House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 18 Mar 2002 (pt 30)

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

City of London Corporation (Events)

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the functions, engagements and events which Ministers, her officials and advisers have attended which have been sponsored, funded, promoted and hosted by the City of London Corporation since 1997. [35706]

Mr. Morley: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Non-governmental Organisations

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list non- governmental organisations operating in the south-west region that receive public funds from her Department; and what amount of annual funding they received in the most recent year for which figures are available. [39188]

Mr. Morley: Records specifying the operational location of non-governmental organisations whose activities are supported by the Department are not held centrally. Constructing such information for the south-west region would involve disproportionate cost.

Special Urgency Provisions

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how often the Department has applied the special urgency provisions in paragraph 22 of Circular 18/84 (Development by Government Departments) to a development by the Department; and if she will make a statement. [38715]

18 Mar 2002 : Column 113W

Mr. Morley: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was only created in June 2001. This reply, therefore, covers the period from that date. This Department has never applied the special urgency provisions of Circular 18/84. This Department makes every effort to follow the usual local authority planning procedures when contemplating land or building developments. The special urgency provisions of Circular 18/84 would be invoked only as a last resort in the most urgent of cases.

Job Advertisements

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the job advertisements placed by her Department in the last 12 months specifying where the advertisements were placed and the cost in each case. [39057]

Mr. Morley: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was created from the merger of other Departments (or parts of other Departments) in June 2001.

Recruitment is devolved to Personnel Points across the Department and the answer to the question could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Cartagena Biosafety Protocol

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to recommend that Britain ratify the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; and when ratification will take place. [37526]

Margaret Beckett: Ratification of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety by the United Kingdom is partly dependent on legislative action at the European Community level. The European Commission has recently issued proposals for such legislation. The UK will press for early progress in negotiations on these proposals, so that we may be in a position to ratify the Protocol before the end of this year.

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Countryside Alliance

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she next intends to meet representatives of the Countryside Alliance. [37924]

Mr. Morley: There are currently no confirmed meetings with the Countryside Alliance in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's diary.

UK Waterways

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the UK's waterways are owned by the landlords who own the surrounding land. [40705]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 5 March 2002]: This information is not held by the Department. We do not keep records of land ownership alongside waterways, and the information is not readily available—some information might be held by navigation authorities but to obtain a complete picture it would be necessary to carry out land searches for up to 5,000 km of waterway.

Agricultural Products (Prices)

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the average (a) farmgate and (b) final consumer price of (i) beef, (ii) lamb, (iii) milk, (iv) cereal, (v) fruit and (vi) vegetable products in the United Kingdom in each year since 1990. [40818]

Mr. Morley: The following table shows estimated average prices paid by consumers for selected foods and the nearest equivalent average UK farmgate prices. The consumer prices reflect the price of imported foods as well as home-grown produce. They also reflect costs, value added and profit margins upstream from the farmgate.

All foods as purchased by consumers will differ to some extent from the ex-farm commodity. Milling wheat will be milled, mixed with other ingredients and further processed to produce bread; meat as retailed will have been de-boned, cut, trimmed of most fat and packaged; raw milk will be treated and fruit and vegetables will be graded and cleaned. These additional processes affect the validity of a direct comparison between the consumer and farmgate prices.

Consumer prices for selected foods and the farmgate price for the nearest equivalent agricultural commodity produced in the UKPence per kg. unless otherwise stated

Food (home-grown and imported) and Commodities (home-grown) 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Beef and veal 432 448 445 476 476 488 485 497 487 491 483

Finished cattle (dcw)⁽¹⁹⁾ 190 191 196 229 218 220 189 173 154 165 160

Lamb and mutton 349 343 378 410 419 415 441 473 429 450 469

Finished sheep (dcw)⁽¹⁹⁾^,⁽²⁰⁾ 175 148 182 219 237 236 283 239 193 180 196

Liquid milk (pence per litre) 52 54 55 55 53 53 52 51 50 49 48

Raw milk (pence per litre)⁽²¹⁾ 18 20 21 22 22 25 25 22 19 18 17

Bread 86 91 92 91 90 91 94 96 98 100 102

Milling wheat 12 13 14 13 11 12 12 10 8 8 7

Apples 99 114 109 91 100 103 111 112 111 111 112

Apples⁽²²⁾ 39 42 25 27 32 34 39 42 39 31 30

Potatoes 29 30 29 28 36 49 40 35 49 51 47

Potatoes 10 9 8 6 13 19 10 7 12 12 9

Cabbages 60 65 61 65 64 72 74 70 76 79 86

Cabbages⁽²²⁾ 18 14 17 14 16 25 18 18 22 18 24

Cauliflowers 73 95 85 97 97 113 105 103 102 101 98

Cauliflowers⁽²²⁾ 24 25 20 22 22 28 24 23 22 22 24

Leafy salads 155 155 156 165 160 171 183 204 223 236 244

Lettuce 81 78 87 91 71 87 143 121 114 117 100

Carrots 57 60 50 50 52 54 57 52 58 55 56

Carrots⁽²²⁾ 22 12 11 12 15 20 12 12 16 12 15

Cucumbers 137 126 128 129 114 139 130 125 128 125 129

Cucumbers 55 49 54 57 60 77 62 57 51 46 54

Mushrooms 260 264 274 269 269 278 278 270 278 266 269

Mushrooms 147 153 147 148 152 160 161 158 160 165 170

Tomatoes 140 144 131 130 134 131 141 134 148 162 173

Tomatoes 67 58 52 59 68 58 74 54 59 57 69

Food (home-grown and imported) and Commodities (home-grown)	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Beef and veal	432	448	445	476	476	488	485	497	487	491	483
Finished cattle (dcw)⁽¹⁹⁾	190	191	196	229	218	220	189	173	154	165	160

Lamb and mutton	349	343	378	410	419	415	441	473	429	450	469
Finished sheep (dcw)⁽¹⁹⁾^,⁽²⁰⁾	175	148	182	219	237	236	283	239	193	180	196

Liquid milk (pence per litre)	52	54	55	55	53	53	52	51	50	49	48
Raw milk (pence per litre)⁽²¹⁾	18	20	21	22	22	25	25	22	19	18	17

Bread	86	91	92	91	90	91	94	96	98	100	102
Milling wheat	12	13	14	13	11	12	12	10	8	8	7

Apples	99	114	109	91	100	103	111	112	111	111	112
Apples⁽²²⁾	39	42	25	27	32	34	39	42	39	31	30
Potatoes	29	30	29	28	36	49	40	35	49	51	47
Potatoes	10	9	8	6	13	19	10	7	12	12	9

Cabbages	60	65	61	65	64	72	74	70	76	79	86
Cabbages⁽²²⁾	18	14	17	14	16	25	18	18	22	18	24

Cauliflowers	73	95	85	97	97	113	105	103	102	101	98
Cauliflowers⁽²²⁾	24	25	20	22	22	28	24	23	22	22	24

Leafy salads	155	155	156	165	160	171	183	204	223	236	244
Lettuce	81	78	87	91	71	87	143	121	114	117	100

Carrots	57	60	50	50	52	54	57	52	58	55	56
Carrots⁽²²⁾	22	12	11	12	15	20	12	12	16	12	15

Cucumbers	137	126	128	129	114	139	130	125	128	125	129
Cucumbers	55	49	54	57	60	77	62	57	51	46	54

Mushrooms	260	264	274	269	269	278	278	270	278	266	269
Mushrooms	147	153	147	148	152	160	161	158	160	165	170

Tomatoes	140	144	131	130	134	131	141	134	148	162	173
Tomatoes	67	58	52	59	68	58	74	54	59	57	69

⁽¹⁹⁾ Estimated price, dressed carcase weight equivalent.

⁽²⁰⁾ Excludes Northern Ireland.

⁽²¹⁾ Including bonus payments.

⁽²²⁾ Crop year prices.

Notes:

1. Consumer prices are for Great Britain based upon expenditure and purchased volumes of home-grown and imported foods.

2. Prices in italics are farmgate prices for UK produce.

Sources:

1. National Food Survey annual reports.

2. Agriculture in the United kingdom 2000.

3. Basic Horticultural Statistics for the UK.

18 Mar 2002 : Column 115W

Accommodation Costs

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of hotel accommodation for departmental staff working away from home in each of the last four years. [41056]

Mr. Morley: DEFRA was created in June 2001 so prior year figure work relates to the former Ministry of

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Agriculture, Fisheries and Food only. The cost of overnight accommodation for departmental staff working away from home in each of the last four years is indicated in the table.

Please note our system records the overall cost of overnight stays, which will include bed and breakfast establishments as well as hotels, and some other costs (e.g. breakfast) specifically associated with stays away from home.

Account description 1998–99⁽²³⁾ 1999–2000⁽²³⁾ 2000–01⁽²³⁾ April 2001– year to date

UK night subsistence 1,178,360.93 1,167,163.29 2,088,876.19 20,703,332.13

Subsistence EC institution meeting 284,533.74 477,239.79 6,712.70 200,462.52

Subsistence other overseas visits 196,928.80 305,247.24 220,586.51 83,582.82

Total 1,659,823.47 1,949,650.32 2,316,175.40 20,987,377.47

Account description	1998–99⁽²³⁾	1999–2000⁽²³⁾	2000–01⁽²³⁾	April 2001– year to date
UK night subsistence	1,178,360.93	1,167,163.29	2,088,876.19	20,703,332.13
Subsistence EC institution meeting	284,533.74	477,239.79	6,712.70	200,462.52
Subsistence other overseas visits	196,928.80	305,247.24	220,586.51	83,582.82

Total	1,659,823.47	1,949,650.32	2,316,175.40	20,987,377.47

⁽²³⁾ April to March

Note:

The rise in expenditure for 2001-year to date is a result of the costs incurred in respect of foot and mouth.

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