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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 7 April 2003
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Aggregates Levy
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much of the aggregates levy sustainability fund has been spent in relation to (a) the freight facility grant and (b) the transport action clean up programme; what percentages of the fund these payments represent; and if she will make a statement; [105342]
- (2) if she will list the projects (a) approved, (b) rejected and (c) awaiting a decision for funding under the aggregates levy sustainability fund for the stated purpose of (i) supporting cleaner and quieter aggregates lorry transport and (ii) encouraging the use of rail and water transport; what funding has been allocated; when each application was made; and when each decision was made. [105298]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 27 March 2003]: None of the aggregates levy sustainability fund has been spent so far on promoting environmentally friendly aggregates transportation. The Department for Transport, which is the distributing body for the freight facilities grant and the transport action clean-up programme, is considering their compatibility with state aid provisions. Around £1 million of the 2002–03 allocation for these schemes has therefore been diverted to funding for reducing the local effects of aggregates extraction.
Agricultural Regulations
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many regulations relating to agriculture were extant (a) in 1997 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. [107270]
Alun Michael: This information is not available in the form requested as it would involve looking at all legislation, both EC and UK, introduced by different Government Departments to consider whether it related to agriculture. Such information could only be assembled at disproportionate cost.
Local Environmental Problems
Mr. Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will include railway property in future reviews of (a) public litter problems and (b) the effects of degraded environment. [106887]
Alun Michael: Railway property is included in our current review of litter and local environmental problems. Defra's consultation document Living Places—Powers, Rights, Responsibilities, described
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several options for reforming the legislative framework relating to the local environmental management of private land, including railway property.
We are currently evaluating responses to that consultation exercise, which closed on 14 February, and will then consider how to take matters forward.
My officials are meeting representatives of Network Rail to discuss their response in more detail.
Last year, in conjunction with Defra, ENCAMS (Environmental Campaigns) carried out a detailed survey of the state of England called the Local Environmental Quality Survey of England (LEQSE). The survey included elements of a range of land uses including transport facilities. ENCAMS are now building on the LEQSE to carry out a similar survey at district level, by local authority. This potentially would allow both the Government and local authorities to identify elements that require further investigation or remedy.
Fur Farming
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what measures she proposes to take as a result of the Court of Appeal's recent ruling regarding compensation for fur farmers; and if she will make a statement; [106361]
- (2) if she will ensure that the compensation scheme for fur farmers includes (a) a higher standard payment for female mink than was offered in the original scheme, (b) recognition of the higher value of specialist breeds, (c) compensation for male animals and (d) a specified date for the cessation of fur farming after the end of the consultation period in 2001. [106362]
Mr. Morley: On Thursday 13 March 2003 the High Court gave judgment quashing the Fur Farming (Compensation Scheme) (England) Order 2002.
Application has been made to appeal to the Court of Appeal. If permission to appeal is not granted or the decision of the High court is upheld on appeal the Government will consult interested parties to implement a compensation scheme under the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000.
There was no suggestion from the ruling that the overall level of compensation was inadequate.
Mr Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she intends to take as a result of the judicial review into the Government's fur farming compensation scheme; how the Government will ensure that it complies with (a) common law and (b) the European Convention on Human Rights; and if she will make a statement on the judgement. [106854]
Mr. Morley: Application has been made to appeal to the Court of Appeal. If permission to appeal is not granted or the decision of the High Court is upheld on appeal the Government will consult interested parties to implement a compensation scheme under the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000.
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IACS
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers registered for the purpose of IACS there were in 1997; and what the current corresponding figure is. [107227]
Alun Michael: The number of farmers registered for the purpose of IACS for England and Wales is as follows:
| England | Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 77,829 | 19,300 |
| Current corresponding figure (2002) | 69,535 | 16,800 |
Landfill Tax Credit Scheme
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many of the stakeholders she consulted over changes to the landfill tax credit scheme recommended (a) no changes, (b) minimal changes, (c) major changes and (d) abandonment of the scheme; [106463]
- (2) if she will make it her policy to ensure that stakeholder opinions are taken into account when deciding upon the successor to the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme. [106470]
Mr. Meacher: The joint Treasury/Defra consultation on the future of the Landfill Tax Credit scheme went to 3,468 individuals or organisations and generated 683 responses. Of these 550 (82 per cent.) opted for keeping the Scheme as it is or with minor modifications, 59 (9 per cent.) opted for a major change and 58 (9 per cent.) did not comment. A clear majority (65 per cent.) were in favour of increased funding for sustainable waste management projects.
A consistent message also arising from the consultation was the need for a more strategic approach to funding sustainable waste management objectives. The Government fully endorse this view and will set out how they aim to achieve this in their response to the Strategy Unit Report 'Waste Not, Want Not' which will be published shortly. The Government will take into account the opinions of stakeholders in deciding on the new public expenditure programme.
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much money she estimates will be lost from the sustainable waste sector as a result of funding formerly distributed through categories C and CC of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme being distributed by a public body and losing the capacity to be used to draw further funds from private sources; [106465]
- (2) what figure she uses to estimate the leverage or gearing ratio between landfill tax credit scheme funding and further funding secured from other sources against it. [106464]
Mr. Meacher: The evidence available suggests that the vast majority of levered in funds have been directed at projects in category A—land reclamation, category D—public parks and amenities and category E—building restoration. A survey carried out by Glasgow
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Caledonian University involving 1,053 Environmental Bodies (with a 40 per cent. response rate) indicates that over the period 1997–2002, waste management projects (categories C and CC) levered in 34 per cent. of LTCS expenditure from other sources.
The Government believes that a public expenditure programme can work well with private sources (e.g. retailers or equipment manufacturers) to achieve a similar or better increase in total resources. Moreover local authorities can benefit from a public expenditure programme. Government will also be better able to direct how and where funds are spent through the public expenditure programme to ensure they are focused on areas which will contribute towards achieving our overall aims on sustainable waste management identified in the Strategy Unit Report "Waste Not, Want Not".
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she will take to guarantee transparency in a successor to the landfill tax credit scheme. [106467]
Mr. Meacher: Details of the nature of the new public expenditure programme which will replace some parts of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme will be made alongside the government's official response to the Strategy Unit report, which is planned for around the time of the budget.
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultations she has held to ascertain the (a) nature and (b) scale of (i) the transitional rump fund and (ii) the successor scheme to replace the landfill tax credit scheme. [106468]
Mr. Meacher: Because the transitional rump fund is a short-term measure and had to be put into place very quickly there was no formal consultation. However, discussions with interested parties did take place and their views have been taken into consideration. As indicated in the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Report, the proposals in the Strategy Unit report "Waste Not, Want Not" have formed the basis of the consultation for the public expenditure scheme. A large number of stakeholders were involved in the production of that report and, since its publication, we have received a number of written comments.
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