House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 7 Mar 2002 (pt 4)

War Graves (Somme)

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the French Government regarding the impact on war graves of the revised proposals to build an international airport on the Somme. [41457]

Dr. Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 166W to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson).

Parliamentary Questions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many answers to parliamentary questions have not been answered by his Department under exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information in each year since 1994. [29417]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 22 January 2002]: Records are not kept of the number of occasions on which Defence Ministers have not been able to answer parliamentary questions wholly or in part on grounds of commercial confidentiality. This information could be extracted from the thousands of answers given in a typical year only at disproportionate cost.

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European Rapid Reaction Force

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many uniformed staff will be allocated full-time to duties connected with the European rapid reaction force. [38944]

Mr. Hoon: There is no standing European rapid reaction force. EU member states have identified a pool of forces from which units could be drawn as necessary for EU-led operations. Forces would be assembled only for the duration of any mission.

Non-Governmental Organisations

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list non-governmental organisations operating in the south-west region that receive public funds from his Department; and what amount of annual funding they received in the most recent year for which figures are available. [39190]

Dr. Moonie: This information is not held centrally in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I am therefore unable to provide a substantive answer under the terms of Exemption 9 (voluminous and vexatious requests) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Defence Projects

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is (a) the estimated total project cost, (b) the total expenditure to date and (c) the planned expenditure in each of the next three years on (i) the Conventionally Armed Stand-Off Missile project, (ii) the Hercules C130J project, (iii) the Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedo project, (iv) the Astute Class Submarine project, (v) the Nimrod Maritime Reconnaissance and Attack MK4 project, (vi) the Attack Helicopter project, (vii) the Merlin HM MK1 Maritime Helicopter project and (viii) the Eurofighter project; [41268]

(a)

(b)

(c)

Dr. Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Underspends

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by how much his Department underspent its expenditure limits in the financial year 2000–01. [40829]

Mr. Hoon: The Ministry of Defence underspend against the Departmental Expenditure Limit in financial year 2000–01 was £73 million, less than 0.4 per cent. of the budget for the year. This outcome reflects sound forecasting and management action in the year.

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ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Recycling

11. Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she has made an assessment of the cost of implementing the Government's recycling strategy. [38003]

Mr. Meacher: Regulatory impact assessments are developed by the Department to assess the costs and benefits of proposed measures to increase recycling. These RIAs are published in consultation documents and are available on the DEFRA website http://www.defra.gov.uk/.

25. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contribution she expects the commercial composting of household waste to make in reaching recycling targets. [38018]

Mr. Meacher: The Government and the National Assembly have set challenging targets in "Waste Strategy 2000" to recycle or compost at least 25 per cent. of household waste by 2005. We hope that composting will play a major role in helping local authorities reach these targets.

30. Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received regarding the implementation of the EU directive on the recycling of refrigerators. [38023]

Mr. Meacher: We have received a number of representations about the EC regulation on substances that deplete the ozone layer. The representations have mostly been from local authorities regarding funding; from retailers about take-back on delivery systems; and from the waste management industry about technical and environmental standards for storage and treatment of refrigerators.

31. Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken to prepare for implementation of the waste electrical and electronic equipment directive. [38024]

Mr. Meacher: My hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Energy has the lead responsibility for negotiating the waste electrical and electronic equipment directive. However, Ministers and officials in both Departments have been working together closely. An initial Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) was placed in the Libraries of both Houses on 7 December 2000. A revised RIA is likely to be ready later this month. Both Departments have had significant dialogue with business throughout the negotiation of the directive and will continue this process during the remaining stages of negotiation and while devising implementing regulations.

32. Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost of implementing the waste electrical and electronic equipment directive. [38025]

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in the Libraries of both Houses on 7 December 2000. A revised RIA is likely to be ready later this month. Both Departments have had significant dialogue with business throughout the negotiation of the directive and will continue this process during the remaining stages of negotiation and while devising implementing regulations. Based on the principle of producer responsibility, these directives provide that producers will be responsible for financing the costs which arise.

35. Mr. Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the plans for recycling plants for refrigerators will be finalised and local authorities informed. [38028R]

Mr. Meacher: Plans for recycling plants for refrigerators are a matter for industry. However, a mobile treatment plant is expected in the country within a week or two and further static treatment plants should be operational by the end of June. The Local Government Association is being kept informed of the progress.

Hazardous Chemicals (Exposure)

15. Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to reduce the exposure of farmers to hazardous chemicals. [38007]

Mr. Meacher: The Government take safety of users of chemicals seriously, and in doing so strictly regulate and enforce the use of chemicals on farms. This is on the basis of scientific advice. Regulation includes an assessment of the risk from exposure of the user to the chemicals, and clear instructions on the personal protective clothing and equipment that must be worn when using specific chemical products.

Livestock Movements

16. Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to make a decision on the control of sheep movement; and if she will make a statement. [38009]

Mr. Morley: Controls on the movement of sheep continue. They were relaxed from 11 February 2002 and may be further relaxed after the lambing period.

20. Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the licensing scheme for the movement of livestock. [38013]

Mr. Morley: In view of the continued improvement in the disease situation, relaxations in the rules governing animal movement controls were introduced from 11 February 2002.

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