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Research and Development

Rob Marris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial measures the Government have implemented since 1997 to stimulate research and development, and production, in the sectors of medical technology and of pollution control. [44493]

Mr. Boateng: In Budget 2000 the Government introduced the R&D tax credit for small and medium sized companies. In Budget 2001 consultation was announced on two further measures supporting R&D:

extending R&D tax credits to all companies; and

a tax credit for research into drug and vaccines for killer diseases—TB, malaria and some strains of HIV/AIDS—primarily affecting people living in developing nations.

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The Chancellor confirmed on 25 March that a wider volume based R&D tax credit, applying to spending on or after 1 April 2002, would be introduced.

Budget 2001 introduced enhanced capital allowances for investment in energy efficient technologies, allowing companies to immediately write off the full cost of qualifying investments against taxable profit. In Pre-Budget Report 2001 the Government announced proposals under the Green Technology Challenge to introduce further enhanced capital allowances to tackle climate change and improve air quality, and to reduce water use and improve water quality.

Job No: CW0126 Folios: 000-000Operator: Operator Number 3. Date: 11/04/02

Small Landlords

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will amend the tax system to assist small landlords. [44494]

Dawn Primarolo: The Government keeps all taxes under review and any changes will be announced in the Budget Report.

Vocational Training

Mr. Willis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 14 February 2002, Official Report, column 578W, on vocational training, if he will provide a breakdown of the courses being followed by the claimants of vocational training relief in 1998–99. [48639]

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available.

Family Incomes

Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to increase the take-home pay of families of those in low paid work.[44504]

Dawn Primarolo: Over the last Parliament this Government introduced the following measures to make work pay:

National Minimum Wage

Working Families Tax Credit and Childcare Tax Credit

The 10 pence and 22 pence rates of income tax; and

Reforms to National Insurance Contributions.

As a result of these measures families with children in the poorest fifth of the population are on average £1,700 a year better off in real terms.

In April 2003 the Government is planning to replace Working Families Tax Credit with the Working Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. The Child Tax Credit will provide a seamless stream of support for families, paid direct to the main carer, building on the foundations of universal Child Benefit.

Parliamentary Questions

Barbara Follett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to raise the advisory cost limit of £550 for answering written parliamentary questions; and if he will make a statement. [49257]

Ruth Kelly: The advisory cost limit was last increased in 2000, Official Record, 15 May 2000, column 47W and is to be further increased to £600 from today.

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The purpose and application of the advisory cost limit remains unchanged. It is intended to act as a threshold for disproportionate cost parliamentary questions (PQs). Any written PQ where the marginal cost of preparing the answer is considered likely to exceed the threshold may be refused in whole or in part on the grounds of disproportionate cost. Alternatively the Minister may decide that the PQ is to be answered irrespective of cost. There is no advisory limit for oral PQs.

The advisory limit continues to be based on eight times the average marginal cost for written PQs, which is now £75, rounded down to the nearest £50 for convenience of application.

Job No: CW0126 Folios: 000-000Operator: Operator Number 3. Date: 11/04/02

Barbara Follett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the cost of answering (a) a written parliamentary question and (b) an oral parliamentary question. [49258]

Mr. Boateng: As at April 2001, the average cost of answering a written parliamentary question and an oral parliamentary question was £129 and £299 respectively.

Monterey Conference

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions took place at the Financing for Development Conference in Mexico on the reform of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers to take into account the financial resources required to reach the 2015 development targets. [46657]

Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply.

The UK delegation to the Conference was not aware of any specific discussions at Monterrey about the need to reform the PRSP process to take into account the financial resources required to reach the 2015 development targets. UK policy is to support improvements to poor countries' public expenditure management systems so that poverty reduction policies and programmes can be clearly costed and prioritised in PRSPs. We also support the work of the World Bank and UNDP which looks at the costs for individual countries to reach the Millennium Development Goals.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

BSE

Mr. Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make available the latest progress report prepared by her Department on bovine spongiform encephalopathy.[49671]

Mr. Morley: A further Progress Report on BSE in Great Britain was placed in the Library of the House today.

The report outlines the measures which have been taken to protect public health since June 2001 and includes the latest EU requirements for testing and surveillance.

There is also a section on the protection of animal health which covers controls on animal feed.

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The epidemiology section shows that the epidemic of BSE in Great Britain continues to decline.

The report is also published on the DEFRA website:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/bse/index.html.

Livestock Movements

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government will end the 20-day standstill rule for livestock. [48193]

Mr. Morley: The interim rules for livestock movements, which we announced on 5 February, allow greater flexibility for farmers to move their animals. The 20 day standstill rule has been waived for some types of movement, subject to conditions and we will continue to keep these arrangements under review. However, veterinary advice is that the 20 day standstill needs to remain in place for the time being as a disease control measure. A copy of a document explaining the Veterinary basis for the Interim movement rules has been placed in the Library of the House and is available on the DEFRA website.

Job No: CW0126 Folios: 000-000Operator: Operator Number 3. Date: 11/04/02

Oil Seed Rape Contamination

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the report being prepared by the Canadian seed authorities on the possible causes of the GM contamination of hybrid oil seed rape exported to the UK in the spring of 2000 has been received. [49672]

Mr. Meacher: The report to which my hon. Friend refers has recently been issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the House Libraries.

Risk Transfer

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department intends transferring forms of risks associated with farm businesses to farmers. [46748]

Mr. Morley: My officials are currently discussing with the livestock and insurance industries a number of options on the transfer, to farmers, of some of the costs of animal diseases.

Regulations

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department plans to help farmers rationalise regulations. [46746]

Mr. Morley: My plans were set out at paragraph 4.61 of "Sustainable Food and Farming: Working Together", published on 26 March, which reads:

"The Government accepts that there is a need to find better ways for farmers, DEFRA and the regulatory bodies to work together to achieve improvements in standards without imposing unnecessary burdens. This need arises on a wide range of issues—including animal health and welfare, food safety, employee health and safety and nature conservation as well as environmental regulation. On 26 March my right hon. Friends, the

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Prime Minister and the Secretary of State announced that DEFRA would give high priority to work on new approaches to regulation, including the need for DEFRA and the regulators to consider the cumulative effects of regulatory requirements on the farm business as a whole. These commitments reflected a new approach to regulation in which DEFRA promised to:

be open with industry—consulting early and often;

minimise the bureaucracy of regulation, using Regulatory Impact Assessments in a joined up way to assess impacts in the round (across regulatory regimes), and to cut duplication of effort;

provide advice and information easily and up front—to help farmers comply, not just punish them for failure;

join up government and join up the regulators—provide business advice and regulatory advice as a package;

ensure regulations are risk-based and proportionate.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, also said that she will press hard for better integration between the agricultural and environmental agendas at the European level, and called on the farming industry to play a bigger role in helping to devise environmental legislation within the EU."

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