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Special Advisers

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) dates, (b) location and (c) sources were of attributable (i) articles, interviews or contributions for the media, books or other journals and (ii) speeches or presentations made in the public domain, by departmental special advisers since March 2001; who in her Department authorised the activity; and on what date this activity was recorded with the departmental Head of Information. [72250]

Mr. Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend (the Prime Minister), on 24 July, Official Report, column 1373W.

Rare Wildlife Trade

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what penalties are available for someone caught dealing in the rare wildlife trade; and what plans she has to increase penalties. [72529]

Mr. Meacher: People found guilty of trading in wildlife specimens protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 can be fined up to £5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to six months. These higher penalties were introduced by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 and there are no plans to increase them further.

Offences under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 (COTES) are currently punishable by a fine of up to £5,000 and/or up to three months imprisonment if tried in a Magistrates' Court, and an unlimited fine and/or up to two years imprisonment at Crown Court. These penalties are being considered as part of the current review of the COTES Regulations.

Endangered Species

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made with the review on legislation covering the trafficking of endangered species. [72702]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 July 2002]: A pre-consultation paper outlining the Government's initial proposals for the review of the Control of Trade in

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Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 was sent to all the main stakeholder organisations on 18 July. We have asked for comments by 30 August 2002.

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many types of animals in the UK are on the endangered species list; and what measures she is taking to increase their numbers. [72530]

Mr. Meacher: My scientific advisors on wildlife issues, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, have advised that there are approximately 1785 invetebrate, two amphibian, two reptile, six bird and one mammal species which are endangered. In 1995 the UK Biodiversity Action Plan was published and more recently a significant number of specific Action Plans have been finalised. These are targeted at the conservation needs of rare species and habitats and are being implemented through broad partnerships of government, statutory conservation agencies and the voluntary sector. The Biodiversity Action Plans encourage positive actions for rare species at a range of scales, from national to local, and by a range of organisations. Monitoring will provide feedback on the efficacy of the implementation of the plans.

Hendon Sewage Treatment Works

Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in publishing the inspectors report on the Hendon Sewage Treatment works; and when she expects to publish it. [72308]

Mr. Meacher: The Inspector's report following the inquiry on the Hendon Sewage Treatment Works (and the Whitburn Storm Sewage Pumping Station) is a comprehensive document containing a large amount of data of both a technical and general nature. Full and detailed consideration has inevitably taken some time, but I expect the Secretary of State's decision to be published together with the Inspector's report very shortly.

Light Pollution

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to introduce anti-light-pollution legislation; and if she will make a statement. [72095]

Mr. Meacher: Light is excluded from the statutory nuisance regime of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. During the debate of the associated bill in the House of Lords, floodlighting as a statutory nuisance was rejected on the basis of the low incidence of reported problems, and the perceived looseness of the proposed term "floodlighting". However I recognise that intrusion from security lighting has become a growing problem, and in view of this I will consider what measures may be used to address this issue.

Currently where there is a proposal for which a planning application is required, the local planning authority has the power to control many sorts of lighting installation by imposing planning conditions. In this situation, the authority can refuse permission, or grant permission with conditions which could specify in detail what sort of external light installations would be allowed.

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In any other circumstances, since the courts have ruled that emitting light does not of itself constitute development, the matter is outside planning controls.

I understand that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to amend planning legislation in this area. Instead, this Government continues to publicise and to recommend the advice given in "Lighting in the Countryside: Towards good practice", which is available on our website at: http://www.planning. odpm.gov.uk/litc/index.htm This publication, which is also relevant to those in towns and cities, indicates a way forward which we believe is preferable to further regulation.

Waste Collection

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to charge individual households for waste collection; and if she will make a statement. [72223]

Mr. Meacher: The Performance and Innovation Unit, now the Strategy Unit, are conducting a wide ranging review of waste strategy which is due to report in the autumn. Variable household charging is an issue which falls within the scope of that work and PIU have invited views on the issue on its website. DEFRA Ministers and the Government as a whole are keen for the review to consider all the possible options for delivering Government objectives on waste.

Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the final agenda is for the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development. [72449]

Mr. Meacher: The Agenda is not yet fully agreed. We strongly support the priority areas of poverty eradication and the sectoral themes of water, energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity identified by the UN Secretary-General. The developed world must also take concrete steps towards sustainable development by actions to improve our own use of resources. We are also committed to sustainable development in developing countries as witnessed by the increasing proportion of the UK's gross national income devoted to international aid, which will rise to 0.4 per cent. by 2005–06, and through taking forward the important commitments to fair trade, better market access and phasing out of agricultural subsidies and reduction of trade-distorting domestic support as made at Doha.

Rare Wildlife Trade

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place to ensure that rare wildlife in the UK is protected. [72528]

Mr. Meacher: The UK has a broad framework of measures to ensure that rare wildlife in the UK is protected. This includes legislative protection for certain species, where such protection is necessary to address the causes of population decline, as well as a range of wider environmental policies. Of particular importance is the UK's national response to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan was

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published in 1995 and more recently a significant number of specific Action Plans have been finalised, including 436 biodiversity, 391 species and 45 habitat related action plans. These are targeted at the conservation needs of rare species and of habitats and are being implemented through broad partnerships of government, statutory conservation agencies and the voluntary sector. The Biodiversity Action Plans encourage positive actions for rare species at a range of scales, from national to local, and by a range of organisations. Monitoring will provide feedback on the efficacy of the implementation of the plans.

CAP Reform

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent consultations she has had with organisations representing Scottish farmers regarding CAP reform. [72438]

Mr. Morley: DEFRA has put in place mechanisms to consult a wide range of UK and English bodies on the Commission's Communication on the Mid-Term Review of the CAP. Consulting the industry in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive, with whom DEFRA has ongoing discussions on the Mid-Term Review.

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