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25 May 2004 : Column 1483W—continued
Illegal Arms Trade (Nuclear Weapons)
Harry Cohen: To ask the Solicitor-General what progress has been made towards the prosecution of individuals and companies for the offence of assisting or inducing weapons-related acts overseas, in particular for developing, producing or participating in the development or production of a nuclear weapon; and if she will make a statement. [174626]
John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
Investigation and prosecution of offences involving assisting or inducing weapons-related acts overseas is the responsibility of HM Customs and Excise. However, Customs cannot comment on whether a matter is under current investigation; Exemption 4 (Law enforcement and legal proceedings) of the Open Government Code applies.
Customs have an important role in countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. They work closely with other Government Departments and agencies, in the UK and overseas, to ensure that effective action is taken against proliferators.
Any prosecution for such offences require the consent of the Attorney-General.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Energy Efficiency
Brian White:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions
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she has had with local authorities on improving energy efficiency measures pursuant to the Sustainable Energy Act 2003. [173048]
Mr. Morley: No discussions have taken place with local authorities pursuant to the Sustainable Energy Act 2003.
"Energy Efficiency The Government's Plan for Action", published in April 2004, sets out the steps the Government intend to take at the local level. (http://www.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm61/6168/6168.pdf)
Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason the target for energy efficiency savings to 2010 from households has been lowered in the energy efficiency saving plan. [171778]
Mr. Morley: In "Energy Efficiency: The Government's Plan for Action" the Government set out their aim to deliver savings in households of 4.2 million tonnes of carbon per annum by 2010. The figure of 5 million tonnes of carbon in the Energy White Paper was an initial indication of what might be delivered. This projection has been revised as the Government have obtained more up-to-date information and completed more detailed analysis on the cost-effectiveness of energy efficiency policies and measures in this sector. The change in carbon savings in households reflects the fact that:
growth in demand for insulation may be slower than originally envisaged;
'comfort taking' (after the installation of measures) may be higher in 2010 than previously thought, and
future savings from more efficient lighting are expected come more from lower wattage lamps in lower-use fittings.
Latest revisions of projected carbon savings from other sectors more than offset this recalculation. The Action Plan sets out how the Government aim to cut carbon emissions by 12 million tonnes of carbon per annum by 2010 through energy efficiency over the next six years. This is 20 per cent. more than the 10 million tonnes of carbon per annum by 2010 we said we expected to achieve in the Energy White Paper a year ago.
Mr. Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Manchester have benefited from the Home Energy Efficiency and Warm Front Schemes. [172888]
Mr. Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 10,540 households in Manchester received assistance from the scheme. For each constituency in Manchester, the approximate breakdown of households assisted was:
| Constituency | Number |
|---|---|
| Manchester, Blackley | 3,400 |
| Manchester, Central | 2,900 |
| Manchester, Gorton | 3,180 |
| Manchester, Withington | 1,060 |
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Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Blackpool, South have benefited from the Home Energy Efficiency and Warm Front Schemes. [173069]
Mr. Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 5,900 households in Blackpool, South received assistance from the scheme.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in the constituency of Huntingdon have benefited from the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme. [172639]
Mr. Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 550 households in Huntingdon received assistance from the Scheme.
Bovine TB
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what predictive modelling has been applied to the possible application of the Bovigam gamma interferon test to control bovine TB under different bovine TB scenarios in the UK, using Bovigam's known levels of specificity and sensitivity. [172564]
Mr. Bradshaw: Since 1997, DEFRA has commissioned two studies to evaluate the costs and benefits of using the Bovigam gamma interferon test to control bovine TB under different bovine TB scenarios in Great Britain. In carrying out the two economic assessments, predictive modelling was used to determine the likely outcomes under different bovine TB scenarios. The models used values for the specificity and sensitivity of the gamma interferon test published in the scientific literature from overseas field trials.
Project SE3018 investigated whether it would be cost-effective to use the gamma interferon test in herds with multiple tuberculin reactor animals. As the gamma interferon test is considered more sensitive than the skin test, its use in infected herds could improve the detection of tuberculous cattle. This would hasten the elimination of infection from herds and reduce the spread of infection among herds. However, this benefit has to be weighed against the extra cost that would result from the unnecessary slaughter of more non-tuberculous cattle due to the lower specificity of the gamma interferon test.
Project TD0604 investigated whether it would be cost-effective to use the gamma interferon test to resolve the tuberculosis status of herds in which only inconclusive reactor animals are detected at a routine herd test.
Final reports on these projects were submitted to Defra in April 2002 and November 1998, respectively.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what protocol her Department is using to examine post mortem cattle that are slaughtered in the Bovigam gamma interferon trial; and whether the protocol is the same as those used in other countries. [172566]
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Mr. Bradshaw: All animals (including those slaughtered from herds included in the gamma interferon (g-IFN) field trial) undergo standard post-mortem inspection in the slaughterhouse or other suitable facility, by Meat Hygiene Service and/or State Veterinary Service officials, depending upon local arrangements.
I am unaware of the particular post-mortem protocols applied in other countries, but assume standard meat inspections will be carried out on any g-IFN positive animals slaughtered as part of TB control programmes.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what response her Department made to the proposal of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB to undertake a field trial of the Bovigam gamma-interferon test. [172567]
Mr. Bradshaw: We sympathise with the desire of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG) to maximise the science return of the gamma-interferon field pilot. However, implementing the ISG's proposals would present logistical difficulties, as well as raising complicated ethical and legal issues around identifying disease but not informing the herd owner, and taking samples from animals for experimental purposes rather than for the diagnosis of disease. It would also call for considerable additional resource.
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