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Pesticides

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what percentage of approved pesticides in the United Kingdom are known to use possible (a) carcinogens, (b) mutagens and (c) allergens. [177434]

Alun Michael: It is not possible for me to provide information on the number of pesticides classified as carcinogens or mutagens because this information is not held centrally and to attempt to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.

There are approximately 500 out of a total of 3,849 approved pesticide products that are classified as "skin sensitizers". These products are only approved for sale to professional users and carry a requirement to use protective equipment to reduce skin contact when handling the product.

Pigswill

Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which membership-based organisations responded to the consultation document that preceded the ban on swill feeding to pigs; and if she will summarise their responses. [175796]

Mr. Bradshaw: A copy of the list of the membership-based organisations that responded to the consultation document and relevant summaries of their responses has been placed in the Library of the House.

Protected Bird Species

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which protected species of bird may be taken under licence in England; how many licences were issued by her Department in the last two years to take protected bird species, broken
 
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down by (a) species and (b) the number of birds taken under each licence; and what (i) the location where the action can take place and (ii) the reason why each licence was issued in each case. [176836]

Mr. Bradshaw: All species of wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, however section 16 of the Act gives powers to the Secretary of State to issue licences which may be, to any degree, general or specific, subject to there being no satisfactory alternative.

The Department compiles derogation reports under the European Community Directive on the Conservation of Birds (79/409/EEC) on an annual basis for the United Kingdom. The report details the species, the number of licences issued, the purpose or reason for each licence issued in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by Government Departments and agencies.

Reports for the calendar years, 2001 and 2002 are publicly available documents and have been lodged with the House Libraries. The report for 2003 is currently being compiled and will be made available as soon as it has been completed and submitted to the European Commission.

The reports do not record details of the location where the action has taken place in view of concerns for confidentiality and identifying individuals' residence.

Waste Disposal

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether it is Government policy that the disposal of all (a) intermediate-level waste and (b) high-level waste should be the responsibility of Nirex. [177227]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 7 June 2004]: Government have established the independent Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) to recommend the best form of long-term management for the UK's higher activity radioactive waste. Government will decide policy for such management, and the means by which it is to be delivered, in light of CoRWM's recommendations.

Water Voles

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she intends to take to extend full protection to the water vole under section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). [173945]

Mr. Bradshaw: Every five years the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) advises Government on which animals should be legally protected by listing on Schedule 5 (not schedule 9) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. JNCC reported to Government with its recommendations in September 2002, which included full protection for this species. The next stage is for Government to conduct a public consultation based on these recommendations. This will take place in June 2004.
 
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Following this consultation, the Secretary of State will decide on the changes to be made to the schedules and these will be implemented by Statutory Instrument.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the tonnage of the forthcoming opium harvest in Afghanistan. [176903]

Mr. Rammell: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducts an annual survey into the level of opium poppy cultivation and production in Afghanistan. The most recent survey, published in October 2003, showed that the level of opium cultivation in 2003 was 80,000 hectares and production was 3,600 tonnes. The UNODC is in the process of assessing the 2004 harvest in conjunction with the Afghan government. Its report will be published in the autumn.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Afghanistan about the reform of the country's criminal justice system. [177112]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office raised this when he visited Afghanistan in May 2004 in the context of tackling drugs crime in Afghanistan.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what resources are provided by (a) his Department and (b) the European Union to reconstruct and rehabilitate detention and prison facilities in Afghanistan. [177115]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Italy leads international assistance for Afghanistan on judicial reform, including penal reform, and Germany leads assistance on reform of the police. Neither the UK nor the European Commission is involved in funding reconstruction or rehabilitation of prison or detention facilities in Afghanistan. We do not have information on projects which may be funded by other countries.

More widely, the UK has since the war in Afghanistan supported Penal Reform International to undertake work on capacity-building within the penal sector, including staff training. The UK has also contributed £1 million to the UN Development Programme (UNDP) programme for judicial reform. The European Commission is working with Italy in the justice sector to help refurbish the district judicial system (courts) and train local staff.

East Timor

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of East Timor about the rights of opposition parties. [177421]

 
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government have not made any representation to the Government of East Timor about the rights of opposition parties. East Timor is a democratic society with universal suffrage and a multi-party system. The right to establish and participate in political parties is enshrined in East Timor's constitution.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UK's financial contribution to the Commission on Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor is. [177428]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK contributed £215,847 to the Commission on Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR) in FY 2003–04. This brings our total contribution to the CAVR since it was established in January 2002 to £580,000.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge the United Nations to continue to monitor security in East Timor, with particular reference to the activities of Islamic militant groups operating in the region. [177430]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UN monitors the security situation in East Timor very closely. In May this year, the UN Mission in Support of East Timor, with a continued peacekeeping element, was extended for a further six months as part of a one-year consolidation phase. This is to ensure that the emerging institutions in East Timor, including the security forces, develop the capacity to maintain security and stability in East Timor.

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