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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 22 May 2002
PRIME MINISTER
Electronic Databases
Mr. Beith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the electronic databases created for No. 10 Downing Street since June 1997 for the purpose of storing parliamentary questions and answers, stating in each case (a) the office or unit concerned, (b) who has access to it, (c) the software employed and (d) the date and cost of its creation. [56250]
The Prime Minister: The No. 10 parliamentary section uses the same database software that was used under previous Administrations, and uses it according to the rules in the civil service code.
All my staff have access to a general information database which includes parliamentary questions for ease of reference and was established in 2000 at no additional cost to my office.
European-Latin American/Caribbean Summit
Mr. Spring: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Second European-Latin American and Caribbean Summit. [58364]
The Prime Minister: I attended the EU-Latin American and Caribbean Summit in Madrid on 17 May, with my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
The summit was a significant further step towards closer relations with Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. We discussed important issues, notably terrorism and sustainable development, which affect us all and on which inter-regional co-operation is essential. The summit also made good progress on liberalising trade between Europe and Latin America, welcoming completion of negotiations on an EU/Chile Association Agreement, and agreeing to press forward with an EU/Mercosur Association Agreement. In addition, the summit decided to take concrete new steps in the development of EU/Andean and EU/central American relations.
I was also pleased to see Caribbean concerns recognised—the result of effective engagement in the summit and its preparations by many Caribbean countries. We have worked with the Caribbean to ensure that they are now playing a full part in the summit and that their voice is heard.
Establishment Responsibilities
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister which Departments have lead responsibility for (a)(i) Royal, (ii) Church and (iii) hereditary issues and (b) lords- lieutenant. [57970]
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The Prime Minister: In England and Wales, the Lord Chancellor's Department has lead responsibility for these matters. Lords-lieutenant and certain Church and royal household posts are Crown appointments and are therefore made by Her Majesty the Queen on my advice.
Parliamentary Advisers
Mr. Beith: To ask the Prime Minister what the (a) names and (b) responsibilities are of parliamentary advisers appointed to serve his Department. [56899]
The Prime Minister: I have made no such appointments.
Gibraltar
Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Prime Minister when he last met the Spanish Prime Minister to discuss Gibraltar. [58552]
The Prime Minister: I met the Spanish Prime Minister on 20 May for discussions on a range of EU and foreign policy issues. We held talks on Gibraltar in a positive and constructive atmosphere.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Committee Mandates
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Standing Committee on propagating material and ornamental plants is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the United Kingdom representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [57489]
Mr. Morley: The mandate of the Standing Committee on propagating material of ornamental plants is to consider and adopt measures to facilitate implementation of Council Directive 98/56/EC on the marketing of propagating material of ornamental plants. The committee has met on three occasions over the last 12 months. The UK is normally represented by an official from my Department. The cost of the committee's work to public funds, including travel expenses which are met from Community funds, is estimated at around £1,500 annually.
Agendas and reports of meetings are available on the Commission website. Links to those reports are provided in the DEFRA website at http://defraweb/planth/ oldnews.htm#links. The agenda of the last meeting included: discussions about the scope of the directive; whether further implementing measures were needed in relation to specific pests and diseases; the approach in relation to imports from third countries and future arrangements for Community trials which are used to take stock of the quality of materials being marketed within the Community. The committee also had an initial discussion to consider how to take forward work in relation to a recently adopted standard under the International Plant Protection Convention concerning Regulated Non-Quarantine Pests.
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Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
- "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for Community protection of plant variety rights is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the United Kingdom representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [57486]
Mr. Morley: The mandate of the Committee for Community protection of plant variety rights is to assist the Commission in the administration and regulation of Community plant variety rights. The committee has met once over the past 12 months. The cost of representation by one official was de minimis as it was held on the same day as another meeting.
The item discussed was the preparation of a report in accordance with Article 116(4) of Council Regulation (EC) 2100/94 on an arrangement which permitted individual farmers who had farm saved seed of varieties established before the Community plant variety rights regime came into force to continue to do so free of charge for a transitional period.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission.
As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com(2001) 783 Final).
As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Standing Committee on plant health is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the United Kingdom representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [57485]
Mr. Morley: The mandate of the Standing Committee on Plant Health (harmful organisms) is contained within Council Directive 2000/29 concerning protective
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measures against the introduction into and spread within the Community of organisms harmful to plants and plant products. The committee gives opinions on amendments to the lists of harmful organisms, on other amendments to the technical annexes to the directive, and on proposed emergency measures against new plant health risks. The committee has met eleven times in the last twelve months. The UK is usually represented by an official and a scientist from my Department assisted by a Forestry Commission official when necessary.
The direct cost of the committee's work to public funds, including travel expenses some of which are met from Community funds, is estimated at around £40,000 annually. UK risk assessments and survey results are presented to the committee but these are prepared partly to inform national policy and operational activities. The elements directly related to the work of the committee cannot be separately costed.
Agendas and reports of meetings are available on the Commission website. Links to those reports are provided in the DEFRA website at http://defraweb/planth/ oldnews.htm#links. The agenda of the last meeting included: a discussion, at the UK's request, of the situation with Phytophthora ramorum (cause of Sudden Oak Death) in the Community; a report on progress with eradication of pinewood nematode in Portugal; discussion of measures to be taken against an outbreak of Monilinia fructicola (fruit brown rot) in France; consideration of a response to measures taken by China against wooden packing material with exports from the EC; and discussion of a risk assessment on Aphelenchoides besseyi, a nematode which affects rice seed and strawberry plants.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
- "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Standing Committee on propagating material and plants of fruit genera and species is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the United Kingdom representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [57488]
Mr. Morley: The mandate of the Standing Committee on propagating material and plants of fruit genera and species is to consider and adopt measures to facilitate implementation of Council Directive 92/34/EEC on the marketing of fruit propagating material and fruit plants intended for fruit production. The committee has met on three occasions over the last 12 months. The UK is normally represented by an official from my Department.
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The cost of the committee's work to public funds, including travel expenses which are met from Community funds, is estimated at around £2,500 annually.
Agendas and reports of meetings are available on the Commission website. Links to those reports are provided in the DEFRA website at http://defraweb/planth/ oldnews.htm#links. The agenda of the last meeting included: discussions about the effectiveness of current implementing measures; the scope of those measures and whether additional rules were needed; the approach in relation to imports from third countries and future arrangements for Community trials which are used to take stock of the quality of material being marketed within the Community. The committee also had an initial discussion to consider how to take forward work in relation to a recently adopted standard under the International Plant Protection Convention concerning Regulated Non- Quarantine Pests.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". The Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of the committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com(2001) 783 Final).
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the Fisheries and Aquaculture sector is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [56743]
Mr. Morley: The Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture was set up to enable the Commission to consult representatives of the EU fishery products and aquaculture industry, and of related interests such as consumers and environmentalists, and to take their views on the drafting and implementation of relevant EU measures. It is not attended by officials of Her Majesty's Government. The questions raised would be for the European Commission, or for the European organisations who send representatives, to answer.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the Directive on the quality of fresh waters needing protection or improvement in order to support fish life is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [56798]
Mr. Morley: This committee has never met. Therefore the question of UK representation has not been addressed, no items are under consideration and it has not drawn on public funds. The role of the Committee, if it should meet, is set out in article 12 of the Directive. It is to deliver its
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opinion on amendments proposed by the Commission to the G values and to the methods of analysis set out in the Annexes to the Directive where amendments are necessary to adapt the Directive's provisions to technical or scientific progress. The Committee has equivalent functions in relation to Directive 79/923/EC on the quality required of Shellfish Waters.
Together with Member States, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". Consequent to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final.
As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on veterinary training is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [56760]
Mr. Morley: The last meeting of the Advisory Committee on Veterinary Training (ACVT) was held on 16 June 2000 and it was abolished later that year.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Management Committee of the common organisations of agricultural markets for seeds is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55669]
Mr. Morley: The mandate of the Seeds Management Committee is to facilitate stability in the market for seeds and to ensure a fair income for producers through the payment of appropriate levels of production aid. The Committee has met four times over the past 12 months. UK representation at the Committee has been two officials for each meeting, and the cost of representation has been around £5,300.
The major item under discussion this year has been the introduction of a stabiliser mechanism to constrain EU expenditure on seed production aid.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission.
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As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com(2001) 783 Final).
As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee on the supply of agricultural products to the population of the former Soviet Union is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55657]
Mr. Morley: The Department has no record of such a committee.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55659]
Mr. Morley: The purpose of the Committee on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture is to advise the Commission draft measures made under Council Regulation 1467–94 on:
- (a) assisting the co-ordination, at Community level, of certain national measures for the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture to permit the rational organisation of the means employed within the Community and the efficient utilisation of the results and to achieve an approach in line with the aims of the Common Agricultural Policy;
- (b) the development and implementation of programmes of measures for the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture at Community level to support or supplement action taken in the member states; and
- (c) other relevant questions.
Regulation 1467–94 established a programme for the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture for a period of five years. The Commission has made proposals for a successor regulation, which is currently under consideration.
The Committee met once in the last 12 months. It was attended by DEFRA officials from my Department. The cost of representation at that meeting and related work was about £2,000.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the
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requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". The Commission published an annual report on the working of such committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final)). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Scientific and Technical Research Committee (CREST) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [56731]
Ms Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
The Scientific and Technical Research Committee (CREST) is a standing advisory committee to the Council and Commission which was established pursuant to a Council Resolution of 14 January 1974 on the co-ordination of national policies and the definition of projects of interest to the Community in the field of science and technology.
A Council Resolution of 28 September 1995 defined the current role of CREST:
- (i) to identify strategic priorities for Community policy, based on the criterion of added value while complying with the principle of subsidiarity, thereby helping the Commission to draw up Community research and technological development (RTD) programmes;
- (ii) to promote co-ordination by the Community and the member states of their RTD activities in order to ensure mutual consistency between national policies and Community policy;
- (iii) to review the independent assessment of the specific programmes and the framework programme, relying in particular on the programme committees, in order to learn useful lessons from them for Community RTD policy;
- (iv) to contribute to the formulation of Community strategy for international co-operation in the sphere of research, including consultation within the Community in preparation for the proceedings of international bodies.
CREST also devotes itself to the following activities:
- (v) dissemination and exploitation of the results of RTD and demonstration activities and of their impact on competitiveness and employment in the Community;
- (vi) training activities through and for research and their response to innovation needs.
The CREST Committee discharges its functions either at the request of the Council or the Commission or on its own initiative. It comprises senior representatives responsible for RTD policies in the member states and of Commission representatives and is chaired by the Director General, Directorate General Research. The General Secretariat of the Council provides the secretariat for CREST. Since 2001 Candidate Countries to the European Union have been invited to attend as observers. CREST draws up it own rules of procedure and work programme. Records of meeting and opinions of CREST record the consensual opinion of its members, with reference to any minority views. They are
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forwarded to the Council and the Commission. CREST's work, reports and other documentation are publicly available. (http://register.consilium.eu.int)
CREST has met on eight occasions over the last 12 months:
- 275th CREST, 4 May 2001—Brussels
276th CREST, 31 May to 1 June 2001—Sweden
277th CREST, 5 July 2001—Brussels
278th CREST, 6 to 7 September 2001—Belgium
279th CREST, 18 to 19 October 2001—Brussels
280th CREST, 22 to 23 November 2001—Brussels
281st CREST, 8 February 2002—Brussels
282nd CREST, 26 to 27 March 2002—Spain.
Items under current consideration for the next meeting include the Implementation of the Commission Action Plan on Science and Society, and the opening of national RTD programmes.
The agenda fro the next meeting of the committee includes the following issues:
- Company Awards and List of Best Workplaces in Europe
Scheme to support transnational actions to combat discrimination
Presentations and discussions on data collection to measure the extent and impact of discrimination
Presentation of work programme of two groups of independent experts on racial discrimination, and on discrimination against people with disabilities
Presentation of work programme of four European-level umbrella NGO networks.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees in line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
- "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission."
As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to noise emission in the environment by equipment for use outdoors is; how many
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times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [56819]
Ms Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
The mandate of the Standing Committee is contained in Article 18 of the noise emission in the environment by equipment for use outdoors Directive, 2000/14/EC. In essence it is convened to consider matters of interpretation which are brought to its attention by member states. It has, however only met in its capacity as an advisory committee. Officials of the European Commission chair these meetings with a view to providing advice based on consensus in order to ensure that there is uniform interpretation of the directive throughout the European Union and also to ensure that any technical barriers to trade within the Single Market are removed. The committee, in particular, assists the Commission in the adaptation to technical progress of methods of measurement of airborne noise emitted by equipment for use outdoors by means of amendments to the technical annexes of the directive.
In the last 12 months this committee has met twice. Representation from the United Kingdom is led by officials from the Department of Trade and Industry. It is not possible to calculate the cost to public funds of the work of the committee without incurring disproportionate cost.
Items under consideration vary from meeting to meeting but usually include issues of standardisation and interpretation. Current issues include a possible amendment to the directive in respect of noise limits of lawn mowers.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (COM(2001)783Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
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