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Electoral Registers

Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many electors there are in each Westminster parliamentary constituency in Scotland as set out in the latest electoral registers. [90494]

Mrs. Liddell: The Office for National Statistics is responsible for the collection and annual publication of data on the electorate. I understand that the figures for the electorate as at December 2002 will be published on 27 February 2003.

Friends of Scotland Initiative

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what her estimate is of the cost of the Friends of Scotland initiative; and if she will make a statement. [90376]

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Mrs. Liddell: The Friends of Scotland initiative was launched in November 2001. The total cost of the initiative since then, not including staff costs, is #239,000.

Public Service Agreements

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the key Public Service Agreement targets of her Department are; what her latest estimate is of progress in relation to each target; and if she will make a statement. [90375]

Mrs. Liddell: The Friends of Scotland initiative was launched in November 2001. The total cost of the initiative since then, not including staff costs, is #239,000.

Public Spending

Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what her estimate is of public spending per head from all sources in Scotland in the last year for which figures are available, originating from (a) local councils, (b) the Devolved Government and (c) Central Government. [90006]

Mrs. Liddell: The latest estimates of public expenditure for Scotland were published in the annual Treasury publication, XPublic Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2002–03". The next edition of this publication is expected in the spring.

Table 6.9 shows local authority expenditure in Scotland for 2000–01 as #8,974 million, equivalent to #1,773 per head of Scotland's population. Table 8.7 shows total identifiable expenditure under Scottish Executive programmes in 2000–01 as #17,557 million, equivalent to #3,468 per head of Scotland's population.

Table 8.7 also shows identifiable expenditure by other Central Government Departments in Scotland in 2000–01 of #10,871 million, equivalent to #2,148 per head of Scotland's population. In addition, there is #40,436 million of non-identifiable expenditure which is not specifically associated with a particular part of the UK.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Chemicals Policy

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of (a) the effect of the European Commission's Strategy for a future chemicals policy on the future competitiveness of the UK's chemical industry and (b) the level of UK skilled resource required to implement the strategy; and if she will make a statement. [87022]

Mr. Meacher: The overall aim and approach set out in the Commission's White Paper of February 2001 on a strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy are supported by the Government.

In May 2001, the Government prepared a preliminary regulatory impact assessment (RIA) of the proposals in the European Commission's White Paper. A revised

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RIA will be required when proposals for the European Commission's legislation are available. As well as considering the benefits and costs of the proposals in detail, the RIA will include an assessment of the implications of the proposed legislation for the international competitiveness of the UK chemicals industry and other manufacturing sectors that use chemicals in their processes and products.

The Government and Devolved Administrations have agreed a position statement on the New European Chemical Strategy, a copy of this is in the House Library and can be found on the Defra web site at www.defra.gov.uk. The result of this additional work will need to be taken into account before developing a final view.

Agricultural Exports

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) her Department has spent and (b) has been raised through (i) its agricultural export promotion service and (ii) Food from Britain in each of the last 10 years. [87949]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 19 December 2002]: The information is as follows:

(a) Departmental spend on its agricultural export promotion service⁽⁶⁾

Year	Spend #000
2001–02	1,111
2000–01	1,240
1999–2000	1,318
1998–99	1,407
1997–98	1,240
1996–97	1,384
1995–96	1,651

⁽⁶⁾ Cash prices. Figures for years prior to 1995/6 not available because of organisational changes.

Note:

The Department has not charged for any aspect of its export promotion service and consequently, no money has been raised through this service.

(b) Departmental grants to Food from Britain and amounts raised by Food from Britain through fee income for specific services provided to companies or organisations 1992–2002⁽⁷⁾#000

	Departmental grant to FFB	FFB fee(7)income for services provided
2001–02	7,868	7,787
2000–01	5,402	7,029
1999–2000	4,986	6,406
1998–99	5,282	7,234
1997–98	4,918	6,491
1996–97	5,318	6,177
1995–96	5,400	6,165
1994–95	5,249	4,698
1993–94	5,009	4,026
1992–93	4,757	3,836

⁽⁷⁾ Cash prices

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to promote agricultural exports from small and medium sized businesses in the UK. [87951]

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Mr. Morley [holding answer 19 December 2002]: Defra's Agricultural Exports Branch has a varied programme of export promotion measures, including seminars, inward trade missions and a presence at key trade events abroad, all designed to provide a showcase for British excellence in agriculture. These measures are specifically devised to benefit small and medium sized companies and producers.

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received from and discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, (b) ERM Consultancy and (c) other organisations and individuals regarding the export promotion service for agricultural exports. [87950]

Mr. Morley: My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment has received a letter from the Minister of State for International Trade and Investment, enclosing a copy of a report undertaken for her by ERM assessing the effectiveness of various central Government Departments international trade support services. ERM's consultants had previously had discussion with DEFRA officials. Ministerial colleagues have also received representations regarding the agricultural export promotion service from the China-Britain Business Council, the hon. Member for Lichfield (Michael Fabricant) and two individual companies.

Food from Britain

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when Food From Britain was last subject to a review by (a) her Department and (b) other Departments; and if she will place a copy of the review in the Library. [87952]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 19 December 2002]: A full quinquennial review of the efficiency and effectiveness of Food from Britain was completed by the Department (then MAFF) in 1998. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library. In common with other non-departmental public bodies within the responsibilities of the Department, a specific review of Food from Britain's system of corporate governance was undertaken by the Department's internal audit division in 2002. Food from Britain has not been reviewed by other Departments.

Agricultural Shows

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of livestock movement controls on agricultural shows; and if she will make a statement. [90386]

Mr. Morley: The current rules already allow animals of all species to move to shows even if there is a standstill in place on their farm of origin, to move from show to show or to return to their farm of origin without triggering a 20-day standstill, provided they are individually identified and kept in isolation for 20 days before the first show, between shows, and on final return to the farm.

A detailed risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis into the 20-day standstill is currently being carried out in line with the FMD Inquiry recommendations. We

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hope to be able to take account of the emerging findings to make decisions soon so that any agreed changes can be introduced in time for the 2003 spring movement season.

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