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31 Mar 2004 : Column 1473W—continued

Horticulture

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made in developing proposals to alter the Horticultural Development Council Order 1986 (as amended). [163634]

Alun Michael: The Horticultural Development Council has discussed the levy rate for non-agaricus mushrooms with Defra officials and this is now being considered as part of the statutory review of the Council. Any change to the levy rate will require an amendment to the Horticultural Development Council Order 1986 (as amended). As part of the review we will consider any other proposals for change to the Order including suggestions from the Council.

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department has had with (a) the Horticultural Development Council and (b) the Mushroom Growers Association about introducing a differential levy rate for non-agaricus (exotic) mushroom growers. [163678]

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Mr. Bradshaw: The Horticultural Development Council has discussed the levy rate for exotic mushrooms with Defra officials. The possibility of a differential levy rate is being considered as part of the current statutory review of the Council and the Mushroom Growers' Association (together with other industry bodies) will be consulted on any firm proposals for change.

Milk

Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of the code of practice between supermarkets and suppliers on the supply and sale of milk. [162654]

Alun Michael: The operation of the code has recently been reviewed by the Office of Fair Trading. Their report, publis235hed on 20 February, can be found on their website at: http://www.oft.gov.uk/News/Press+ releases/2004/28–04.htm.

Rights of Way

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will extend the period of consultation on motor propelled vehicles and rights of way. [162926]

Alun Michael: No. We have allowed a period for submitting responses that is longer than the 12 weeks recommended in the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Consultation and there has been a very healthy response.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many pieces of correspondence she received on motor propelled vehicles and rights of way when the consultation period finishes. [162927]

Alun Michael: Once I have had a proper opportunity to consider all the comments made on the proposals, I will publish a formal response to the consultation including an analysis of the numbers of responses received.

At this stage, we estimate we have approximately 13,000 formal responses, letters, emails and other written contributions.

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what, and how many, representations she has received from (a) the Country Land and Business Association and (b) those declaring themselves as members of the Association about the use of modern motorised vehicles on rights of way; and if she will make a statement. [163086]

Alun Michael: Once I have had a proper opportunity to consider all the comments made on the proposals, I will publish a formal response to the consultation, which will include a comprehensive analysis of the responses to the consultation.

The Country Land and Business Association has submitted a formal response to the consultation. 3,500 postcards from members of the association, supporting the Government's proposals.

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Rural Payments Agency

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what value of payments (a) have been made and (b) remain unpaid by the Rural Payments Agency to farmers in the North West, broken down by county. [156494]

Alun Michael: The following table shows the number and total value of claims paid to farmers in the North West broken down by county. These figures represent the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund 2003 accounting year which runs from 16 October 2002 to 15 October 2003.

The figures for the number and value of unpaid payments could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

£

County(14)Number ofclaims paidTotal amount
Cheshire2,11016,210,308.85
Cumbria4,85272,822,877.45
Greater Manchester5604,320,959.33
Lancashire2,63923,156,928.16
Merseyside1882,762,820.68
Total10,349119,273,894.47

(14) The county split is in line with NUTS 2 (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) regional analysis.

Severely Disadvantaged Areas

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her assessment is of the impact on tourism in severely disadvantaged areas of the payment regime in those areas. [161538]

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 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's Statement to the House on 12 February. We also plan to investigate changes in farmers' business practices and any associated impacts of changes on tourism.

Shellfish

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many shellfish beds have been recommended for closure since 2001, due to the monitoring of toxins in shellfish producing atypical results; and if she will make a statement. [163235]

Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.

I am advised by the Food Standards Agency, that since April 2001, of the 395 classified shellfish beds in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, some 60 beds have, at various times, had temporary restrictions in place due to shellfish samples producing atypical positive results for diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxins.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list

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local authority owned sites of special scientific interest which are in an English Nature management scheme to restore their features. [163664]

Mr. Bradshaw: English Nature has initiated proceedings on four management schemes under section 28J of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended. In each case, a voluntary management agreement was reached with English Nature, before it was necessary to formally serve notice of the schemes. None of these concerned SSSI land owned or managed by local authorities.

English Nature may enter into voluntary management agreements with any owner or occupier of SSSI land. According to English Nature, management agreements have been entered into with local authorities on 204 separate SSSI units covering 4,734 hectares of SSSI land. I will write to my hon. Friend with further details.

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list sites of special scientific interest owned by local authorities which are in (a) favourable and (b) unfavourable condition; and which are improving in line with the Public Service Agreement target. [163665]

Mr. Bradshaw: The exact extent of each local authority's SSSI holding has not yet been completely defined. Overall, English Nature estimate that local authorities own or manage at least 47,000 hectares (ha) of SSSI land. Many local authorities do not have digital mapping data for their own landholdings against which English Nature can compare their comprehensive data on SSSI boundaries and condition.

Drawing on English Nature's Site Information System (ENSIS), and working with the Association of Local Government Ecologists, English Nature has identified details of 32,000 ha of SSSI land owned or managed by 256 local authorities. Of these 32,000 ha, according to the last condition assessments completed on the land, approximately 19,400 ha is in favourable condition, 6,900 ha is in recovering condition, and 5,700 ha is in unfavourable no change or declining condition. I will write to the hon. Member with further details.

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list local authorities which own land designated as sites of special scientific interest, broken down by size of holding. [163666]

Mr. Bradshaw: I refer my hon. Friend to my previous answer concerning the difficulties faced by English Nature in assembling details of local authority SSSI land holdings. According to English Nature's Sites Information System (ENSIS), 256 local authorities own SSSI land. Of these, 10 local authorities own over 1,000 hectares (ha), six local authorities own over 500 ha, and 44 local authorities own over 100 ha. Details of those local authorities owning more than 1,000 ha and more than 500 ha of SSSI land are provided as follows. I will write to my hon. Friend with further details.

Hectares of SSSI land owned/managed—over 1,000 ha

Local authority name:




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Hectares of SSSI land owned/managed—over 500 ha

Local authority name:




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