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Cattle Movements

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the purpose is of the six-day rule for auction marts; what representations she has received on lifting the six-day rule of auction marts; if she will lift the six-day rule of auction marts; and if she will make a statement. [162028]

Mr. Bradshaw: Livestock moving to auction markets does not trigger a six day standstill on arrival at a market. But in order to balance the significant disease risk that results from animals from different sources mixing at a market, animals are only permitted to move to a market if the farm from which they originate is not under a standstill (20 days for pigs or six days for other species).

This rule is waived where the market is a dedicated slaughter market. In this case the livestock must go from the market direct to slaughter. The disease risk is accordingly less than if the stock were dispersed to other farms.

The standstill that applies to farm premises is based on a scientific Cost Benefit Analysis of the disease risks associated with various standstill lengths. I do not propose to amend the standstill regime, which represents the best available balance between minimising disease risk and the needs of the farming community to trade livestock.

I have received no representations from livestock farmers or market operators on lifting the requirement for livestock to observe a standstill before they move to auction markets.

Cetacean By-catch

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding her Department has (a) allocated and (b) spent on scientific research into preventing cetacean strandings in UK waters in each of the past five years for which records are available. [155948]

Mr. Bradshaw: Figures for scientific research allocated and spent by Defra, in each of the past five (financial) years, on mitigating cetacean bycatch are;

2003–04—£173,232

2002–03—£220,582

2001–02—£171,912

2000–01—£155,308

1999–2000—£93,510

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Computer Production (Environmental Effects)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on discussions between her Department and the Department of Trade and Industry on (a) effects on the environment of future computer production and (b) who should pay the costs of environmental effects. [160815]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 16 March 2004]: Defra work closely with the DTI, who lead on the implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), and the Restriction of the use of Certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS) Directives. These Directives are producer responsibility Directives, and aim to reduce the environmental impact of all electronic equipment, including computers. The environmental impact is reduced by restricting the use of hazardous substances during manufacture; and through reprocessing WEEE, so that materials can be returned to the economic cycle and avoid being landfilled. The WEEE Directive also aims to assign financial responsibility, for the collection, treatment and recycling of WEEE, to producers and business users, when a computer reaches its end of its life.

In addition, both Defra and DTI are currently negotiating two other Directives that will have a positive effect on the environmental impact of computers. Batteries are a significant component of laptop computers, and the proposed Batteries Directive will make producers of batteries responsible for their collection and recycling.

Similarly the proposed Eco design for Energy using Products (EuP) Directive will ensure that producers take responsibility for the whole life cycle of their products, from the initial design stage, right through to end of life and disposal. Defra, via the Market Transformation Programme, has also been working with the DTI, among others, to seek to reduce the energy consumption of IT equipment in use. Current measures include the EU Energy Star Regulation and the Government Quick wins initiative which specifies minimum standards for government procurement of IT equipment.

Correspondence

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) when she will reply to the letter to her from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 5 February 2004 with regard to Ms C.Holden; [161802]

(2) when she will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 5 February, with regard to Ms C.Holden. [163300]

Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State responded on 16 March.

Cotswolds Canals

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the re-opening of the Cotswolds canals; and what discussions she has had with the Heritage Lottery Board with regard to the bid that has been submitted. [162830]

23 Mar 2004 : Column 695W

Alun Michael: The Government wishes to encourage restoration projects to expand the canal network, which has clear economic, environmental and social benefits. It is for the Heritage Lottery Board to assess and decide on the funding application to support the restoration of the Cotswold Canals but we look forward to the outcome of the Board's major grant meeting in July.

Deer Sanctuaries

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will introduce an active management plan on deer sanctuaries in co-operation with neighbouring land managers. [160174]

Mr. Bradshaw: The management of wildlife on privately owned land is primarily the responsibility of the relevant landowner, and it has not been the policy of this or previous governments to become actively involved unless the landowner is the recipient of funds from the public purse or if the landowner is in breach of his / her legal obligations.

As the larger deer species range widely we encourage neighbouring landowners to co-operate in managing deer if agricultural damage or other problems arise. Advice on deer and guidance on preparing management plans are available from the Deer Initiative (Tel: [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail]; www. thedeerinitiative.co.uk).

Energy Efficiency

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her current targets are for domestic energy efficiency improvements. [161007]

Mr. Morley: The Energy White Paper issued in February 2003 made clear that more than half the emissions reductions in the UK Climate Change Programme—around 10 million tonnes of carbon per year by 2010—are expected to come from energy efficiency, with household energy efficiency accounting for around half of these. Beyond 2010, the Government believes that energy efficiency can contribute around half the additional 15–25 million tonnes of carbon we are likely to need by 2020, of which 4–6 million tonnes might be accounted for by the household sector.

An aim for energy efficiency in residential accommodation in England, as required by the Sustainable Energy Act 2003, is likely to be set out in the Government's Energy Efficiency Implementation Plan, to be published after Easter.

Farming

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on farm income levels for farmers in Crosby in the past five years. [160394]

Alun Michael: Due to the small number of farms in Crosby, there is no robust data available on farm incomes for farmers in Crosby over the last five years.

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Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the 20 largest payments made under the (a) Arable Area Payments Scheme, (b) Beef Special Premium Scheme, (c) Suckler Cow Premium Scheme, (d) Sheep Annual Premium Scheme, (e) Hill Farm Allowance Scheme, (f) Slaughter Premium Scheme, (g) Integrated Administration and Control System, (h) Dairy Premium Scheme, (i) Dairy Additional Payments Scheme and (j) Extensification Payment Scheme were in the most recent EU budget year for which figures are available. [156141]

Alun Michael: The figures in the following table represent the total of the 20 largest payments made under the listed schemes. These are based on the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) Year which runs from 16 October 2002 to 15 October 2003.

Scheme	Value (£)
Arable Area Payments	10,067,954.47
Beef Special Premium	819,631.12
Suckler Cow Premium	1,721,515.19
Sheep Annual Premium	1,438,796.95
Hill Farming Allowance	310,191.42
Slaughter Premium	600,375.50
Extensification Payment	915,768.43

Figures have not been provided for (g) Integrated Administration and Control System as this is an umbrella scheme which encompasses the individual schemes listed in the table; (h) Dairy Premium Scheme and (i) Dairy Additional Payments Scheme which are new schemes being introduced with effect from 2004.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is bound by commercial confidentiality in its dealings with its customers, whether sole traders or farmers or corporations, breach of which by disclosing information relating to the affairs of individual traders or farmers or corporations would expose the RPA to the liability of legal proceedings in tort.

In relation to individual farmers or traders, information which is of a personal nature, such as individual payments to such persons, is personal data which is protected from voluntary disclosure under the Data Protection Act 1998. While the RPA can release global figures relating to payments, which do not identify individual persons, including corporations, it is unable to release individual figures without incurring the liabilities under the two principles.pa

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