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Dairy Farming

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) farmers, (b) partners, (c) directors and (d) spouses were engaged in dairy farming in each of the last five years. [135745]

Mr. Bradshaw: Data for the total number farmers, partners, directors and spouses combined are collected annually from the June agricultural and horticultural census as a total. Figures are not available for each item.

For the last five years the figures are:

Farmers, directors, partners and spouses on holdings with a dairy herd June agricultural census—England

	Number
1998	47,591
1999	45,151
2000	43,150
2001	40,702
2002	40,906

Notes:

1. Dairy Herd—holdings with Dairy cows producing milk.

2. 1999 and 1998 figures refer to main holdings only.

3. 2000 onwards—main and minor holdings.

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many dairy farmers have left the industry in the last 10 years for which records are available. [135770]

Mr. Bradshaw: Data on the number of farmers leaving the dairy industry are not collected by Defra. From the June Agricultural and Horticultural Census, we can provide the numbers of farmers, partners, directors and spouses. From these figures it will be possible to determine the net difference year on year.

For the last 10 years the figures are:

Farmers, directors, spouses and partners on farms with a dairy herd June agricultural census—England

	Farmers, directors, spouses, partners
1993	50,402
1994	49,592
1995	47,515
1996	46,150
1997	48,066
1998	47,591
1999	45,151
2000	43,150
2001	40,702
2002	40,906

Notes:

1. Dairy Herd—holdings with Dairy cows producing milk.

2. 1993 to 1999 figures refer to main holdings only.

3. 2000 onwards—main and minor holdings.

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Date-based Export Scheme

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library papers submitted by her Department to the European Commission on (a) changes to the Date Based Export Scheme and (b) moderate risk status; and how many representations her Department has made to the Commission regarding these papers subsequently. [134660]

Mr. Bradshaw: Copies of the papers submitted will be placed in the Library of the House.

The Secretary of State has discussed these issues with Commissioner Byrne on a number of occasions, most recently on 22 September at the informal Agriculture Council at Taormina. Defra officials have also met Commission officials on a number of occasions, and are in regular contact with them.

Direct Production Payments

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the 100 farmers who received the largest direct production payments in the last year for which information is available; and how much each received. [132452]

Mr. Bradshaw: We are unable to supply information on individual payments under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 unless such details are allowed by any of the exemptions to the Act. If such exemptions can be identified, then further consideration can be given to the request.

Earth Summit

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress that has been made by her Department to meet the outcomes of the Earth Summit in Johannesburg. [136112]

Mr. Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 September 2003, Official Report, column 845W, which noted that the Government would be presenting an overview of progress against commitments made at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development. That progress report, which covers actions across Government, has now been published and is available at: http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/eac-wssd/progress.htm

GM Crops

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research she has commissioned into coexistence on a commercial scale between GM and non-GM crops that takes account of the interactions and relationships between seed contamination, volunteers, spillage and cross-pollination. [136234]

Mr. Morley: Defra has commissioned a number of studies relevant to co-existence to complement those undertaken by others. These include a report published in 2000 by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany on crop separation distances needed to achieve specified cross-pollination thresholds. Details of other studies

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including studies on cross-pollination between GM and conventional crops and between GM crops and wild relatives and studies on the persistence and weediness of GM crop volunteers are availlable through the Defra website a: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/research/index.htm The European Commission also published a major research study on this subject last year, available at: www.jrc.es/home/publications/publication.cfm?pub=1044 The body of literature was also recently reviewed by the GM Science Review Panel as part of the GM Dialogue, and their final report is available at: www.gmsciencedebate.org.uk

The Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission has been analysing possible approaches to co-existence and is due to submit a report to the Government later this month. We will consider this issue further in the light of that report.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the petition from residents within the Havering area opposing GM crops. [136475]

Mr. Morley: We have no record of receiving the specific petition to which the hon. Member refers, but the Government certainly recognise that people have concerns on this subject. We already have strict and transparent safety controls on GM crops, along with clear labelling rules to ensure consumer choice. The Government are now considering the outcome of the GM public debate that they have sponsored and will make a response to this in due course.

Livestock Industry

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with (a) industry representatives, (b) the Food Standards Agency and (c) others in respect of the regulatory framework which applies to (i) mobile slaughter operators and (ii) the livestock farmers who employ them. [136263]

Mr. Bradshaw: The public health aspects of the slaughter of animals for human consumption are a matter for the Food Standards Agency. The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 (as amended) require that no person shall carry on the business of a slaughterhouse unless the premises are licensed under the Regulations. Furthermore the Regulations also require that no person shall sell fresh meat for human consumption unless it has been slaughtered in a licensed slaughterhouse. Consequently it is unlawful for a mobile licensed slaughterman to kill and dress an animal for human consumption outside of licensed premises. At a meeting in February this year, at which Defra officials were present, the Agency explained the regulatory framework to representatives of the National Farmers Union. Subsequently officials from both the Department and the Agency participated in a meeting arranged by the Union, at which representatives of the Union and former mobile slaughter operators were present, to discuss how the framework could apply to the licensing of mobile slaughterhouses.

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Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from (a) industry representatives and (b) others in respect of regulations which apply to mobile slaughter operators. [136264]

Mr. Bradshaw: The National Farmers Union, Members of Parliament and members of the public have been in contact with the Department about the regulatory framework that applies to the slaughter of animals for human consumption and in particular the private kill of animals on farm.

Pair Trawling (Bass)

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to introduce an outright ban on pair trawling for bass; and what assessment she has made of the use of separator grids to preserve dolphin wildlife in the United Kingdom. [134849]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 28 October 2003]: Defra-funded trials to reduce cetacean bycatch in the offshore bass fishery have demonstrated that separator grids are a viable means of minimising dolphin bycatch in this fishery. The very significantly reduced mortality rate overall in this trial compared with observations on boats over previous years is extremely encouraging. Two animals died in 82 hauls over a seven-week period beginning in March this year, a significant reduction in what is normally observed to be the case. In observations elsewhere in the fishery without the grid deployed, 28 dolphin casualties were recorded in 49 hauls.

On the basis of these results, we will be moving forward from trialling the separator grid to deploying the gear in the fishery. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the grid and adjust as necessary. If an effective reduction in small cetacean bycatch cannot be maintained through the use of the grid, I do not rule out other options such as closure of the offshore-bass fishery.

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