Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
12 Dec 2002 : Column 436Wcontinued
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice her Department has issued to English Nature regarding environmental assessments necessary under the Conservation Regulations 1994 for the extraction of marl in the Fal and Helford Candidate Special Area of Conservation. [86278]
Mr. Morley: I believe my hon. Friend is referring to Maerl.
Comments on the scope and process by which English Nature could offer management scheme advice was given in writing on 25 October 2000. No further advice has been issued. In the first instance it is the responsibility of competent authorities, such as the Falmouth Harbour Commissioners, to satisfy themselves that they are exercising their functions in compliance with the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations 1994.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total budget of the Environment Agency is in 200203; and how this budget has changed since 199899. [86985]
Mr. Meacher: The Environment Agency's planned expenditure for 200203 totals #758.212 millionan increase of #165.211 million over the Agency's expenditure in 199899.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) farms and (b) farmers were in business in each region in each year since 1990. [85351]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 5 December 2002]: The number of (a) holdings and (b) farmers by region in England 1990, 19952001. Data for 199194 is currently not available by Government office region.
12 Dec 2002 : Column 437W
Government office region | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
---|---|---|---|---|
England | ||||
Total holdings | 150,653 | 146,109 | 145,638 | 144,777 |
Farmers, partners, directors and spouses | 214,392 | 208,050 | 207,807 | 206,421 |
North-east region | ||||
Total holdings | 5,144 | 5,280 | 5,674 | 6,073 |
Farmers, partners, directors and spouses | 7,829 | 7,779 | 8,105 | 8,598 |
North-west region, inc. Merseyside | ||||
Total holdings | 17,374 | 17,609 | 20,492 | 21,048 |
Farmers, partners, directors and spouses | 26,059 | 25,546 | 27,538 | 28,682 |
Yorkshire and Humberside region | ||||
Total holdings | 15,996 | 16,204 | 18,530 | 19,661 |
Farmers, partners, directors and spouses | 23,774 | 23,289 | 25,695 | 27,280 |
East Midlands region | ||||
Total holdings | 15,760 | 15,715 | 17,754 | 19,095 |
Farmers, partners, directors and spouses | 22,631 | 21,925 | 23,839 | 25,433 |
West Midlands region | ||||
Total holdings | 18,903 | 19,161 | 22,281 | 23,247 |
Farmers, partners, directors and spouses | 26,796 | 26,312 | 29,524 | 31,076 |
East of England region | ||||
Total holdings | 17,224 | 17,064 | 19,357 | 21,054 |
Farmers, partners, directors and spouses | 23,844 | 22,934 | 25,870 | 27,325 |
Greater London | ||||
Total holdings | 399 | 402 | 424 | 434 |
Farmers, partners, directors and spouses | 538 | 491 | 520 | 543 |
South-east region | ||||
Total holdings | 18,645 | 18,921 | 20,937 | 22,461 |
Farmers, partners, directors and spouses | 23,683 | 23,376 | 25,642 | 27,673 |
South-west region | ||||
Total holdings | 35,648 | 36,864 | 42,406 | 44,861 |
Farmers, partners, directors and spouses | 49,383 | 48,651 | 54,198 | 57,218 |
England | ||||
Total holdings | 145,093 | 147,220 | 167,855 | 177,934 |
Farmers, partners, directors and spouses | 204,537 | 200,303 | 220,931 | 233,828 |
Notes:
1. Figures for 2000 and 2001 include minor holdings.
2. Spouses are included only if working on the holdings.
3. Between 2000 and 2001 a register improvement exercise took place which resulted in the addition of holdings not previously included in the Census. An increase in the number of holdings was also seen after the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak.
Source:
June Agricultural and Horticultural Census.
12 Dec 2002 : Column 439W
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 20 November 2002, Official Report, column 159W, on farmers, what the average age of farmers was in (a) 1990, (b) 1993, (c) 1995, (d) 1997 and (e) 2000 broken down by (i) sex, (ii) whether they were owners or tenants and (iii) whether they were full or part time. [85390]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 5 December 2002]: Pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Gentleman on 20 November, further information on the average age of farmers in England, broken down by the categories requested, is given in the table.
1990 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 2000 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
England | |||||
Gender | |||||
Male | 53 | 53 | 54 | 53 | 54 |
Female | 55 | 54 | 55 | 54 | 55 |
Land tenure | |||||
Own all land | 53 | 54 | 55 | 54 | 55 |
Rent all land | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 |
Part owned/part rented | 53 | 53 | 54 | 53 | 53 |
Working time | |||||
Full-time | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 |
Part-time | 53 | 53 | 54 | 53 | 54 |
Source:
EC Farm Structure Surveys.
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the aquis communautaire on fisheries will be fully implemented by Poland on the first day of her accession to the European Union. [85511]
Mr. Morley: Negotiation of the Fisheries Chapter was provisionally closed with Poland in June 2002. In the negotiations Poland fully accepted, and undertook to implement by the date of accession, the aquis communautaire for fisheries. Agreement on access to resources and catch quotas for all candidates is currently under discussion.
Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his answer of 3 December 2002, Ref: 84186, on flood cover, what actions she is taking to ensure that those homes who will not get continued provision of flood insurance get cover; and how many homes the Association of British Insurers has told the Government will not continue to be provided with flood insurance. [85969]
Mr. Morley: The Association of British Insurers (ABI) have advised us that, for those homes unprotected to their minimum standard and unlikely to be so by 2007, they will consider each case on an individual basis using their best efforts to provide some form of cover. The ABI has not given the Government any specific figures relating to numbers of homes which will not continue to be provided with flood insurance.
12 Dec 2002 : Column 440W
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what powers the Flood Defence Committee has to add items to the budget of the Environment Agency. [86222]
Mr. Morley: The Flood Defence Committees' budgets are separately identified within the overall budget of the Environment Agency. Each Committee sets its own budget for the year based on its programme of works, and contributes towards the general cost of running the Environment Agency's Flood Defence service.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many flood defence committees there are in England and Wales. [86219]
Mr. Morley: There are nine Regional Flood Defence Committees in England and one in Wales. There are statutory Local Flood Defence Committees in Anglian, Southern and Wessex Regions and in Wales. In the North West region there are three non-statutory advisory committees.
All committees are listed below:
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidelines have been set for appointments by her to flood defence committees; and how many on the committees she appoints. [86223]
Mr. Morley: My right hon. Friend appoints the Chairman and a number of members to each of the English Regional Flood Defence Committees (RFDCs). Sections 1519 of, and Schedules 4 and 5 to, the
12 Dec 2002 : Column 441W
Environment Act 1995 set out the statutory basis for these appointments and the rules concerning composition of the committees.
RFDCs vary in size but always contain a bare majority of persons appointed by local authorities. The Environment Agency appoints two members and my right hon. Friend appoints the Chairman and the remaining members one of whom is normally appointed to represent environmental and conservation interests. When making these appointments, my right hon. Friend adheres to guidance issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
My right hon. Friend does not make appointments to Local Flood Defence Committees. The Chair is appointed from among the RFDC members; other members are appointed by the RFDC and constituent local authorities again to form a bare majority.
The composition of each RFDC is as follows:
Next Section | Index | Home Page |