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Single Farm Payments

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments on the ability of (a) her Department, (b) other Government agencies and (c) other local authorities or voluntary agencies to enforce effective cross-compliance of payments with agri-environmental outcomes. [157134]

Alun Michael: Officials have identified a number of enforcement bodies that could undertake inspections for relevant parts of the Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions requirements. Officials are working closely with stakeholders and these bodies to identify how these requirements will be enforced, and to reduce the burden on farmers by, where possible, linking up with current inspection practices. Final decisions on cross compliance will be taken after careful consideration of responses to the current public consultation.

Mr. Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for redefining the moorland line for purposes of the single farm payment in areas where established hay meadows lie within the moorland zone. [169466]

Alun Michael: We are currently considering how to establish a system for dealing with representations against the position of the moorland line and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

Sir Don Curry

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the role of Sir Don Curry in ensuring new entrant initiatives in farming. [169649]

 
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Alun Michael: Sir Don Curry is Chair of the independent Implementation Group that has been set up to oversee and drive forward delivery of the Government's Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy.

As part of the Strategy, Defra has undertaken to discuss with interested stakeholders possible mechanisms to help overcome barriers to new entrants. Defra has also undertaken to work co-operatively with proposals from the NFU and the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs in respect of advice for new entrants and mechanisms to bring together new entrants and retiring farmers.

In addition, to inform discussion of this issue, Defra has commissioned research on entry to and exit from farming in the United Kingdom, the results of which will be published in due course.

Two Tree Island

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what elements of possible contamination are leaching from the closed Two Tree Island landfill site; and in what volumes. [174237]

Mr. Morley: The Two Tree Island waste disposal site was used for landfill operations, reportedly from the 1930s until the 1980s. Investigations revealed that the site was tipped with domestic and industrial waste. Details of possible contamination and volumes of leachate are shown in the consultants' report submitted to Southend-on-Sea borough council in August 2003. As the report is owned by Southend-on-Sea borough council, queries regarding its content should be referred to the local authority.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will measure contamination in leachate emanating from the closed Two Tree Island landfill site, after prolonged heavy rainfall. [174238]

Mr. Morley: Castle Point district council and South End borough council are responsible for monitoring any leachate from the Two Tree Island landfill site.

Waste Water

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information she has procured to establish the levels of residue from anti-depressant drugs in waste water which has passed through sewage-treatment plants. [167862]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 23 April 2004]: The Environment Agency carried out a desk based ranking exercise during 2003 on the 500 pharmaceuticals most commonly used in England and Wales in order to prioritise which ones may be of environmental significance.

The top ranked antidepressant from the prioritisation exercise was lofepramine and this was included in a subsequent targeted monitoring survey carried out by
 
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the Environment Agency in association with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS).

The results of this monitoring programme are set out in the Research and Development Report P6–012/6, "Targeted Monitoring Programme for Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment". This report is in the public domain and will be made available to the Library of the House.

The Environment agency has also developed a position statement on pharmaceuticals, which can be found on the Environment Agency's website www. environment-agency.gov.uk.

Water Charges

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with Ofwat on future water charges. [176064]

 
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Mr. Morley: Ministers from this Department meet the Director General of Water Services from time to time to discuss water industry issues.

The Director General has sole responsibility for setting price limits for the water industry.

Waterways

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she has taken to ensure that strategic plans are prepared for each navigable canal or inland waterway; and if she will make a statement. [176635]

Alun Michael: The three Government-sponsored navigation authorities—British Waterways, the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority—have all prepared strategic plans for the management of their waterways in consultation with Defra. The Government encourages the smaller, independent navigation authorities to prepare similar plans for their waterways.
 
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TREASURY

Customs and Excise

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise investigators there (a) were immediately prior to July 2003 and (b) have been since July 2003. [176425]

John Healey: As Mr. Justice Butterfield reported In his "Review of Criminal Investigation and Prosecutions Conducted by HM Customs and Excise", published in July 2003, Customs had about 2,500 investigators in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. At the end of April 2004, Customs had around 2,400 investigators, although fluctuations in headcount can result from the movement of investigation staff internally, into and out of Intelligence disciplines, and externally to and from other agencies.

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many hours of refresher training Customs and Excise investigators (a) were scheduled to receive prior to July 2003 and (b) have been scheduled to receive since July 2003; [176423]

(2) how many Customs and Excise investigators (a) completed refresher training in each of the three years prior to July 2003 and (b) have completed such training since July 2003. [176424]

John Healey: While praising some aspects of their training for investigators, Mr. Justice Butterfield identified in his "Review of Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions Conducted by HM Customs and Excise" that Customs did not have in place a planned programme of refresher training. When his review was published on 15 July 2003, I announced that the Government had accepted his recommendation that such a programme should be developed, along with his other recommendations for Customs' Law Enforcement service.

Since then, Customs have developed a full refresher training programme, comprising seven modules lasting a total of 167 hours, which they are subjecting to external accreditation through the national training organisation, Skills for Justice. Delivery of this training began in March 2004, and over 300 investigators will complete this programme each year.

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what procedures have been introduced since July 2003 to handle and manage human sources in Customs and Excise investigations; [176427]

(2) what procedures have been implemented since July 2003 to ensure that Customs and Excise personnel retain adequate records when dealing with sources in Customs and Excise investigations. [176428]

John Healey: Following Mr. Justice Butterfield's "Review of Criminal Investigations and Prosecution Conducted by HM Customs and Excise", published on 15 July 2003, Customs and Excise introduced a new policy for dealing with the receipt and management of
 
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information from human sources, which came into operation on 1 September 2003. 'HumInt' is the generic term applied to all persons who give information to Customs relating to a possible criminal offence, including any offences that may ultimately be dealt with under 'civil' provisions, or any regulatory breach. Customs' HumInt policy is outlined in general terms in paragraphs 10.88 onwards of the Butterfield review.

The HumInt policy requires all officers of Customs and Excise, not just investigators, on receipt of information from a HumInt to record and retain the information in a durable and retrievable format and to lodge both the details of the HumInt and the information with a central unit. That unit, is responsible for creating an electronic central register both of the HumInt and of the information received. It is also responsible for assessing the information received to decide on categorisation, handling and dissemination requirements.

The policy and the associated guidance have been promulgated to every officer in the Department through its intranet site, supported by an initial programme of awareness events. HumInt training modules are now incorporated in all core training across the Department. The HumInt policy includes direction and guidance regarding the material to be recorded and the need for retention in a durable and retrievable format of original notes in relation to dealings with HumInt. Compliance with the requirements of the HumInt policy forms an integral part of Customs' assurance programmes.

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