House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 13 May 2003 (pt 4)

13 May 2003 : Column 145W—continued

Fallen Stock

Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she intends to respond to proposals from farmers' representatives regarding the use of animal carcases in relation to carrion; and if she will make a statement. [107126]

Mr. Morley: A derogation to permit the feeding of fallen stock to necrophagous birds is available to Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal and France as part of approved conservation measures for vultures. This derogation is not available in the UK.

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Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement about the use of fallen stock in upland and moorland areas being used as food for carrion. [107696]

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a

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statement on the implementation of the EU fallen stock regulations in Buckinghamshire. [110320]

Mr. Morley: The EU animal by-products regulation which includes a ban on burial of fallen stock applies throughout the EU from 1 May 2003. Defra has sent a letter to all livestock farmers in England asking for expressions of interest in joining a national fallen stock collection and disposal scheme although it is not an essential requirement. We very much hope that farmers in Buckinghamshire will respond positively to this letter.

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the independent study into the environment and health implications of the foot and mouth disease burial site at Throckmorton to be published; and what arrangements will be made to ensure that elected representatives for the area receive a copy of the report at the time of its publication. [112666]

Mr. Morley: The report by consultants DNV has been published this morning and is available at the Defra website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/regions/wmidlands/wmidlands.htm. I have placed copies of the report in the Library. I understand that DNV has written to local elected representatives to inform them of the outcome.

Fishmeal

Mrs. Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what weight of wild fish is required to provide fishmeal for the production of one kilogram of farmed fish; and what assessment she has made of the long-term implications for wild fish stocks. [112417]

Mr. Morley: We do not hold information on the weight of wild fish used in fishmeal for feeding to farmed fish in the UK. The quantity involved will vary depending on the proportion of the fishmeal used in the different grades of dry fish feed produced for the species of farmed fish concerned and their stages of growth. However carnivorous aquaculture species are unlikely to consume more natural marine resources through feed than their wild counterparts would consume in the natural environment.

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) makes annual assessments of the main commercial fish stocks around Britain, including those used to produce fish meal such as sandeels, Norway pout and blue whiting, and provides advice on their management. The total abundance of sandeel or Norway pout in the North Sea varies considerably for natural reasons, but the ICES assessments show that they are currently stable. ICES does not consider that the sandeel and pout fisheries are affecting the availability of food for other wild fish at the stock level, but studies are in progress to investigate whether problems are likely to occur more locally. As regards blue whiting, ICES has stated that these stocks are outside safe biological limits and that catches should be

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limited to 600,000 tonnes in 2003. Although there is no internationally agreed Total Allowable Catch (TAC), the EU has set a TAC of 345,000 tonnes for Community waters in order to help manage the fishery.

Food and Drinks Industries

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support her Department is giving to the British food and drinks industries to help them to promote British brands. [110747]

Mr. Morley: Defra promotes the export of British brands of food through sponsorship of and grant in aid to Food from Britain, which also assists with the marketing of regional speciality foods. As part of the Strategy on Sustainable Farming and Food, we have introduced a new structure and an additional £3 million over three years for regional food initiatives both in this country and overseas.

Terrorism

Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what security guidelines her Department has issued in the last year to food (a) producers, (b) processors and (c) providers regarding potential terrorist action. [105073]

Mr. Morley: The Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group, which we have set up with the industry and which meets regularly, provides a forum for sharing of advice on security issues. We are also in regular contact with representatives of all parts of the food chain and pass on security information of relevance to them.

Illegal Meat Imports

Mr. Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to advise people entering Britain of the illegality of importing meat; and if she will make a statement. [111279]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 6 May 2003]: Information is displayed at ports of entry to the UK as well as at some foreign airports, and disseminated through many of our diplomatic posts abroad. In addition we have produced two videos and a radio filler. The videos are being broadcast on television and we continue to work with airlines to get our message across in-flight. An increasing number of airlines are now making in-flight announcements on the personal import rules. Our message on meat imports is currently advertised on seven million ticket wallets for long-haul destinations.

Defra has recently produced a new leaflet setting out in detail the up-to-date rules on personal imports. This leaflet is being distributed via HM Customs, who have taken over responsibility for enforcement at the border, and for publicity at our ports and airports, at overseas destinations and in transit to the UK. Defra will retain responsibility for raising awareness within Britain of the fact that there are rules on the import of animal and plant products, the reasons for them and the penalties for breaking them, for example by attending appropriate shows and events.

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LPG

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the environmental effects of liquid petroleum gas fuel in comparison with other fuels. [112719]

Alun Michael: An assessment of the environmental performance of various alternative fuels was carried out by the Cleaner Vehicles Task Force in 2000. A copy of their report is available via the DfT website, at www.dft.gov.uk. Copies are also available through the House of Commons Library. The research showed that road fuel gases can have environmental benefits over conventional fuels, particularly for air quality and noise, although progress with conventional engine and fuel technologies is reducing this advantage.

As announced in Budget 2003, the Government plans to consult key stakeholders on how best to ensure that future support for LPG and other road fuel gases continues to reflect environmental and other policy objectives.

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Rural Transport Schemes

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many rural transport schemes have been funded by the Government in each of the last five years, with the amounts given; and how many have been earmarked funding for the next two financial years, with the amounts given. [112822]

Alun Michael: Since 1998–99 the Countryside Agency has administered four rural transport schemes. In 2001–02 the Parish Transport Grant was launched and the Rural Transport Development Fund was amalgamated with the Rural Transport Partnership Scheme to form the Rural Transport Partnership. It would involve disproportionate cost to provide the number of projects funded under the Rural Transport Development Fund and the Rural Transport Partnership Scheme from 1998–99 to 2001–02. Since 2001, the Countryside Agency has been part of DEFRA's responsibilities while the Department for Transport funds rural bus projects through the Rural Bus Challenge and figures for this are also shown in the following table.

Rural Transport Development Fund Rural Transport Partnership⁽¹⁾ Parish Transport Grant Rural Bus Challenge⁽²⁾

Year Number Funding (£m) Number Funding (£m) Number Funding Number Funding (£m)

1998–99 N/A 1.6 N/A 4.2 - - 46 11.2

1999–2000 N/A 1.6 N/A 4.2 - - 58 16.8

2000–01 N/A 1.6 N/A 4.2 - - 51 21.2

2001–02 - - 278 8.0 40 2.0 58 20.5

2002–03 - - 350 12.0 116 5.0 46 20.2

2003–04 - - ⁽³⁾350 ⁽³⁾12.0 ⁽³⁾200 ⁽³⁾8.0 ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁴⁾

2004–05 - - ⁽³⁾350 ⁽³⁾12.0 ⁽³⁾300 ⁽³⁾7.0 ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁴⁾

	Rural Transport Development Fund	Rural Transport Partnership⁽¹⁾	Parish Transport Grant	Rural Bus Challenge⁽²⁾
Year	Number	Funding (£m)	Number	Funding (£m)	Number	Funding	Number	Funding (£m)
1998–99	N/A	1.6	N/A	4.2	-	-	46	11.2
1999–2000	N/A	1.6	N/A	4.2	-	-	58	16.8
2000–01	N/A	1.6	N/A	4.2	-	-	51	21.2
2001–02	-	-	278	8.0	40	2.0	58	20.5
2002–03	-	-	350	12.0	116	5.0	46	20.2
2003–04	-	-	⁽³⁾350	⁽³⁾12.0	⁽³⁾200	⁽³⁾8.0	⁽⁴⁾	⁽⁴⁾
2004–05	-	-	⁽³⁾350	⁽³⁾12.0	⁽³⁾300	⁽³⁾7.0	⁽⁴⁾	⁽⁴⁾

⁽¹⁾ Prior to 2001–02 this was called the Rural Transport Partnership Scheme

⁽²⁾ The Rural Bus Challenge is an annual competition and the level of funding refers to the total award granted to successful bids.

⁽³⁾ Budget and project targets in the Countryside Agency Business Plan.

⁽⁴⁾ DfT will administer a further round of the Challenge fund later this year.

DfT has also funded improved transport services in rural areas through the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant, and the 2003 Budget Statement announced the continuation of this grant to 2005–06. Local transport authorities can also use their own revenue resources and Local Transport Plan capital allocations for rural transport projects. Data on projects supported through these mechanisms is not centrally held.

Mr. Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the sources of funding available for rural transport schemes. [112823]

Alun Michael: Funding for rural transport schemes is available through the Department for Transport's Local Transport Plan process, Rural Bus Subsidy Grant and Rural Bus Challenge scheme, as well as the Countryside Agency's Rural Transport Partnership and Parish Transport Grant schemes. Local transport authorities can also use their own revenue resources for rural transport projects.

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