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Food Imports

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the volume of food imports into the United Kingdom from member states of the European Union. [113356]

Mr. Morley: The following table shows the volume of food from member states of the European Union, imports into the United Kingdom 2000–02.

Thousand tonnes

Description	2000	2001	2002
Vegetables and fruit	4,438	5,533	5,749
Cereals and cereal preparations	2,503	2,973	3,151
Beverages	1,874	2,047	2,293
Feeding stuff for animals (excl. unmilled cereals)	1,398	1,499	1,299
Meat and meat preparations	1,150	1,176	1,270
Dairy products and birds' eggs	762	791	779
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	612	806	664
Fixed vegetable fats and oils	678	622	556
Miscellaneous edible products	619	552	611
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits	328	541	337
Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices etc.	275	283	309
Fish and fish preparations	134	148	154
Animal and vegetable fats and oils	125	132	122
Animal oils and fats	102	102	103
EU total	14,999	17,207	17,398

Note:

2002 data are provisional and subject to amendment

Source:

HM Customs & Excise

Data prepared by Statistics (Commodities and Food) Accounts and Trade, ESD, DEFRA

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department has allocated to tackling illegal food imports in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02, (c) 2002–03, (d) 2003–04, (e) 2004–05 and (f) 2005–06, broken down by category of activity. [112560]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 13 May 2003]: In 2000–01 and 2001–02, illegal imports work was dealt with within the resources allocated to import controls on products of animal origin generally. Approximately

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£3 million was spent in 2002–03. A total programme budget of £25 million has been set aside for the years 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06. £6 million of this will be spent this financial year, of which £4 million has been allocated to HM Customs to fund enforcement activity and publicity at the borders, and £1.5 million has been allocated to the Food Standards Agency to lead work on a step change to improve co-ordination and co-operation across legal import routes. The remainder has been allocated to Defra to implement other aspects of the action plan, including further publicity. No decisions have yet been made on allocations for 2004–05 and 2005–06.

Food Industry

Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps (a) her Department, (b) executive agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department are taking to improve the competitiveness of small and medium sized food and drink (i) producers and (ii) exporters. [113765]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 19 May 2003]: Various measures which have the potential to help small and medium sized food and drink producers increase competitiveness are set out in the Government's Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy, published in December 2002. These include the new Food Chain Centre, which is looking at ways to improve the efficiency of the food chain, and English Farming and Food Partnerships, which will support and promote co-operation and collaboration between farmers, and between farmers and the food chain. In addition, Food from Britain is undertaking a national support programme, which includes measures to increase competitiveness, for small and medium sized quality regional food producers.

On the export side, the Department continues to provide grant aid to Food from Britain to carry out promotion of exports of food and drink: at least 50 per cent. of producers assisted must be SMEs.

Through its Eat the View initiative the Countryside Agency is working in partnership with a wide range of organisations to encourage consumers to make the link between the food they eat and the countryside, thus encouraging demand for locally sourced food and drink typically supplied by small and medium producers. Most projects within the initiative will assist SMEs to improve their competitiveness.

In addition the Home Grown Cereals Authority is working closely with all parts of the grain chain to improve the competitiveness of the UK arable industry both at home and overseas. The Meat and Livestock Commission works almost wholly with SMEs to improve efficiency by providing information and advice on breeding techniques, reducing production costs and improving marketing strategies, and by facilitating links between producers and the major supermarkets.

Small and medium sized food and drink producers are also eligible to apply for grants under various schemes for projects that may contribute to improving their competitiveness.

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Great British Kitchen

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if her Department will give financial support to the British Food Trust for the creation of the Great British Kitchen. [110918]

Mr. Morley: Defra officials have discussed this issue several times with representatives of the British Food Trust, and have concluded that in its current form the project is not eligible for any of the current funding schemes. However, we are happy to continue the constructive dialogue we have had with the British Food Trust to explore other ways in which we can help.

Marsh Birds

Mr. Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans there are to protect the bittern in England; and if she will make a statement. [113969]

Mr. Morley: The bittern is one of the 391 species for which action plans have been prepared as part of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP). The plan sets objectives and targets for the conservation and enhancement of the species. Reports in 2002 on progress with the plan show that targets to increase the range and numbers of the bittern are being achieved. A survey by the RSPB in 2002 recorded a total of 31 booming males in England, almost double the number recorded in 1994. Plans to secure the long term future of the bittern by providing suitable reedbed habitat are also showing progress. In England, 800 hectares of new reedbed have been created since 1995 and the active management of existing reedbeds is improving.

In October 2002 the Government published 'Working with the Grain of Nature—A Biodiversity Strategy for England'. The strategy takes an holistic approach to the conservation of biodiversity within England and is a key means by which the UK BAP will be taken forward in England. It sets out a series of actions for the key sectors which impact on biodiversity, including water and wetlands.

Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the results were of the latest research by the Environment Agency into the incidence of methyl tertiary butyl ether in England and Wales; and if she will make a statement; [113283]

(2) what the results were of the full life cycle risk assessment of methyl tertiary butyl ether under the European Communities Existing Substances Regulation (793/93/EEC); and if she will make a statement. [113282]

Mr. Morley: Finland carried out the full life cycle risk assessment of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) under the Existing Substances Regulation (793/93/EEC). All Member States were represented in the group of

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technical experts and the Competent Authority for existing substances that discussed and finalised the risk assessment for MTBE.

The risk assessment concluded that there were concerns for the aquatic environment and groundwater (potability in respect of taste and odour) as a consequence of exposure arising from the release of MTBE to surface water from leaking storage tanks and spillage from over filling of the storage tanks.

The Environment Agency is looking to improve our groundwater quality by the monitoring of oxygenates including MTBE where this is merited by risk of contamination.

The occupational risk identified is controlled to the extent needed by legislation currently in force at Community level.

The Environment Agency's review on the presence and behaviour of MTBE in England and Wales was published in November 2000 and a copy was deposited in the Library of the House at the time. The Environment Agency intends to produce a short follow-up report on MTBE incidence but it will take a little time to compile. A copy will be made available to the Library of the House as soon as possible. I will write to let my hon. Friend know when that is.

New Forest

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of proposals in the mid-term review in respect of commoning in the New Forest; and if she will make a statement. [112208]

Mr. Morley: The impact of the CAP reform proposals on commoning will be complex and depend in large part on the detail of their implementation. This is particularly true of the proposal to decouple agricultural support from production. Our objective will be to create a workable system which allows existing commoning systems to continue.

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