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Organic Action Plan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will announce the organic action plan. [42179]

Mr. Morley: The development of the organic farming sector will be carried forward in the context of an organic action plan, taking account of the recommendations of the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food.

Refrigerators (Disposal)

Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her

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understanding in December 1998 was of the purpose of, and requirements for the UK, of EU Regulation 2037/2000. [34838]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 11 February 2002]: The proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) on substances that deplete the ozone layer (ODS) was published by the European Commission on 14 August 1998. The environmental purpose of the regulation was to further protect the ozone layer during a decade when ozone depletion was expected to peak.

Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the requests made by her Department to the European Commission for clarification of the practical implications of implementing EU Regulation 2037/2000 in the UK. [40366]

Mr. Meacher: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Gordon (Malcolm Bruce) on 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 922W.

Nitrates

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many replies she has received to the consultation paper on nitrate vulnerable zones; and if she will place a list of consultees in the Library. [41496]

Mr. Meacher: As of 6 March 2002, we have received 12,696 replies to our consultation entitled "How Should England Implement the 1991 Nitrates Directive?".

A list of responding consultees will be placed in the Library, though this will exclude those who have requested their reply be confidential. These currently number 2,535.

UN Ancient Forests Summit

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if (a) Ministers and (b) officials will attend the UN Ancient Forests Summit at the Hague in April. [36399]

Mr. Morley: The United Kingdom expects to send a delegation comprising officials from a wide range of Government Departments to the meeting formally known as the 6th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Forest biodiversity is one of the main issues on the agenda, and we are committed to seeking a successful outcome that will make a real contribution to the conservation and sustainable use of all forest biodiversity, including that in ancient forests.

Correspondence

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for South Suffolk of (a) 18 June on behalf of Ms Lesley Denny and Mrs. Eileen Denny, (b) 25 June on behalf of Mrs. J. M. Wellington, (c) 25 June welcoming her to her job, (d) 26 June on a public inquiry into foot and mouth disease, (e) 4 July on behalf of Mrs. A. R. Gascoigne, (f) 24 July on behalf of Mrs. J. Fenton, (g) 16 July on behalf of Mr. R. N. Bracher, (h) 24 July on behalf of Mrs. J. MacDonald, (i) 24 July on behalf of Mr. J. Sanderson, (j) 24 July on behalf of

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Mr. K. Bendon, (k) 23 July about cleaning and disinfection of farms affected by foot and mouth disease and (l) 30 July and 29 August on behalf of Mrs. P. M. Baylis. [7582]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 15 October 2001]: The hon. Member has received replies to the following:

(a) 18 June on behalf of Ms Lesley Denny and Mrs. Eileen Denny, reply sent on 31 January 2002.

(b) 25 June on behalf of Mrs. J. M. Wellington, reply sent on 26 January 2002.

(c) 25 June welcoming her to her job, reply sent on 23 February 2002.

(d) 26 June on a public inquiry into foot and mouth disease, reply sent on 23 February 2002.

(f) 24 July on behalf of Mrs. J. Fenton, reply sent 23 January 2002.

(h) 24 July on behalf of Mrs. J. MacDonald, reply sent 30 January 2002.

(i) 24 July on behalf of Mr. J. Sanderson, reply sent 29 January 2002.

(j) 24 July on behalf of Mr. K. Bendon, reply sent on 8 March 2002.

(k) 23 July about cleaning and disinfection of farms affected by foot and mouth disease, reply sent 23 January 2002.

(l) 30 July and 29 August on behalf of Mrs. P. M. Baylis, reply sent 5 January.

We have no record of receiving letters (e) 4 July on behalf of Mrs. A. R. Gascoigne, and (g) 16 July on behalf of Mr. R. N. Bracher.

Small Businesses

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many registered small businesses there were in the United Kingdom, broken down by (a) category and (b) region in each year since 1990. [40820]

Nigel Griffiths: I have been asked to reply.

The number of VAT registered businesses is the best available measure of the registered small business population. Most VAT registered businesses are small but the figures will include a small number of large business. Due to significant changes in the VAT threshold in 1991 and 1993 1 it is difficult to compare the 1994 to 2001 time series with previous data.

The figures have been placed in the Library.

HEALTH

Health Spending

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what year he expects United Kingdom spending on health to equal the European average; on what basis this estimate is made; and if he will make a statement. [4849]

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Mr. Hutton: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.

The average health expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) of European Union countries has been around 7.9 to 8 per cent. for a number of years. By 2003–04 total health spending in the US will be around 7.6 per cent. of GDP. Spending plans beyond that time will be made in the coming spending review.

This forecast is based on current national health service spending plans, and an assumption that private expenditure remains at around 1 per cent. of GDP.

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those health purchasing authorities which were overspent in 2000–01. [42195]

Mr. Hutton: The annual accounts for 2000–01 show only one health authority—Bexley and Greenwich failed to achieve financial balance. The health authority merged on 1 April 2001.

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those health service budget heads which (a) were underspent in 2000–01 and (b) are expected to be underspent in the current year, in each case showing the extent of underspend. [42194]

Mr. Hutton: The information requested for 2000–01 is contained in the Department of Health Appropriation Account and Expenditure Statements (HC 335-II 22 February 2002). A copy is held in the Library.

Information for the current year will not be available until after the end of the financial year.

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the purchasing health authorities which were headed for a current year overspend between October and December 2001, stating (a) the then estimated overspend and (b) the latest estimated overspend. [42193]

Mr. Hutton: By year-end we expect all health authorities to live within their agreed resource limits and not to overspend.

Heart Disease

Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will indicate (a) when the National Institute for Clinical Excellence will commence its work into the investigation and management of heart failure, (b) whom the institute will invite to participate in the production of a clinical guideline and (c) when he anticipates that the institute will produce clinical guidelines into the investigation and management of heart failure; and if he will make a statement. [1414]

Mr. Hutton: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.

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The development of a guideline on the management of heart failure began in September 2001. The Chronic Condition Collaborating Centre has been asked to lead the development on behalf of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. The provisional date for publication of the guidelines is summer 2003. The collaborating centre will consult the organisations listed.


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