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17 Jul 2003 : Column 446W—continued
Plutonium
Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received and what meetings he has held this year on the future management of plutonium; and if he will make a statement. [126921]
The Prime Minister: As far as I am aware, I have received no representations on this issue.
I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations, it is not my practice to provide details of all such meetings, under exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions between 31March 2002 and 31 March 2003 (a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisors travelled abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost. [126659]
The Prime Minister: The information is not readily available in the format requested. I shall write to the hon. Member once this information is available, and will place copies of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
Trade Justice
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Prime Minister how many representations calling for trade justice have been received by the Government this year; and how many of these were from the Orkney and Shetland constituency. [125431]
The Prime Minister: So far this year I have received over 40,000 representations about Trade Justice and Fair Trade.
Between 1 January and 30 June this year, this Government has received over 150,000 representations from MPs, the general public, various charities and NGOs covering a wide range of world trade policy issues.
The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Iraq
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what evidence he has received of attempts being made by the Iraqi military to deploy chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons during the war; [126858]
(2) what evidence of the products of weapons of mass destruction programmes have been found in Iraq. [126859]
17 Jul 2003 : Column 447W
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan) at Prime Minister's Questions on 16 July 2003, Official Report, column 279.
WALES
Health and Social Care
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the need for primary legislation in order to implement the recommendations of the Review of Health and Social Care in Wales advised by Derek Wanless; and whether his Department has had discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government about implementing the four options proposed by the Review to solve the problem of bed-blocking. [126460]
Mr. Touhig: I have regular meetings with the Assembly Minister for Health, Jane Hutt AM, during which she updates me on health policy initiatives launched by her Administration.
I am aware that the Assembly will be publishing a detailed response and action plan in the autumn and it is therefore premature to comment on implementing the recommendations of the Report before then. I welcome Jane Hutt's announcement of an additional £4 million to tackle the immediate problems in the review, namely delayed discharges and alternatives to hospital admission. This money will be channelled through the Local Health Boards where all health and social care interests are represented.
Ministerial Travel
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last used the London Underground in connection with his official duties. [124604]
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Supasweet Onion
18. Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will support the production and promotion of the Supasweet onion in Chicksands, Bedfordshire. [126294]
Mr. Bradshaw: Defra has contributed to the development of the Supasweet onion by funding half the cost of a three-year collaborative research project worth £650,000. The production and promotion of the product is now being taken forward by industry partners and we wish them every success.
F. B. Parrish and Son of Chicksands is one of five growers or growers' organisations which helped fund the research project. The company is primarily known for its onion production and was the overall winner in the 2003 Grower of the Year Awards.
17 Jul 2003 : Column 448W
New Covent Garden Markets Authority
19. Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to secure a viable future for the New Covent Garden Markets Authority. [126295]
Mr. Morley: The Saphir Report identifies a future for New Covent Garden Market as a composite market providing a particular service to the central London catering trade. The Department is working closely with the Covent Garden Market Authority to identify ways of developing the Nine Elms site and the market business to provide for future needs. It remains the Government's objective to dispose of the market as a going concern—when this is achieved there will be no further need for the Authority and it will be wound up.
Biofuel Crops
22. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage the use of crops for biofuels. [126298]
Mr. Morley: We have made available £29 million to support the planting of energy crops and the setting up of growers' producer groups. £3.5 million is being made available to develop supply chains for biomass, including energy crops, from harvest to energy end-user; £66 million is being allocated to develop markets for biomass, including energy crops, in heat, combined heat and power, and power generation. Officials are working closely with project developers and others to promote the potential of energy crops.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
23. Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on how she proposes to implement the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. [126299]
Mr. Morley: The Government intend to implement the WEEE Directive in a way that will maximise the environmental benefits for the UK but keep the costs to a minimum.
The Directive was agreed in February 2003, and the Government now have until August 2004 to transpose the Directive into UK law. The first stage of consultation on the WEEE Directive has now concluded and the Government are in the process of analysing the responses. These will be fed into a further consultation paper, due to be issued later this year. A final consultation on the draft Regulations will be issued early next year.
Thames Fisheries
24. Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on the effects of the Shell Haven oil refinery on fisheries in the Thames. [126300]
Mr. Bradshaw:
None, but I am aware that concerns have been expressed by fishermen at a public inquiry examining proposals for the redevelopment of the site as the London Gateway port.
17 Jul 2003 : Column 449W
Fallen Stock Scheme
25. Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the number of farmers who have signed up to the Fallen Stock Scheme. [126301]
Mr. Bradshaw: No decision has yet been made about whether such a scheme will proceed. However, around 30 per cent. of livestock farmers in England expressed an interest in joining a national scheme if one were to go ahead
Beef
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what arrangements she is making to pay interest on overdue payments of (a) beef special premium and (b) slaughter premium. [126265]
17 Jul 2003 : Column 450W
Alun Michael: The RPA very much regrets the delays in making bovine payments for 2002. The main reason was the introduction by the European Commission of revised rules for calculating aggregated penalties across the bovine schemes. This change has caused difficulties for member states and the Commission recognised this by accepting that payments could be made this year up to 31 July rather than 30 June.
The RPA is making every effort to make as many payments as possibly by 31 July. The RPA will consider whether compensation payments for the delay may be appropriate for payments made after that date.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money is due in outstanding payments for (a) beef special premium and (b) slaughter premium for (i) 2001 and (ii) 2002; and when she expects such payments to be made. [126266]
Alun Michael: The information is given in the table.
The majority of outstanding payments for 2001 relate to claims with unresolved queries and discrepancies. Staff at the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) are working hard to resolve these queries and in many cases this has involved contacting claimants to obtain additional information.
Claimants under the Beef Special Premium Scheme (BSPS) and Slaughter Premium Scheme (SPS) began receiving their advance payments shortly after the bovine payment window opened on 16 October 2002.
Every effort is being made to make as many payments as possible by 31 July 2003.
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