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Legal Costs
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what legal costs have been incurred by her Department in each of the last four years. [34348]
Mr. Morley: MAFF/DEFRA Legal Expenses for Financial Years were recorded as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1998–1999 | 714,705 |
| 1999–2000 | 729,829 |
| 2000–2001 | 586,597 |
| 2001–2002 | 722,113 (subject to year-end adjustments) |
Correspondence
Mr. Cran: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) when a substantive reply will be given to Mr. B. Jull's letter of 1 October 2001, concerning non-bovine waste; [36839]
- (2) when she will reply to the letter of 1 October 2001 from Mrs. B Jull and subsequent correspondence of 7 February and 17 February. [51399]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 19 April 2002]: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 21 April. I am sorry for the delay in replying.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes dated 25 September 2001 concerning Mrs. M. F. Hutchinson of Rattery, Devon and legislation for Sellafield. [43137]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 19 March 2002]: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 18 April. I am sorry for the delay in replying.
Rio Earth Summit (Implementation)
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to (a) set goals on environmental protection and (b) improve eco-efficiency and resource productivity relating to ocean and sea issues; and what these (i) goals and (ii) improvements have been. [44347]
Mr. Meacher: The OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the North East Atlantic came into force in 1998. The contracting parties have agreed strategies and goals in five areas: the protection and conservation of the ecosystem and biodiversity; hazardous substances;
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radioactive substances; eutrophication; and offshore oil and gas. The United Kingdom played a full part in developing the strategies. The Quality Status Report published by OSPAR in 2000 highlights progress made and future challenges.
The Marine Stewardship Report, to be launched on 1 May 2002, highlights past achievements and new initiatives relating to our policy on promoting sustainable development of the marine environment. Furthermore, oceans and seas will be a priority issue for the UK at the forthcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development.
Criminal Damage
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost has been of criminal damage to her Department's buildings in each of the last four years. [44835]
Mr. Morley: The cost of criminal damage to buildings used by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (and before 8 June 2001, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) over each of the past four years is as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1998–1999 | 2,500 |
| 1999–2000 | 11,250 |
| 2000–2001 | 1,800 |
| 2001–2002 | 4,200 |
The figures above ignore damage or mess which was repaired or cleaned by facility management contractors at no extra cost to the Department.
Ham Fen Beaver Project
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many of the animals involved in the Ham Fen Beaver Project have died; and what information her Department has collated on the causes of death. [44767]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 21 March 2002]: I understand from the Kent Wildlife Trust that two of the beavers in their care have died. The Department does not collect information on the causes of death of animals, other than cats and dogs, once rabies has been ruled out.
Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the average cost is per household treated of administering the Warm
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Front Scheme, incurred by each of the two scheme managers appointed for England, excluding the cost of the actual measures carried out; [50622]
- (2) what the average cost was per household treated of administering the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme. [50623]
Mr. Meacher: The Government's main programme for tackling fuel poverty in the private sector in England is the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES), now marketed as The Warm Front Team.
The New HEES was launched on 1st June 2000, replacing the more basic scheme that had operated since 1991. The Scheme is administered by two scheme managers, TXU Warm Front Limited (Eastern, East Midlands & Yorkshire and the Humber) and Eaga Partnership Limited (the rest of England).
The original scheme provided low income and disabled households with a single main insulation improvement, or a combination of smaller measures, mainly in the social housing sector. The new Scheme provides packages of insulation and heating measures, linked to the condition of the property and the householder's needs and is focussed on the private sector. To provide these packages the grant maximum was increased from £315 to £2,500 in the case of low-income households aged 60 years or more.
Under the original. Scheme, the role of the scheme manager was relatively limited. Their main role was the management and payment of appointed installers. The average management cost per household was £15 excluding recoverable VAT.
The current Scheme introduced a significant shift in the role and responsibilities of the scheme managers. They are now responsible for marketing the scheme, the set up and maintenance of local referral networks, carrying out independent surveys of properties, providing householders with energy efficiency advice, advising and agreeing the most appropriate measures for properties, recruiting and managing heating and insulation contractors through open competition, and managing payments to contractors for work completed. This additional work has increased the average administration cost to £77 for EAGA and £86 for TXU per household excluding recoverable VAT. These costs exclude one-off start-up costs paid by the Department.
In the current scheme, the average cost for HEES installers has reduced to reflect the shift of responsibility for activities outlined above.
Coastline
Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many schemes for managed realignment of the coastline have been approved for England and Wales since 1995; and if she will make a statement. [50982]
Mr. Morley: This Department has policy responsibility for flood and coastal defence in England. Several schemes for managed realignment of the coastline have been undertaken since 1995 with some not requiring DEFRA approval when funding was not
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being sought. The Department is aware of the following schemes:
| Scheme | Led by |
|---|---|
| Tollesbury, Essex | Environment Agency |
| Orplands, Essex | Environment Agency |
| Brancaster, Norfolk | Environment Agency |
| Freiston, The Wash | Environment Agency |
| Saltram, Devon | Environment Agency |
| Porlock, Somerset | Environment Agency |
| Thorngumbald, Humber Estuary | Environment Agency |
| Havergate Island, Suffolk | Royal Society for the Protection of Birds |
| Thornham Bay, Chichester Harbour | Private landowners |
| Brean, Somerset | Wessex Water, National |
| Trust and Avon Wildlife | |
| Trust |
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 1190W, to the hon. Member for City of York (Hugh Bayley) if she will break down the CAP information shown by county in England and Wales. [50679]
Mr. Morley: The information requested is held on legacy systems which are neither flexible nor user friendly. A county breakdown is available for SCPS, BSPS, SPS, VCSPS, SAP & HFA schemes at the time of interrogation and is available in the Library of the House. It is not available for EPS. New flexible systems are being developed as part of the Rural Payment Agency change programme which should provide a range of statistical interrogation functions.
Dairy Industry
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the recent change in the farmgate price of milk on the future viability of dairy farming; and what recent representations she has received from the dairy industry regarding agrimonetary compensation available to dairy farmers. [51454]
Mr. Morley: This year has witnessed considerable pressure on the farmgate price of milk, due in a large part to weak international markets for dairy commodities and to high current levels of domestic milk production. Official figures show that in February the average farmgate price of milk had fallen to 18.33 pence per litre. I am aware that some purchasers have recently announced more price cuts that are not yet reflected in official figures and which will further depress the average farmgate price of milk.
It is unlikely that prices at these levels are sustainable in the long term under the current milk regime and there are some potentially hopeful signs on world markets. The USA has recently exhausted its GATT commitment for subsidised exports of skimmed milk powders, while substantial quantities of New Zealand milk powders have already been sold. Furthermore, the EU has taken action—strongly supported by the UK—to assist dairy exports. We may therefore see some recovery in international markets that could ease pressure on domestic farmgate prices.
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On 16 April, the National Farmers Union wrote to Lord Whitty, the Minister for Food, Farming and Waterways, presenting their case for further agrimonetary compensation for dairy farmers.
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