| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
24 Mar 2004 : Column 835W—continued
Flood Defences
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have been made to the criteria used by the Environment Agency to determine priorities for investment in flood defences in each of the last five years; and on what basis these changes were made. [154914]
Margaret Beckett: For grant-aided capital investment the Environment Agency uses Defra's priority scoring system, which applies to all flood and coastal defence operating authorities. The system was introduced on a pilot basis in 1997 and, following a review and wide ranging consultation, a revised system was announced in 2002 to come into effect in April 2003. The revised system ranks projects on three components in a ratio of 20:12:12 respectively: benefit:cost ratio, the number of people to be protected (as measured by number of residences over cost) and environmental assets
24 Mar 2004 : Column 836W
protected. In order to be approved for grant aid from Defra proposals must meet a minimum threshold score, which is reviewed annually.
For investment in other flood management expenditure the Agency issued guidance to Regional Flood Defence Committees (RFDCs) on priorities in 1998. From 1 April 2004 Grant in Aid from Defra will replace levies on local authorities for financing the bulk of RFDC expenditure and this gives the Agency a greater direct role in deciding on priorities and distribution between regions. For 2004–05, allocations reflected the assumptions made in regional business plans for the previous levy-setting round. The Agency is now working with Defra on a more robust prioritisation system for the allocation of Grant in Aid based on new performance measures in relation to flood risk reduction, for application from 2006–07. In the meantime the Agency will be expected to meet the targets published in their 2004 Corporate Plan.
Livestock
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of the slaughter-only market on (a) farms and (b) auction marts; and if she will alter her Department's ruling so that livestock may return to farm of origin with the proviso that it triggers a 20 day standstill on that farm. [162470]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is for market operators to take a commercial decision as to whether they choose to operate as a dedicated slaughter market. These markets can be beneficial to auction markets because of the revenue received from livestock originating from farms that are under a movement standstill.
Dedicated slaughter markets can also be beneficial to livestock farmers because they are able to take animals there whilst their farm is under a movement standstill.
The standstill arrangements are 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.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the welfare implications for suckler herds of the proposed pre-movement testing regime, with particular reference to the sufficiency of grazing to support animals retained on farm as a result of movement restrictions. [158602]
Mr. Bradshaw: None. Any welfare implications of this proposal will be estimated as part of the consultation process, which will involve discussions with veterinary and farming interests.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her best estimate is of the number of cattle movements made annually in the United Kingdom to which pre- and post-movement testing will apply. [158628]
24 Mar 2004 : Column 837W
Mr. Bradshaw: The Cattle Tracing System in 2002 recorded approximately 2.8 million cattle movements in GB to which pre and post movement testing could apply dependent upon the option and area selected.
Pig Industry
Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will break down by (a) year and (b) scheme how the £66 million allocated to the pig industry restructuring scheme was spent; and if she will list unspent funds. [155593]
Alun Michael: The £66 million provisionally allocated to the Pig Industry Restructuring Scheme was spent as follows:
(a) £15.7 million in Financial Year 2001–02 and £10.9 million in each Financial Year 2002–03 and 2003–04.
(b) £21.8 million for the Ongoers scheme and £15.7 million for the Outgoers scheme.
Of the remainder, £22 million was used to fund measures related to the classical swine fever (CSF) outbreak in East Anglia, £3.9 million was 'loaned' to the Meat and Livestock Commission to fund the industry's top-up payment to the Government's CSF-related Pig Welfare (Disposal) Scheme, and £2.6 million was re-allocated to a post-FMD recovery scheme.
Not all claims have been submitted and met as yet but funds have been fully allocated.
Project Funding
Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many (a) solely state-financed and (b) public-private partnership and private finance initiative projects for which her Department is responsible have been launched in each region in each of the last 10 years; [160963]
- (2) how much was spent by (a) the Government on solely state-financed projects and (b) the (i) Government and (ii) private sector on public-private and private finance initiative projects for which her Department is responsible, in each of the last 10 years, broken down by region. [160964]
Alun Michael: Details on the Department's Private Finance Initiatives are in the Signed Project List on the Treasury Website http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/documents/public private partnerships/ppp pfi stats. cfm. The remainder of the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Severely Disadvantaged Areas
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what alternative land uses she has considered for land vacated in severely disadvantaged areas resulting from lower payment made to livestock producers in those areas. [161539]
Alun Michael: Recipients of the single farm payment will be required to respect the cross compliance conditions. These will include a requirement to maintain
24 Mar 2004 : Column 838W
land in good agricultural and environmental condition. Subject to these requirements, it will be for individual farmers to decide how best to organise their businesses.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her assessment is of the impact on wildlife in severely disadvantaged areas of the payment regime in those areas. [161540]
Alun Michael: Defra will publish shortly an analysis of the economic impact on the English farming industry of the decoupling of CAP direct payment and the decision to allocate entitlement on the basis set out in the statement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the House on 12 February. Defra will monitor future changes in farming practices, markets and the environment.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with farmers' representatives on the single farm payment to livestock farmers in severely disadvantaged areas. [161541]
Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made her decision on the basis for allocating entitlements to the single farm payment in England in the best interests of the farming industry as well as the wider public interest. Ministers and officials have had frequent meetings with representatives of farming organisations, before and since the announcement on 12 February, including with organisations with members in the Severely Disadvantaged Areas.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate she has made of the number of livestock farmers in severely disadvantaged areas who will cease farming over the next 10 years; [161542]
- (2) what assessment she has made of the effects on livestock farmers in severely disadvantaged areas of competition with livestock farmers in receipt of different levels of payments under the single farm payment scheme; [161543]
(3) what her assessment is of the effect on farmers' incomes in severely disadvantaged areas of differentials in single farm payments between producers in these areas and other livestock producers in the rest of England. [161536]
Alun Michael: Defra will publish shortly an analysis of the economic impact on the English farming industry of the decoupling of CAP direct payment and the decision to allocate entitlement on the basis set out in the statement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the House on 12 February 2004.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |