| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
27 Jan 2003 : Column 552W—continued
GM Crops
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the release consents that contain the GM oilseed rape transformation events Ms8 and Rf3 for each of the years from 1990 to 1999 in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland. [90617]
Mr. Meacher: The consents under which the GM oilseed rape transformation events Ms8 and Rf3 had permission for release in field trials for each of the
27 Jan 2003 : Column 553W
years from 1990 to 1999 are given in the table PGS became AgrEvo in 1999 and is now known as Bayer CropScience.
All the listed consents apply to England, Scotland and Wales but most of the releases took place in England. Some of the consents give permission for a programme of releases covering more than one year and in these cases the years in which sowing the GM oilseed rape was permitted are given.
| Year | Date of consent | Years between 1990—99 in which releases permitted | Reference and consent holder |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 22 March 1995 | 1995 | 95/R15/7 PGS |
| 22 March 1995 | 1995 | 95/R15/8 PGS | |
| 9 August 1995 | 1995 | 95/R15/14 PGS | |
| 1996 | 27 March 1996 | 1996 | 96/R15/16 PGS |
| 21 August 1996 | 1996 | 96/R15/17 PGS | |
| 1997 | 18 March 1997 | 1997, 1998 1999 | 97/R15/18 PGS |
| 3 April 1997 | 1997 | 97/R15/19 PGS | |
| 1 August 1997 | 1997 | 97/R15/20 PGS | |
| 1 August 1997 | 1997 | 97/R15/21 PGS | |
| 4 September 1997 | 1997 | 97/R15/22 PGS | |
| 1998 | 19 March 1998 | 1998 | 97/R15/23 PGS |
| 10 July 1998 | 1998, 1999 | 98/R15/24 PGS | |
| 20 August 1998 | 1998, 1999 | (7)98/R20/2 NIAB | |
| 1999 | 22 March 1999 | 1999 | 98/R19/18 AgrEvo |
(7) National Institute of Agricultural Botany
Greenhouse Gases
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of legislation aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions on industries important to the delivery of Government initiatives aimed at reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions. [90810]
Mr. Meacher: The UK Climate Change Programme published in November 2000 sets out the range of policy measures—regulation, economic instruments, information programmes and public expenditure—that the Government and the devolved administrations are introducing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to meet the UK's climate change targets. The measures in the Programme will deliver wider environmental, social and economic benefits. Measures to stimulate more efficient use of energy by business, for example, will help improve competitiveness. The Programme is also designed to offer incentives to industry to develop new, low carbon technologies and to exploit the growing international market for more efficient processes and renewable technologies.
The Programme includes two legislative measures that affect industry directly, each of which was subject to individual regulatory impact assessments as part of the normal policy development process. The industries affected by the legislation will include some that are important to the delivery of the policy measures in the Programme, but the Government has not produced a separate assessment of the specific impacts on them.
The first legislative measure is the EC Directive 96/61 on integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC), which applies an integrated environmental approach to the regulation of certain industrial activities and, inter alia, contributes to the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases, as well asimproving the energy
27 Jan 2003 : Column 554W
efficiency of most of the energy intensive sectors of industry. The impact of the Directive, and the legislation implementing its requirements in England and Wales, was considered in the regulatory impact assessment published on 26 April 2000. It is available on the Defra website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consult/ippc5/pdf/ippc5.pdf. The Directive has some impact on combined heat and power (CHP) technology, which the Government is supporting because of its high efficiency.
The second legislative measure is the energy efficiency provisions contained in Part L of the Building Regulations for England and Wales, which were amended by the Building (Amendment) Regulations 2001. The aim is to improve the energy performance of all types of building, including those used for industrial and commercial purposes, to reduce energy use and therefore emissions of carbon dioxide. The Building Regulations are the responsibility of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The amendments came into force on 1 April 2002. A regulatory impact assessment for the Regulations was published by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (now the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) when the Regulations were made. It is available on the ODPM website at http://www.safety.odpm.gov.uk/bregs/brpub/ria/ria-01/index.htm. I understand that, in accordance with normal practice, the Office intends to investigate how the amended Regulations are being implemented around 2004, when there is a sufficient sample of works compliant with the new requirements.
Heritage Assets
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what sales of heritage assets and antique assets have been made by her Department since May 1997; if she will list such assets; and if she will estimate the total sales proceeds. [92390]
Alun Michael: Since Defra was created on 8 June 2001 no heritage or antique assets have been sold.
Illegal Meat Imports
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to prevent illegal meat imports into Britain. [91996]
Mr. Morley: Significant progress has been made to implement the Government's action plan, published in March 2002. The action plan will be revised shortly in consultation with stakeholders to include a longer-term enforcement strategy, further development of detection initiatives, and enhanced and coordinated publicity materials.
A Cabinet Office review of enforcement structures concluded that all activity against smuggling of meat, animal products, fish and plant matter will move to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, to objectives agreed with Defra. A new ministerial group will oversee improved coordination between the main control agencies.
27 Jan 2003 : Column 555W
The results of the disease risk assessment commissioned by Defra from the Veterinary Laboratory Agency, are being subjected to processes of quality assurance and peer review. The full report will be published in the next few weeks when these are complete.
Extra funding this financial year has been used primarily for additional enforcement officers to perform checks on imports at a number of ports and airports. Legislation was amended in May 2002 to provide enforcement officers with additional search powers, and written guidance was provided to them on the use of these powers, especially with regard to checks for illegal meat imports in passenger baggage.
Enforcement officers have improved access to intelligence to aid them in deploying anti-smuggling measures since a central computer database was established in April 2001. Notably they receive monthly reports of products seized and notified to Defra.
We are carrying out a six-month pilot using detector dogs to find illegal animal products in passenger baggage and freight. The pilot is proving valuable in determining the attributes and level of training required for both dogs and their handlers and the back-up services we need to support the dog teams.
"-ray equipment is being used, on a trial basis, at a seaport to detect illicit material hidden in commercial freight. Defra is working with the Foreign Office and Customs on a pilot to test x-ray technology on air passenger baggage.
Public awareness is being increased through penalty posters and information leaflets at airports and seaports. Public information videos have been produced and are being broadcast on television. Negotiations are on-going with airlines to show them in-flight. The posters have been updated, and new literature is being produced, to highlight the new tighter personal import rules which came into effect on 1 January 2003 as a result of UK pressure on the European Commission.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish the Veterinary Laboratory Agency risk analysis report into animal health from illegal meat importation. [92612]
Mr. Morley: Emerging results of the risk assessment are currently being subjected to peer review and quality assurance procedures. The complexity of the work, and the necessity to complete the quality assurance and peer review processes, have delayed publication. We now hope to be in a position to publish by early March.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what instructions her Department has issued to local authority environment health officers and port health authorities about illegal meat importation. [92614]
Mr. Morley: The Department produced new enforcement guidance in conjunction with the enforcement agencies. This was published in August 2002 and has just been updated to take account of the new European personal import rules that came into force on 1 January. We are also discussing prosecutions policy with enforcement agencies.
27 Jan 2003 : Column 556W
The Food Standards Agency has also issued guidance letters to port health authorities and local authorities to ensure there is continued vigilance and checks on imported products both at the point of import and at the retail level. In collaboration with Defra, the FSA is developing a training programme to provide information to all local authorities on imported food issues.
Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she is taking to prevent the illegal entry of meat into the UK. [92880]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 23 January 2003]: Significant progress has been made to implement the Government's action plan, published in March 2002. The action plan will be revised shortly in consultation with stakeholders to include a longer-term enforcement strategy, further development of detection initiatives, and enhanced and coordinated publicity materials
A Cabinet Office review of enforcement structures concluded that all activity against smuggling of meat, animal products, fish and plant matter will move to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, to objectives agreed with Defra. A new ministerial group will oversee improved co-ordination between the main control agencies.
The results of the disease risk assessment commissioned by Defra from the Veterinary Laboratory Agency, are being subjected to processes of quality assurance and peer review. The full report will be published in the next few weeks when these are complete.
Extra funding this financial year has been used primarily for additional enforcement officers to perform checks on imports at a number of ports and airports.
Legislation was amended in May 2002 to provide enforcement officers with additional search powers, and written guidance was provided to them on the use of these powers, especially with regard to checks for illegal meat imports in passenger baggage.
Enforcement officers have improved access to intelligence to aid them in deploying anti-smuggling measures since a central computer database was established in April 2001. Notably they receive monthly reports of products seized and notified to Defra.
We are carrying out a six-month pilot using detector dogs to find illegal animal products in passenger baggage and freight. The pilot is proving valuable in determining the attributes and level of training required for both dogs and their handlers and the back up services we need to support the dog teams.
"-ray equipment is being used, on a trial basis, at a seaport to detect illicit material hidden in commercial freight. Defra is working with the Foreign Office and Customs on a pilot to test x-ray technology on air passenger baggage.
Public awareness is being increased through penalty posters and information leaflets at airports and seaports, Public information videos have been produced and are being broadcast on television. Negotiations are ongoing with airlines to show them in-flight. The posters have been updated, and new literature is being
27 Jan 2003 : Column 557W
produced, to highlight the new tighter personal import rules which came into effect on 1 January 2003 as a result of UK pressure on the European Commission.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |