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3 Dec 2002 : Column 650W—continued

Dairy Herds (Somerset)

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average size of the dairy herd in Somerset was in each of the last five years. [82608]

Mr. Morley: The tables show the number of holdings, number of cows in the dairy herd and average number of these dairy cattle on holdings in the county of Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset Unitary Authorities.

County of Somerset

YearHoldingsDairy cowsAverage herd size
19971,371118,57286.5
19981,326113,22185.4
19991,289115,12689.3
20001,229109,49889.1
20011,190111,37993.6

Bath and North East Somerset Unitary Authority

YearHoldingsDairy cowsAverage herd size
19971088,68080.4
19981088,92082.6
19991099,09883.5
20001028,54683.8
20011049,45390.9

North Somerset Unitary Authority

YearHoldingsDairy cowsAverage herd size
199713510,33776.6
19981329,79974.2
199913310,16576.4
20001139,40883.3
20011079,29686.9

Notes:

1. These figures show the old county of Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset Unitary Authority and North Somerset Unitary Authority. These now comprise the area covered by Somerset.

2. Years 2000 and 2001 refer to main and minor holdings. 1997–99 refer to main holdings only.

3. A dairy cow is defined as a cow or heifer in the dairy herd that has calved.

Source:

June Agricultural and Horticultural Census


3 Dec 2002 : Column 651W

Elephant Ivory

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the EU decision to abstain in respect of the vote at the CITES meeting in Santiago, relating to whether to allow elephant ivory stockpile sales by Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, reflected the position the UK Government advocated in its discussions with EU partners prior to the vote. [83382]

Mr Morley [holding answer 27 November 2002]: At the meeting of the Environment Council on 17 October member states agreed that the Community was unwilling to agree to a resumption in commercial ivory trade unless it was satisfied, following consultation with all range states, that there would be no resulting increase in illegal killing of elephants and no unfavourable impact on the conservation of elephant populations. The Community would continue to support the cooperation of range states to this effect.

In Santiago the UK supported the EU view that the initial set of proposals put forward by the range states did not meet these criteria for a resumption in commercial ivory trade. Following a meeting between representatives of range states and the EU, a revised set of proposals was prepared which sought only a one-off sale, subject to strict conditions which must be fulfilled before the sale could go ahead.

On these, the EU agreed to abstain because it was clear that there was no prospect of achieving an agreed view, even on qualified majority voting, to support or oppose the revised proposal. The UK does not believe that the necessary conditions are currently in place, even for a one-off sale. However, if the strict requirements of the agreement (which include a minimum 18-month delay, strict control of the market, stringent monitoring requirements and a condition that the proceeds of any sale are used solely for the benefit of elephant conservation) are met in full and verified, we believe that this agreement strikes the right balance between meeting the legitimate expectations of the southern African states that they should be able to engage in sustainable utilisation of their natural resources, whilst establishing strict controls to secure the conservation of wider elephant populations, as envisaged in the Environment Council decision.

Energy Efficiency

Mr. Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much Government financial support has been made available for energy efficiency measures in each year since 1990; [82804]

3 Dec 2002 : Column 652W

Mr. Morley [holding answer 27 November 2002]: Since 1996 the Government have provided funding to the Energy Saving Trust (Defra funding currently about £24 million) to encourage the sustainable use of energy in the domestic and small business sectors. The Energy Saving Trust also receives funding from the Scottish Executive, Department for Transport and Department of Trade and Industry.

Government funding for the Carbon Trust by my Department and the Devolved Administrations since April 2001 is a little under £50 million a year funded from Climate Change Levy receipts and the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme.

The funding made available by my Department and its predecessors to support and promote efficiency measures in each year since 1990 (including the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust) is of the scale set out:

£ million
1990–9118.4
1991–9239.3
1992–9349.4
1993–9460.3
1994–95102.7
1995–96128.5
1996–97116.0
1997–98110.5
1998–99109.0
1999–2000112.0
2000–01119
2001–02approximately (1)253

(1) Subject to final audit


These figures include the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme, support for the Energy Saving Trust (from 1996), Fuel Poverty and for the Carbon Trust (from 1 April 2001). Energy Saving Trust funding for Scotland was devolved from 1 July 1999. Between 1991–99, the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme covered the whole of Great Britain. Funding was devolved to Scotland in July 1999 and to Wales in April 2000. The new Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (now marketed as the Warm Front Team) was launched in England in June 2000.

EU Agriculture Regulations

Mr. Paul Marsden : To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many EU regulations have been introduced in each year since 1997 relating to agriculture. [82686]

Mr. Morley: A table showing council regulations agreed in the years 1997–02 relating to agriculture is available in the Library of the House. A number of regulations agreed during this time have since expired—these are not included. The list has been trawled from a variety of sources and it is possible that a small number of regulations may have fallen through the net. Regulations have a direct effect in the laws of member states and do not usually require Governments to take action to implement them, the table does not show commission regulations. Details of all regulations adopted can be found on the Eur-Lex database available on the European Union's website.

3 Dec 2002 : Column 653W

Insurance (Flooding)

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the insurance industry about continuing flood cover. [84186]

Mr. Morley: There have been many discussions with the insurance industry, involving myself, my officials and officials from Treasury, culminating in the Association of British Insurers' announcement in September that they would continue provision of flood insurance for the vast majority of homes situated on the floodplain. Discussions continue as we have agreed to review the situation on a regular basis.

Farming

Mr. Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) land-owning farmers and (b) tenant farmers have left the industry in each of the last 10 years. [82894]

Mr. Morley: The information for farmers is not available. Figures from the agricultural census on the number of holdings by tenure in England 1991–2000 indicate the following.

Holdings wholly owned/ 50 per cent. or more ownedHoldings wholly rented/ 50 per cent. or more rented
1991112,38338,583
1992113,69838,020
1993115,95637,466
1994117,08636,340
1995111,87734,235
1996112,16433,474
1997111,59433,183
1998112,36932,724
1999115,14832,072
2000114,84131,506

Notes:

1. Data refers to main holdings only.

2. It is not possible to show the number of farmers, only the number of holdings.

Some farmers may have more than one holding.

3. The figures show only the number of holdings on the census day in June each

year. They therefore do not reflect gains or losses during the year.

Source:

June Agricultural and Horticultural Census


Horticulture (Employment Statistics)

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were employed in horticulture in (a) 1972, (b) 1980, (c) 1990, (d) 1995, (e) 2000 and (f) 2001, broken down by (i) contractual and (ii) full time workers. [84238]

Mr Morley [holdling answer 2 December 2002]: Figures on the Labour force on Horticulture Holdings in England is provided as follows It is not possible to provide figures for 1980 and figures on contractual workers.

3 Dec 2002 : Column 654W

1990199520002001
Farmers, partners, Directors full- time (including spouses in 2000 and 2001)8,9207,4747,5577,532
Farmers, partners, directors part- time (including spouses in 2000 and 2001)3,4833,1988,0058,605
Spouses of farmers partners and directors full and part-time4,2873,427(2)(2)
Salaried managers:
Part-timeN/aN/a1,8762,190
Full-timeN/aN/a231338
Total1,3381,2652,1072,528
Full-time workers1,501212,60112,404126,96
Part-time workers9,2597,7066,9916,440
Casual labour16,76114,88812,93813,358
Total labour59,06050,55950,00251,156

(2) Including above.

Notes:

(a) A horticultural holding is one where horticulture is the predominant activity.

(b) Spouses are included only if they are working on the holding.

(c) Figures for 1990 and 1995 represent main holdings only.

(d) In 1998 fundamental changes were introduced to the labour questions on the June Agricultural and Horticultural Census in England. It appears that this change in questions may have led to the recording of additional labour not previously included in the returns.

(e) As a result of a register improvement exercise the figures from June 2000 and June 2001 are not directly comparable.

Source:

June Agricultural and Horticultural Census.



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