of countries around the world. The precise means of the introduction of the virus into Great Britain is unknown and the subject of continuing investigations, but is most likely to have been introduced in imported meat or meat products. The virus was primarily transmitted throughout a large proportion of the susceptible farm livestock population of Great Britain via sales of subclinically infected sheep through markets, via dealers and local sales between farms before 23 February when all animal movements were banned. The specific means of transmission between herds and flocks has been the subject of detailed epidemiological investigations of each infected premises. The results of these investigations are summarised in the following table.
| Number of cases | Percentage of cases | |
|---|---|---|
| Airborne(9) | 7 | (11)1 |
| Dairy tanker | 5 | (11)1 |
| Infected animals | 84 | 5 |
| Local spread | 1,381 | 81 |
| Other fomite(10) | 9 | 1 |
| Person | 60 | 4 |
| Truck | 18 | 1 |
| Under investigation | 142 | 8 |
| Total | 1,706 | 100 |
(9) Cases infected by windborne spread from infected pigs
(10) A fomite is defined as any inanimate object capable of carrying the virus
(11) Less than
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the proposal to prevent the movement of new animals from a farm for 20 days during the short market season, on farmers owning rams and breeding sheep; and if she will make a statement. [2670]
Mr. Morley: A standstill would have slowed down the rapid livestock movements that helped spread foot and mouth disease. The Government are reviewing their proposals in the light of responses to the consultation exercise; they have decided to make this issue part of a
12 Jul 2001 : Column: 628W
total approach to future disease control, which will also include biosecurity, animal identification and licensing. This will allow fuller veterinary and economic assessments to be carried out. In the meantime, current movement licensing controls will continue.
David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the verification procedures used in countries with foot and mouth disease to ensure that meat exported to the United Kingdom from the non-infected part of the country is not contaminated. [2748]
Mr. Morley: Community law requires any member state that has an outbreak of foot and mouth disease not to export fresh meat from within an infected area to any other member state. Responsibility for ensuring compliance lies with the competent authority of the affected member state. For third countries, EC rules require exports of all foot and mouth disease susceptible products to be accompanied by veterinary health certification that guarantees that the meat does not come from a region infected with foot and mouth disease. All imports from third countries of foot and mouth disease susceptible products must enter through UK Border Inspection Posts where they undergo checks to verify they comply with Community import conditions. It is the responsibility of the Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission by means of inspection visits to ensure that member states are complying with Community law and that third countries have in place appropriate disease control measures to ensure they meet Community import conditions.
David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what inspections her officials have made of countries with foot and mouth disease which are exporting meat and meat products to the United Kingdom; and if she will place the inspector's report in the Library. [2749]
Mr. Morley: The responsibility for animal and public health inspections of member states and third countries which export meat and meat products to the EU lies with the Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission. The report of their inspections, which may include countries which have foot and mouth disease are available from the Commission's website at the following address: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/food/ fs/inspections/vi/reports/index–en.html.
David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the countries which have had foot and mouth disease in the last six months from which Britain is importing meat or meat products. [2747]
12 Jul 2001 : Column: 629W
Mr. Morley: The following countries have had outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in the six-month period from 1 January 2001 and may export meat and meat products into the European Community including Great Britain:
- Brazil
- Uruguay
- South Africa
- France
- The Netherlands
- Republic of Ireland.
"Vipers"
David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library the report entitled "Vipers", which was presented to the EU in August 2000. [2770]
Mr. Morley: My officials would be happy to assist the right hon. Member but it is regretted that a thorough search has been found no trace of a report entitled "Vipers" presented to the EU in August 2000. If the right hon. Member could provide further information my officials would be happy to look into this matter.
Petrol Safety
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many underground storage tanks are considered to be at risk of leakage in the UK. [1580]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
The Environment Agency estimates that there are approximately 14,000 petrol stations in England and Wales with some 60,000–70,000 underground storage tanks. The risk of leakage at these facilities arises not only from the storage tanks but also pipework and pump delivery systems, including delivery of fuel to the site. HSE does not have information on the number of underground storage tanks at risk of leakage in the UK. However, local authority petroleum enforcement officers issue licences under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 to retail petrol outlets to ensure the safe storage of petrol. Conditions attached to these licences specify arrangements to prevent and detect leaks.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to introduce a new licensing agreement for petrol retailers using underground storage tanks. [1590]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
HSE has no plans to establish new licensing arrangements but this topic will form part of the review currently being conducted into modernising petrol legislation.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many leakages from underground storage tanks have been reported in each of the past five years; how many have resulted in prosecution; how many have caused environmental damage; and if she will make a statement. [1583]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
12 Jul 2001 : Column: 630W
HSE does not collect statistics on how many leakages from underground storage tanks have been reported. The Environment Agency's prosecution database runs only from January 1999 and does not provide narrative in respect of prosecutions. The failure to report leakage or the fact of such leakage from a storage tank would not therefore be specifically identified and case-by-case information would be disproportionately expensive to obtain. If leakage from a petrol tank occurred a prosecution would be likely to be based on the leakage itself and the resulting pollution or a breach of a licence condition.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to commission a full condition audit of underground storage tanks in the UK; and if she will make a statement. [1578]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
HSE and the Environment Agency have no plans to commission a full condition audit of all underground storage tanks in the UK. There are a number of Environment Agency initiatives aimed at preventing pollution from such tanks and associated facilities. In general, these approaches focus on factors such as the condition of the facility, their age and environmental sensitivity, and the potential consequences of leakage in Environment Agency groundwater protection zones. In addition, local authority petroleum enforcement officers issue licences under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 to retail petrol outlets to ensure the safe storage of petrol. Conditions attached to these licences specify arrangements to prevent and detect leaks.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many field visits and inspections were made by environmental health officers to petrol retail outlets using underground storage tanks during each of the past five years. [1581]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
HSE does not collect statistics on the number of field visits and inspections made by environmental health officers to petrol retail outlets using underground storage tanks. Local authority petroleum officers issue licences under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 to petrol retail outlets to ensure the safe storage of petrol.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will establish a new petroleum authority (a) to regulate and (b) license companies providing offsite wetstock monitoring to ensure they have adequate professional indemnity insurance. [1576]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
HSE has no plans to establish new petroleum authorities but this topic will form part of the review currently being conducted into modernising petrol legislation.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received proposing the introduction of a regulatory regime for underground storage tanks used by petrol retailers; and if she will make a statement. [1589]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
12 Jul 2001 : Column: 631W
HSE has not received any representations about the introduction of a regulatory regime for underground storage tanks but this topic will form part of the review currently being conducted into modernising petrol legislation.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial aid is available to small independent petrol retailers to help upgrade underground storage tanks and pipes to avoid future leakages; and if she will make a statement. [1579]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
There is no financial help available in England and Wales. The Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise do offer assistance through the Rural Petrol Stations Grant Scheme, which is aimed at improving the environmental performance of such sites, by replacement and upgrade. Grants are available up to 50 per cent. of the cost of work. They are able to do this because Environmental protection is a devolved power (to Scotland).
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will issue a code of practice for petrol retailers using underground storage tanks from which site managers can benchmark their performance. [1972]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
DEFRA is currently preparing a Code of Practice, with a view to public consultation, which should help petrol retailers comply with the requirements of the groundwater regulations as they impact on the storage of petrol in underground tanks. It is intended that the Code of Practice will be issued in due course. In addition, there is substantial guidance material available in the Institute of Petroleum/Association for Petrol and Explosive Administrators' document "Guidance for the Design, Construction, Modification and Maintenance of Petrol Filling Stations".
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |