House of Commons
Thursday 11 March 2004
The House met at half-past Eleven o'clock
PRAYERS
[Mr. Speaker in the Chair]
Oral Answers to Questions
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
The Secretary of State was asked—
Single Farm Payments
1. Mr A.J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed) (LD): What assessment her Department has made of the likely impact of her proposals for single farm payments on (a) tenant farmers and (b) livestock farmers in Northumberland. [160276]
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Margaret Beckett): My Department will publish shortly an analysis of the economic impact on the English farming industry of the decoupling of common agricultural policy direct payments and the decision to allocate entitlement on the basis set out in my statement to the House on 12 February.
Mr. Beith: Did the Secretary of State have that analysis before her when she made the original decisions about payments? Did it take account of the position of hard-pressed tenant farmers, for whom quota is the only capital asset for retirement, or the position of farmers in severely disadvantaged areas—SDAs—where the choice of the SDA line rather than the moorland line means that livestock farmers will be hard hit while the main benefit goes to grouse moor owners, and while their neighbours and competitors in Scotland do not face a similar loss of income?
Margaret Beckett: Of course extensive economic analysis was available to us, but we continue to develop that as time goes on. We are aware of the concerns about the SDA-moorland split and we are carefully considering the different representations that we have received. I cannot honestly say whether we can make any change, but I assure the right hon. Gentleman that we take the concerns that are being expressed very seriously.
Mr. David Drew (Stroud) (Lab/Co-op): Will my right hon. Friend hold urgent discussions with the Tenant Farmers Association? The issues raised in the question are linked to tenancy reform, and there is an ideal
opportunity to give some guidance and leadership to tenants who are considering their future. There is no better way of doing that than by talking to members of the TFA.
Margaret Beckett: We are always happy to talk to the TFA. Indeed, I understand and share my hon. Friend's anxieties, especially about the position of tenant farmers. We shall continue to discuss with them what problems arise in particular and what we can do to assist.
Mr. Michael Jack (Fylde) (Con): When the noble Lord Whitty gave evidence to the Select Committee's inquiry on milk pricing, it became evident that no formal research had been carried out on the impact of the proposals for single farm payments on the SDAs. Will milk producers be included in the work that the Secretary of State is undertaking? A report on "Farming Today", which contrasted two 200-acre farms with 300-odd cows, suggested that the SDA farm would receive £23,000 less in income than a similar farm further down the hill. Will she assure me that she will consider the matter?
Margaret Beckett: As I said to the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith), we are continuing to develop the analysis further and we are considering all those issues. We shall do what we can to assess them carefully and take them into account. Of course, the right hon. Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) will be mindful, as I am, of the potential for major changes for individuals through the different system. That is one of the main reasons for phasing it in over some eight years.
Andrew George (St. Ives) (LD): On the impact of Government decisions on livestock farmers in Northumberland, will the Secretary of State confirm that Mr. Jim Dring, a Government vet, would, on his admission, have prevented the devastating foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 had his inspection of Burnside farm in Northumberland been more rigorous? Does she accept that that vital evidence was withheld from Dr. Anderson's inquiry into the lessons learned from the outbreak? Does she agree that that narrow but crucial matter should be properly investigated—it is the only reasonable thing to do—through an independent inquiry?
Margaret Beckett: No, I cannot confirm what the hon. Gentleman says. Nor, indeed, is it the case that the issues that lay behind the memorandum—the note that Mr. Dring made for himself was withheld from the Anderson inquiry—were withheld from the inquiry.
I cannot confirm the hon. Gentleman's allegations and it would be wholly wrong, and very unfair to Mr. Dring, to suggest that in some way—and this is the implication—he was responsible. It was the person who employed certain standards that helped to foster such an outbreak who was responsible. Mr. Dring has done no more than any one of us might do in musing about the matter, examining his conscience and asking, "Oh dear—is there more that I could have done?" It is what any reasonable human being should do. The idea that he should be held guilty for doing that is very unfair.
Mr. John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford) (Con): Is the Secretary of State saying that, when making decisions on single farm payments, she was unaware that that would lead to up to 5,000 farms in SDAs, such as those in Northumberland, experiencing cuts in support payments of up to 75 per cent.? Does she accept that the loss of those farms will be a disaster not only for the farmers but for the environment? Although I welcome her willingness to examine the matter, does she accept that changes have to be made to the system to avert a potential catastrophe?
Margaret Beckett: No, I am not saying that I was unaware that there would be an impact. There will inevitably be winners and losers when there is such a change. However, overall we think that about 13 per cent. of present entitlement will be redistributed over eight years. With any change, there are shifts and some individual businesses are particularly affected—however, every business should be able to benefit from the economic opportunities of decoupling. I repeat what I have said before, namely, that one of the chief reasons why we have agreed to phase in the changes over eight years is precisely to allow affected businesses to adapt.
Rhodia Eco Services
3. Mr. Harry Barnes (North-East Derbyshire) (Lab): If she will visit Staveley in Derbyshire to meet local residents to discuss environmental concerns arising from the escape of chlorine at Rhodia Eco Services on 3 November 2003. [160279]
The Minister for Rural Affairs and Local Environmental Quality (Alun Michael): I was concerned to discover that the investigation into the escape of chlorine at Rhodia by the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency has not yet been completed, although the incident occurred on 3 November and my hon. Friend the Member for North-East Derbyshire (Mr. Barnes) met inspectors on site on 7 November. I have today asked the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency to complete their investigations urgently and to meet me next week.
Mr. Barnes : It would be fruitful if I, as the local Member of Parliament, could be involved in next week's meeting, and I hope that that can be arranged. There were similar incidents in 1998 at SARP in Killamarsh in my constituency, where there were escapes of acid gas. At that time, the then Minister for the Environment, my right hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, West and Royton (Mr. Meacher), visited councillors and residents, which greatly helped to resolve the situation. Could the same thing happen at Staveley in connection with this COMAH—control of major accident hazards—incident? The town council is holding a public meeting about the matter on 2 April at 7 pm in the Speedwell rooms. That would be a useful occasion for a visit by a Minister, including a visit to the site.
Alun Michael: I have read my hon. Friend's account of events at Rhodia in Hansard, and I understand his concern about the history of the event, although I cannot make a promise about specific dates. I am told
that the investigation is complex and technical, which is why it is taking some time, but that it is being pursued as a matter of urgency. I should be very happy to invite him to attend the meeting to which I have referred.Public Health
4. Mr. Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam) (LD): If she will make a statement on the work on public health conducted jointly by her Department and the Department of Health. [160280]
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Margaret Beckett): My Department works with the Department of Health on a range of key issues connected with public health, including fuel poverty, poor environment quality, animal health, services in rural areas, food and exercise. It will play its part in "Choosing Health", which is the consultation on action to improve people's health that was launched last week.
Mr. Burstow : I am grateful to the Secretary of State for that answer. Can she tell us what assessment has been made of how to manage the surplus of fat that results from dairy processing to produce low-fat butter and milk, and what discussions have taken place with the Department of Health at ministerial and official level on that? Given the obesity epidemic that is sweeping our nation, would it not be sensible to bank the health dividend and ensure that that fat does not find its way back into the food chain?
Margaret Beckett: The hon. Gentleman makes an interesting point. As I have said, my Department is engaged in much work and discussion, including workshops and seminars, and I shall pass on the hon. Gentleman's observations.
Mr. Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh, North and Leith) (Lab/Co-op): Does my right hon. Friend agree that one of the best ways to promote public health would be for food companies that encourage unhealthy diets in children to stop doing that? Is she trying to persuade her Cabinet colleagues to support recommendations to address the imbalance in television advertising, so that healthier eating, rather than unhealthy eating, is promoted?
Margaret Beckett: I know that those issues are being considered not only by other Departments but by the Food Standards Agency. People are looking at the concerns that have been expressed on those issues and trying to get the balance right.
Mr. Russell Brown (Dumfries) (Lab): There is growing concern that low-level ground vibration from wind farms has the potential to have an adverse effect on public health. Has my right hon. Friend asked the Department of Health or an independent body to examine low-level vibration from wind turbines and its possible effects, or does she intend to do so?
Margaret Beckett: I have not, but I will.
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