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Animal Welfare

Mr. Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many live sheep were exported from Dover to continental Europe on 11 December; when and where health certification was carried out in respect of the sheep; how many of the sheep were rejected as unfit for the intended journey (a) during inspection for health certification purposes and (b) at Dover docks, and to where those sheep were taken; and what the address was of the final destination given on the route plan for each of the consignments; [88569]

(2) how many live sheep were exported from Dover to continental Europe on 14 December; when and where health certification was carried out in respect of the sheep; how many of the sheep were rejected as unfit for the intended journey (a) during inspection for health certification purposes and (b) at Dover docks; and to where those sheep were taken; and what was the address of the final destination given on the route plan for each of the consignments. [88877]

Mr. Morley: The information requested is as follows:

Date	Total animals	Where consignments were certified	Animals rejected at certification	Animals rejected at Dover docks	Destination
11 December 2002	2,197	England, Scotland and Wales	14	1	France
14 December 2002	2,854	England	0	0	Italy

The sheep for the consignments listed above were certified within 48 hours prior to export. The consignments that sailed on 11 December were fattening animals and were transported to holdings. The consignments that sailed on 14 December went to approved slaughterhouses. The animals which were rejected at certification and at Dover docks remained in Great Britain.

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent legislation ensures the protection of the welfare of

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animals during transport abroad; and what penalties can be imposed against those who break these regulations. [88727]

Mr. Morley: The welfare of animals during transport is protected by EU Directive 91/628/EEC, as amended, which is implemented and enforced by each member state within its own jurisdiction. The Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997, as amended, implements the directive in Great Britain and a breach of the Order is punishable on conviction by a fine not exceeding #5,000 (or #1,000 per animal if more than 10 animals are involved).

Bovine TB

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many badgers have been slaughtered as a result of the Krebs' trial to investigate the relationship between badgers and bovine TB. [88970]

Mr. Morley: About 5,000 badgers have been culled in the course of the badger culling trial.

Further information on the number of badgers culled is updated at the end of each culling season. Therefore, information on the number of badgers killed up to and during the 2002–03 season will be made available after the next closed season commences on 1 February.

Fisheries

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government funding under European Union Public Aid rules will be given to areas of the United Kingdom affected by reductions in UK fishing effort. [87632]

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Mr. Morley: Funding is already available on a regional level for economic development. The needs of fishing communities will be assessed in the light of the December Agriculture and Fisheries Council.

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 10 December 2002, Official Report, column 193W, on fisheries, if she will calculate the total average number of days at sea multiplied by the total number of kilowatts of engine power for vessels in the under 10 metres sector capturing and landing cod in the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, Sea Areas (a) North Sea, (b) Irish Sea, (c) West of Scotland, Waters and (d) Area VIId. [87807]

Mr. Morley: Vessels in the under 10 metre sector of the UK fishing fleet are not obliged to submit European Community logbook declarations covering their fishing trips. These submissions are required in order for accurate days at sea information to be available for individual vessels. As such the raw data required to calculate the information requested is not available.

Flooding

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what flooding studies were conducted by the Environment Agency in 1999; and of these studies, what recommended work (a) has been carried out and (b) remains to be carried out. [86986]

Mr. Morley: I understand that the Environment Agency conducted 262 flood defence feasibility studies during the 1999–2000 financial year. 166 works have been completed; 24 are under construction; 44 are to be carried out in the future and 28 were found to be unjustified.

Agency region	Number of flood studies conducted	Number of works carried out	Number of works under construction	Number of works to be carried out in the future	Number that were unjustified
Anglian	104	94	0	10	0
Midlands	36	18	5	0	13
North East	21	14	2	3 (2003–04) 2(2004–05)	0
North West	9	3	3	3	0
Southern	24	21	2	1 (dependent upon compensatory land acquisition)	0
South West	22	9	0	9 (within the 3 year plan 2003–06)	2 (2 remain under consideration)
Thames	27	7	12	0	8
EA Wales	19	0	0	16	3

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the Government will provide flood insurance cover for those homes unprotected to the minimum standard of the Association of British Insurers from 2007. [87778]

Mr. Morley: The Association of British Insurers have stated that they will review the situation with Government on a regular basis. Insurance matters are for the Treasury, but there appear to be no grounds for Government intervention as insurance for flood risk is available to by far the majority of those properties situated on the floodplain. People must remember that the insurance industry is a competitive one and they may benefit from 'shopping around'.

The nature of the risk in undefended areas means that insurers cannot guarantee to maintain cover, but will examine the risks on a case by case basis, use their best efforts to continue to provide cover and will work with the owners of domestic properties and small businesses which they currently insure to see what action could be taken by the property owner, the Environment Agency and the local authority, which might make the property

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insurable in some form. This action might include the use of accredited products, flood resilient materials and temporary defences to defend the property.

Mr. Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in which of the areas affected by flooding in autumn 2000 the Government is recommending the removal of buildings on the flood plains. [88997]

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.

The information requested is not readily available from all operating authorities. The Environment Agency advise that they are not aware of any specific proposals, following the autumn 2000 floods, to buy properties in the floodplain and remove them as the solution to flooding.

However, some flood protection schemes involve property acquisition to allow defences to be built, and in some areas where effective flood alleviation is difficult then the long term solution may be relocation outside the flood risk area as buildings reach the end of their useful life.

Krebs Trial

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Krebs' trial is being carried out in 10 triplet sites as originally planned. [88971]

Mr. Morley: The Krebs trial is being carried out in 10 triplets as originally planned.

Late Payments

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the policy is of the Rural Payments Agency in respect of interest payable on late payments; and if she will make a statement. [88900]

Alun Michael: Government Departments and agencies of Government Departments are bound by the rules of Government accounting. In accordance with long established Government policy, compensation is not payable for delays in payment due to industrial action. Payment of compensation for delays in payment not due to industrial action are considered on their merits, provided that the payees own conduct has not contributed to the delay.

In keeping with this policy the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will be making compensation payments, subject to a de minimus level of #50 per producer, to those producers who have experienced delays beyond the regulatory deadline of 30 June 2002, in receiving their 2001 scheme year bovine balance payments, as a result of failure by either the RPA or the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS). Details are on the RPA website.

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