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22 Jan 2003 : Column 347W—continued
Livestock Movements
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from the NFU regarding the 20-day standstill movement restrictions. [91997]
Mr. Morley: The NFU and other industry organisations have made a number of representations about the 20 day standstill. Ministers and officials regularly meet industry representatives, including the NFU President and his officers, to discuss this and other matters.
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the impact of the 20-day standstill period on British agriculture. [91998]
Mr. Morley: 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. The emerging findings will inform the decision about the shape of the movement rules for spring which we hope to announce very soon.
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Packaging Waste Recycling Targets
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) when she intends to consult on the UK's 2004 packaging waste recycling targets; [91494]
- (2) what preliminary assessment she has made of the likely packaging waste recycling targets required for 2004 to enable the UK to comply with the most likely minimum targets expected to be set; [91496]
(3) when she intends to announce the UK packaging waste recovery targets (a) for 2004 and (b) for 2005. [91495]
Mr. Meacher: I expect the Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP) to provide the Government with advice on their views on the possible targets in the UK between 2004 and 2008. I know that an ACP Task Force is currently looking at future targets, including targets for 2004. We are aiming to consult on a number of packaging issues this year, including targets for the period 2004–08. We would propose to announce the targets as early as possible, with a view to providing long-term targets to aid stability in the PRN market and future investment, but this will have to await the outcome of our consultation exercise.
Press Releases
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many press releases have been issued by her Department in each (a) year and (b) quarter from 1995–96 to 2002–03; and if she will make a statement. [92459]
Alun Michael: Defra was created in June 2001. All press releases are available on the Defra website (www.defra.gov.uk). Numbers issued are as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2001 | |
| June-end September | (6)159 |
| October-end December | 163 |
| Total | 322 |
| 2002 | |
| January-end March | 127 |
| April-end June | 129 |
| July-end September | 134 |
| October-end December | 148 |
| Total | 538 |
(6) First Defra release issued 14 June
Retrospective identification and enumeration of the press releases issued prior to June 2001, by the Home Office, the former DETR and MAFF press offices on policy subjects now covered by Defra would be available only at disproportionate cost.
Rodent Survey
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to receive the results of the rodent survey element of the 2001 English House Condition Survey. [91066]
Mr. Morley: The English House Condition Survey conducted by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister collects data on behalf of this Department about
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the incidence of rodents. We expect to receive the information from the 2001 survey in February. A report on the analysis of the data will be published in due course.
Sea Pollution
Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what international discussions are taking place to control the threat of pollution at sea. [91795]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 21 January 2003]: Marine pollution comes from a variety of sources and the UK is active in a wide range of international fora to tackle and prevent marine pollution.
For example, we are a contracting party to the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic and the London Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Dumping. We are also working closely with the European Union to tackle marine pollution and better protect our seas.
In addition, we are working through the United Nations Environment Programme's Washington Global Programme of Action to tackle marine pollution from land-based sources. The UK also plays a lead role in the International Maritime Organisation to address issues of ship safety and pollution from ships.
Sheep (EU Regulations)
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which Ministers and officials attended the January Council of Ministers meeting on the EU Draft Regulations on the double-tagging of sheep. [91417]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 20 January 2003]: This month's Agriculture and Fisheries Council is scheduled to take place on 27–28 January. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is expected to head the UK delegation. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary and I plan to accompany her. The Minister for Environment and Rural Development in the Scottish Executive and the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Rural Development and Wales Abroad in the Welsh Assembly Government, plan to attend together with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. We will be supported by a number of officials, including the Director General responsible for Farming, Food and Fisheries.
Sickness Absence
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many working days have been lost due to illness in her Department in (a) 2002 and (b) each of the preceding five years. [90967]
Alun Michael: Records are not yet available for the number of days lost due to sickness absence in 2002, but these will be announced in due course. Sickness absence figures for previous years are published in the Cabinet Office annual report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service", copies of which are placed in the Library of the House.
22 Jan 2003 : Column 350W
Defra was created in June 2001. The figure for that year, shown as an average per staff year, relates to parts of the former DETR and the former MAFF and its agencies.
The Department is committed to the effective management of sickness absence, and to meeting its Service Delivery Agreement target of reducing sickness absence to 6.9 days for 2003.
TB Research
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on what funding was made available in the last financial year for TB research in the areas of (a) finding a cattle vaccine, (b) finding a badger vaccine and (c) providing a comprehensive cattle test for TB. [92077]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 20 January 2003]: Defra spent the following amounts on developing TB vaccines and diagnostic tests (including pathogenesis studies) for cattle and badgers in 2001–02 and 2002–03:
| Cost per year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | 2001–02 | 2002–03 | Total |
| Diagnostics for TB | 1,133,726 | 2,035,792 | 3,169,518 |
| Badger Vaccines | 617,948 | 1,037,729 | 1,655,677 |
| Cattle Vaccines | 923,734 | 1,037,729 | 1,961,463 |
| Total | 2,675,408 | 4,111,250 | 6,786,658 |
A sub-group of the Independent Scientific Group on cattle TB is conducting a scoping study into the feasibility of animal TB vaccines, and is due to report shortly.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on what funding is available for consequential loss for TB breakdowns for those farmers who are part of the Woodchester Park Project area of Gloucestershire. [92078]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 20 January 2003]: Defra has made special arrangements with farmers in the Woodchester Park study area to pay fair compensation for consequential losses associated with cattle TB breakdowns in the project area. Funding is paid from the TB research programme.
Village Halls
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on village halls of regulations introduced since 1997. [91844]
Alun Michael: No such specific assessment has been made. However, all proposals for regulation which have an impact on businesses, charities or voluntary bodies must be accompanied by a regulatory impact assessment. The necessary checks and balances required
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under the system ensure that regulation is necessary and proportionate and the risks, options, benefits and costs are fully explored.
I am aware from correspondence that concerns have been expressed in particular about the impact on village halls of the "Disability Discrimination (Providers of Services) (Adjustment of Premises) Regulations 2001". However the Disability Discrimination Act requires service providers to do only what is reasonable in all the circumstances, and there is no question of unreasonable costs being imposed.
I have recently discussed concerns expressed about the prospective impact on village halls of the Licensing Bill currently before Parliament with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Dr Howells).
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