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Combined Heat and Power
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what role she plans for micro combined heat and power in achieving carbon savings up to 2010; [106800]
- (2) what role she plans for micro combined heat and power in the achievement of Government objectives in (a) the Climate Change strategy, (b) the fuel poverty strategy and (c) the Energy White Paper, in so far as they relate to her Department; and if she will make a statement; [106857]
(3) if she will make a statement on the Performance and Innovation Unit's assessment contained in Table 6.1 of its report on Energy Policy that micro combined heat and power is the most efficient method of carbon saving; [106802]
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(4) what assessment she has made of the possible CO2 savings that could be secured by the installation of micro combined heat and power in (a) residential properties, (b) small businesses and (c) commercial properties; [106801]
(5) what role she plans for micro combined heat and power in (a) CO2 reduction policies and (b) policies to end fuel poverty. [106799]
Mr. Morley: The Government is keen to encourage the development and deployment of low carbon technologies including micro CHP. As the Performance and Innovation Unit Report on energy policy noted, micro CHP has the potential to deliver carbon savings towards the targets in both the Climate Change Programme and the Energy White Paper. It might also be able to deliver lower fuel bills for consumers which in turn could contribute to meeting the Government's targets in its Fuel Poverty Strategy.
However, the technology is not yet commercially available in the UK. It is therefore not yet possible to assess the level of carbon or fuel bill savings which might be achieved in normal use of this technology. I understand that The Carbon Trust, working with the Energy Saving Trust and others, including Defra, will be commissioning a pilot field trial for micro CHP starting later this year. I understand the trial is expected to feature a range of technologies and end use applications across the residential and commercial sectors, in order to provide an objective assessment of the benefits that micro CHP can offer.
Correspondence
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Department will reply to the letters of 21 October 2002 and 23 January from the hon. Member for Billericay regarding Pitsea Tip. [107236]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 4 April 2003]: I hope to respond to the hon. Member shortly.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff were employed by her Department in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03. [106973]
Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) on 4 April 2003, Official Report, column 891–92W.
Departmental Vets
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many vets are employed (a) full-time and (b) part-time by the Department. [107328]
Mr. Morley: The number of veterinary surgeons employed by the Department is as follows:
- Full time veterinary surgeons as at 1 April 2003—432
Part time veterinary surgeons as at 1 April 2003—61
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Export Credit Guarantees
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the discussions her Department has had with the Department of Trade and Industry with regard to reforming the Export Credit Guarantee scheme. [106521]
Mr. Meacher: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has, since its creation, engaged continually in detailed discussions with the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD)—the Department responsible for export credits—with a view to ensuring that the provision of export credits takes full account of sustainability considerations. Discussions take place at both official and Ministerial levels.
The outcome of ECGD's Mission and Status Review in 2000 provided the basis for this dialogue. Defra was then closely involved in the subsequent formulation of ECGD's Business Principles and was actively supportive of ECGD's efforts to finalise the OECD agreement on Common Approaches on the Environment and Officially Supported Export Credits . More recently, Defra has liaised closely with ECGD over revisions to that Department's Case Impact Analysis Process. Defra is consulted in detail on all cases which are dealt with under the Sensitive Cases procedure. Discussions are also taking place on how best to encourage export credit applications by UK renewables exporters.
The most recent Ministerial discussion, between the Minister of State for the Environment and the Minister of State for International Trade and Investment, confirmed agreement on the following issues:
That Defra and ECGD Ministers should meet whenever necessary to discuss both individual export credit cases and also broader issues of policy; That, in future, ECGD would normally expect to disclose details of High Potential Impact cases at least sixty days prior to making a decision on whether to provide support.
Defra will continue to work closely with ECGD to ensure that the principles of sustainable development are reflected fully in the policies and operations of that Department.
Food Chain (Terrorist Threat)
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the current threat to the food chain from terrorism. [104905]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 25 March 2003]: The terrorist threat to the UK, including the threat to the food chain, is monitored very closely by the Government and we and the industry remain vigilant. Advice on any terrorist threat to the UK is the
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responsibility of the Security Service. The Director General of the Security Service is responsible to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary for this advice, which is provided on a continual basis. Strategic assessments about terrorist threats to the UK are provided to the Government by the Joint Intelligence Committee.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what recent steps her Department has taken in conjunction with (a) other EU member states and (b) local authorities to prevent terrorist action against (i) agriculture and (ii) food supplies; [105088]
- (2) what recent steps her Department has taken in conjunction with other EU member states to prevent terrorist action against European (i) agriculture and (ii) food supplies. [105087]
Mr. Morley: DEFRA is heavily engaged in the central government programme to improve civil contingency planning, especially in areas relating to our departmental responsibilities. Planning is developed and agreed with stakeholders, both in government and industry, including food and agriculture interests, to ensure that the UK's resilience to emergencies of all kinds, including possible terrorist action against the UK food chain, is improved.
Genetically Modified Crops
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she and her officials have (a) telephoned and (b) written to the Royal Society during 2003 concerning publication of "The Farm Scale Evaluations with GM Crops"; and what was discussed. [107237]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 7 April 2003]: Officials from the Department have corresponded with the editor (one letter in August 2002), and subsequently with the commissioning editor (three emails and a phone call in 2002 and one email and a phone call in 2003) of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (Biological Sciences).
Philosophical Transactions is a peer reviewed scientific journal devoted to themed issues on particular topics. Officials contacted the journal, on behalf of the Scientific Steering Committee, to inquire as to the procedure for proposing a themed issue devoted to papers reporting the results of the GM crop farm-scale evaluations. The appropriate number and structure of papers for such an issue was discussed. Officials also sought an indication of the timescale that the journal would anticipate between submission of the papers and publication, assuming the papers reached the required standard.
On 27 February 2003 the Vice-President of the Royal Society wrote to the Secretary of State acknowledging that the farm-scale evaluation papers had been received from the research consortium and giving an indication of the likely timing of publication should the papers be accepted. The Secretary of State responded on 4 March 2003 thanking him for this information.
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