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River Invertebrates

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will meet representatives of angling associations to discuss the assistance which they can provide in the monitoring of invertebrates in rivers. [163078]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 24 March 2004]: No. However, the Government are aware of concerns over invertebrate numbers in rivers. The Environment Agency has undertaken evaluation of invertebrate data collected for General Water Quality monitoring; this analysis continues and is moving to establish definitive research to identify the causes in the decline of invertebrate numbers. The Environment Agency is engaged with angling organisations as to how anglers may help in developing this work. The Government will

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continue to encourage the Environment Agency to proceed with the research and collaboration with anglers and other interested bodies.

Sewerage

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether it is her policy to improve the liaison between local authorities and sewerage undertakers to control the rat population in sewers and drains more effectively. [162400]

Mr Morley [holding answer 22 March 2004]: Yes. In 1999, we worked with the Local Government Association and WaterUK to prepare and publish a joint protocol, which contained arrangements for closer working relationships between water companies and local authorities in respect of rodent infestations in sewers.

Shellfish

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has made to her European counterparts on a common European approach to the monitoring of toxins in shellfish; and if she will make a statement. [163234]

Mr. Bradshaw: None. This is the policy responsibility of the Food Standards Agency.

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking with the Food Standards Agency to minimise shellfish bed closures due to atypical positive results. [163236]

Mr. Bradshaw: The decision on whether to close shellfish beds is the policy responsibility of local Food Authorities, advised by the Food Standards Agency. The Department continues to stay in close contact with the Agency on a whole range of issues relating to the atypical positive results to ensure the problem is fully investigated and the appropriate actions are taken.

Sumatran Tiger

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to help preserve the Sumatran tiger. [162898]

Mr. Morley: The Government are taking action through our participation in multilateral environmental agreements, notably the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which help safeguard the Sumatran tiger and other endangered species. The Government also provides funds to support "21st Century Tiger", a wild tiger conservation partnership between the Zoological Society of London and Global Tiger Patrol, which has undertaken three projects on the Sumatran tiger over the last four years.

Waste Re-use

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has had from (a) the fuel industry and (b) environmental groups on the manufacture of road fuel from waste plastics. [162283]

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Mr. Morley: The Department is not aware of receiving any recent representations, on the manufacture of road fuel from waste plastics, from either the fuel industry or environmental groups. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has, in the past, received inquiries on this issue. However, because WRAP'S remit is to develop markets for recycled materials, and the manufacture of road fuel from plastics does not meet the definition of recycling in the Packaging Directive (2004/12/EC), the issue has not been pursued.

Waste Management

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will end the statutory monopoly of the Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Body to issue certificates of technical competence. [162441]

Mr. Morley: The Department is currently reviewing the permitting of waste recovery and disposal activities. Informal consultation with stakeholders has shown strong support for continuing to require applicants for permits to demonstrate technical competence, which is a feature of the current waste management licensing system. However, there was also a view that other ways of demonstrating technical competence should be introduced in addition to certificates of technical competence issued by the Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board. We are considering how to deliver this as part of a new permitting regime and expect to formally consult on proposals in due course.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Correspondence

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for West Chelmsford will receive a reply to his letter of 27 August 2003 to the Department of Trade and Industry transferred to the Home Office on 4 September 2003 concerning Mrs. S. Hawkard. [152929]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 5 February 2004]: Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC replied to the hon. Member on 22 March 2004.

Crime Reduction Advisers

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) staffing and (b) cost changes have been over the last two years of the units headed by the crime reduction advisers based in regional Government Offices; and what measurable benefits have accrued from the increases. [163328]

Mr. Blunkett: The Home Office transferred 169 staff to the Government Offices (GO) in June 2002 to work on the Crime Reduction agenda, along with funding of £6.104 million. This included 24 research staff who remained on the Home Office payroll but who were co-located in the GOs. The staffing levels have remained the same in 2003–04, though the funding increased to £8.143 million to reflect the full year's cost.

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Crime reduction teams in the nine Government Offices are focused on improving the performance of poor performing Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships and those with the highest crime rates. They are working closely with these partnerships to identify their strengths and weaknesses across a range of competencies and to develop and implement improvement plans. The deployment of researchers and analysts in each region has also allowed the crime teams to support and develop partnerships more effectively.

National Offender Management Scheme

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has appointed a Programme Board for the National Offender Management Service in accordance with the rules of the Office of Government Commerce. [161165]

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Paul Goggins: The implementation of the National Offender Management Service will be overseen by the Chief Executive of the Service and by the National Offender Management Board, chaired by me as Minister for correctional services, with senior representatives from the Home Office, Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Treasury.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the question from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford tabled on 2 February, reference 152929; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the time taken to respond to the hon. Member's letter of 27 August on behalf of his constituent Mrs. S. Hawkard. [162397]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 22 March 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 26 March 2004. ana

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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Computer Misuse

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many cases of computer misuse there were in his Department in (a) 1997 and (b) 2003, broken down by category of misuse; and how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action. [163287]

Hilary Benn: There were no cases of computer misuse within DFID in either 1997 or 2003, which were sufficiently serious as to warrant recording locally or in NISCC (UNIRAS) or to lead to disciplinary action.

Departmental Scientific Adviser

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has a chief scientific adviser. [162477]

Hilary Benn: In view of the wide range of disciplines required for the tasks of the Department, DFID does not have a single Chief Scientific Adviser. Rather, the Head of Research maintains the liaison function with the Office of Science and Technology, drawing, as appropriate, upon the expertise and perspectives of the various advisory groups in the Department.

DFID is currently reviewing whether these arrangements need to be modified in any way to ensure that its research, policy and country programs continue to make effective use of up to date and relevant scientific knowledge.

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