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GM Crops

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make
 
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a statement on the (a) sampling procedures used in the Chardon LL VCU trials and (b) statistical validity of the results obtained. [166345]

Mr. Morley: The sampling procedures used in the Chardon LL Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials were those specified in the trials protocol and used for all maize variety VCU trials. The procedures are designed to ensure that samples used in trials are as representative as possible of the variety in general. The results of the trials for Chardon LL were reviewed by maize trials experts on the Herbage VCU Group and members of the Interdepartmental Statisticians Group, who confirmed their statistical validity.

Local Food Production

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her Department's support for local food production. [167013]

Alun Michael: The Government recognise the benefits of local food and is keen to encourage a flourishing local food sector. In recognition of this, provision is available under the England rural development programme for   supporting activities such as the establishment of farmers' markets, the development of regional and local   branding of foodstuffs and the formation of collaborative groups to market quality products. For example, within the last year we awarded £100,256 to the National Association of Farmers' Markets to raise the profile of farmers' markets across England and to increase public awareness of them.

Defra has also helped finance a number of local sourcing workshops organised by the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) designed to bring together supermarkets and small local producers to explore how barriers to local sourcing can be overcome. Following on from this, we helped fund the Business in The Community (BiTC) and IGD guide for small businesses looking to work with large food retailers and food service companies—"Local Sourcing—Opening the Door for Small Business". In addition to this, our Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative is designed to encourage public sector bodies to procure their food in a manner that promotes sustainable development and to encourage more small and local businesses to compete to supply them with food.

This work will be complemented at a regional level through the regional plans that each regional development agency (RDA) is drawing up to help deliver the Government Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food. Although the nature of this support will be determined according to regional priorities, issues to be addressed will include the production and supply of locally sourced food by encouraging food hubs and shared facilities and the linking of local producers with local retailers and tourist businesses.

Methyl Bromide

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what position Her Majesty's Government is taking over current applications to the United Nations for exemptions from the international ban on methyl bromide. [166573]

 
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Mr. Morley: Methyl bromide is an ozone depleting substance and its production and supply are controlled under the Montreal Protocol. Its production is due to be phased out in developed countries after 31 December 2004.

However, in recognition that alternatives for all existing methyl bromide uses may not be available by 2005 a provision was made under Decision IX/6 of the Montreal Protocol, where critical use exemptions can be requested when there are no technically and economically feasible alternatives. The UK's view is that methyl bromide is being phased out by the Protocol and should not be phased back in by excessive critical uses.

Several Parties to the Protocol, including the UK, submitted applications for critical use exemptions and a package of exemptions was agreed at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol in Montreal (24–26 March 2004) Some further applications, including from the UK, will be due for decision by the Parties at a meeting of the Parties in November.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her best available estimate is of the cost of answering the questions on badgers and bovine TB asked by the hon. Member for North Shropshire (Mr. Paterson) in session 2003–04. [157135]

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost has been of providing answers to parliamentary questions asked by the hon. Member for North Shropshire (Mr. Paterson) on the subject of bovine TB and related matters since 2003. [164210]

Mr. Bradshaw: The last estimate made of the average cost of answering a parliamentary question (April 2002) was £135.

The hon. Member for North Shropshire (Mr. Paterson) has tabled 450 questions on badgers and bovine tuberculosis during this parliamentary session. Thus the estimated total cost involved in answering these questions is £60,750.

This cost has been met by the diversion of resources from the development of policy and from scientific research in relation to both wildlife and to bovine TB. It has resulted in delays in responding to public correspondence and has held up work on areas such as the review of badger licensing, consultation on deer management, the review of the TB website and updating the advice to farmers in the booklet "Dealing with TB in Your Herd".

Temporary Staff/Consultants

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 March, Official Report, column 1391, on temporary staff, if she will list the amounts spent by her Department on (a) temporary staff and (b) consultants for each year; if she will publish the job descriptions of
 
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the consultants hired by her Department in (i) 2001–02, (ii) 2002–03 and (iii) 2003–04; and if she will make a statement. [164714]

Alun Michael: I am sorry the answer I gave the hon. Member on 9 March, Official Report, column 1391W, incorrectly included reference to consultants and did not accurately record the expenditure on temporary staff.

The correct figures from the Departmental accounts show payments to employment agencies for the supply of temporary staff for the three financial years as:

2001–02: £18.01 million

2002–03: £13.11 million, and

2003–04: £9.62 million respectively.

The figure for 2003–04 covers the period April to   December 2004 only. Once financial year end reconciliations are complete, I can write to the hon. Member with the expenditure for the last three months of the financial year.

The job descriptions of the consultants hired by the Department in 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04 are not held centrally and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

UK National Seed List

Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her responsibilities relating to the inclusion of GM crops on the UK National Seed List as it applies in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland. [166523]

Mr. Morley: The Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/3510) deal with the acceptance of agricultural plant varieties onto the National Lists of varieties. These Regulations apply to both conventional and GM varieties. The National Lists are United Kingdom lists.

The National Authorities have the joint responsibility to decide whether a plant variety has met the criteria in the Regulations in order that it can be added to the relevant National List. The 'National Authorities' are defined for the purpose of the Regulations as:

in respect of England, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;

in respect of Scotland, the Scottish Ministers;

in respect of Wales, the National Assembly for Wales; and

in respect of Northern Ireland, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Water Supply (Nitrate Pollution)

Sir Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the reasons for changes in the level of nitrate pollution in public water supplies; and what steps are being taken to reduce levels. [167020]

Mr. Morley: Unusual meteorological conditions caused an increase in nitrate levels in 2001. Results for   2002 show a significant improvement. We are supporting water company schemes for nitrate removal in the current periodic review of water price limits, provided there is sound evidence of the likelihood of future failures.
 
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