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10 Mar 2004 : Column 1542W—continued
Air Quality Expert Group
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) total budget and (b) budget for administration were for the Air Quality Expert Group in financial year 2002–03. [158683]
Alun Michael: The estimated total budget for AQEG in financial year 2002–03 was £74,000. The estimated administration budget was £27,500, based on the costs of Defra staff resources to run the Secretariat.
Asgard Systems
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under what circumstances a court action may be brought against the Environment Agency concerning the quality of advice given by the Agency on an enquiry by a business or member of the public; and if she will make a statement. [156717]
Mr. Morley: I am advised that where a public body, such as the Environment Agency, has given advice to a person, that person may be able to bring some form of court action against the public body if that body has acted in some way that is improper, negligent or in breach of its statutory duties. The nature and likely merits of any such action would depend on the particular circumstances of the case. Consequently, any person thinking of taking legal action against a public body would be well advised to seek independent legal advice before doing so.
Batteries (Disposal)
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will hold a consultation exercise on the forthcoming EU directive on the disposal and recycling of batteries. [157527]
Mr. Morley: The Government intend to issue a consultation document on the draft Batteries Directive this spring.
Biosafety Protocol
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what position the UK took at the recent meeting of parties to the Biosafety Protocol in Kuala Lumpur in relation to the creation of an international liability regime. [159796]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 8 March 2004]: In line with the EU's common position (as set out in December's Environment Council Conclusions), the UK supported the adoption of a process with respect to the appropriate elaboration of international rules and procedures in the field of liability and redress for damage resulting from transboundary movements of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and making a final report to the meeting of the Parties within four years (by 2008).
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The EU/UK position was that the most appropriate mechanism for this process should be a group of technical and legal experts.
Bovine TB
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many human cases of M.bovis have been linked to occupational exposure to infected cattle in the last 10 years. [157956]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
There are no official records for occupational exposure, though two cases, themselves linked, are reported to have been linked to occupation in recent years. The most up to date available figures for human M.bovis infection in England and Wales since 1993 are shown in the table. Figures are not yet available for 2002.
| Year | Total M.bovis human infections |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 37 |
| 1994 | 31 |
| 1995 | 20 |
| 1996 | 32 |
| 1997 | 30 |
| 1998 | 30 |
| 1999 | 31 |
| 2000 | 18 |
| 2001 | (12)27 |
(12) Provisional data
Source:
MycobNet Health Protection Agency Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre 1993–2001.
Cetaceans
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures the Government have taken since 1997, and what further measures are proposed, to reduce the number of dolphins and porpoises killed; and if she will make a statement. [156215]
Mr. Bradshaw: Since 1997, the Government have funded a number of research projects to identify fisheries in which dolphin and porpoise bycatch occurs and to develop and trial measures to reduce this bycatch. This work has led in particular to the identification of a dolphin bycatch problem in the offshore pair trawl fishery for bass and the development of an escape grid mechanism as a potential means of reducing this bycatch. Trials of this device are currently taking place. Work has also identified that acoustic devices known as pingers are effective in reducing bycatch of harbour porpoises in fixed gear fisheries.
Alongside this work this Department, along with devolved Administrations, published in March 2003 the UK Small Cetacean Bycatch Response Strategy which made a number of recommendations to reduce bycatch. We are currently considering responses to this consultation document with a view to the implementation of this strategy. As EU measures will be most effective in reducing bycatch in community waters, the strategy will need to take account of the outcome of current discussions on European Commission proposals to reduce bycatch. I welcome the Commission proposals and I am looking for their early implementation.
10 Mar 2004 : Column 1544W
Departmental Premises (Chelmsford)
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department plans to sell its premises in Beeches Road, Chelmsford; and if she will make a statement. [159993]
Alun Michael: Defra does not own premises at Beeches Road, Chelmsford; it leases space from Department of Works and Pensions. We have no plans to leave.
Ducks
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many ducks other than ruddy ducks, broken down by species, have been culled as a result of the ruddy duck control scheme. [159213]
Mr. Bradshaw: A total of five ducks other than ruddy ducks have been killed during shooting operations since April 1999; two female tufted ducks, one male tufted duck, one male teal and one juvenile long-tailed duck, this compares to a total of over 4,200 ruddy ducks shot.
A further seven ducks (mallard chicks) died during the trap-testing which took place during the control trial. This compares to 17 ruddy ducks trapped.
The killing of non-target birds is taken very seriously and every effort is made to minimise such losses. The Standard Operating Procedures issued to all field operatives make it clear that there should be a high degree of vigilance over identification and that shooting should only take place if safe to do so without causing injury or death to non-target species.
End of Life Vehicles Directive
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many vehicle dismantlers registered with the Environmental Agency for a site licence before the 1 February deadline under implementation of the European End of Life Vehicles Directive; and how many vehicle dismantlers she estimates are operating without licences. [157982]
Mr. Morley: The Environment Agency received 600 applications from vehicle dismantlers wanting to register for their site licences before the 31 January deadline. In addition, 900 sites are already licensed to treat ELVs.
It is very difficult to estimate how many vehicle dismantlers are operating without a licence because registered exempt sites may continue to accept depolluted ELVs. The agency has yet to check how many previously exempt sites have not applied for a licence, but these sites are mainly small scale and already operate to high standards of environmental protection.
Environmentally Sustainable Procurement
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. [159102]
10 Mar 2004 : Column 1545W
Mr. Morley: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State set out an overview of the Government's approach to sustainable procurement on 30 October 2003, Official Report, column 15WS, signalling how recommendations from the inter-departmental Sustainable Procurement Group (SPG) would be taken forward.
The emphasis in the first phase of action will be on the frameworks for sustainable procurement practice and the embedding across Government of minimum specification standards which represent good environmental practice. We consider that these are essential steps towards tackling the still tougher challenge of encouraging environmental innovation through public procurement.
The report of the SPG (www.sustainable-development. gov.uk/sdig/improving/partf/report03/08.htm) recommended that the theme of sustainable procurement and innovation should be a focus for further work over the coming year. That work has now started, and will be taken forward in the context also of the Government's Innovation Report, published by the Department of Trade and Industry in December (www.dti.gov.uk/innovationreport/innovation-report-full.pdf).
It is expected that the forthcoming procurement section of the "Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate" (see http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/sdig/improving/index.htnn) will set Government wide commitments for embedding sustainable development considerations in departmental procurement strategies.
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