---

29 Apr 2004 : Column 1179W—continued

Timber

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167625]

Estelle Morris: DCMS has no plans at present to contribute financially to the establishment of this DEFRA initiative, but DCMS and its NDPBs are active in sustainable development and the matter will be kept under review.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action her Department is taking to limit the maximum number of hours during which a live animal may be transported to eight hours; and what plans there are for EU regulations on this. [164580]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 31 March 2004]: The European Commission brought forward proposals in July 2003 for a regulation to replace the current EU rules on animal welfare during transport. In discussing those proposals the Government have sought reductions in overall journey times as part of a range of measures to improve the welfare of animals.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with other EU ministers about transportation times for animals being exported for slaughter or fattening; and if she will make a statement. [168059]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 23 April 2004]: The European Commission's proposals (published in July 2003) for a new regulation to replace the current directive were discussed at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in December 2003 and February 2004. I have also taken the opportunity to discuss this important issue with other EU ministers outside of Council meetings. The Commission's proposals were discussed again at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 26 April 2004.
 
29 Apr 2004 : Column 1180W
 

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the new Animal Welfare Bill will be published. [166753]

Mr. Bradshaw: I anticipate publication of the proposed Animal Welfare Bill within the next two to three months.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for   Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans   she has to strengthen animal welfare codes of conduct. [165896]

Mr. Bradshaw: DEFRA is currently reviewing and updating the Codes of Recommendation for the Welfare of Livestock, where necessary. Codes which have recently been updated include the pig code and the cattle code, issued on 11 March and 23 April 2003 respectively.

Under the proposed Animal Welfare Bill there are also plans to introduce codes for non-farmed animals. The codes, which will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny, will be used to support a statutory duty on the owners and keepers of animals to promote good welfare standards. Production of the codes will involve the industry, welfare organisations, veterinarians and officials working in partnership.

Badgers

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the evidence to support the hypothesis that there has   been an explosion of the badger population in the UK. [165450]

Mr. Bradshaw: English Nature advises that there are likely to be in the region of 300,000 to 400,000 badgers in Great Britain. This figure is derived from the most recent National Badger Survey which took place in the mid-1990s ¹ . The survey also reported that there had been a 77 per cent. increase in badger numbers between the mid-1980s and mid-1990s.

¹  "Changes in the British badger population, 1988 to 1997" by G. Wilson, S. Harris and G. McLaren (1997), published by the People's Trust for Endangered Species (ISBN1 855800187)

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish the interim results of the proactive badger strategy. [166881]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG) undertakes interim analyses of data collected from the proactive treatment areas of the RBCT at six-monthly intervals. The ISG advise that analyses of such data collected so far has not yielded a statistically significant result. Any significant interim findings will be reported to Ministers without delay.

On 6 April, DEFRA announced the publication of a report from an independent scientific panel chaired by Professor Charles Godfray FRS reviewing the progress of the RBCT and associated DEFRA research, as part of a wider review of DEFRA's science. The report recommended that DEFRA policymakers should have access to the the interim results from the RBCT. The recommendation did not encompass full publication. Even so, it was challenged by the ISG and the matter is still under consideration.
 
29 Apr 2004 : Column 1181W
 

We have been advised by the ISG that a full set of trial data from the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) should have been gathered by the end of 2006. A full report will follow, with publication as soon as possible thereafter.

Baronsdown Sanctuary

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Baronsdown Sanctuary area is a recognised reservoir of TB infection. [165489]

Mr. Bradshaw: We are aware that TB is present in wild deer in parts of Exmoor. This was a factor (together with the disease history of cattle and other wildlife) in the decision to test cattle herds for TB annually over most of Exmoor.

Bass

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the volume of sea bass landings in the United Kingdom was in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) market and (b) port. [167131]

Mr. Bradshaw: The following table shows details of sea bass landings into the UK by UK and foreign vessels for the years 1999–2003, broken down by port of landing. Fisheries Departments in the UK do not record details of landings by market.
Landings of Sea Bass into the UK 1999–2003 Quantity (tonnes live weight)

Country of landing/ Port of landing	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
England
North Shields	0.04	0.00	0.04	0.02	0.04
Holy Island	—	—	—	—	0.01
Seahouses	—	—	0.00	0.00	—
Amble	0.01	0.00	0.01	0.02	0.01
Newbiggin	—	—	—	—	0.01
Blyth	0.00	—	0.00	0.01	0.03
Sunderland	—	0.01	0.00	0.01	0.01
Hartlepool	0.01	0.01	0.06	0.04	0.06
Whitby	0.16	0.07	0.43	0.31	0.52
Scarborough	0.12	0.04	0.60	1.49	2.80
Filey	—	0.05	0.05	0.04	0.03
Flam borough	—	0.08	—	—	—
Bridlington	0.55	0.09	0.09	0.12	0.18
Grimsby	0.12	0.26	0.31	0.09	0.59
Boston	0.02	0.00	—	—	—
Lowestoft	0.85	1.72	2.94	4.50	8.20
Brancaster Staithe	—	0.02	—	0.11	—
Sheringham	—	—	—	0.05	0.01
Cromer	—	—	—	0.12	0.05
Great Yarmouth	0.05	1.32	0.51	0.37	0.17
Southwold	0.86	1.28	0.52	0.71	1.02
Dunwich	—	0.00	0.03	—	0.01
Sizewell Beach	—	—	—	—	0.94
Aldeburgh	0.35	0.03	0.11	0.43	0.88
Orford	1.77	1.44	1.12	0.61	1.26
Ipswich	1.11	6.13	2.31	1.73	—
Felixstowe	0.03	0.01	0.05	8.63	1.51
Harwich	0.25	0.15	0.19	0.64	0.10
Walton-on-Naze	1.54	0.57	0.95	1.56	2.38
Clacton	0.02	—	0.09	0.15	0.00
Wivenhoe	0.81	0.31	0.59	0.79	0.58
Brightlingsea	0.31	0.03	—	0.01	0.01
West Mersea	16.24	0.25	0.66	1.33	0.87
Maldon	0.02	—	—	—	—
Bradwell	—	—	—	0.25	0.22
Burnham-On-Crouch	0.06	0.08	—	0.02	0.01
Great Wakering	0.10	0.00	0.01	0.23	0.31
Canvey Island	0.02	0.01	0.01	0.05	0.12
Southend-On-Sea	—	—	—	0.01	—
Leigh-On-Sea	1.33	2.06	0.76	0.83	1.74
Faversham	0.51	1.03	1.54	2.17	1.92
Gravesend	0.00	—	—	—	—
Rochester	0.10	—	—	—	—
Queenborough	0.33	1.09	0.50	0.40	1.99
Whitstable	8.47	7.01	6.23	12.10	18.59
Hastings	3.00	3.77	2.05	3.34	6.39
Poole	64.44	9.33	9.91	0.60	5.33
Margate	4.57	3.69	1.80	2.60	1.91
Broadstairs	0.29	0.56	0.01	0.13	0.07
Ramsgate	27.12	17.29	13.41	26.21	30.60
Dover	2.60	0.95	6.63	2.79	—
Folkestone	6.99	6.66	9.71	7.87	6.93
Hythe	0.93	1.84	0.96	0.46	2.11
Dungeness	2.25	1.48	0.50	2.34	0.51
Rye	4.01	2.32	2.97	3.70	3.40
Eastbourne	16.24	17.75	12.06	17.98	20.41
Newhaven	45.20	27.31	25.02	23.36	11.57
Brighton	2.81	1.85	1.23	4.50	1.87
Shoreham	33.85	18.69	29.23	30.37	42.73
Worthing	5.87	1.35	4.93	2.05	2.75
Littlehampton	2.69	5.28	2.89	3.14	5.94
Bognor Regis	0.05	—	0.02	0.01	—
Selsey	11.37	11.17	2.98	20.77	12.04
Langstone Harbour	4.54	4.61	3.85	2.86	3.36
Itchenor/East Wittering	—	—	—	—	0.07
Emsworth	0.02	0.95	—	—	0.00
Hamble	0.01	1.73	0.42	0.12	0.80
Hayling Island	—	—	0.00	0.02	—
Portsmouth	31.03	36.61	36.45	44.07	44.17
Southampton	16.25	0.16	0.97	0.00	0.56
Christchurch	7.68	2.95	1.47	—	1.94
Cowes	—	—	0.08	—	—
Isle of Wight	—	6.66	5.21	1.49	5.44
Lymington	2.93	5.13	6.04	0.85	2.18
Keyhaven	—	0.00	—	—	0.00
Swanage	1.00	0.02	0.01	—	—
Kimmeridge	0.05	0.02	0.00	—	0.05
Lulworth Cove	—	0.17	0.39	0.70	—
Weymouth	44.26	14.28	3.08	1.08	6.76
Portland	1.12	0.27	0.02	0.12	0.07
Ferrybridge	—	0.00	—	—	—
West Bay	0.14	1.06	0.05	—	—
Lyme Regis	2.92	1.56	1.28	0.96	4.00
Plymouth	161.78	59.73	108.54	122.77	140.69
Newlyn	4.46	8.26	21.34	98.81	12.90
Beer	0.69	0.83	1.04	0.70	0.42
Exmouth	3.09	10.24	10.57	8.66	9.16
Teignmouth	—	0.19	0.01	0.08	0.35
Torquay	0.61	0.33	0.20	0.34	0.51
Brixham	65.23	33.26	20.49	27.27	27.51
Dartmouth	0.50	0.51	0.39	0.33	0.37
River Dart	0.15	—	—	—	—
Kingswear	0.29	—	—	—	—
Salcombe	0.05	0.07	0.06	0.14	0.04
Hope Cove	—	—	0.00	—	—
Looe	3.08	8.67	9.30	32.34	15.02
Polperro	2.08	1.48	2.11	4.43	12.35
River Fowey	0.55	0.08	0.17	0.05	0.37
Mevagissey	3.50	1.39	1.91	3.51	11.95
River Fal—Falmouth	0.56	0.16	0.47	0.35	0.51
Helford River	0.02	0.14	0.14	0.31	0.22
Porthoustock	—	—	—	0.02	—
Coverack	0.03	0.10	0.01	0.01	—
Cadgwith	0.04	0.00	0.01	0.01	—
Penzance	0.02	0.10	0.00	0.08	0.02
Penberth	—	—	1.95	0.07	—
St. Ives	—	0.00	0.00	0.08	—
Hayle	0.01	0.24	0.02	0.51	0.02
Newquay	0.29	—	0.21	0.38	0.03
Padstow	1.29	0.62	2.04	3.22	1.67
Port Isaac	0.05	0.30	0.07	0.89	0.30
Bude	—	0.01	—	0.04	—
Clovelly	0.10	0.03	—	—	—
Appledore	6.18	6.72	18.23	20.29	19.42
Bideford	2.22	3.19	0.11	1.35	0.15
Ilfracombe	0.79	2.19	0.10	11.31	17.56
Fleetwood	0.27	0.24	0.58	0.12	0.37
Hoylake	0.02	—	—	—	—
Mersey Estuary	—	—	—	0.02	0.01
Liverpool	0.01	0.04	0.05	0.01	0.34
Morecambe	0.10	0.10	0.30	—	3.60
Barrow	0.25	0.54	1.72	0.01	0.12
Whitehaven	0.01	0.00	0.07	0.08	0.57
Maryport	—	—	0.00	0.00	0.04
Wales
Milford Haven	31.55	19.63	23.01	20.08	9.45
Conwy	0.01	0.03	3.21	0.26	—
Swansea	1.18	1.70	4.30	2.68	1.80
Porthcawl	—	0.17	0.19	0.16	2.21
Tenby	0.21	0.04	6.12	10.03	2.91
Saundersfoot	1.79	1.86	2.02	1.83	2.80
Llanelli	2.14	9.04	6.25	6.73	3.76
Three Rivers Area	—	—	—	—	0.11
New Quay	—	—	0.06	—	—
Pwllheli	—	—	—	0.45	—
Aberdaran	—	—	0.35	—	—
Caernarvon	—	0.04	4.11	0.04	0.00
Holyhead	0.11	0.06	0.03	0.07	0.34
Cemaes Bay	—	0.00	0.00	0.00	—
Bangor	—	0.19	1.02	—	—
Rhyl-Connah's Quay	—	3.27	2.75	3.13	0.16
Scotland
Eyemouth	0.02	0.00	0.01	5.99	2.59
Dunbar	—	—	—	0.00	0.00
Pittenweem	—	—	0.01	—	—
Aberdeen	0.01	—	0.05	0.01	0.00
Peterhead	0.13	—	—	—	0.02
Fraserburgh	—	—	—	—	0.00
Mallaig	—	—	—	—	0.23
Saltcoats	—	0.03	—	—	—
Girvan	—	—	—	—	0.00
Portpatrick	0.06	0.02	—	—	0.11
Isle of Whithorn	0.07	—	—	—	0.00
Northern Ireland
Kilkeel	—	—	1.34	1.13	8.52
Portavogie	—	—	—	—	0.01
Bangor (Co. Down)	—	—	—	0.01	—
Co. Antrim	—	—	—	—	0.03
Total UK landings	677.97	408.45	463.41	635.62	582.79

 
29 Apr 2004 : Column 1183W
 

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value of sea bass landings within the United Kingdom was for each of the last five years, broken down by market. [167132]

Mr. Bradshaw: Fisheries departments in the UK do not record details of sales by market. The following table shows details of the value of sea bass landings into the UK by UK and foreign vessels for the years 1999 to 2003, broken down by port of landing.
Landings of sea bass into the UK, 1999 to 2003 Value (£000)

Port of landing	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
England 1
North Shields	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—
Holy Island	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Seahouses	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—
Amble	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—
Newbiggin	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Blyth	(4)—	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—
Sunderland	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—
Hartlepool	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—
Whitby	1	(4)—	2	1	2
Scarborough	1	(4)—	3	6	11
Filey	(5)—	1	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—
Flamborough	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—
Bridlington	3	(4)—	(4)—	1	1
Grimsby	1	1	2	(4)—	2
Boston	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—
Lowestoft	5	11	15	22	40
Brancaster Staithe	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—	1	(5)—
Sheringham	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—
Cromer	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	1	(4)—
Great Yarmouth	(4)—	9	4	2	1
Southwold	5	9	3	4	7
Dunwich	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—	(4)—
Sizewell Beach	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	4
Aldeburgh	2	(4)—	1	3	8
Orford	10	9	7	3	5
Ipswich	6	35	13	10	(5)—
Felixstowe	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	1	7
Harwich	1	1	1	4	1
Walton-on-the-Naze	9	3	6	9	14
Clacton	(4)—	(5)—	1	1	(4)—
Wivenhoe	5	2	3	5	3
Brightlingsea	2	(4)—	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—
West Mersea	94	1	4	8	5
Maldon	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—
Bradwell	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	1	1
Burnham-on-Crouch	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—
Great Wakering	1	(4)—	(4)—	1	2
Canvey Island	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	1
Southend-on-Sea	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—
Leigh-on-Sea	8	11	4	5	10
Faversham	3	5	8	12	10
Gravesend	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—
Rochester	1	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—
Queenborough	2	6	3	2	10
Whitstable	43	42	28	58	94
Hastings	21	24	13	21	41
Poole	325	48	54	2	23
Margate	23	19	9	13	10
Broadstairs	1	3	(4)—	1	(4)—
Ramsgate	138	89	68	135	153
Dover	13	5	34	14	(5)—
Folkestone	46	40	48	50	37
Hythe	6	11	6	3	11
Dungeness	15	10	3	13	3
Rye	27	15	18	23	22
Eastbourne	96	110	69	109	132
Newhaven	226	134	120	112	56
Brighton	14	10	7	24	10
Shoreham	169	101	156	156	191
Worthing	39	9	14	10	14
Littlehampton	18	35	15	14	30
Bognor Regis	(4)—	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—
Selsey	63	48	11	70	44
Langstone Harbour	33	24	18	13	17
Itchenor/East Wittering	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Emsworth	(4)—	6	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Ramble	(4)—	7	2	1	4
Hayling Island	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—
Portsmouth	206	178	176	182	213
Southampton	85	1	4	(4)—	3
Christchurch	39	15	8	(5)—	8
Cowes	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—
Isle of Wight	(5)—	32	23	7	25
Lymington	15	25	35	4	9
Keyhaven	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Swanage	5	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—
Kimmeridge	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—	(4)—
Lulworth Cove	(5)—	1	2	2	(5)—
Weymouth	286	73	16	6	32
Portland	6	1	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—
Ferrybridge	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—
West Bay	1	9	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—
Lyme Regis	22	10	7	6	18
Plymouth	1,208	357	662	787	808
Newlyn	31	59	123	562	73
Beer	5	7	9	5	3
Exmouth	23	76	72	63	67
Teignmouth	(5)—	2	(4)—	1	3
Torquay	5	3	2	3	4
Brixham	386	277	174	223	206
Dartmouth	4	4	3	3	3
River Dart	1	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—
Kingswear	2	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—
Salcombe	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	1	(4)—
Hope Cove	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—
Looe	23	45	58	181	87
Polperro	15	8	12	23	69
River Fowey	4	1	1	(4)—	2
Mevagissey	25	9	13	23	73
River Fal—Falmouth	4	1	3	3	2
Helford River	(4)—	1	1	2	1
Porthoustock	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—
Coverack	(4)—	1	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—
Cadgwith	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—
Penzance	(4)—	1	(4)—	1	(4)—
Penberth	(5)—	(5)—	12	1	(5)—
St. Ives	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—	1	(5)—
Hayle	(4)—	2	(4)—	4	(4)—
Newquay	2	(5)—	1	2	(4)—
Padstow	8	5	13	18	9
Port Isaac	(4)—	2	(4)—	7	1
Bude	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—
Clovelly	1	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—
Appledore	41	45	123	138	115
Bideford	16	21	1	9	1
Ilfracombe	6	15	1	79	104
Fleetwood	2	1	3	1	2
Hoylake	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—
Mersey Estuary	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—
Liverpool	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	1
Morecambe	(4)—	(4)—	1	(5)—	17
Barrow	1	2	8	(4)—	(4)—
Whitehaven	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	2
Maryport	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—
Wales(3)
Milford Haven	187	96	116	105	48
Conwy	(4)—	(4)—	10	1	(5)—
Swansea	8	11	26	15	9
Porthcawl	(5)—	(4)—	1	1	10
Tenby	1	(4)—	30	55	16
Saundersfoot	9	8	10	9	16
Llanelli	13	41	31	34	18
Three Rivers Area	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	1
New Quay	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—
Pwllheli	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	2	(5)—
Aberdaran	(5)—	(5)—	2	(5)—	(5)—
Caernarvon	(5)—	(4)—	22	(4)—	(4)—
Holyhead	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	1
Cemaes Bay	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—
Bangor	(5)—	1	5	(5)—	(5)—
Rhyl-Connah's Quay	(5)—	9	7	15	1
Scotland(3)
Eyemouth	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—	25	13
Dunbar	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—
Pittenweem	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—
Aberdeen	(4)—	(5)—	(4)—	(4)—	(4)—
Peterhead	1	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Fraserburgh	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Mallaig	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Saltcoats	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—
Girvan	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Portpatrick	(4)—	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Isle of Whithorn	(4)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Northern Ireland(3)
Kilkeel	(5)—	(5)—	7	6	32
Portavogie	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Bangor (County Down)	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—	(5)—
County Antrim	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(5)—	(4)—
Total	4,173	2,352	2,608	3,558	3,165

⁽³⁾ Country of landing.
⁽⁴⁾ Less than half the last digit shown.
⁽⁵⁾ Nil.



 
29 Apr 2004 : Column 1186W
 

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment is made of the sea bass catch in relation to (a) size, (b) maturity and (c) reproductive state; and whether this information influences decisions by the Department on closure of fisheries. [167133]

Mr. Bradshaw: DEFRA funds a programme that collects data on the size (length and weight) and age (from scales) of representative samples of sea bass caught annually in England and Wales. Research carried out by the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science has established the age and size at which male and female bass become mature in UK waters, and reproductive state by area and season. This information is updated as necessary. It is used to provide scientific advice on the conservation status of bass stocks, and informs any decisions taken by this Department on the management of fisheries taking sea bass.

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