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Livestock Markets
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on hauliers of new biosecurity requirements at livestock markets. [41216]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 7 March 2002]: Interested parties, including the Road Haulage Association (RHA), were consulted on the new biosecurity arrangements at livestock markets. These procedures form a key part of the Interim Animal Movements Regime introduced on 11 February. We are monitoring the operation of the new controls on cleansing and disinfection of vehicles and the impact they are having on hauliers and officials are in regular contact with the RHA about this.
Lottery Funds
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with (a) DCMS and (b) lottery distributing bodies regarding the use of Lottery funds to support projects in rural areas. [40327]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 4 March 2002]: The Minister for Rural Affairs met with the Under- Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport on 20 February, during which this issue was discussed. He is also holding a series of round-table meetings with the Community Fund and other relevant bodies, to discuss how we can better focus lottery distribution on rural areas.
On 1 March the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport announced the Community Fund's launch of a £10 million initiative to help those rural areas that have received low funding by the lottery in the past.
Illegally Logged Wood
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to seize shipments of illegally logged wood. [39989]
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Margaret Beckett [holding answer 4 March 2002]: When a shipment of wood arrives in the UK Her Majesty's Customs and Excise have powers under section 49 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 to seize any shipment presented for clearance that has been imported contrary to a prohibition or restriction.
There are restrictions in relation to international trade in some woods under the terms of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Those species of wood listed in Appendix I and II of CITES require import permits from the UK before they can be brought in. These are issued only where the UK Management Authority (DEFRA) is satisfied that the wood has been legally obtained in the country of origin and has the necessary permit for export form that country. Other species listed in Appendix III of CITES do not require import permits. For these species a self-completed import notification form must be presented to HM
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Customs prior to the arrival of the specimens, together with the relevant export permit(s) or certificate(s) of origin issued by the Management Authority in the exporting country. Both of these provide controls against illegal imports of wood.
Badger Culling
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what interim assessment has been made of evidence from the badger culling trials in Triplets B, C and F. [40411]
Mr. Morley: On the basis of advice from the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG), results from the badger field trial, which is part of the Government's wide ranging strategy to tackle TB in cattle, are expected by the end of 2004. Preliminary findings have not yet emerged but the Government will continue to liaise closely with the ISG during the course of the trial.
| Trial Area | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartland B1 | Putford B2 | Bude B3 | |
| Number of cattle herds in trial area | 90 | 153 | 129 |
| Historical incidence of TB in cattle in herds in trial area | |||
| Confirmed breakdowns: | |||
| Three year (1995–97) | 37 | 48 | 35 |
| 12 month (1997) | 16 | 26 | 11 |
| Annual incidence: | 0.1370 | 0.1046 | 0.0904 |
| Three year (1995–97)(49) | |||
| 12 month (1997)(49) | 0.1778 | 0.1699 | 0.0853 |
| Total surface area (trial area and inner buffer zone) (sq km)(50) | 119 | 143 | 130 |
| Total area for which permission for trial operations was sought (trial area and inner buffer zone) (sq km) | 114 | 125 | 120 |
| Number of land occupiers visited in trial area and inner buffer zone | 164 | 270 | 232 |
| Treatment | Reactive | Proactive | Survey only |
| Aggregated data on badger removal operations in localised areas under the 'interim strategy' 1986–97 | |||
| Total number of badgers caught | 306 | 377 | 331 |
| Percentage of badgers caught found to be infected with TB | 32 | 20 | 37 |
| Number of badgers trapped during the course of the trial to date | 107 | 397 | None |
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| Trial Area | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Madron F1 | Godolphin F2 | StithiansF3 | |
| Number of cattle herds in trial area | 137 | 206 | 253 |
| Historical incidence of TB in cattle in herds in trial area | |||
| Confirmed breakdowns: | |||
| Three year (1997–99) | 20 | 25 | 17 |
| 12 month (1999) | 6 | 19 | 8 |
| Annual incidence: | |||
| Three year (1997–99)(49) | 0.0487 | 0.0405 | 0.0224 |
| 12 month (1999)(49) | 0.0438 | 0.0922 | 0.0316 |
| Total surface area (trial area and inner buffer zone) (sq km)(50) | 145 | 149 | 164 |
| Total area for which permission for trial operations was sought (trial area and inner buffer zone) (sq km) | 91 | 113 | 103 |
| Number of land occupiers visited in trial area and inner buffer zone | 252 | 527 | 658 |
| Treatment | Proactive | Survey only | Reactive |
| Aggregated data on badger removal operations in localised areas under the 'interim strategy' 1986–97 | |||
| Total number of badgers caught | 469 | 246 | 414 |
| Percentage of badgers caught found to be infected with TB | 13 | 13 | 19 |
| Number of badgers trapped during the course of the trial to date | 451 | None | None |
(49) Number of breakdowns divided by total number of herds (per annum), expressed as a decimal figure
(50) Some of this surface area will automatically be unsuitable for trial operations (including, for example, settlements, airfields, roads, rivers, lakes, quarries, etc.)
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evidence has been gathered from the badger culling trials in Triplets B, C and F. [40412]
Mr. Morley: Data from Triplets B, C and F is summarised in the table and is available on DEFRA's website at: http://defraweb/animalh/tb/. Other evidence
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has also been collected from these triplets including the prevalence of TB in badgers caught in the trial, locations of capture, and the number and location of cattle TB breakdowns in trial areas. These data have not been released so as not to discourage participation in the trial, or encourage either illegal killing of badgers or interference with trial operations.
(51) Number of breakdowns divided by total number of herds (per annum), expressed as a decimal figure
(52) Some of this surface area will automatically be unsuitable for trial operations (including, for example, settlements, airfields, roads, rivers, lakes, quarries, etc.)
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| Trial area | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Otterham C1 | Launceston C2 | Lanreath C3 | |
| Number of cattle herds in trial area | 151 | 180 | 107 |
| Historical indicence of TB in cattle in herds in trial area: | |||
| Confirmed breakdowns: | |||
| Three year (1996–98) | 21 | 16 | 14 |
| 12 month (1998) | 7 | 9 | 5 |
| Annual incidence: | |||
| Three year (1996–98)(53) | 0.0464 | 0.0296 | 0.0436 |
| 12 month (1997)(53) | 0.0464 | .05009 | 0.0467 |
| Total surface area (trial area and inner buffer zone) (km(54))(54) | 145 | 157 | 141 |
| Total area for which permission for trial operations was sought (trial area and inner buffer zone) (km(54)) | 137 | 154 | 140 |
| Number of land occupiers visited in trial area and inner buffer zone | 259 | 315 | 237 |
| Treatment | Reactive | Survey only | Proactive |
| Aggregated data on badger removal operations in localised areas under the 'interim strategy' 1986–97: | |||
| Total number of badgers caught | 162 | 360 | 257 |
| Percentage of badgers caught found to be infected with TB (%) | 19 | 24 | 22 |
| Number of badgers trapped during the course of the trial to date | 178 | None | 357 |
(53) Number of breakdowns divided by total number of herds (per annum), expressed as a decimal figure
(54) Some of this surface area will automatically be unsuitable for trial operations (including, for example, settlements, airfields, roads, rivers, lakes, quarries, etc.)
| Trial area | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Madron F1 | Godolphin F2 | Stithians F3 | |
| Number of cattle herds in trial area | 137 | 206 | 253 |
| Historical indicence of TB in cattle in herds in trial area: | |||
| Confirmed breakdowns: | |||
| Three year (1997–99) | 20 | 25 | 17 |
| 12 month (1999) | 6 | 19 | 8 |
| Annual incidence: | |||
| Three year (1997–99)(55) | 0.0487 | 0.0405 | 0.0224 |
| 12 month (1999)(55) | 0.0438 | 0.0922 | 0.0316 |
| Total surface area (trial area and inner buffer zone) (km(56))(56) | 145 | 149 | 164 |
| Total area for which permission for trial operations was sought (trial area and inner buffer zone) (km(56)) | 91 | 113 | 103 |
| Number of land occupiers visited in trial area and inner buffer zone | 252 | 527 | 658 |
| Treatment | Proactive | Survey only | Reactive |
| Aggregated data on badger removal operations in localised areas under the 'interim strategy' 1986–97: | |||
| Total number of badgers caught | 469 | 246 | 414 |
| Percentage of badgers caught found to be infected with TB | 13 | 13 | 19 |
| Number of badgers trapped during the course of the trail to date | 451 | None | None |
(55) Number of breakdowns divided by total number of herds (per annum), expressed as a decimal figure
(56) Some of this surface area will automatically be unsuitable for trial operations (including, for example, settlements, airfields, roads, rivers, lakes, quarries, etc.)
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