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British Waterways Board

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the British Waterways Board acquired a shareholding in Easynet plc; for what reasons; and what the size of the shareholding is. [178870]

Alun Michael: Prior to 2000, British Waterways and GEC, each invested £147,000 into a joint venture (Fibreway), which laid fibre optic cables under many of British Waterways' towpaths and sold capacity to telecoms operators. In May 2000, GEC decided to concentrate its future activity on telecoms business, under the Marconi name and wanted to invest £200–300 million in expanding Fibreway. Fibreway was therefore restructured, and British Waterways received an annual payment and a 10 per cent. equity share in the new Fibreway business ipsaris.

In June 2001 ipsaris effectively split its business into two components. The mast site business was transferred to Ultramast and the fibre optic business was listed by way of a reverse takeover of Easynet. Marconi sold 92 per cent. of its share in ipsaris to Easynet in return for 77.5 million shares in the enlarged group. The deal meant that British Waterways received a 2.6 per cent. share of Easynet and a stake in the Ultramast business.

The fibre optic business has continued successfully as part of the Easynet portfolio and British Waterways Board now owns approximately 2 million shares in the business (1.8 per cent.). This is valued at around £2.1 million today, compared with the initial outlay of £147,500. Easynet also continues to pay an annual sum to British Waterways for the use of the wayleave.
 
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EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why she has set stricter carbon dioxide reduction targets for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme than other member states. [178488]

Mr. Morley: The UK has not set stricter carbon reduction targets for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme than other member states. Most of the plans submitted to the Commission from other member states require greater emissions cuts from their industries than in the UK.

The UK is a leader in tackling climate change and has already reduced emissions of greenhouse gases to below its target under the Kyoto Protocol. However, many other member states have some way to meet their Kyoto obligations. The UK is pressing the Commission to ensure that a robust analysis of plans is carried out, and that member states are encouraged to use the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to help them meet their Kyoto targets.

GM Crops

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statistically valid and peer-reviewed studies her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the safety of feeding Chardon LL fodder maize to ruminants. [178119]

Mr. Morley: No studies on the safety of feeding Chardon LL, a variety of maize containing the GM event known as T25, to ruminants have been commissioned by Defra, nor has the Department evaluated any such studies. T25 maize was assessed and approved for use as any other maize by member states under Part C of directive 90/220 in 1998. Both the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and the Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding stuffs were satisfied, on the basis of the data submitted, that the T25 maize grain and its products pose no more risk as animal feed than non-GM maize varieties.

I understand that Bayer CropScience commissioned a study which examined the effect of feeding Chardon LL forage maize to dairy cattle and that the results are being considered for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The results will be passed to ACRE and ACAF in due course.

Orchards

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the rotational period is of (a) traditional English apple orchards and (b) modern commercial apple orchards. [177783]

Alun Michael: A grower's decision on when to replace an orchard will depend on many factors. Traditional orchards are typically aged 30 years or more but most commercial orchards are replaced after about 15 years as their productivity declines.

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement about the (a) apple growing and (b) cider industry under the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy. [177788]

 
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Alun Michael: Many of the apples supplied to the cider industry are delivered under contract from orchards which have been planted for the purpose. We understand that a number of existing contracts are due to expire in the next two or three years and are unlikely to be renewed. Some top fruit growers who do not expect to have a market for their produce may choose to grub up their orchards to qualify for the new Single Payment, rather than retain them to the end of their productive life. This is a commercial decision for the growers concerned.

Radioactive Waste

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish her Department's annual report on progress made in implementing the programme set out in the White Paper on managing radioactive waste safely. [178724]

Mr. Morley: A copy of the 2003 Managing Radioactive Waste Safety progress report to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee is available under the Environment heading of the Committee's website (www. parliament.uk/parliamentary committees/environment food and rural affairs.cfm). Additionally, CoRWM is required to submit quarterly reports of its work under Managing Radioactive Waste Safely programme to its sponsoring Ministers. The first report for November 2003 to February 2004 is available on CoRWM's website (www.corwm.org.uk). The second report for March 2004 to May 2004 should be available shortly.

River Stour

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to maintain the quality of water in the River Stour as the population of Ashford grows; and if she will make a statement. [177996]

Mr. Morley: The Government are funding a series of studies intended to facilitate the sustainable development of Ashford, to meet a stated target of providing 31,000 new homes in the town by 2031.

The Integrated Water Management Study, which is being led by the Environment Agency, is looking into issues related to the water environment in this context. The first phase of the study identified a number of water-related constraints to growth, and potential strategies to overcome them will be identified in the final phase of the study. The final report will be available by the end of 2005.

The Agency's longer-term strategy for protecting the Great Stour will be guided by the results of the Integrated Water Management Study. Such a strategy may require, for example, more advanced wastewater treatment, new treatment and disposal locations.

Soil Action Plan

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on support available to help the introduction of the recently announced Soil Action Plan for England. [178201]

 
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Alun Michael: Within Defra the Soil Action Plan currently has the dedicated support of a team of six staff (up from three a year ago and expected to expand a little further), and a research budget of £1.4 million, plus a further £9.7 million which it is estimated is spent on soil related research. The action plan is also supported by other colleagues in the department, and by a coalition of partners across and beyond Government, among whom English Heritage, English Nature and the Environment Agency have taken responsibility for leading particular workstreams.

Warm Front Scheme

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what plans she has to expand the Warm Front grant scheme; and if she will make a statement; [178671]

(2) what plans she has to provide resources for a wider range of energy efficiency measures under the Warm Front scheme; and if she will make a statement; [178672]

(3) if she will make a statement on the progress made by the Warm Front scheme towards meeting the targets set out in the Government's Fuel Poverty Strategy. [178673]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 14 June 2004]: We intend to publish a Fuel Poverty Implementation Plan later this summer which will include details about the future development of the Warm Front scheme and consider different options for improving its targeting and measures offered. This will also set out the action and resources needed to achieve our fuel poverty targets.

The PSA target of assisting 600,000 households between 2001–04 has been met, with over 660,000 households assisted in that period. In total, Warm Front delivered measures to over 800,000 households since the start of the scheme in June 2000 and March 2004.

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