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Engineering

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the (a) selection criteria for the engineering specialist schools, (b) time scale for selection of the schools and (c) schools selected to become engineering specialists. [43573]

Mr. Timms: The criteria against which engineering colleges are selected are set out in the booklet "Specialist Schools Programme: Engineering Colleges Applications: A Guide for Schools" a copy of which has been placed in the Library. The closing date for the first engineering college applications was 15 March and we expect to announce the names of successful applicants in July.

Technology Skills

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what instruction on the acquisition of technological and information technology skills are given to primary school teachers in their training. [43585]

John Healey: Before any trainee teacher, including trainee primary school teachers, can be awarded qualified teacher status they must demonstrate that they are competent in the use of ICT, both to teach their subject and to support their wider professional role.

Serving teachers in maintained schools have, since 1998, had an entitlement to undertake ICT training funded by the New Opportunities Fund. This is designed to bring them to the same level of competence and confidence in the use of ICT in the classroom as their counterparts now entering the profession.

The Government are now drawing up plans for further training in the use of ICT to support teachers' continuing professional development. A pilot scheme will be run in selected schools from April 2002.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Beef Exports

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has made to (a) the European Commission and (b) the French Government concerning beef exports to France; and if she will make a statement. [43034]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 14 March 2002]: I made representations to both Commissioner Byrne and the then French Agriculture Minister during recent Agricultural Councils, making it clear that we expect

19 Mar 2002 : Column 257W

France to lift its ban as soon as possible. I also raised this issue with the new French Agriculture Minister during the Agricultural Council on 18 and 19 March.

We are confident the Commission will take the appropriate legal measures against the French if they continue to refuse to comply with the European Court of Justice Judgment.

Illegal Meat Imports

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 12 March 2002, Official Report, column 936W, on how many occasions, and when, members of the State Veterinary Service participated in exercises organised by Crawley borough council in respect of identifying illegal meat imports. [44229]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 18 March 2002]: Since April last year, members of the State Veterinary Service have participated in four exercises with the Crawley borough council in respect of identifying illegal meat imports. The dates of which are 10 April 2001, 25 April 2001, 30 April 2001 and 8 March 2002.

BSE (Sheep)

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if there have been confirmed cases of BSE in sheep since 1996 in the UK. [43854]

Mr. Morley: To date, no cases of BSE have been found in the national sheep flock. The numbers tested are still relatively low because there is no validated, rapid method for differentiating between BSE and scrapie. We have to use a number of different tests, including where possible, bioassay in mice. Of course the Government have in place a comprehensive risk management strategy, should the theoretical risk of BSE in sheep become a real one. This includes: the National Scrapie Plan, aiming to reduce, and eventually eliminate, scrapie in the national sheep flock; a contingency plan, drawn up in conjunction with industry and other stakeholders; a major ongoing sheep TSE research programme, which is kept under review; and removal of specified risk material from the food chain. Independent advice from the Food Standards Agency remains unchanged: the risk of BSE in sheep is still entirely theoretical and the agency is not advising against the consumption of sheep or lamb.

Foot and Mouth

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 27 February 2002, ref. 37621, if she will list (a) the 160 sites where ash has been removed and (b) those sites where foot and mouth carcases and ash were deposited in 2001, where deposits are planned to be moved. [41843]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 12 March 2002]: The following is a listing by county in England and Wales of (a) the sites from which ash has been removed and (b) sites where ash is programmed to be moved or which are undergoing site specific risk assessment to assess whether or not the removal of ash is required. The list is by county, since the Department is constrained by the

19 Mar 2002 : Column 258W

provisions of the Data Protection Act from providing full addresses of all the sites. There are no current plans to exhume carcases at any sites.

County in England and Wales
(a) Sites from where ash has been removed
County Durham	10
Cumbria	59
Devon	16
Gloucestershire	23
Gwent	1
Herefordshire	2
Monmouthshire	3
Northumberland	9
Powys	16
Shropshire	7
Staffordshire	1
Tyne and Wear	2
Wiltshire	1
Worcestershire	2
(b) Sites planned for ash removal
County Durham	4
Worcestershire	3
Northumberland	1
Tyne and Wear	2
Powys	2

Agricultural Produce (Balance of Trade)

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the balance of trade was in agricultural produce between the United Kingdom and (a) the EU, (b) the USA and (c) the rest of the world in each of the last five years. [43037]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 14 March 2002]: The tables show the balance of trade in food, feed and drink between the United Kingdom and (a) the EU (b) the USA and (c) all other countries in each of the last five years.

UK trade in food, feed and drink with EU countries (1997–2001)£ million

Description	Exports	Imports	Balance of trade
1997
Meat and meat preparations	767	1,713	-946
Dairy products and birds' eggs	469	987	-518
Fish and fish preparations	551	250	302
Cereals and cereal preparations	994	1,007	-13
Vegetables and fruit	340	2,622	-2,282
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	191	235	-44
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	370	584	-214
Feeding stuff for animals	323	361	-38
Miscellaneous edible products	315	792	-477
Beverages	1,267	1,830	-563
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	50	105	-55
Oils and fats	173	380	-207
Grand total	5,810	10,865	-5,055
1998
Meat and meat preparations	641	1,567	-926
Dairy products and birds' eggs	524	990	-466
Fish and fish preparations	657	279	378
Cereals and cereal preparations	1,011	912	99
Vegetables and fruit	315	2,747	-2,432
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	189	242	-53
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	369	580	-210
Feeding stuff for animals	297	320	-23
Miscellaneous edible products	319	806	-486
Beverages	1,281	1,945	-664
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	50	77	-27
Oils and fats	151	376	-225
Grand total	5,805	10,841	-5,036
1999
Meat and meat preparations	562	1,693	-1,131
Dairy products and birds' eggs	515	1,034	-518
Fish and fish preparations	622	297	325
Cereals and cereal preparations	907	881	26
Vegetables and fruit	343	2,622	-2,279
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	168	245	-77
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	366	589	-223
Feeding stuff for animals	254	298	-44
Miscellaneous edible products	336	839	-503
Beverages	1,346	2,065	-719
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	39	46	-7
Oils and fats	117	387	-270
Grand total	5,577	10,997	-5,420
2000
Meat and meat preparations	551	1,872	-1,322
Dairy products and birds' eggs	483	1,053	-570
Fish and fish preparations	574	311	263
Cereals and cereal preparations	888	855	33
Vegetables and fruit	294	2,567	-2,273
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	159	257	-98
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	352	571	-219
Feeding stuff for animals	236	334	-98
Miscellaneous edible products	330	681	-351
Beverages	1,311	1,832	-521
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	18	57	-39
Oils and fats	87	334	-247
Grand total	5,283	10,725	-5,442
2001
Meat and meat preparations	373	2,124	-1,751
Dairy products and birds' eggs	446	1,122	-676
Fish and fish preparations	610	338	272
Cereals and cereal preparations	770	972	-202
Vegetables and fruit	301	2,614	-2,312
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	166	291	-125
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	362	550	-188
Feeding stuff for animals	214	341	-127
Miscellaneous edible products	372	671	-298
Beverages	1,359	1,876	-517
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	10	91	-81
Oils and fats	99	347	-248
Grand total	5,082	11,335	-6,253

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UK trade in food, feed and drink with USA (1997–2001)£ million

Description	Exports	Imports	Balance of trade
1997
Meat and meat preparations	9	13	-5
Dairy products and birds' eggs	11	4	6
Fish and fish preparations	17	65	-48
Cereals and cereal preparations	29	63	-34
Vegetables and fruit	9	226	-217
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	59	10	49
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	42	12	30
Feeding stuff for animals	6	173	-167
Miscellaneous edible products	23	37	-15
Beverages	511	132	379
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	0	111	-111
Oils and fats	14	19	-4
Grand total	729	866	-137
1998
Meat and meat preparations	9	10	-1
Dairy products and birds' eggs	14	5	9
Fish and fish preparations	21	67	-46
Cereals and cereal preparations	33	81	-48
Vegetables and fruit	7	222	-215
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	57	13	44
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	51	12	39
Feeding stuff for animals	10	136	-126
Miscellaneous edible products	22	46	-23
Beverages	482	169	312
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	0	92	-92
Oils and fats	17	17	-1
Grand total	724	870	-147
1999
Meat and meat preparations	7	8	0
Dairy products and birds' eggs	18	8	10
Fish and fish preparations	42	64	-22
Cereals and cereal preparations	32	68	-36
Vegetables and fruit	7	201	-194
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	74	13	61
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	52	12	40
Feeding stuff for animals	9	119	-110
Miscellaneous edible products	34	54	-20
Beverages	515	161	355
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	0	38	-38
Oils and fats	7	14	-7
Grand total	798	758	39
2000
Meat and meat preparations	7	8	-1
Dairy products and birds' eggs	15	12	4
Fish and fish preparations	36	55	-19
Cereals and cereal preparations	34	67	-33
Vegetables and fruit	8	172	-165
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	77	10	67
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	56	13	44
Feeding stuff for animals	9	113	-104
Miscellaneous edible products	21	68	-47
Beverages	561	178	383
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	0	70	-70
Oils and fats	8	16	-8
Grand total	832	783	49
2001
Meat and meat preparations	2	5	-4
Dairy products and birds' eggs	21	14	7
Fish and fish preparations	25	79	-54
Cereals and cereal preparations	36	71	-35
Vegetables and fruit	7	172	-165
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	63	9	54
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	64	17	47
Feeding stuff for animals	8	120	-112
Miscellaneous edible products	17	72	-54
Beverages	547	216	331
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	0	52	-52
Oils and fats	9	27	-18
Grand total	799	854	-56

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UK trade in food, feed and drink with all other countries (1997–2001)£ million

Description	Exports	Imports	Balance of trade
1997
Meat and meat preparations	123	565	-442
Dairy products and birds' eggs	262	139	123
Fish and fish preparations	96	858	-762
Cereals and cereal preparations	370	173	196
Vegetables and fruit	96	1,183	-1,086
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	208	555	-347
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	265	665	-399
Feeding stuff for animals	64	278	-214
Miscellaneous edible products	187	66	121
Beverages	1,531	456	1,075
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	12	165	-153
Oils and fats	75	243	-168
Grand total	3,288	5,345	-2,056
1998
Meat and meat preparations	89	474	-386
Dairy products and birds' eggs	204	150	53
Fish and fish preparations	79	952	-873
Cereals and cereal preparations	288	160	128
Vegetables and fruit	80	1,202	-1,123
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	224	522	-298
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	247	709	-462
Feeding stuff for animals	61	245	-184
Miscellaneous edible products	182	64	118
Beverages	1,134	509	625
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	8	149	-141
Oils and fats	73	207	-134
Grand total	2,669	5,344	-2,675
1999
Meat and meat preparations	80	494	-414
Dairy products and birds' eggs	153	146	7
Fish and fish preparations	83	942	-859
Cereals and cereal preparations	270	185	85
Vegetables and fruit	83	1,311	-1,227
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	133	484	-350
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	172	634	-463
Feeding stuff for animals	74	233	-158
Miscellaneous edible products	193	71	123
Beverages	1,170	628	542
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	22	117	-95
Oils and fats	72	214	-143
Grand total	2,506	5,459	-2,953
2000
Meat and meat preparations	69	526	-457
Dairy products and birds' eggs	156	125	32
Fish and fish preparations	88	971	-883
Cereals and cereal preparations	340	176	163
Vegetables and fruit	82	1,240	-1,148
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	125	445	-320
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	177	520	-343
Feeding stuff for animals	79	257	-178
Miscellaneous edible products	196	80	116
Beverages	1,207	697	510
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	1	98	-97
Oils and fats	58	184	-127
Grand total	2,588	5,321	-2,733
2001
Meat and meat preparations	38	600	-562
Dairy products and birds' eggs	137	124	13
Fish and fish preparations	98	1,030	-932
Cereals and cereal preparations	270	194	76
Vegetables and fruit	81	1,331	-1,251
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	128	485	-357
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices	170	517	-347
Feeding stuff for animals	61	320	-259
Miscellaneous edible products	214	79	135
Beverages	1,341	809	532
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	1	163	-162
Oils and fats	32	181	-149
Grand total	2,569	5,832	-3,262

Note:

Above data do not include estimates for below-threshold trade.

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