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12 Dec 2002 : Column 441W—continued

Floods

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many

12 Dec 2002 : Column 442W

organisations coordinate control of particular areas of high risk from flooding in conjunction with non-governmental organisations; and if she will make a statement. [86220]

Mr. Morley: Defra has policy responsibility for flood and coastal defence in England. Operational responsibility for flooding from main rivers and the sea rests with the Environment Agency. The Agency is also responsible for flood warning arrangements and exercises a general supervision over all matters relating to flood defence. Operational responsibility for flooding from ordinary watercourses rests with the relevant local authority or, in areas where they exist, the relevant internal drainage board. Emergency planning arrangements are the responsibility of the local authority.

The responsibilities for flood and coastal defence are currently being reviewed along with the funding arrangements. I expect to make an announcement in the new year.

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what alternative plans there are to the sluice for Bridgwater and the Parrett for the protection of Bridgwater and the surrounding area from flooding. [86226]

Mr. Morley: Defra provides grant to local operating authorities for flood defence capital works that meet certain criteria. However responsibility for deciding which projects to promote and their timing rests with the operating authorities, in this case the Environment Agency.

I understand that the Agency is undertaking studies into viable options for flood management measures for Bridgwater but as yet they have not submitted any proposals to Defra for grant aid.

Illegal Imports

Andrew George : To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to inform (a) residents and (b) visitors to the UK of the rule change on 1 January regarding the personal import allowances for animal products from their countries. [86577]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 11 December 2002]: We will provide information on the new rules for personal imports as part of our ongoing campaign to highlight to travellers the risks posed by illegal imports. This campaign has already used a variety of methods, including posters, leaflets, information videos, and interviews. Future publicity highlights include having a Defra presence at XDestinations 2003" and XThe Holiday Show 2003". Our publicity campaign remains under constant review.

Specifically to highlight the new rules, the poster detailing the personal allowances for personal imports of plant and animal products is being updated. It will be displayed at ports of entry into the UK and aimed at travellers arriving from outside the EU.

We are continuing to work with our posts and embassies abroad to raise awareness of our import rules at points of departure.

12 Dec 2002 : Column 443W

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many seizures of illegal imports there were, broken down by (a) weight and (b) region in each of the last five years. [86578]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 11 December 2002]: A central database of illegal animal product seizures notified to DEFRA was set up in April 2001.

From 31 March 2001 to 30 March 2002

RegionNumber of seizuresWeight (kg)
England2,040113,082
Wales213
Scotland1050
Northern Ireland1428
Total2,066113,173

From 31 March 2002 to 6 December 2002

RegionNumber of seizuresWeight (kg)
England2,04229,707
Wales423
Scotland155595
Northern Ireland1681,386
Total2,36931,711

Andrew George : To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 26 November 2002, Official Report, column 230W, which regions have been targeted for additional checks on passenger baggage and freight for illegal imports. [86613]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 11 December 2002]: Additional checks are being carried out by teams at three major seaports and two airports. One of these teams will also operate at other airports around the country.

Specific details of staff and ports of operation could benefit potential smugglers, so we cannot make public this information.

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 26 November 2002, Official Report, column 237W, how many seizures of illegal imports of animal products in commercial consignments and personal baggage have been carried out under Regulation 8 of the Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) (England) Regulations 2002 since 22 May 2002 . [86614]

12 Dec 2002 : Column 444W

Mr. Morley [holding answer 11 December 2002]: There have been 2,087 seizures of products of animal origin reported to us by the enforcement agencies since 22 May 2002.

Of these, 1,903 were in personal baggage, with a total weight of 16,598 kg, and 184 were in commercial consignments, with a total weight of 12,533 kg.

Landfill

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of costs incurred by the Environment Agency in respect of landfill inspections were covered by charges levied, in the most recent year for which figures are available. [85844]

Mr. Meacher: 100 per cent. of landfill inspection costs are covered through charges.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) number and (b) total size was of landfill sites in the United Kingdom broken down by region, in each year since 1995. [85891]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 11 December 2002]: The number of landfill sites in England and Wales is provided in the table. Data on the numbers of sites before 2000 are not readily available because the Environment Agency used to collect information on the number of licences rather than number of sites (a site could have several licences). Data are not available for Scotland or Northern Ireland.

2002–032001–022000–01
Anglian151171224
Midlands166201294
North East186216255
North West114126153
South West100113132
Southern78101123
Thames98110111
Wales688191
Grand total9611,1191,383

The following tables provide a breakdown, by Government Office region, of landfill capacity in 1998–99. Landfill capacity covers two types—open gate (open to anyone) and restricted access (usually in-house landfills for the private use of a single company). Similar figures for 2000–01 will be available shortly on the Agency's website once data have been quality assured. These data are based on surveys carried out every two years. The first survey was not commissioned until 1998.

RegionInert/C&DBiodegradableCo-disposalTotal
East of England9,41226,52765,391101,330
East Midlands14,16715,81041,80271,779
London3,94915,30335819,610
North East20015,95823,01539,173
North West12,7126,25557,86076,827
South East18,70663,53933,184115,429
South West Wales(12)8,22119,83921,31949,379
West Midlands 8,17813,80555,75477,737
Yorkshire and the Humber8,47332,38443,43184,288
National total84,018209,420342,114635,552


12 Dec 2002 : Column 445W

RegionDegradableCap&CoverInputsLife expectancy
East of England91,91836,767.295094.8
East Midlands57,61223,044.83,6787.8
London15,6616,264.41,2346.3
North East38,97315,589.22,2068.8
North West64,11525,646.06,4375.0
South East96,72338,689.27,3066.6
South West41,15816,463.23,6695.6
Wales(12)35,92614,370.42,6436.8
West Midlands69,55927,823.64,0268.6
Yorkshire & the Number75,81530,326.05,4397.0
National total587,460234,98446,1476.4

(12) Information split not available—total Wales landfill capacity 52,619,000 cubic metres


Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) complaints, (b) court actions and (c) fines against landfill sites for problems related to (i) odours, (ii) water pollutions, (iii) air pollution and (iv) human health impact there were in each year since 1995, broken down by region. [85894]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 11 December 2002]: The data are not available in the form requested. Environment Agency reports have been collated centrally since April 2001 and so annual data are not available before this date. The following tables show the number of incidents broken down into impacts on water, land and air, and by region for the period April 2001 to March 2002. No specific record of impact on health is kept. It should be noted that each incident can be recorded as having an impact on more than one media. Therefore, adding records for impacts on single media will involve some double counting.

RegionCat1 (major)Cat2 (significant)Cat3 (minor)Cat4 (no impact)
Water impact
Anglian009142
Wales0015239
Midlands028119
North East029169
North West00191,105
South West00877
Southern0115188
Thames01773
Total06902,112
Land impact
Anglian095191
Wales0315236
Midlands0126102
North East01350117
North West02361,086
South West012460
Southern0322179
Thames032355
Total0352471,926
Air impact
Anglian088657
Wales0720938
Midlands029136
North East0158976
North West019686860
South West025429
Southern01115934
Thames035127
Total02441,607357

In relation to court action and fines, data are available from 1999 from the National Enforcement Database.


12 Dec 2002 : Column 446W

RegionYearNumber of court actionsNumber of finesTotal fines (#)
Midlands199951216,250
20002888,500
North East20003416,750
North West20001335,000
2001113,000
20021317,000
EA Wales20002323,000
20013414,500
Anglian20021460,000
South West2002122,500


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