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4 Nov 2002 : Column 94W—continued
Climate Change
Mr. Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made (a) on the Government sustainability index on climate change and (b) towards the Government's domestic target for a 20 per cent. reduction in CO2 emissions based on 1990 levels; and if she will make a statement. [77462]
Mr. Meacher: (a) The latest figures for the Headline Sustainable Development Indicator for Climate Change were published in a Defra Statistical Press Release on 28 March. Emissions on the Xbasket" of six greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol, weighted by global warming potential, fell by 13.2 per cent. between the 1990 base year and 2000, the last year for which confirmed data is available. There was no change between 1999 and 2000. The UK has a target under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2008–12. We remain on course to achieve this target.
(b) A provisional estimate of carbon dioxide emissions for 2001, based on energy use, was published by the Department for Trade and Industry in March in its Energy Trends publication. This estimated that carbon dioxide emissions were 154.4 million tonnes of carbon, approximately 6 per cent. below the UK's 1990 baseline emissions of 16.4 million tonnes of carbon.
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Agricultural Support
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of support given to farmers in other countries to enable and encourage them to care for the environment and countryside; and if she will make a statement. [79241]
Alun Michael: Precise support arrangements vary widely between countries. Within the EU, all Member States are able to operate programmes under the Rural Development Regulation. These include agri-environment schemes which encourage farmers to adopt environmentally beneficial farming practices by compensating farmers for the costs and income foregone and by providing an incentive payment.
The Department recently received the final report of an economic evaluation of agri-environment schemes commissioned from the Centre for Rural Economics Research at the University of Cambridge. This report included a comparison of agri-environment schemes offered in other European countries. It will be published shortly and will be available on the Defra website.
All Member States submit mid-term evaluations of their rural development programmes to the European Commission at the end of 2003. The results should allow an EU-wide comparison and assessment of rural development support in general, including agri-environment support.
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British Cattle Movement Service
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (1) what assessment she has made of the accuracy of data held by the BCMS; and if she will make a statement; [79281]
- (2) what assessment she has made of how up to date the information held by the BCMS is; and if she will make a statement. [79320]
Alun Michael: The British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) works hard to validate and cleanse the information it is sent by cattle keepers. The information received by BCMS can often be incomplete or incorrect. The BCMS and the Paying Agencies throughout Great Britain cross check their data to confirm accuracy and identify and rectify anomalies. This is a time consuming and laborious process. The BCMS is working with partners in Government and Industry to improve the quality of the data that it receives.
Refrigerators
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many refrigerators are awaiting disposal in Essex; and how much it will cost to dispose of them. [77154]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 31 October 2002]: The exact number of fridges being stored pending treatment in either waste collection authority or waste disposal authority at any one point in time are not held centrally. However, current estimates suggest there are more than 900,000 units awaiting treatment in the UK.
The initial annual UK cost is likely to be around #40 million. This will decrease as plant are commissioned, competition becomes established and more fridges that do not need treatment enter the waste stream.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Press Advertising (Devolved Posts)
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-devolved posts were advertised in the Press in each year since June 1999; and what percentage of them were advertised in the Scottish press. [76855]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 24 October 2002]: The information requested is not available.
Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the detection of crime and to increase the numbers of criminals brought to justice. [76933]
Mr. Denham: I refer my hon Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley North (Ross Cranston) on 28 October 2002, Official Report, column 626W.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's involvement with the International Organisation for Migration; and the role he expects that organisation to take in the UK. [77339]
Beverley Hughes: The United Kingdom (UK) joined the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in June 2001. This was a result of an agreement between the Home Office, the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, as the UK was increasingly making use of the lOM's services, and the increasing level of work being taken forward by the Home Office in conjunction with the IOM was at odds with the United Kingdom's retaining Xobserver"status.
The Government funds many projects undertaken by the IOM. The IOM co-ordinates the delivery of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's Voluntary Assisted Returns Programme for asylum seekers and failed asylum seekers.
Additionally, the UK part finances IOM projects on return and reintegration.
Furthermore, the IOM have considerable expertise in supporting the victims of people trafficking, and Home Office officials have consulted closely with the IOM in order to develop support systems for victims of trafficking.
We see lOM's assistance to be crucial to our plans for practical action against illegal migration, by working proactively beyond our borders.
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the application pack for candidates for the job of Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality; and if he will make a statement on the differences between this pack and those issued to applicants for this post on previous occasions. [77431]
Beverley Hughes: I have today placed a copy of the information pack for candidates for the post of Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) in the Library.
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The post of Chair was advertised for the first time in 1999. On that occasion the pack set out basic information about the CRE and the person specification. This time the information pack has been re-designed to provide additional information about the wider race equality agenda and the government's support for the work of the Commission. No new requirements have been added to the role of the Chair, but more information about the role has been included in the information pack.
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those public bodies for which his Department is responsible where provision is made in the job description of the Chairman that the policies of the body be compatible with those of the Secretary of State. [77432]
Beverley Hughes: The information pack sent to candidates for the post of Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), which is currently vacant, states that:
- XThe Chair must ensure that the CRE's policies are compatible with those of the Secretary of State and that the Commission's affairs are conducted with probity"
The requirement is not a new one as the Commission for Racial Equality's policy and resource framework is agreed with Ministers who remain accountable to Parliament for the work and efficiency of the Commission.
To my knowledge, this particular form of words has not been used in the job descriptions sent to applicants for the post of Chair of other public bodies sponsored by the Home Office. However, all non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) agree their policy and resources framework with Ministers, and Ministers are answerable to Parliament for the policies and performance of all public bodies sponsored by their departments, including their use of resources and the policy framework within which they operate.
Asylum Applications
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum were made during each of the last three years at (a) Glasgow airport, (b) Edinburgh airport, (c) Rosyth port and (d) Stranraer port. [78497]
Beverley Hughes: Asylum applications were as follows:
(10) Data for 2002 are from local management information and may be subject to change.
(11) The ferry service into Rosyth has only operated since May 2002.
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Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources are available to process asylum applications at (a) Belfast port and (b) Larne port. [78504]
Beverley Hughes: No permanent resources are in place at either Belfast or Larne ports. Neither port has international ferry services and accordingly there is no operational need for UK Immigration Service personnel to be stationed there. Any person who indicated to port staff at either port that they wished to claim asylum would be directed to the UK Immigration Service office at Belfast International Airport, where arrangements would be made for screening and interview in the normal way.
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