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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 19 May 2004
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Bovine TB
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department uses the Bovigam gamma interferon test in field trials. [172529]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Bovigam test is being used in Defra's gamma-interferon field pilot.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms in Gloucestershire are under movement restrictions due to bovine TB, broken down by constituency; what the figures were in each of the last five years; what action she proposes to take to reduce these figures; and if she will make a statement. [173693]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is not available on a constituency basis. TB data is held by county or Animal Health Divisional Office level.
At 31 March 2004, 201 herds were under TB movement restrictions in Gloucestershire. The information requested for the previous five years for Gloucestershire is given in the following table.
| Herds under TB movement restrictions | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 277 |
| 2000 | 330 |
| 2001(1) | 180 |
| 2002(2) | 394 |
| 2003(2) | 474 |
(1)In 2001, the TB testing and control programme was largely suspended due to the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. Since testing resumed in 2002, resources have been concentrated on herds with overdue TB tests which would have had a longer period in which to contract the disease. Also the proportion of high risk herds being tested post-FMD is greater than that prior to the outbreak. As a result since 2002 the statistical data is not comparable to that of previous years.
(2) Includes restrictions imposed for other reasons, such as a TB test being overdue.
Note:
Data downloaded from the State Veterinary Service database on 13 May 2004.
This is provisional data, which is subject to change, as more data becomes available. The TB strategy is under review. We issued a consultation document 'Preparing for a new GB strategy on bovine TB' in February 2004. This constitutes the first stage in the development of a long-term strategy for TB, which applies the principles in the overarching Animal and Welfare Strategy.
The consultation also includes proposals for short-term cattle based-measures designed to restrict the geographical spread of the disease. These include such
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measures as pre- and post-movement testing, reviewing testing frequencies and improving the delivery of the testing and control programme.
We have carried out a number regional workshops in support of the review of the bovine TB strategy including one in Bristol on 16 April 2004, and a national workshop held in London on 12 May.
Agricultural Census
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future administration of the annual June agricultural census. [166447]
Alun Michael: The annual June Agricultural and Horticultural Census is an important survey. We continue to develop it with a view to reducing the burden on both respondents and the taxpayer. Following a review with our statistical advisers, we have concluded the sample sizes can be reduced in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2009 when we do not need to run such large surveys for EU purposes. The sample size for 2004 is being reduced from 75,000 holdings to about 50,000. While this will reduces the precision at the local levels, this will be minimised by the use of available administrative sources. Increasing numbers of farmers and growers are now completing survey forms electronically and we will be developing our electronic data collection as part of the Whole Farm Approach initiative.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what target was most recently set by the Government for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 2020. [171522]
Margaret Beckett: The Government have set a domestic goal to move towards a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010, and is putting itself on a path to cut the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. by about 2050, with real progress by 2020.
A target for 2020 has not been set, however, the 2003 Energy White Paper said that by 2020, on the basis of existing policies including the full effect of our climate change programme, we would expect UK carbon dioxide emissions of some 135 millions tonnes of carbon (MtC) in 2020. To be consistent with demonstrating leadership in the international process, we expect to aim for cuts in carbon of 15–25 MtC below that by 2020.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government expects to achieve a 60 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. [171523]
Margaret Beckett:
In the 2003 Energy White Paper we accepted the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's recommendation, in their June 2000 report "Energy—The Changing Climate", that the Government should adopt a strategy to put the UK on a path to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. from current levels by about 2050.
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As the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's recommendation implies, absolute precision five decades before 2050 is not possible. However, the Energy White Paper uses around 65 million tonnes of carbon (MtC) to describe the level of carbon emissions which a 60 per cent. cut would deliver by 2050.
Analysis for the Energy White Paper showed that on the basis of existing policies, including the full effect of our climate change programme, we would expect UK carbon dioxide emissions of some 135 MtC in 2020. We expect to aim for additional cuts in carbon of 15–25 MtC below that by 2020 to put us on course to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. by about 2050.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government first used the term some 60 per cent. by 2050 to define the target for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. [171524]
Margaret Beckett: The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution recommended in their June 2000 report, "Energy—The Changing Climate", that the Government should adopt a strategy to put the UK on a path to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. from current levels by about 2050.
Following analysis and public consultation, the Government accepted this recommendation and first defined it as a goal in the Energy White Paper, which was published on 24 February 2003.
Dairy Farming
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of decoupling on co-operative dairy farmers; and if she will make a statement. [173690]
Alun Michael: Decoupling will provide the basis for all farmers to improve the market orientation of their business and will free them from many of the bureaucratic rules associated with production linked subsidies. Decoupling has the potential to bring considerable benefits to agriculture as a whole.
The scope for dairy farmers to realise these benefits as members of co-operatives is not inherently different from those that supply milk direct to processors.
Departmental Conferences
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many conferences have been organised by her Department in the last three years for which figures are available; how much was spent on them; how many were cancelled; and what costs were incurred in respect of cancelled conferences. [160776]
Alun Michael:
Conferences organised by the Communications Directorate of Defra in the last three years for which figures are available are as follows. Records of all conferences carried out by the Department are not held centrally and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
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| Conference | £ |
|---|---|
| Farm Business Recovery—July 2001, Scotch Corner | 13,920 |
| Farm Business Recovery—July 2001, Oakhampton | 13,860 |
| Farm Business Recovery—July 2001, Carlisle | 14,095 |
| Farm Business Recovery—July 2001, Darlington | 14,045 |
| Farm Business Recovery-August 2001, Carlisle | 13,870 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Hexham | 14,045 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Gloucester | 13,860 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Bishop Auckland | 14,045 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Penrith | 13,870 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Stafford | 13,860 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Bromsgrove | 13,860 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Barnstable | 13,860 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Broughtone | 13,870 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Hereford | 14,170 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Skipton | 14,045 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Carlisle | 13,870 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Penrith | 13,870 |
| Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Gisbum | 13,870 |
| Farm Business Recovery—October 2001, Middlesborough | 14,045 |
| Waste Management Seminar—November 2001 | 13,131 |
| Chemicals Stakeholder Forum—2002 | 4,690 |
| Rural Revival Seminar—June 2002 | 1,105 |
| SEAC Open Meeting—2002 | 37,255 |
| Defra Hunting Hearing- 2002 | 18,143 |
| 8 Regional Events On Sustainable Food & Farming—2002 | 24,240 |
| Noise Forum Conference—2002 | 313 |
| Countryside Stewardship Campaign, 10th Anniversary Conference 2002 | 2,158 |
| Foundation workshop—2003 | 78,500 |
| Organised meetings (radio)—2003 | 5,000 |
| Organised meetings (material)—2003 | 8,250 |
| Organised meetings (facilitation)—2003 | 9,600 |
| Organised meetings (launch)—2003 | 42,344 |
| Reconvened focus groups—2003 | 55,000 |
| Second tier meetings—2003 | 23,176 |
| Additional costs launch meetings—2003 | 29,176 |
| Flood and Coastal Management Conference—2003 | 1,360 |
| E-nabling Defra Conference—2003 | 3,900 |
| England Bio-Diversity Conference—2003 | 900 |
| IMD Open day—2003 | 1,405 |
| Better Buildings Summit—2003 | 26,325 |
| Animal Health & Welfare Stakeholder Event—2003 | 622 |
| Ethnic Minority Network Conference—2003 | 7,000 |
| Flood Management Conference—2003 | 2,022 |
| Rural Services Standard—2003 | 614 |
| Darwin Lecture—2003 | 1,050 |
| Growing Media Forum Seminar—2003 | 8,621 |
| Science & Innovation Open Meeting—2003 | 8,971 |
| Total | 679,801 |
No conferences were cancelled.
The costs do not include the cost of Departmental staff, details of which are not recorded against each conference.
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