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1 Apr 2003 : Column 643W—continued
Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many of the recommendations contained in Farming and Food: A Sustainable Future have been (a) fully and (b) partially implemented. [105214]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 27 March 2003]: The Government fully accepted the analysis and vision set out in the Policy Commission's report. The vast majority of its 105 recommendations are being implemented within the Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food, which was launched on 12 December 2002. Good progress has already been made. Examples include the establishment of the Food Chain Centre, supporting English Farming and Food Partnerships (EFFP) under the Agricultural Development Scheme, and the launch of a new Entry-Level Pilot Scheme.
The Policy Commission's report made it clear that the onus is not on Government alone to deliver this change. Many of the Commission's recommendations are targeted wholly or partly at the food and farming industry, which has a pivotal part to play.
The Government has established an Implementation Group chaired by Sir Don Curry, former chair of the Policy Commission, to oversee and drive forward delivery of the Strategy at national and regional level. Implementation is being backed by £500 million over three years.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms there are in England; how much financial support they received from her Department in the latest available year; and if she will make a statement. [105080]
Mr. Morley: In 2002 there were 146 thousand agricultural holdings in England. In total they received £1.7 billion in the form of direct subsidies. The Exchequer costs of market support is only available at the UK level but the England share of this can be broadly estimated to be £0.4 billion.
Forestry Commission
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the total net cost to the Exchequer of the Forestry Commission in each year from 2002–03 to 2004–05 (planned); what assessment has been made of the value for money of this expenditure; and if she will make a statement. [105079]
Mr. Morley: The estimated total net cash cost of the Forestry Commission for the periods requested is given in the following table. These figures reflect the Commission's activities in England and those which apply to the GB as a whole, such as forestry research.
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| Net cash cost | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 63,398 |
| 2003–04 | 61,333 |
| 2004–05 | 58,183 |
To ensure value for money from these inputs, the Forestry Commission has a Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) for the spending review period. The SDA, which specifies the outputs that the Commission must achieve, can be viewed on the Commission's website at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/hcou-4u4j85. Performance against the targets is reported in Defra's Departmental Report.
Fuel Poverty
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish the annual assessment of the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group. [105390]
Mr. Morley: The Fuel Poverty Advisory Group's first annual report was published on 4 March 2003, alongside Government's own annual progress report of its Fuel Poverty Strategy.
Funding Schemes (Buckinghamshire)
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in the Buckingham constituency have received funding from the (a) Rural Enterprise scheme, (b) Processing and Marketing Grants scheme and (c) Vocational Training scheme since their introduction, indicating the length of funding received from each scheme. [106382]
Alun Michael: In the county of Buckinghamshire, 11 projects have been approved under the Rural Enterprise Scheme and four under the Vocational Training Scheme. The length of funding varies between individual projects. So far no projects have been approved in Buckinghamshire under the Processing and Marketing Grant.
Details of project beneficiaries are not available at constituency level.
Fur Farming
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to bring in a compensation scheme for fur farmers in conformity with the Human Rights Act 1998. [105415]
Mr. Morley: The Government's view is that a compensation scheme drawn up under the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000 will help ensure that the ban on fur farming is fair in all respects.
GMOs
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the future licensing of GM crops. [105485]
Mr. Meacher: Following the entry into force of Directive 2001/18 on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms, a total of 19 applications for
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marketing consents for GM crops have been submitted to various EU member states. The Directive sets out clear procedures and deadlines for each stage of the decision-making process by member states and the European Commission. On any assessment, final decisions at EU level on any of the 19 applications are unlikely to be taken before the end of the year at the very earliest. By that time we will have the first set of results from our crop trials, the report of the public debate, and the information provided by the other parts of the work programme on GM that the Government has put in place. We will decide our policy on the commercial cultivation of GM crops in the UK, in consultation with the devolved Administrations, based on an objective assessment of all the available information.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether the UK Government is required by EC Directive 2001/18 to give an opinion on each of the 19 Part C marketing consents submitted to EU member states so far this year; and for each application, what the latest date is by which the United Kingdom's opinion is required for each of those 19 Part C applications should the UK Government consider that all the information requirements required of applicants under the Directive have been met; [105658]
- (2) if she will list the reasons under EC Directive 2001/18 which would permit the United Kingdom to delay issuing an opinion on a Part C application made to the United Kingdom competent authority and to applications made to other member states. [105659]
Mr. Meacher: EC Directive 2001/18 places obligations on all European Union Member States with regard to Part C marketing consents, which includes a timetable for each stage. If a Part C application is made to the United Kingdom, we are requried to complete its assessment of compliance with the Directive within 90 days. This deadline excludes any period during which further information is being sought from the applicant. In the two current cases of such applications, additional information is being sought from the applicants. Accordingly, I cannot predict when a UK opinion on either will be required, since it depends upon when the information is provided. Any favourably assessed application would subsequently be submitted for scrutiny by other European Union Member States.
In the case of a Part C application to another Member State, the United Kingdom has 60 days from receipt of a positive assessment to submit any comments it may have. It is important that we contribute to the thorough scrutiny of these applications. If we were to be concerned that a particular crop may pose a risk to human health or the environment then it is clearly important that the UK submits a reasoned objection. The UK's non participation would not delay the timetable for taking decisions in Brussels. Two applications have reached this stage so far, and in both cases the UK had until 25 March 2003 to submit a response, and in both cases we sought further information necessary to completing our assessment. The deadline for comments on each of the other 15 applications will depend upon if and when positive assessments are submitted by the appropriate lead
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Member State. All applications are subsequently dependent upon collective EU decision-making procedures and timetable as set out in the Directive.
Meat Imports
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the reasons for the absence of signs at Gatwick airport to warn travellers about regulations on the import of meat. [104645]
Mr. Morley: There are in fact 11 posters in both the South and North terminals at Gatwick airport warning travellers of the rules on the import of meat, food and plants, and the penalties for breaking them. There are also currently 18 posters in commercial sites around the entrances and exits to these terminals.
The Government recognise that this publicity campaign does not always have the impact we would like in raising awareness. We are continuing to work with stakeholders, major airlines and airport authorities—among others—to strengthen and enhance our campaign.
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