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28 Apr 2004 : Column 1011W—continued

Dairy Farming

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has held with dairy farmers on the 2004 integrated administration and control system form. [168086]

Alun Michael: The 2004 IACS application form was based on the 2003 form and updated to take account of the requirements of new EC legislation. The application form has been developed over time with considerable input from farmers' representatives. As is usual the National Farmers Union and the Country Land and Business Association were copied the proposed drafts of the IACS 2004 literature and their comments noted.
 
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Four new Aids were introduced for 2004 including those for Dairy Premium and the Additional Dairy Payment. In order to meet the printing deadlines the design of the form had to be finalised before the Minister had agreed to the detail regarding the Additional Payment.

The final design was a compromise between simplicity for farmers claiming Dairy Premium/Additional Payment and the need to collect enough information to cover a range of possible options for the Additional Payment criteria without having to ask farmers for further information.
 
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Disposable Nappies

Mr. Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she has under the Waste Implementation Programme to identify and promote best practice within the NHS in relation to the promotion and use of disposable nappies. [168777]

Mr. Morley: The use of disposable nappies in the NHS is well established. Government want to ensure that parents who are interested in re-usable nappies are provided with information about that option alongside information on disposables.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is employing staff to work alongside health professionals in hospitals and trusts as part of its work on waste minimisation and identifying and promoting best practice in relation to re-usable nappies in the NHS.

EU Accession States

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department has in place effectively to monitor imports of (a) human food and (b) animal feed from (i) EU member states and (ii) EU accession states in respect of their compliance with EU regulations on labelling and traceability. [167417]

Mr. Morley: Imports of Genetically Modified Organisms into and within the EU are covered by existing legislation in the form of Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of GMOs, Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 on GM food and feed and Regulation (EC) No. 1830/2003 concerning the traceability and labelling of GMOs and the traceability of food and feed products produced from GMOs). All Regulations take direct effect in both existing member states and accession states.

Domestic implementation of the new Regulations (which cover imports of both human food and animal feed) is a devolved competence. In England, local authorities are under a duty to enforce the requirements. Sample analysis must be carried out by a public analyst laboratory accredited for GM analysis.

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what efforts her Department has made to ensure that EU accession states have the required technical capacity and advice to ensure their compliance with (a) testing, (b) labelling and (c) traceability of GM crops and foods under EU regulations; [167418]

(2) what discussions she has had with (a) the EC and (b) her counterparts in the 10 EU accession states to seek a timetable for the compliance of the accession states with regulations (EC) 1829/2003 and (EC) 1830/2003 on the labelling and traceability of genetically modified crops; [167419]

(3) what efforts her Department is making to ensure that (a) EU member states and (b) EU accession states comply with EU rules on genetically modified crops, including regulations (i) (EC) No.1829/2003 and (ii) (EC) No.1830/2003 under directive 2001/18/EC on traceability and labelling. [167420]

 
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Mr. Morley: Directive 2001/18 on the deliberate release into the environment of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is part of the aquis communautaire for the new member states.

New Regulations on traceability and labelling of GMOs (Regulation (EC) 1830/2003) and GM food and feed (Regulation (EC) 1829/2003) are not formally included in the "aquis communautaire" for accession states as negotiations were closed in December 2002. However, the regulations will apply in new member states from 1 May 2004, and new member states will be required to have appropriate legislative frameworks in place. The new Regulations took effect in existing member states from 18 April 2004.

All these Regulations require member states to introduce a proportionate and effective hierarchy of offences and penalties related to the potential seriousness of the failure to comply with the various EU requirements.

The Commission is required to produce Community-wide guidance in relation to the new Regulations, including guidance on sampling and testing, to ensure a co-ordinated approach between member states. Work on this is still under way.

The Secretary of State has not explicitly discussed the application of these Regulations with current or accession member states. However, officials from my Department and the Food Standards Agency continue to liaise with their counterparts in other member states through Regulatory and Standing Committees and informal contacts.

Fluoxetine

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what work has been carried out to establish the background levels of fluoxetine in the aquatic environment; [167861]

(2) what information she has procured to establish the levels of residues from anti-depressant drugs in the (a) livers, (b) brains and (c) muscle of fish. [167860]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 23 April 2004]: During 2002–03 the Environment Agency carried out a desk based ranking exercise on the 500 pharmaceuticals most commonly used in England and Wales in order to prioritise those of environmental significance. This exercise included fluoxetine, more commonly known under the trade name Prozac. A short, targeted monitoring programme was then set up for 12 pharmaceuticals. Fluoxetine was not included because no analytical method suitable for use on environmental samples existed and development of one would be difficult. The top ranked antidepressant was lofepramine and this was included in the monitoring survey. A method was not in existence and had to be developed. Lofepramine was not detected in any of the five sewage works effluents or receiving watercourses monitored. However, it does not necessarily follow that the same would be true for fluoxetine.

No monitoring of fish has been undertaken.

The Environment Agency have developed a Position Statement on pharmaceuticals—which can be found on the Agency's website, www.environment-agency.gov.uk
 
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(search—pharmaceuticals). This elaborates further on the work done and includes a recommendation to the pharmaceutical industry to do more on the development of analytical methods for environmental monitoring. I am pleased that the Environment Agency is in discussion with the industry on the development of a work programme to cover the recommendations to industry listed in the Position Statement.

Fly-tipping

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she will take to enable more rapid action against fly-tipping. [168016]

Mr. Morley: The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 gave powers to local authorities, allowing them to stop, search and seize vehicles suspected of fly-tipping. It also gave the Secretary of State the power to request fly-tipping data returns from waste collection authorities and the Environment Agency (the Agency). The national database, Flycapture, was launched on 5 April 2004 for this purpose, and a notice in writing was issued to all waste collection authorities and the Agency. A clearer national picture of fly-tipping will form a more robust evidence base informing future policy decisions, at a national and local level.

The Fly Tipping Strategy was published for consultation on 23 February 2004. The Strategy builds on previous legislative changes and aims to extend the tools available to the authorities in the prevention and enforcement of fly-tipping.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Government's fly tipping strategy. [168084]

Mr. Morley: The Fly Tipping strategy was published for consultation on 23 February 2004. The consultation period ends on 14 May 2004. Comments received will be analysed and responses will be made publicly available.

The strategy proposes a range of measures to help tackle the problem of fly-tipping and encourage effective enforcement alongside pro-active preventative policies.

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