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ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

British Wildlife

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial support her Department provides to charities working with Britain's wildlife. [169881]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Department's principal direct support to charities working with Britain's wildlife is the Environmental Action Fund. In the period 2002–05, £4,115,782 has been provided to voluntary bodies to undertake 23 biodiversity projects. Other voluntary bodies working with Britain's wildlife have received funding for understanding and awareness projects, including education for sustainable development. Full details of the Environmental Action Fund grants can be found at: www.defraweb/environment/eaf/index.htm

Voluntary bodies working with biodiversity in England also receive support from the funding provided to the Department's conservation agencies, English Nature, Environment Agency and Forestry Commission.

In addition, the Department provides funding—usually through contractual arrangements—or voluntary wildlife bodies for particular purposes such as research and monitoring. Examples of funding of this sort in 2003–04 included £248,145 for the National Biodiversity Network, £72,981 for a mammal monitoring project and £25,000 to the Bat Conservation Trust to run a helpline and set up a database.

Civil Servants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list for each civil service grade within her (a) Department and (b) Department's executive agencies, the total number of staff employed, broken down by (i) gender, (ii) ethnic group and (iii) age group; and how many are registered disabled. [166391]

Alun Michael: Data on staffing levels in the Civil Service are collected by the Cabinet Office and published in Civil Service Statistics. A copy of Civil Service Statistics 2002 is available in the Library, and at www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics. The 2003 edition will be published in summer 2004.

Data on staff in Defra and its Agencies for 2004 have been placed in the Library of the House.

Co-operative Party

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Minister for Rural Affairs is a member of the Co-operative Party. [170756]

 
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Alun Michael: Yes. I am proud to have represented the Co-operative Party as well as the Labour Party since I was first elected as a Cardiff City Councillor in 1973 and as a Member of Parliament since 1987, in accordance with the long-standing formal agreements between the two parties at national level. I am one of 30 Labour and Co-operative MPs currently serving in the House of Commons and I represent Wales on the Party's National Executive Committee.

Electric Shock Dog Collars

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the welfare implications of the use of electric shock collars for dogs. [170190]

Mr. Bradshaw: The scientific evidence concerning the welfare implications of the use of electric shock collars for dogs is not conclusive. In the absence of conclusive evidence it would not be appropriate to make an assessment but we will carefully consider any further evidence that is produced.

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for    Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on electric shock collars for dogs; and if she will make a statement. [170191]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has received a number of representations both in support of and in opposition to the use of electric shock collars for dogs.

Fly-tipping

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on fly-tipping of (a) the Landfill Directive and (b) the most recent rise in landfill tax. [167515]

Margaret Beckett: No formal assessment has been made of the effect on fly-tipping of implementing the Landfill Directive in England and Wales, or the £1 increase in the landfill tax rate for a tonne of active waste that occurred on 1 April this year. However, Defra is commissioning a comprehensive research project looking at the causes and incentives of illegal waste disposal that will result in a good practice guide focusing on pro-active, preventative policies. We expect the results of the research to be available in late 2005.

Defra launched a consultation on its proposed Fly-Tipping Strategy on 23 February 2004.

National Assembly for Wales

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions (a) she and (b) her ministerial colleagues held with National Assembly colleagues on each day in the week up to and including 24 February; and on which topics. [158359]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 3 March 2004]: My Ministerial colleagues and I have regular discussions with National Assembly colleagues, those of the Scottish Parliament and Northern Irish Ministers across a wide range of topics.
 
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Radioactive Contamination (Chernobyl Accident)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms in England, comprising what land areas and in what locations, still have restrictions applied to them in respect of land use as a result of the residual radioactivity from the Chernobyl nuclear accident. [169877]

Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.

There have been no restrictions on land use as a result of the Chernobyl accident. However, restrictions have been placed on the sale, movement and slaughter of sheep in areas affected by the Chernobyl accident, to prevent contaminated sheep meat from entering the food supply.

The number of farms and area of land affected, as of 30 April 2004, are as follows:

Number of farms—nine

Land area (ha)—12,100

Location—West Cumbria.

Rolls-Royce Marine Power Operations

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many representations have been received on the Environment Agency's proposed decision document relating to the operation of Rolls Royce Marine Power Operations, Derby in the consultation closing in January; and when she will reach a decision on their proposals; [171376]

(2) whether objections have been received to the Environment Agency's proposed new authorisations for Rolls Royce Marine Power Operations, Derby and the related decision to end authorisation of disposal of radioactive waste at Hills Quarry, Crich in the consultation ending in January 2004. [171377]

Mr. Morley: Ministers have received 17 representations in response to Rolls Royce Marine Power Operation's applications for disposal of radioactive waste from the company's nuclear fuel production plant and the Neptune Reactor, Raynesway, Nuclear Licensed sites. These were all in relation to the disposal of solid low-level radioactive waste at Hilts Quarry landfill site.

Ministers are currently considering the Agency's proposed decision document. An announcement will be made shortly.

Sites of Scientific Interest

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidelines she issued to English Nature prior to English Nature's recent assessment of sites of special scientific interest. [171071]

Mr. Bradshaw: English Nature assesses the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) according to common standards agreed for the UK through the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), and not on the basis of Government guidelines. Detailed standards for individual habitats and species are also prepared through the JNCC.
 
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Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what English Nature's policy is regarding informing relevant landowners of its intention to conduct assessments of sites of special scientific interest. [171072]

Mr. Bradshaw: English Nature will seek permission from an owner before entering onto land within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) to make a condition assessment. In the rare cases where permission is refused, or where ownership cannot be ascertained (four out of 4,699 assessments of SSSI units in 2003–04), English Nature has power of entry onto land to carry out condition assessments.

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what English Nature's policy is on allowing relevant landowners (a) to see the information it holds on sites of special scientific interest and (b) to comment on it before it is published. [171073]

Mr. Bradshaw: The English Nature website gives information on the conservation interest of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), and their condition. The ecological and geological information on SSSIs is generally available from English Nature, on request, under the Environmental Information Regulations. Owners and occupiers are welcome to offer comments on the information on SSSIs on the website. There is a comments section on the website, under the heading 'Contact Us'.

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