---

Non-food Crops

20. Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what work programme she has approved for the forum on non-food crops. [4690]

Margaret Beckett: The forum on non-food uses of crops has been set up to provide strategic advice to Government and industry. Its current work programme is focusing on case studies including biopackaging, fibre for the car industry and wool. Full details are on the forum's website www.defra.gov.uk/farm/gifnfc.

Recycling

21. Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the United Kingdom targets for packaging recycling. [4691]

18 Oct 2001 : Column: 1269W

Mr. Meacher: The Government are currently consulting on recovery and recycling targets for packaging waste in 2002.

Landfill Sites

22. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will introduce measures to discourage the transport of waste to landfill sites and incinerators. [4693]

Margaret Beckett: The proximity principle set out in the Waste Strategy 2000 and Planning Policy Guidance Note 10 requires that waste should generally be disposed of as near as possible to its place of production, because transporting waste itself has an environmental impact.

The Waste Strategy 2000 also sets out the many steps Government are taking to encourage diversion of waste to recycling.

Animal Welfare

25. Dr. Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take further steps to encourage the market in meat produced to high standards of animal welfare. [4698]

Mr. Morley: The Government recognise the importance of standards of production for consumers and the market. We therefore welcome all industry initiatives to enhance further welfare standards and to highlight those standards to consumers. Financial assistance towards such initiatives is available through the England Rural Development Programme. It includes schemes which assist improved processing and marketing of quality products from welfare friendly systems, and related training for farmers

Mr. Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her plans to minimise animal welfare problems in south Cumbria. [7517]

Mr. Morley: Our priority is to win the battle against foot and mouth disease. But we have provided for various animal movements schemes in order to overcome welfare problems. And in extreme cases, the Livestock Welfare Disposal Scheme remains in place.

Farmers' Incomes

27. Mr. Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the change in farmers' average incomes since 1997. [4701]

Margaret Beckett: Average total income from farming per average full-time person engaged in agriculture has fallen by 41 per cent. in real terms from 1997 to 2000.

Fishing

29. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to ensure the future sustainability of the fishing industry in England. [4704]

Mr. Morley: It is a key DEFRA objective to promote the sustainable use of fish resources. We will do this in particular by improving the management of fish stocks

18 Oct 2001 : Column: 1270W

and by bringing the capacity of the fleet into better balance with fishing opportunities. We will play a full role, in partnership with the industry, in the forthcoming EU review of the Common Fisheries Policy and in further work on stock recovery plans.

Common Fisheries Policy

30. Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the European Commission Green Paper on the reform of the common fisheries policy. [4705]

Mr. Morley: We welcome the analysis contained within the Commission Green Paper. The Commission correctly identifies many of the significant weaknesses in the current operation of the CFP; sets out those existing elements of the policy, such as relative stability and access restrictions in the six-twelve mile zone, which should be continued; establishes a convincing case for revising the objectives of the CFP; and outlines a number of useful new ideas which must be carefully examined in the course of the Review. Our formal response is available in the Libraries of the House.

Grass Lets

31. Mr. Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to offer compensation to farmers who have lost their income from grass lets. [4706]

Mr. Morley: My officials are in touch with the Arthur Rank Foundation and with industry bodies about the work of the ARF's National Fodder Bureau and Government match funding for this charitable work. This involves the purchase of farmers' surplus fodder and brokerage to those with more animals than anticipated (due to foot and mouth disease movement restrictions).

Climate Change

32. Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her participation in international negotiations on climate change. [4707]

Margaret Beckett: I attended the resumed Sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bonn in July and I will be attending the Seventh Conference of the Parties to be held in Marrakesh in November.

High Hedges Bill

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to reintroduce the High Hedges Bill. [8219]

Ms Keeble: I have been asked to reply.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 884W.

18 Oct 2001 : Column: 1271W

Salmon Farming

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for reducing the waste produced from salmon farming; and if she will make a statement. [5282]

Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 19 July 2001]: I have been asked to reply.

This is predominantly a matter for the devolved Administration in Scotland. I understand however that a range of initiatives are underway to ensure that salmon farming is undertaken sustainably, with regard both to economic benefit and effect on the environment.

Rural Taskforce

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the report of the rural taskforce will be published. [9041]

Alun Michael: The report is being published today. Arrangements have been made for copies to be placed in the House Library.

Renewable Energy

Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government have taken to promote renewable forms of energy in the United Kingdom in the last three years; and if she will make a statement. [8085]

Mr. Wilson: I have been asked to reply.

In the last three years my Department has taken a number of steps to promote renewable forms of energy in the United Kingdom. Renewable sources of energy have received support of around £208 million over the last three years under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) arrangements. As of 31 March 2001, 366 NFFO projects had been commissioned, representing an installed capacity of around 934 MW (declared net capacity). In addition, my Department's Sustainable Energy Programme has invested a further £36.9 million into R&D activities. Indeed, the period from 1998–2001 saw my Department's budget for renewables rise from £9.7 million to £18 million in the current financial year.

We are now looking to continue to accelerate the development of renewables across a wide range of sources and technologies. We are about to introduce the new Renewables Obligation which will oblige all licensed electricity suppliers to supply a specified and growing proportion of their electricity from renewable sources. Our target for the Obligation is that 10 per cent. of licensed electricity supplies will be generated from eligible renewable sources by 2010.

The introduction of the Renewables Obligation will create a long-term market expected to be worth over £1 billion per year by 2010. Direct government funding for the financial years 2001–2004 will be worth over £260 million and will fund a range of initiatives including my Department's R&D programme, extensive capital grants for offshore wind and energy crops, and a photovoltaic demonstration programme.

18 Oct 2001 : Column: 1272W

Flood Defences

Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to improve flood defences; and if she will make a statement. [7772]

Mr. Morley: I plan to reduce risk of flooding by investing in effective flood warning arrangements and in flood defences in the highest risk areas. Funding for the Department's programme is increasing from £66 million in 2000–01 to £114 million in 2003–04.

This Department provides funding to the Environment Agency, local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards for capital flood and coastal defence works that meet certain criteria. Responsibility for deciding which projects to promote and their timing rests with the operating authorities.

---