---

Domestic Game Industry

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to support the domestic game industry; and if she will make a statement. [31204]

Mr. Morley: The only sizeable farmed game industry in the UK is the deer (venison) industry. In the main, Government help for that industry has come in the form of funding R&D. The Government have funded deer related projects since 1988, the most recent being a three year project, costing £178,000, looking at low input systems for venison production. For the future, R&D in the deer sector is likely to concentrate on sustainability and the comparative environmental cost of farming deer.

Deer farming has also benefited from grants under the Agriculture Development Scheme, aimed mainly at developing assurance schemes in this sector.

Water Framework and Nitrates Directives

Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the reasons for signing the Water Framework Directive. [31179]

Mr. Meacher: The UK played a leading role in drafting many aspects of the Water Framework Directive during and after its presidency of the European Union 1998. The directive will help ensure protection and improvement of our inland and coastal waters for the benefit of generations to come, thereby contributing to sustainable development.

The Directive introduces a common approach to environmental objectives for all groundwaters and surface waters within the Community as well as a common implementation method, based around the principle of river basin management.

31 Jan 2002 : Column 471W

Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the differences are between current methodology employed to map nitrate vulnerable zones and that used when nitrate vulnerable zones were designated in 1996. [31177]

Mr. Meacher: Identification of discrete area nitrate vulnerable zones as presented under Option 2 of the current consultation paper "How should England implement the 1991 Nitrates Directive?", published on 20 December 2001, has required assessments of the status of several different types of water bodies.

For surface waters, the primary differences between current and past methodology are that the proposed designations are the result of the application of a more robust statistical methodology used to assess nitrate concentrations, coupled with the use of a more extensive water quality sampling network. Following the European Court of Justice (ECJ) judgment in 2000 that we failed to fully implement the nitrates directive, we were required to cover all waters, not just those used for drinking water supplies. The entire Environment Agency GQA monitoring network is now used. Statistical assessments of nitrate concentrations have been based on a minimum of five years of data, compared to a single year of data in the past. For the first time, trend-analysis has also been used to cover the requirement to protect those waters which may be subject to unacceptably high nitrate pollution in the future.

For groundwaters, the 1996 designations of groundwater NVZs were based on monitoring data taken from Public Water Supply boreholes and delineated by groundwater catchments. Following the ECJ judgment, we were required to ensure that the new methodology identifies all groundwater vulnerable to agriculturally- derived nitrate and not just the catchments (zones of contribution) for Public Supply Wells. This was accomplished by combining a statistical assessment of groundwater data with a groundwater vulnerability model derived from an examination of the risk factors associated with land use, rainfall, soil and geological characteristics. The spatial distribution of nitrate values from the monitoring network was used in conjunction with the vulnerability map to define nitrate vulnerable zones.

The nitrates directive also requires designation of nitrate vulnerable zones draining into estuarine areas which have been adjudged to be eutrophic and where a significant proportion of nitrogen arises from diffuse agricultural sources. Such areas are identified in England under the proposals for Option 2 for the first time.

Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the overlap between the water framework and nitrates directives. [31180]

Mr. Meacher: Measures required under the nitrates directive are also "basic" measures which must be included in "programmes of measures" under article 11 of the water framework directive. These programmes of measures have to be published in draft by December 2008 as part of proposed comprehensive River Basin Management Plans.

31 Jan 2002 : Column 472W

Action required under the nitrates directive will also therefore contribute to meeting environmental objectives set by the water framework directive. These objectives are due to be met by 2015.

DEFRA published a consultation document on 20 December 2001 setting out options for implementing the nitrates directive, in order to comply with a European Court of Justice judgment issued in December 2000. These proposals would apply measures required under the nitrates directive in new areas from 19 December 2002.

Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason the methodology for mapping groundwaters in relation to proposed nitrate vulnerable zones has been changed from that applied on nitrate vulnerable zones designated in 1996. [31178]

Mr. Meacher: Identification and designation of groundwater nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs) in 1996 was based on monitoring data from Public Water Supply boreholes. Following the European Court of Justice judgment that we have failed to fully implement the nitrates directive, we were required to extend the methodology to cover all groundwaters, not just drinking water supplies. The Environment Agency therefore used in addition to all available private borehole monitoring data and developed a modelling methodology, calibrated to best fit available borehole monitoring data, to identify vulnerable groundwaters. Further details are in Annexe A of the current consultation document "How should England implement the 1991 Nitrates Directive?" (PB6269) published on 20 December 2001.

Animal Movement Licences

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on livestock farmers who have imminent markets for animals of her Department's changes to the procedure for the issuing of movement orders by trading standards office; for what reasons the change requiring movement orders to be despatched by post was made; and what consultations were made with farmers and representative organisations prior to the change being introduced. [31511]

Mr. Morley: Guidance issued by DEFRA to local authority trading standard departments has not changed. It has consistently advised that licences should only be issued in hard copy form with faxed copies only being used in exceptional circumstances.

Rural Payments

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with HM Treasury on match funding for European Union agri-environment scheme subsidies; what steps she has taken to press for the introduction of modulation of direct compensation payments to farmers as part of the 2003 mid-term review of the common agricultural policy; and if she will make a statement. [31513]

Alun Michael: The funding arrangements for the agri-environment schemes under the England Rural Development Programme, including the match funding for European Union funds, were confirmed under the

31 Jan 2002 : Column 473W

Spending Review 2000. Levels of funding will be considered as part of the Spending Review 2002. Part of the European Union funding is derived from modulation of direct compensation payments.

Government are currently engaged in informal discussions with like-minded member states on various aspects of the 2003 mid-term review of the Agenda 2000 common agricultural policy reforms. Those discussions include mechanisms for switching funds from the first to the second pillar of the common agricultural policy.

Cameraria Ohridella

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the spread of Cameraria ohridella in Europe; and if she has assessed the potential impact on the UK. [30955]

Mr. Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Harry Cohen) on 25 October 2001, Official Report, column 362W.

Elvaston Landfill Site

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs further to her answer of 5 December 2001, Official Report, column 398W, on Elvaston landfill site, what actions the agency has taken on the operator's proposed plans; and what steps are being taken to inform residents of progress. [31065]

Mr. Meacher: A public meeting was held on 11 December 2001 where the proposals for work on the site were explained. The public had an opportunity to put questions to representatives of the various organisations with an interest in the activities at the site including Biffa, the Environment Agency and the local and county authorities. Newsletters are being sent to the residents and businesses in the area when new information regarding the site is available.

The Environment Agency continues to review and seek any necessary improvements to the operator's proposed plan for the site. The agency report that progress is being made on the site in working towards reducing leachate levels. 10 pumps are operational on site to remove leachate from the cells. This is either going via sewer, for the less concentrated sources, or via collection by tanker—for treatment at an appropriate facility—for the strong leachate. Improvements on the gas collection system and capping of the cell area which appeared to be causing many of the odour problems is progressing well and according to the operator should be complete by the end of February.

---