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Frigates
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the complement is of each type 23 and type 22 frigate. [57643]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 20 May 2002]: The complement for each type 22 and type 23 frigate is shown in the table.
| Ship | Complement |
|---|---|
| Type 22 | |
| Sheffield | 234 |
| Cornwall | 240 |
| Cumberland | 238 |
| Campbeltown | 225 |
| Chatham | 239 |
| Type 23 | |
| Norfolk | 173 |
| Marlborough | 167 |
| Argyll | 169 |
| Lancaster | 169 |
| Iron Duke | 169 |
| Monmouth | 168 |
| Montrose | 168 |
| Westminster | 168 |
| Northumberland | 171 |
| Richmond | 169 |
| Somerset | 168 |
| Grafton | 168 |
| Sutherland | 169 |
| Kent | 168 |
| Portland | 168 |
| St. Albans | 173 |
21 May 2002 : Column 177W
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Foot and Mouth
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library copies of (a) the minutes of meetings held between departmental ministers and the Chief Veterinary Officer and (b) the minutes of meetings and other communications between Ministers and (i) the Environment Agency, (ii) SEAC and (iii) European Union officials, in respect of dealing with foot and mouth, since the outbreak of the disease. [3959]
Mr. Morley: Minutes of meetings between Ministers and others are not normally disclosed.
David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the advice which her Department and the Prime Minister received from the Chief Scientist on foot and mouth disease. [5253]
Mr. Morley: Advice which Ministers receive from officials is not normally made public.
Refrigerators and Freezers
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library copies of representations received from the UK retail industry from October 2000 about EU Regulation 2037/2000. [34842]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 11 February 2002]: I will place copies of these representations in the Library within the next week, subject to agreement from the authors.
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what professional indemnity insurance clause is part of her Department's standard consultants' contract. [50828]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The Department's standard conditions of contract for indemnity and insurance is set out below.
- The Contractor shall indemnify the Department, the Crown, its servants and agents against all actions, claims demands, costs and expenses incurred by or made against each or any of them in respect of any loss or damage (including consequential and indirect loss, loss of profit, goodwill or revenue) or personal injury (including death) which arises out of or in connection with his and any sub-contractor's performance of the Services under this contract.
The indemnity contained in the Condition above shall not apply to the extent that the loss, damage or injury is caused by the negligent or wilful act or omission of the Department, the Crown or any servant or agent of the Crown.
The Contractor shall have in force and maintain and shall require any sub-contractor to have in force and maintain insurance with a reputable insurance company, including (but not limited) to employer's liability, public liability and professional indemnity insurance, for such range of cover as the Contractor deems to be appropriate but covering at least all matters which are the subject of indemnities or compensation obligations under these
21 May 2002 : Column 178W
- Conditions in such sum as may be specified in the Contract Letter, or, if no such sum is specified, the sum of not less than £5,000,000 for any one incident and unlimited in total.
The policy or policies of insurance referred to in the condition above shall be shown to the Department whenever it requests, together with satisfactory evidence of payment of premiums.
The terms of any insurance or the amount of cover shall not relieve the Contractor of any liabilities under the Contract.
Mr. Morley [holding answer 18 April 2002]: DEFRA came into being on 8 June 2001. The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received from small businesses about the level of professional indemnity insurance in contracts with her Department; and if she will make a statement about professional indemnity insurance with small contractors. [50832]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 18 April 2002]: From information held centrally, the Department is unaware of any recent representations received from small businesses about the level of professional indemnity insurance in contracts with the Department.
Departments are expected to set the level of professional indemnity insurance at a level appropriate to the size of the contract and the level of risk involved. The terms of any insurance or the amount of cover shall not relieve the contractor of any liabilities under the contract.
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what level of professional indemnity insurance was required by her Department of small businesses contracted with them in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002. [50829]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 18 April 2002]: DEFRA came into being on 8 June 2001. The information requested can be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
Small Business Contracts
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many small businesses have individual contracts with her Department. [50830]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 18 April 2002]: DEFRA came into being on 8 June, 2001. From information held centrally, it is estimated that DEFRA has dealings with 2,799 contractors falling to be classed as small businesses.
Agrimonetary Compensation
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much agrimonetary compensation the Government can draw down for (a) dairy, (b) sheep and (c) arable farmers. [52417]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 26 April 2002]: The Government could have claimed approximately £37 million for the dairy sector and £9 million for the
21 May 2002 : Column 179W
sheep sector. No agrimonetary compensation was available for arable farmers in that package. While we acknowledge the difficulties the livestock sector is facing and are working with them on the recommendations of the Policy Commission on Farming and Food, we have decided not to make a claim on these funds given the many competing demands on the Exchequer at present, particularly as more than eighty per cent. of the £46 million would in effect have to be met by the British taxpayer.
Digital Equipment
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many digital radios are owned by her Department for use in departmental buildings from which Ministers work; and what the (a) cost and (b) date of purchase of each radio was. [52848]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 26 April 2002]: DEFRA came into being on 8 June, 2001. From information held centrally, no digital radios are owned by the Department for use in departmental buildings in which Ministers work.
Farming Industry
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have taken place in each of the past 10 years in the value of (a) farmland and (b) farms and farm buildings. [51281]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 29 April 2002]: Disaggregated data that distinguish overall farmland values from farms and farm buildings values are not available. Estimates for the valuations of land and buildings together in the UK can be derived on a consistent basis since 1993 from the aggregate agricultural balance sheet.
| As at December each year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 50, 702 |
| 1994 | 56, 286 |
| 1995 | 67, 876 |
| 1996 | 77, 424 |
| 1997 | 84, 038 |
| 1998 | 84, 643 |
| 1999 | 90, 605 |
| 2000 | 93, 665 |
(1) The valuations of land and buildings are at average market prices. Includes the value of owner-occupied and tenanted land. Includes that proportion of the dwelling house that is attributed to business use.
One important component in determining such values are market prices and the relevant series for England are shown. The tables give the changes that have taken place in (a) the value of agricultural land transacted in England and (b) the value of land and agricultural buildings in England since 1993 as represented by the average price of land sold in these categories. The data can be supplied only on a consistent basis back to 1993, as since then the category 'agricultural land' refers strictly to "land only", whereas the prior to 1993 it could include dwelling-house
21 May 2002 : Column 180W
attachments. In addition the previous series was calculated on an October–September basis as opposed to a calendar year basis for the series from 1993.
| £ per hectare | |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 3,791 |
| 1994 | 4,229 |
| 1995 | 4,788 |
| 1996 | 6,058 |
| 1997 | 6,448 |
| 1998 | 6,139 |
| 1999 | 6,645 |
| 2000 | 7,051 |
| £ per hectare | |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 3,315 |
| 1994 | 3,918 |
| 1995 | 5,125 |
| 1996 | 5,596 |
| 1997 | 6,565 |
| 1998 | 6,300 |
| 1999 | 6,268 |
| 2000 | 7,104 |
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