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Portable Antiquities Scheme

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to announce future funding plans for the portable antiquities scheme. [42367]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 11 March 2002]: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State for the Arts expects to be able to make an announcement about the future funding of the portable antiquities scheme when she attends the Standing Conference on Portable Antiquities on Thursday 14 March. Copies of this announcement will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

Broadcasting Restrictions

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the groups and organisations which are restricted from being able to broadcast by radio and television; and on statutory restrictions on material which can be broadcast. [41370]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 11 March 2002]: In relation to ownership, the statutory rules broadly have the effect of disqualifying the following groups from holding licences;

non-EEA individuals and bodies (except licences to provide television multiplex services, national or local radio multiplex services, digital additional services, local delivery services, non-domestic satellite or radio services, licensable programme services and licensable sound programme services)


local authorities


political organisations


religious organisations (regulators have discretion to waive this in relation to cable/satellite TV and local analogue, cable or satellite radio services)


certain publicly funded bodies (this applies only to radio licences, apart from radio restricted service licences)


advertising agencies


a person who is, in the opinion of the regulators, subject to influence from a body which is itself disqualified, the effect of which is, or is likely to be, adverse to the public interest.

The Government's proposals for media ownership are set out in the consultation paper on media ownership rules published by DCMS and DTI in November 2001.

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In terms of material which by statute may not be broadcast, the broadcasting regulators, for example the ITC, are required to publish rules on a number of matters which are set out in the current Broadcasting Acts. They include material which is likely to encourage or incite to crime or to lead to disorder, and the advertising of specific products, including tobacco and prescription drugs.

Community Land Purchases

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under which section of its remit funds from the National Lottery are provided for funding community land purchases; and how much has been used for this purpose in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK to date. [42529]

Mr. Caborn: Statutory policy directions set by the Government determine the type of activities the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) can support under its programmes.

Under its directions for the Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities programme NOF has committed £10.78 million to the Scottish Land Fund, administered for NOF by Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Since February 2001 the Scottish Land Fund has awarded 17 grants for acquisition purposes totalling £4,084,613. This programme is exclusive to Scotland and no other NOF funds have been allocated for community land purchases in the UK.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Multiple Food Retailers

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has given to establishing an independent regulator for multiple food retailers. [42170]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 11 March 2002]: We have no plans to establish an independent regulator for multiple food retailers. The Code of Practice on Supermarkets' Dealings with Suppliers, which applies to supermarkets that have 8 per cent. or more of the market, provides for independent dispute resolution. The supermarkets currently falling above this threshold (Asda, Safeway, Sainsbury and Tesco) have all given legally binding undertakings to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to abide by the code and it will now come into force on 17 March 2002. In addition, we are encouraging wider adoption of the code in the food chain on a voluntary basis.

Organic Farming

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish a strategy for increasing levels of organic farming. [42169]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 11 March 2002]: 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.

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Illegal Meat Imports

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the dates and locations of spot checks on illegal meat imports carried out by her Department in the last two years. [38842]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 28 February 2002]: Responsibility for enforcing legislation on imported meat rests with the local and port health authorities not with my Department. All Customs officers dealing with passengers look for the range of restricted and prohibited goods, including meat, as part of their normal duties. DEFRA's State Veterinary Service staff are responsible for enforcing rules on imports of live animals and animal products not intended for human consumption. Officials from the three bodies co-operate from time to time on special joint exercises to deter and detect illicit imports in passengers' baggage, including meat.

Since April 2001, members of the State Veterinary Service have been involved in around nine joint exercises at Heathrow (covering 20 flights). They have also participated in some of the exercises organised by Crawley borough council who have responsibility for Gatwick airport.

Information for 2000 and other locations is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Waste

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on research being undertaken by the Environment Agency concerning the health effects of bioaerosols arising from the incineration and composting of waste. [41218]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 7 March 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 31 January 2002, Official Report, column 473W, on the health effects of bioaerosols from composting. Bioaerosols are not the subject of specific research by the Environment Agency in relation to incineration because the micro-organisms do not survive the incineration process—the residues are essentially sterile in a biological sense. The Environment Agency is, however, currently undertaking a research project relating to waste incineration entitled "Human Health Review of Incineration and Combustion Techniques". The aim of this project is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the nature and degree of any human health impacts of substances released to the environment, from a range of combustion and waste incineration processes burning a range of virgin and waste derived fuels.

Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment she has made of the Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment Directive's requirement for manufacturers to be responsible for the treatment and collection of historic waste; [38120]

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(2) if she will make a statement on financial responsibility for collecting waste electrical goods from households under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive; [38119]

(3) what assessment she has made of the feasibility of a visible fee for new electronic and electrical goods, levied at the point of sale, to fund the collection, disposal and treatment of waste electrical goods. [38122]

Mr. Wilson: I have been asked to reply.

The Department of Trade and Industry is preparing an updated Regulatory Impact Assessment on all costs and benefits associated with the WEEE Directive. I will be depositing this in the Libraries of the House during the next month.

The directive as currently drafted states that producers will, as a minimum, be responsible for the collection costs of WEEE when deposited at a central point. A final decision on implementation cannot be taken until the directive is adopted and we have consulted business again.

The Government will consider the possibility of visible fees alongside other options for fulfilling the financial obligations of the WEEE Directive, as long as the adopted text provides for this.

Local Produce

Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the economic impact of initiatives promoting local produce within the respective areas. [39410]

Mr. Morley: The Department has not itself undertaken any assessment of the economic impact of initiatives promoting local produce. However, the Countryside Agency, which we grant-aid, is contributing to the funding of the New Economics Foundation's Plugging the Leaks programme. Among other things, the programme is piloting a tool which allows local groups to measure the economic impact of various activities including local food initiatives.

Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what initiatives her Department is supporting to promote local produce in the south-west. [39411]

Mr. Morley: Through Food from Britain and the Countryside Agency, the Government have contributed to the funding of the Regional Food Group, Taste of the West. Taste of the West provide various business support and promotional activities including, "Meet the Buyer" events, the publication of regional food and drink guides, attendance at local, regional and national shows, the holding of workshops and seminars and the promotion of farmers' markets. We have also provided funding for the National Association of Farmers' Markets which promotes the development of farmers' markets throughout the country.

In addition, the Department has awarded grant under the Agriculture Development Scheme, the Rural Enterprise Scheme and the LEADER+ initiative to a variety of projects that involve the promotion of local food and drink within the region. One example is the recent award under the third round of the Agriculture

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Development Scheme to the South West Regional Food and Drink Group to support a pilot model for a regional food trade organisation.

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