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23 Oct 2002 : Column 311W—continued

Feta Cheeses

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received concerning the redesignation of feta cheeses in the draft directive proposed by the European Commission designating feta as a protected food name; and if she will intervene to prevent the Commission unilaterally adopting such a directive in the event of no qualified majority being achieved. [75647]

Mr. Morley: The Department has received a number of representations concerning the application by Greece to register ''feta'' as a protected food name. Throughout all the discussions on this issue (at official and Ministerial level), the UK has opposed the Greek application on the grounds that we believed that the name ''feta'' had become a generic and so not eligible for protection. The majority of Member States were in favour of registration but the required qualified majority was not reached either in the Regulatory

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Committee or subsequently in the Agriculture Council. However, because the Council was unable to act by qualified majority the Commission was able (under the terms of the original Regulation) to adopt the proposal. Feta was registered as a protected food name on 15 October.

I am conscious of the effect that feta's registration as a protected food name will have on UK producers. Officials have therefore written to these producers to see whether they might be eligible to benefit from a transition period within which the name ''feta'' could continue to be used.

Hedgehogs

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had about TB in hedgehogs. [75082]

Mr. Morley: There have been no recent discussions specifically on this issue. However, Defra is currently funding two research projects which are looking into the risk of TB to cattle from wildlife species other than badgers. Both projects include the examination of hedgehogs for TB.

Badgers

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the badger population is growing faster in certain regions of the UK. [75080]

Mr. Morley: There are likely to be in the region of 300,000 to 400,000 badgers in Great Britain. This figure is derived from the National Badger Survey which took place in the mid-1990's.

The Department has let a research contract to design and pilot a multi-species terrestrial mammal monitoring project. This is due to conclude in November 2003, and should assist in improving the data available.

Water Pressure

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will revise the reference level of water flow that is used by water supply companies to ensure that water pressure is sufficient to reach the top floor of domestic properties. [76158]

Mr. Morley: We have no plans to amend the provisions in Section 65 of the Water Industry Act 1991 which relate to the constancy of water pressure. Current legislation already provides for the water in water pipes and other pipes to be laid on constantly and at a pressure that will allow the water to reach the top most storey of every building within a water undertaker's area, subject to certain specific exceptions

Where a householder considers the pressure of the water serving their property is insufficient they should contact their water company in the first instance. If they remain dissatisfied with the level of service, they can approach the Office of Water Services or the WaterVoice Committee for their area.

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Sheep Dips

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 17 July 2002, Official Report, column 313W, on sheep dips, whether the report has been received on the research study by CBD Porton Down into the dose effect profiles for OP sheep dips on brain electrical activity and sensitive behaviour indices in non-human primates. [75839]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 21 October 2002]: The results from this study are now expected during November. This is due to unforeseen delays in the independent validation of the statistical analyses, and in completing the final phase of the histopathological evaluation.

Horticulture

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what corrective action is being taken by her Department following the criticisms made in the Quinquennial Review of Horticulture Research International. [75913]

Mr. Morley: We welcome the report of the Quinquennial Review of Horticulture Research International and have invited stakeholders to comment on the recommendations by 18 November. We consider that the report contains lessons for Defra, HRI and the horticulture industry. We shall respond in detail when we have considered stakeholders' views and have the results of further financial analysis of the recommendations.

Apples

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress is being made with negotiations for a marketing standard for apples. [75914]

Mr. Morley: There have been no developments on the EU marketing standard for apples since my written reply of 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 229W.

National Orchard

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what gains and losses in (a) actual and (b) percentage terms there have been in the size of the National Orchard in the last five years. [75917]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 21 October 2002]: The table shows the results of the Orchard Fruit Surveys 1997–2001. The results for 2002 are not yet available.

Orchard Fruit Survey England and Wales
(Excluding Minor Holdings)

Year19971998199920002001
Tree area (hectares)2325322727214832082321212
% Change-2.26-5.47-3.071.87


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Drainage Boards

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to reduce the powers and role of drainage boards. [76279]

Mr. Morley: We are currently reviewing the institutional and funding arrangements for flood and coastal defence, including the role of internal drainage boards. Along with Ministerial colleagues I expect to begin to consider the outcome of this review shortly, taking account of the responses to consultation held earlier this year. Conclusions will be announced in due course.

CAP

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many CAP payments made were about 300,000 euros in the last year for which information is available; and what percentage this represents of the total payments made. [75041]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 22 October 2002]: During the 2000 EU budget year, individual payments of CAP direct aid above Euro300,000 were made to around 400 recipients. These payments represented approximately 5 per cent. of the value of total direct aid payments in the UK. Some recipients may have received more than one payment if they made a claim under more than one scheme. This data includes CAP direct aid only (e.g. arable area payments or livestock premia) and excludes CAP market support payments.

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many CAP payments made were below 5,000 euros in the last year for which information is available; and what percentage this represents of the total payments made. [75040]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 22 October 2002]: During the 2000 EU budget year, individual payments of CAP direct aid below Euro5,000 were made to around 78,500 recipients. These payments represented approximately 4 per cent. of the value of total direct aid payments in the UK. Some recipients will have received more than one payment if they made a claim under more than one scheme. This data includes CAP direct aid only (e.g. arable area payments or livestock premia) and excludes CAP market support payments.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Pensions

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what would be the cost of increasing the basic state pension by #14 per week for single pensioners with full contribution records and #22 per week for pensioner couples with full contribution records, detailing separately the resulting increased taxation revenues and savings on means tested benefits expenditure. [75475]

Mr. McCartney: The information is not available in the format requested. However, such information that is available is as follows:

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