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Fluorocarbon
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to prohibit the use of partly and fully fluorinated hydrocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride in commercial and industrial processes and consumer products; and if she will make a statement. [56041]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 13 May 2002]: The UK Climate Change Programme published in November 2000 set out our position on hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride. Currently, there are no plans to prohibit the general use of fluorinated gases.
Under the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP), the Environment Council, at its meeting of 12 December 2001, "Welcomed the intention of the (European) Commission, as announced in the ECCP Communication, to make a proposal for a Framework Directive on fluorinated gases, including containment of emissions from stationary and mobile sources, monitoring of quantities of fluorinated gases being placed on the market as well as marketing and use restrictions, where appropriate, for relevant applications where viable alternatives are available and if improvement of containment is not feasible, taking into account existing voluntary initiatives by some fluorinated gases industry sectors, where the development of alternatives is still ongoing."
Composting Licences
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list new licences granted for the composting of waste in the last 12 months. [56034]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 13 May 2002]: In England and Wales, the Environment Agency issued 7 new waste management licences to composting installations between November 2000 and November
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2001. The installations were located in Hertfordshire, Lancashire (2), Leicestershire, Somerset, Surrey and the West Midlands. There are 67 licensed composting sites in total, with over 600 smaller installations registered as exemptions. Information on licensed composting installations will shortly be updated to 1 April 2002. Household composting is excluded from any licensing requirement.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the draft EU Regulation on Animal By-Products will come into force; and if she has given consideration to the early implementation of those parts of the draft regulation which relate to composting. [56035]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 13 May 2002]: The draft Animal By-Products Regulation has yet to be adopted and it is not clear when it will come into force. However, we expect it to apply in member states in the first half of 2003. We have commissioned a risk assessment on the risks to public, animal and plant health from the land spreading of composted catering waste and animal by-products. In the light of that assessment we will review our current legislation and consider whether this should be amended in advance of the EU Regulation coming into force.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to facilitate the granting of composting licences. [56037]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 13 May 2002]: When an establishment chooses to apply to the Environment Agency for a composting site license the agency has a series of application and working plan guidance notes to assist in understanding the licensing process. The agency has also issued guidance and risk assessment procedures to help those operating smaller establishments who wish to register exemptions. In addition, the agency recently issued a standard waste management licence pack to those applicants with a low risk impact green waste composting proposal. This allows the use of a simplified application process that results in a speedier processing of the licence application. Finally, the agency has consulted on technical guidance for composting that will be published later this year.
Livestock Premiums
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people are making claims for (a) sheep and (b) cattle premiums, by regional service centre, broken down by claims for (i) minimum threshold number, (ii) minimum threshold number to 10 animals and (iii) minimum threshold number to 20 animals. [56012]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 13 May 2002]: The number of claims received broken down by regional service centre is set out in the table. Cattle premiums are not subject to minimum threshold numbers. For sheep the minimum threshold number is 10 animals.
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Water Quality
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the level of nitrates were in rivers in each year since 1990, broken down by (a) region and (b) river; and if she will make a statement; [56554]
- (2) what assessment has been made by her Department of nitrate levels in rivers; and if she will make a statement. [56556]
Mr. Meacher: In England and Wales the Environment Agency's general quality assessment (GQA) scheme is used to classify water quality in rivers and canals. Figures showing changes in quality against a baseline of 1990 are published each year by the Environment Agency. Results for Scotland are collected by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and in Northern Ireland by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.
Chemical quality is assessed on the basis of biochemical oxygen demand and concentrations of dissolved oxygen and ammonia. Stretches of rivers and canals are classed as good, fair, poor or bad based on different degrees of chemical quality.
Phosphates and nitrates are measured to determine the average concentrations of nutrients in rivers. Each monitored river stretch is assigned one of six grades from 1 (very low) to 6 (excessively high for phosphate, very high for nitrate). The grade assigned to the water is based on three years of sampling.
Since the Environment Agency monitors water quality at about 7,000 sites representing 40,000 km of rivers and canals in England and Wales it would be impractical to list the results in the detail requested. However, they can be supplied electronically on application to the Environment Agency. In addition the Environment Agency website has a section called "What's in your backyard" which enables anyone with an interest in a particular river to obtain all available monitoring results for the particular stretch from 1990 to 2000. The website address is www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
The following table summarises the results of assessments since 1990.
| GQA: nutrient status—nitrate | 1995 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17.6 | 15.7 |
| 2 | 14.7 | 12.6 |
| 3 | 19.7 | 21.1 |
| 4 | 17.7 | 18.8 |
| 5 | 15.1 | 15.9 |
| 6 | 15.2 | 15.8 |
| High | 30.3 | 31.7 |
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Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will make a statement on (a) the levels of phosphorous in and (b) the quality of rivers in each year since 1990; if she will break the information down (i) by region and (ii) by river; and if she will make a statement; [56559]
(2) what assessment has been made by her Department of levels of phosphorous in rivers; and if she will make a statement. [56560]
Mr. Meacher: In England and Wales the Environment Agency's general quality assessment (GQA) scheme is used to classify water quality in rivers and canals. Figures showing changes in quality against a baseline of 1990 are published each year by the Environment Agency. Results for Scotland are collected by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and in Northern Ireland by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.
Chemical quality is assessed on the basis of biochemical oxygen demand and concentrations of dissolved oxygen and ammonia. Stretches of rivers and canals are classed as good, fair, poor or bad based on different degrees of chemical quality.
Phosphates and nitrates are measured to determine the average concentrations of nutrients in rivers. Each monitored river stretch is assigned one of six grades from 1 (very low) to 6 (excessively high for phosphate, very high for nitrate). The grade assigned to the water is based on three years of sampling.
Since the Environment Agency monitors water quality at about 7,000 sites representing 40,000 km of rivers and canals in England and Wales it would be impractical to list the results in the detail requested. However, they can be supplied electronically on application to the Environment Agency. In addition the Environment Agency website has a section called "What's in your backyard" which enables anyone with an interest in a particular river to obtain all available monitoring results for the particular stretch from 1990 to 2000. The website address is www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
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The following table summarises the results of assessments since 1990.
| GQA: nutrient status—phosphate | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8.0 | 14.8 | 14.0 |
| 2 | 17.7 | 22.7 | 21.4 |
| 3 | 10.3 | 11.0 | 10.1 |
| 4 | 13.1 | 13.3 | 15.1 |
| 5 | 28.0 | 27.4 | 28.9 |
| 6 | 22.9 | 10.9 | 10.6 |
| High | 64.0 | 51.6 | 54.5 |
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment (a) has been and (b) is being made of the impact of the water framework directive and what measures will be required as a result; and if she will make a statement. [56553]
Mr. Meacher: An assessment of the costs and benefits of implementing the directive was set out in the first consultation paper issued jointly by the then Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the National Assembly for Wales in March 2001. This partial regulatory impact assessment estimated total costs for England and Wales in the range of £2 billion to £9.2 billion: benefits in the range of £1.6 billion to £6.2 billion. A copy of the paper is in the House Library.
We will consult on measures necessary under the directive in a second consultation paper this year.
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An updated regulatory impact assessment will form part of a third consultation paper on implementation of the directive in England and Wales, planned for 2003.
Implementation of the directive in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and with respect to the devolved functions in Wales, are matters for the Scottish Executive, the Northern Ireland Executive and the National Assembly for Wales.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made by her Department of the quality of rivers; and if she will make a statement. [56557]
Mr. Meacher: In England and Wales the Environment Agency's General Quality Assessment (GQA) scheme is used to classify water quality in rivers and canals. Figures showing changes in quality against a baseline of 1990 are published each year by the Environment Agency. Results for Scotland are collected by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and in Northern Ireland by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.
The GQA also reports on the aesthetic quality of rivers. This includes: litter on the banks and in the river; sewage derived waste such as sanitary towels and cotton buds; the colour and smell of the water; oil, scum, foam, sewage fungus and ochreous deposits; and dog fouling.
Biological quality is assessed by comparing the populations of macroinvertebrates found in samples taken twice a year at each sampling site, with the population that would normally be found in unpolluted waters with the same physical characteristics. Stretches of rivers and canals are classed as very good, good, fairly good, fair, poor or bad.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | Good or Fair | Poor or Bad | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GQA: chemistry quality (percentage length) | ||||||||
| 1990 | 17.6 | 30.2 | 23.2 | 14.0 | 12.7 | 2.3 | 84.9 | 15.1 |
| 1995 | 26.9 | 32.7 | 21.0 | 10.3 | 8.1 | 1.0 | 91.0 | 9.0 |
| 1996 | 27.2 | 31.2 | 21.3 | 10.4 | 8.8 | 1.0 | 90.2 | 9.8 |
| 1997 | 26.3 | 30.5 | 21.4 | 10.8 | 9.9 | 1.0 | 89.0 | 11.0 |
| 1998 | 27.6 | 31.5 | 20.2 | 10.7 | 9.3 | 0.7 | 90.0 | 10.0 |
| 1999 | 29.1 | 34.2 | 19.6 | 9.2 | 7.5 | 0.6 | 91.9 | 8.1 |
| 2000 | 31.9 | 35.8 | 18.9 | 7.7 | 5.4 | 0.4 | 94.2 | 5.8 |
| GQA: biological quality (percentage length) | ||||||||
| 1990 | 24.0 | 31.6 | 21.6 | 9.8 | 7.3 | 5.7 | 87.0 | 13.0 |
| 1995 | 34.6 | 31.6 | 18.4 | 8.1 | 5.4 | 1.9 | 92.6 | 7.4 |
| 2000 | 34.6 | 32.3 | 19.8 | 7.6 | 4.8 | 0.9 | 94.3 | 5.7 |
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library a copy of the speech she made to Water UK on 2 May on the Water Framework Directive; and if she will make a statement. [56548]
Mr. Meacher: A copy of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's speech to Water UK was placed in the Library today. During her speech my right hon. Friend announced the Government's response to the consultation on the draft Water Bill, a copy of which was placed in the Library on 2 May.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what European Directives relate to levels of nitrates in groundwater; what steps (a) have been taken and (b) are planned to meet the deadlines of such Directives; and if she will make a statement. [56558]
Mr. Meacher: The Nitrates Directive and Water Framework Directive both relate in part to levels of nitrate in groundwater.
The Nitrates Directive aims to protect waters from nitrate pollution from agricultural land. It requires identification of groundwaters that contain, or could contain if preventative action is not taken, more than 50mg/l nitrates. In 1996, England designated 59 Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) specifically for the protection
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of groundwaters. Since 1998, farmers within NVZs have been required to apply Action Programme measures to limit organic manure and inorganic nitrogen fertiliser use.
A European Court of Justice (ECJ) judgment in 2000 held that the UK had failed to designate sufficient NVZs for the protection of all waters. A recent consultation outlined two options for implementing the Nitrates Directive, both of which would extend the protection of groundwater in England. We are currently carefully considering the responses made to this consultation and will announce a decision in due course.
In the future, the Water Framework Directive will add further force to this protection because it requires that member states aim to achieve good groundwater status for all bodies of groundwater within 15 years of the Directive coming into force. The Commission is currently developing specific measures to prevent and control groundwater pollution, which will complement the provisions of existing Directives.
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