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3 Jul 2003 : Column 394W—continued
Biotechnology
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department has spent in each year since 1995 (a) as
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a Department and (b) through grants to external bodies on (i) the promotion of and (ii) research into biotechnology. [121653]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 25 June 2003]: In the years since 1995 my department has spent the following on biotechnology research:
| Financial year(10) | (11)Total R&D spend on Biotechnology (£ million) |
|---|---|
| 1995–96 | 20.5 |
| 1996–97 | 23.2 |
| 1997–98 | 25.6 |
| 1998–99 | 29.3 |
| 1999–2000 | 25.3 |
| 2000–01 | 29.4 |
| 2001–02 | 29.7 |
| 2002–03 | 33.2 |
| 2003–04 | 26.23 |
(10) Defra was created during the 2001–02 FY. Figures for previous years cover old MAFF and DETR biotechnology research programmes
(11) Defined as research into the application of biological organisms, systems and processes to manufacturing and service industries. This covers genetic modification research, but goes much wider to include, among other techniques, fused cell techniques, protein engineering, fermentation and cell culture techniques, the production of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies.
(12) Figures for the current year are provisional. A number of contracts may be in the process of being let and not yet included in year total.
This money has all been spent through contracts with external bodies. No money has been spent by my department on the direct promotion of biotechnology.
Emissions Trading Directive
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure the EU Emissions Trading Directive is implemented in such a way as to encourage energy efficiency downstream. [122218]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 30 June 2003]: The purpose of the EU Emissions Trading Directive is to encourage reductions in direct emissions of carbon dioxide from certain industrial sectors. The Government have introduced other policy measures to encourage energy efficiency downstream, such as the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC), which requires electricity and gas suppliers to achieve targets for the promotion of improvements in domestic energy efficiency.
Also, direct participants in the UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme, and participants in Climate Change Agreements, have emissions reduction targets, that include indirect emissions of carbon dioxide from reducing electricity use on site.
Endangered Species
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she has taken to ensure that the UK's international policies protect endangered species. [121904]
Mr. Morley: The UK Government have pressed for action to help protect endangered species in a number of international fora. For example, at last November's Conference of the Parties to the Convention on
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International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Chile, I was able to persuade the delegates to list the basking shark on Appendix II. This will mean that the international trade in the fins and other parts of this vulnerable species will be more strictly regulated in future.
Similar protection was also afforded to whale sharks, seahorses and big-leaf mahogany. The current high level of protection afforded to minke and bryde's whales was also maintained, despite efforts by Japan to downlist the species. Other successes included measures to conserve Asian big cats such as tigers and snow leopards and the development of strict measures for controlling any future trade in ivory stockpiles.
Fly Tipping
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 24 February 2003, Official Report, column 88W, on fly-tipping, what has been the outcome of her consideration of possible changes to legislation; and if she will make a statement. [122776]
Mr. Morley: Proposals to help local authorities and the Environment Agency tackle the problem of fly tipping have been included in the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, currently before Parliament.
The Bill includes measures that if successful will mean that local authorities will have powers to stop, search and seize vehicles suspected of being used for fly tipping. They will be able to investigate incidents to help them track down and prosecute those responsible for dumping the waste. The Bill will also create statutory directions that will formalise the current fly tipping protocol which has been agreed between the Local Government Association and the Environment Agency.
The Government are also considering a wide range of other measures, details of which will be published later in 2003 and brought forward at the next legislative opportunity.
GM Debate Website
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many hits have been recorded by the GM debate website: www.gmnation.org.uk [122211]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 30 June 2003]: In the first 18 days of June 2003, 1,487,024 hits were recorded by the GM Nation website. The hon. Member may wish to note that this does not represent the number of people that have visited the website, as each individual is likely to be responsible for multiple hits as they move around the website.
GM/Organic Produce
Sir Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many letters on the Government's policy on genetically modified food from (a) hon. Members, (b) private individuals and (c) organisations are waiting to be answered by the Department; how many have been waiting for more than 28 days; and if she will make a statement. [109540]
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Mr. Morley: The Food Standards Agency is responsible for policy on genetically modified food. However, on GM issues for which this Department is responsible, the information is set out in the table as at 2 July 2003:
| Total awaiting reply | Number awaiting reply for more than 28 days | |
|---|---|---|
| Member | 57 | 0 |
| Private individuals and organisations | 145 | 4 |
A large number of letters from organisations and private individuals have been inspired by the recent announcement of the GM Public Debate.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department has spent in each year since 1995 on the promotion of (a) genetically-modified and (b) organic produce. [121654]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 25 June 2003]: No money has been spent by my Department on the promotion of genetically modified produce or on the promotion of organic produce. However, aid has been made available to farmers converting to organic farming (and from 5 June 2003 aid has been made available to existing organic farmers also). The Department also funds a programme of R&D on organic production. And advice for farmers considering organic farming is provided by the Organic Conversion Information Service (OCIS) which is funded by Defra. Spending on these since financial year 1994–95 is detailed in the following table but data for spending on OCIS before financial year 1999–2000 are not readily available.
| Financial year | Aid to organic farmers (£) | R&D (£) | OCIS (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 27,000 | 1,058,000 | (13)— |
| 1995–95 | 261,000 | 931,000 | (13)— |
| 1996–97 | 374,000 | 1,116,000 | (13)— |
| 1997–98 | 571,000 | 908,000 | (13)— |
| 1998–99 | 1,026,000 | 1,491,000 | (13)— |
| 1999–2000 | 12,469,000 | 2,035,000 | 788,000 |
| 2000–01 | 11,397,000 | 2,207,000 | 601,000 |
| 2001–02 | 10,910,000 | 2,193,000 | 327,000 |
| 2002–03 | 12,567,000 | 1,791,000 | 301,000 |
(13) Not readily available
Hazardous Waste
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what timetable there is for producing voluntary agreements on household hazardous waste after June 2004. [121983]
Mr. Morley: Taking into account the composition of the waste stream, and in particular the low recycling rate and the toxicity of the waste product, we will be looking over the next 12 months at the scope for a voluntary producer responsibility agreement to increase the recycling of waste consumer batteries. We will also review the household waste stream to see what the most
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hazardous elements are with a view to identifying other possible candidates for a voluntary producer responsibility agreement with industry.
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department takes to ensure that gas emissions from landfill and hazardous waste sites do not pose any risk to public health. [122729]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 30 June 2003]: The Environment Agency regulates gaseous emissions from landfill and hazardous waste sites to minimise the damage to the environment and risk to human health. In particular, the Agency requires that appropriate measures are taken to control the accumulation and migration of landfill gas. Typically this will involve the active collection, treatment and combustion of landfill gas to minimise the potential impacts.
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statutory framework regulates the discharge of untreated hazardous liquid waste directly to sewage treatment plants for disposal; and if she will list the permitted chemical and biological components of such waste. [122756]
Mr. Morley: Sewerage undertakers have powers to control and reduce discharges of substances such as untreated hazardous liquid waste into sewers. If they consider the discharge constitutes trade effluent, their consent is required in accordance with the provisions of the Water Industry Act 1991. The consent may set conditions and require the elimination or diminution of any specified constituent of the trade effluent before it enters the sewer. Such a discharge without the undertaker's agreement is a criminal offence.
Applications for any special category effluent have to be referred to the Environment Agency before consent can be given. Where the effluent is produced as part of a prescribed process, it will also require a permit from the Agency under the Environment Act 1995 and the Pollution, Prevention and Control Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/1973).
Where a sewerage undertaker agrees to accept liquid waste delivered to a sewage works by road tanker, the reception, storage, and pre-treatment of the waste is additionally controlled by waste management law (a waste management licence or Pollution Prevention Control Permit depending upon the activities and their scale). The final effluent produced by the works and released back into the environment must meet the conditions or standards required in a Discharge Consent issued by the Environment Agency under the Water Resources Act 1991.
No list of permitted chemical and biological components exists as such. Each case has to be assessed individually and will depend on the capabilities of the specific treatment works and the quality standards to be achieved in the receiving waters.
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many litres of untreated hazardous liquid waste were sent directly to sewage treatment plants for disposal in each year since 1999. [122757]
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Mr. Morley: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the Environment Agency is compiling the information and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the hazardous wastes which her Department and the Environment Agency have decided (a) can be adequately treated by dilution and (b) require additional treatment for disposal. [122764]
Mr. Morley: Dilution is not generally considered to be the best practicable environmental option for disposal of hazardous waste, although technically it would be possible to operate such a process subject to the conditions of an environmental licence or authorisation (permit) to ensure the protection of the environment and human health.
Implementation of the Landfill Directive to meet the EU Waste Acceptance Criteria will require all wastes to be treated before they are landfilled. Dilution would not be an acceptable form of treatment.
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