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Biomass Crops

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what public money has been spent in research and promotion in each of the past five years concerning (a) biomass energy crops and (b) biofuels for road transport; and if she will make a statement. [64119]

Margaret Beckett: This Department co-ordinates government research into biomass energy crops and total public expenditure amounts to approximately £2.75 million per annum and has been stable at this level over the last five years. The production technology for transport biofuels from UK grown crops is mature and this results in a low research spend. Expenditure by this Department in the current financial year amounts to £20,000 on work in support of policy development. Expenditure in the previous four years was nil, although the Department does have a large portfolio of research, costing about £6 million per annum, supporting the primary production of crops such as oilseed rape, wheat and potatoes which have the potential to be used for transport fuel production. It is not possible to separately identify the cost of promotion in respect of biomass energy crops and biofuels. The Department has included generic promotion of non-food crops in its work at agricultural shows. We have also organised and attended a small number of promotional meetings and seminars linked to the development of markets for solid biomass crops. The promotion of biomass crops also takes place through our work in support of the England Rural Development Programme, the Energy Crops Scheme forming one element of that programme.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the amount of carbon saved from 1 million tonnes of biodiesel and bioethanol substituted for the equivalent amount of fossil diesel and petrol; and if she will make a statement. [64128]

Margaret Beckett: The replacement of one million tonnes of fossil diesel with biodiesel from oilseed rape would save between 500,000 and 700,000 tonnes of carbon. Research into the production of bioethanol from starch or sugar crops generally indicates that slightly less carbon is saved through replacing petrol with bioethanol when compared with replacing fossil diesel with biodiesel. In the Budget my right hon. Friend the Chancellor confirmed the new duty rate for biodiesel set at 20 pence per litre below the rate for Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel. The Government have also launched a second round of the Green Fuel Challenge inviting bids for pilot projects for biofuels, including bioethanol, which would qualify for duty reductions. The Forum on the Non-Food Uses of Crops is studying the potential of biodiesel and bioethanol. The Government are considering carefully the recommendation of the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food that duty on biofuels should be reduced to the rates applied to other clean fuels.

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Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the amount of carbon saved in each of the last five years by the use of biomass crops grown in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [64127]

Margaret Beckett: One hectare of biomass crops yielding the equivalent of eight tonnes per annum has the potential to save about two tonnes of carbon each year. Achieving these carbon savings depends on functioning end markets for the utilisation of biomass crops. Most plantings of purpose grown energy crops have, to date, been to provide fuel for the Arbre biomass power station near Selby which expects to begin full operation later this year. In April the Government launched the Bioenergy Capital Grant Scheme which will develop markets for biomass, including purpose grown energy crops and material from forests, in heat, combined heat and power and electricity generation. Further funding will be available from a Community and Household Capital Grant Scheme which will be launched later this year. Officials are also working closely with the Local Support Teams set up by the Countryside Agency, through the Community Renewables Initiative, to develop markets for renewables.

Agricultural Shows

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the purpose was of the presence of the DEFRA stand at this year's agricultural shows; at which shows it appeared; and how she will assess its effectiveness. [63194]

Mr. Morley: The following list shows the venues at which a DEFRA information/exhibition stand has been or will be present.

The purpose of providing such a stand at these events is to provide information on the interests, responsibilities and activities of the Department. Other issues are covered depending on the location, theme and potential audience.

The cost-effectiveness of these events is kept under review by assessment of the numbers of visitors to the stand, the number of inquiries and/or requests dealt with and feedback from the show organisers.
















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Salmon

Lawrie Quinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the tonnage of farmed salmon in England was in each year since 1990; and what the average size of the fish produced was in each year. [63361]

Mr. Morley: Statistics for 1990 and 1991 are not currently available.

Farmed Atlantic salmon production in England between 1992 and 2001 primarily involves the production of juvenile fish for on-growing in Scottish marine fish farms and for re-stocking rivers. The juvenile fish concerned are fry, parr and smolts which, depending on their stage of growth have an average weight of between 1 gram and 30 grams. Details are as follows:

Juvenile Atlantic salmon production in England—1992 to 2001

Juvenile fish
Number (millions)Estimated tonnes
19927.237
19935.735
19943.641
19956.844
19966.026
19978.639
19988.659
199914.498
20006.854
20017.636

There has also been farming of some six tonnes of adult fish (estimated average weight of three kilos) in the period mainly for broodstock and research purpose.

EU Management Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Committee on the implementation of the Directive establishing a Community policy regarding water is next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members; and if she will make a statement. [63928]

Mr. Meacher: Article 20 of Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy provides that the regulatory committee established by Article 21(1) will assist the Commission in making any necessary technical adaptations to Annexes I, III and section 1.3.6 of Annex V to the directive, and in setting technical specifications and standardised methods for analysis and

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monitoring of water status. It may also assist the Commission in adopting guidelines on the implementation of Annexes II and V and in setting technical formats for transmission of statistical and cartographic data to the Commission.

The committee has not yet met, and no meeting has been arranged. However, the committee is due to meet at the latest by 22 December 2002. UK representation is likely to vary according to the agenda for each meeting and may include members of the Scottish Executive and other devolved Administrations where there are items of sufficient interest.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Management Committees of the common organisations of agricultural markets for dehydrated fodder is next due to meet; what the UK representation is on it; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members; and if she will make a statement. [63963]

Mr. Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow), on 10 June 2002, Official Report, column 917W.

There is no set schedule of meetings for the Management Committee for Dehydrated Fodder. UK representation on this management committee depends on the agenda items under discussion. Officials from the Scottish Executive and other devolved Administrations attend as necessary in accordance with their interests. However, no representative of the Scottish Executive has attended the Management Committee for Dehydrated Fodder.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Management Committees of the common organisations of agricultural markets for fresh fruit and vegetables are next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members; and if she will make a statement. [63965]

Mr. Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow), on 10 June 2002, Official Report, column 912W.

The next meeting of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Management Committee is scheduled for 16 July 2002. UK representation on this committee depends on the agenda items under discussion. No representative of the Scottish Executive has attended.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of the EU Management Committees of the common organisations of agricultural markets for cereals; and if she will make a statement. [63964]

Mr. Morley: UK representation on the EU's Cereals Management Committee depends on the agenda items under discussion. Officials from the Scottish Executive and other devolved Administrations attend as necessary in accordance with their interests.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive have been members

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of the EU Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the directive on methods of measurement and frequencies of sampling and analysis of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water in the member states; and if she will make a statement. [63947]

Mr. Meacher: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 23 May 2002, Official Report, column 496W. No date has been set for the Committee to meet. UK representation would vary according to the agenda for each meeting and may include members of the Scottish Executive and other devolved administrations where there are items of sufficient interest.

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