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Zoos
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment her Department has made of the extent to which the treatment of elephants in zoos within the UK is consistent with good practice in animal welfare; and if she will make a statement; [30450]
- (2) if she will review the regulations relating to the management of elephants in zoos; and if she will make a statement. [30210]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 29 January 2002]: I have no current plans to review the legislation relating to the management of elephants in zoos. The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 makes clear that all animals, including elephants, should be kept in accommodation that is adequate for their proper care and well-being. Zoos are regularly inspected to ensure that that is the case and that all animals are treated in accordance with the guidance on animal welfare set out in the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice.
Organic Produce
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps she is taking to encourage suppliers to make greater use of domestically produced organic produce; and if she will make a statement; [31297]
- (2) what studies she has made of the organic produce and supply industry in the UK; and if she will make a statement. [31298]
Mr. Morley: We have already made considerable support available to encourage conversion to organic farming, which has increased the quantities of UK organic produce available. The action plan for organic farming, which we will be developing with the stakeholders in the
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light of the recommendations of the Policy Commission, will address the opportunities for UK producers to supply a higher share of the UK market for organic food.
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the (a) value and (b) proportion of organically grown produce, broken down by category, that was (i) imported and (ii) domestically produced for the UK market in each year since 1990. [31296]
Mr. Morley: The best estimates we have are as follows:
| 2000 | 2001 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cereals and bakery products | 67 | 93 |
| Dairy | 106 | 148 |
| Multi-ingredients | 97 | 125 |
| Meat | 24 | 40 |
| Eggs | 31 | 39 |
| Baby food | 24 | 49 |
| Beverages | 24 | 40 |
| Fruit and vegetables | 230 | 268 |
| 2000 | 2001 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cereals and bakery products | 25 | 20 |
| Dairy | 60 | 65 |
| Multi-ingredients | 20 | 20 |
| Meat | 70 | 55 |
| Eggs | 100 | 90 |
| Baby food | 35 | 50 |
| Beverages | 15 | 20 |
| Fruit and vegetables | 15 | 15 |
We do not have information for previous years.
Nitrates
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the regions considered at risk from nitrogen pollution of water supplies. [31517]
Mr. Meacher: All regions of England are potentially at risk from agricultural nitrogen pollution of water supplies. Under the nitrates directive (91/676/EEC) 66 nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs) were originally designated in 1996 for the protection of current drinking water supplies in England from agricultural nitrate pollution. Following a European Court of Justice judgment in 2000, we now need to designate NVZs for the protection of all waters in England. These include surface and groundwaters which could be used as water supplies in the future. The minimum designations are now required to complete implementation of the directive, and on which we are currently consulting, include proposed NVZ areas in every region of England.
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the options proposed in the consultation document "Implementing the Nitrates
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Directive" on agriculture by region; and if she will make a statement. [31518]
Mr. Meacher: A regulatory impact assessment of the proposals is included at Annexe E of the consultation document. This includes a compliance cost assessment
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broken down by agricultural sectors and by the different measures required. However, the assessment was made for England as a whole and there is no regional breakdown available. The tables included in Annexe E of the consultation document are reproduced.
| Sector and measure | Proportion of farms affected (%) | Estimated number of farms affected | Total annual cost(13) (£) | Average annual cost per farm affected (£) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy sector | ||||
| Storage | 8 | 1,810 | 5,030,000 | (14)— |
| Transport | 10 | 2,210 | 1,070,000 | (14)— |
| Beef sector | ||||
| Storage | 2 | 800 | 290,000 | (14)— |
| Transport | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sheep sector | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pig sector | ||||
| Storage | 5 | 444 | 1,140,000 | (14)— |
| Transport | 100 | 8,330 | 3,390,000 | (14)— |
| Poultry sector | ||||
| Storage | 0 | (15)n/a | 0 | 0 |
| Transport | 100 | (15)n/a | 1,410,000 | (14)— |
| Record keeping (all sectors) | 100 | 141,000 | 24,000,000 | 200 |
| Total | 36,320,000 |
(13) Numbers have been rounded to the nearest £10,000.
(14) We have not presented the mean average cost here. This would not accurately represent the average cost for a 'typical' farmer in this sector. The vast majority of farms are likely to incur relatively low costs, depending on factors such as the extent of on-farm manure spreading capacity and existing slurry storage facilities. A minority of farms will incur higher costs.
(15) It is not possible to provide a realistic figure for the number of commercial poultry farms affected from current agricultural census information. Calculations are based on an average-sized commercial poultry unit of 50,000 birds.
| Sector and measure | Proportion of farms affected (%) | Estimated number of farms affected | Total annual cost(15) (£) | Average annual cost per farm affected (£) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy sector | ||||
| Storage | 9 | 1,265 | 3,660,000 | (16)— |
| Transport | 10 | 1,430 | 720,000 | (16)— |
| Beef sector | ||||
| Storage | 3 | 540 | 180,000 | (16)— |
| Transport | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sheep sector | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pig sector | ||||
| Storage | 6 | 354 | 1,040,000 | (17)— |
| Transport | 100 | 6,140 | 2,860,000 | (17)— |
| Poultry sector | ||||
| Storage | 0 | (18)n/a | 0 | 0 |
| Transport | 100 | (18)n/a | 1,210,000 | (17)— |
| Record keeping (all sectors) | 100 | 100,000 | 17,010,000 | 200 |
| Total | 26,670,000 |
(16) Numbers have been rounded to the nearest £10,000.
(17) We have not presented the mean average cost here. This would not accurately represent the average cost for a 'typical' farmer in this sector. The vast majority of farms are likely to incur relatively low costs, depending on factors such as the extent of on-farm manure spreading capacity and existing slurry storage facilities. A minority of farms will incur higher costs.
(18)It is impossible to provide a realistic figure for the number of commercial poultry farms affected from current agricultural census information. Calculations are based on an average-sized commercial poultry unit of 50,000 birds.
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Rural White Paper
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 27 November 2001, Official Report, column 859–60W, what proportion of announced funds and schemes was spent, broken down by category, during 2001–02. [31505]
Alun Michael: It is not possible to provide the information requested. The financial year to which it refers has not yet ended.
End-of-life Vehicle Directive
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her role is in the implementation of the European end-of-life vehicle directive; and if she will make a statement. [31507]
Mr. Meacher: The EC directive on end-of-life vehicles (ELV) passed into European law in October 2000. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has the responsibility for developing implementation options for the majority of the provisions in the directive. The Department works very closely with the Department of Trade and Industry on implementation of the directive and leads on the implementation of improved treatment facility standards required under Article 6 and Annexe 1 of the directive.
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