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World Food Summit
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons she did not attend the World Food Summit in Rome; and if she will make a statement. [62085]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 17 June 2002]: My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael) represented this Department at the World Food Summit. Although the summit was primarily concerned with international development issues which go beyond DEFRA's responsibilities, my right hon. Friend's attendance reflects the importance we attach to the role of trade and rural development in alleviating poverty and hunger.
Farming Research (Developing World)
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by her Department on research into (a) all forms of farming and (b) local-based farming initiatives in the developing world in each of the last 10 years. [62084]
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Mr. Morley [holding answer 17 June 2002]: (a) The Department's total research and development expenditure spent in this area for each of the last 10 years is as follows:
| Expenditure | |
|---|---|
| 1991–92 | 87.7 |
| 1992–93 | 95.0 |
| 1993–94 | 97.0 |
| 1994–95 | 99.2 |
| 1995–96 | 102.6 |
| 1996–97 | 99.9 |
| 1997–98 | 98.8 |
| 1998–99 | 101.7 |
| 1999–2000 | 97.3 |
| 2000–01 | 107.0 |
| 2001–02(6) | — |
(6) Figures for 2001–02 are not yet available.
(b) Expenditure on farming in the developing world is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development, whose Department (DFID) has provided the following information.
DFID funds agricultural research aimed at the needs of the poor in developing countries who depend for their livelihoods on natural resources. Separate data are not maintained of the sums spent on research for locally based farming initiatives though much of this work is undertaken directly with resource-poor farming communities. Bilateral spending on research in agriculture, forestry and fishing in the last 10 years was:
| Expenditure | |
|---|---|
| 1991–92 | 29.3 |
| 1992–93 | 33.7 |
| 1993–94 | 32.8 |
| 1994–95 | 39.1 |
| 1995–96 | 31.0 |
| 1996–97 | 26.2 |
| 1997–98 | 24.8 |
| 1998–99 | 28.3 |
| 1999–2000 | 30.8 |
| 2000–01 | 32.2 |
DFID also made the following multilateral contributions to international agricultural research organisations which contribute to the elimination of hunger and poverty in developing countries:
| Expenditure | |
|---|---|
| 1991–92 | 8.7 |
| 1992–93 | 8.7 |
| 1993–94 | 7.8 |
| 1994–95 | 8.4 |
| 1995–96 | 8.5 |
| 1996–97 | 7.7 |
| 1997–98 | 5.8 |
| 1998–99 | 7.8 |
| 1999–2000 | 10.1 |
| 2000–01 | 10.9 |
Countryside Stewardship Scheme
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in
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the Library a record of the priority scores given to each countryside stewardship scheme approved in the past five years. [62323]
Mr. Morley: Details of the scores for each of the approximately 8,500 Countryside Stewardship Scheme applications approved over the last five years could not be provided without disproportionate cost.
Bali Conference
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the outcome of the recent ministerial conference in Bali. [61772]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 17 June 2002]: The fourth Preparatory Committee meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development gives us a basis for the final run up to Johannesburg. Progress was made on a programme of action, which includes the importance of sanitation in eradicating poverty and meeting the Millennium Development Goal on safe drinking water. Broad agreement was also reached on key issues such as the urgent need to restore fish stocks and address illegal fishing, and on the important role non-governmental actors can play in achieving sustainable development. The meeting also recognised the need for a strong focus on Africa.
Other difficult issues remain outstanding, such as how the summit can address trade and finance issues to complement the Monterrey Consensus and the Doha Development Agenda. There are also specific targets on sanitation, biodiversity loss and energy, which have yet to be agreed. The UK will continue to work constructively with partners to ensure a successful outcome for Johannesburg, including concrete actions and coherent work programmes on energy, water and sustainable patterns of consumption and production.
Waste Management
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department's 2000 to 2002 Municipal Waste Management Survey will be published. [62664]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 18 June 2002]: Provisional results from the Municipal Waste Management Survey for the 2000–01 financial year were published on 16 April 2002. Final results will be published during the late summer of 2002.
The 2001–02 Municipal Waste Management Survey has not yet been carried out. However, results are expected to be available during 2003, following a timetable similar to that for the 2000–01 survey.
Seeds (National List of Varieties) Regulations
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Seeds (National List of Varieties) Regulations; and what plans she has to amend them. [62581]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 18 June 2002]: Changes to the Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 2001 will be needed in the near future to amend references
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to EC seeds marketing directives which are currently being codified by the Council of the European Union, and other minor matters.
In reply to a parliamentary question on 28 November 2000, the Government also made it clear that the arrangements for requesting a hearing on proposed national list decisions would be reviewed during the Chardon LL hearing, in order to consider whether the current arrangements were satisfactory for all parties. The Chardon LL hearing closed on 13 June and it remains the Government's intention to review how those arrangements have worked. If changes are proposed, all interested parties will be consulted in the normal way.
Organic Stewardship Scheme
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what investigation is under way in her Department to examine how an organic stewardship scheme might be introduced. [62990]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 19 June 2002]: The issue of ongoing support for organic farmers is being taken forward as part of the follow up to the report of the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food. This is one of the issues under consideration in the stakeholder group drawing up the organic farming and food action plan.
Bovine TB
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her counterparts in New Zealand and Australia on the subject of bovine TB. [62991]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 19 June 2002]: DEFRA, and its predecessor MAFF, has a long history of collaboration with the animal health departments in New Zealand and Australia. In 1999 the veterinary head of the endemic animal diseases and zoonoses section of the state veterinary service carried out a fact finding visit to New Zealand to investigate the control of bovine tuberculosis there, and our veterinary service has received several visits from veterinarians from New Zealand and Australia. In addition, our tuberculosis vaccine research programme is being carried out by the veterinary laboratory agency which is working in collaboration with researchers from New Zealand.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent research her Department has undertaken into the effect of production announcers given to cattle on the development of bovine tuberculosis. [62813]
Mr. Morley: I believe the hon. Member is referring to production enhancers, such as anabolic steroid growth promoters and bovine somatatrophin lactation enhancer, rather than production announcers. As these products are not licensed for use in cattle in the UK, DEFRA has not carried out research into the effects that they might have on the development of bovine tuberculosis.
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many confirmed cases of bovine TB have been recorded in (a) Scotland and (b) Dumfries and Galloway region in each of the last 12 months. [62412]
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Mr. Morley [holding answer 17 June 2002]: The information requested is not available in the format requested, in that county figures are not available for 2002. In 2001 there was one herd affected by a new confirmed incident of bovine TB in Scotland. There were none in Dumfriesshire. Raw data for January to April 2002 indicate seven confirmed new TB incidents in Scotland.
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