22 Jun 2004 : Column 1287W
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 22 June 2004
ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Electoral Fraud
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission how many allegations of electoral fraud in the elections on 10 June have been notified to the Electoral Commission. [179225]
Mr. Viggers: The investigation and prosecution of allegations of electoral fraud are matters for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, and these are not required to be notified to the Electoral Commission. However, I understand that the Commission is aware of a number of such allegations, and will be liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service to obtain details of all allegations of electoral fraud reported to the Service in the four regions where all-postal pilots were held, as part of its statutory evaluation of those pilots. The Commission will also examine issues of electoral fraud in its wider statutory report on the administration of the European parliamentary elections.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Environment
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she will take to meet the requirement in Article 6.1 (b) of the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in relation to decisions on proposed activities which may have a significant effect on the environment; and if she will make a statement. [179556]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 18 June 2004]: Appropriate steps have already been taken. The obligations under Article 6.1 of the Aarhus Convention primarily concern activities in relation to which environmental impact assessment may be required. At EC level, environmental impact assessment is governed by Directive 85/337/EC as amended by Directive 97/11/EC, which has been implemented in the UK by a number of statutory instruments. The criteria, thresholds and procedures for such activities are set out in legislation and explained in guidance published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister ("Environmental Impact Assessment: Guide to Procedures").
Directive 2003/35/EC made further provision for alignment between the Convention and Community law in relation to public participation and access to justice, in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment. The
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1288W
Government will take all steps necessary to ensure transposition of this Directive into UK law by the required date of 25 June 2005.
Radon Gas
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what surveys she has undertaken to investigate radon in homes in Cornwall; and what those surveys have concluded. [179462]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 18 June 2004]: Since 1987 successive Governments have run radon measurement programmes to identify the extent of the radon problem in the UK. Initially, these focused on areas of England such as Cornwall, Devon and Somerset where dwellings were most likely to be at risk from the naturally occurring radioactive gas. By 1998, every home in England with a greater than 5 per cent. probability of radon levels being at or above the National Radiological Protection Board's (NRPB) recommended radon 'Action Level' (200 becquerels per cubic metre of air—Bq m - 3 ) had been offered a free radon test. In accordance with NRPB's recommendation, we advise that remedial action is taken to reduce radon levels in any home at or above the Action Level.
The measurement campaigns have revealed and confirmed that Cornwall is an area that is significantly affected by radon. Data published in the NRPB's "Radon Atlas of England and Wales" (NRPB-W26) in December 2002 showed that 97 per cent. of dwellings in Cornwall are likely to be in radon-affect areas. Of the 220,500 homes in the county, some 67,640 had been measured, mostly from Government-funded tests. Nearly 16,000 homes had been found to have radon concentrations at or above the Action Level. At that time, the highest level recorded in the UK of 10,000 Bq m - 3 had been found in the district of Kerrier. It is estimated that up to 41,000 dwellings in Cornwall may have radon levels exceeding the Action Level.
Defra's latest programme continues to offer free radon measurements to the most at risk households in England. However, the initiative places greater emphasis on helping home owners to take action to reduce radon levels in their homes. This is being achieved in partnership with 27 local authorities who joined the initiative when it commenced in July 2000. In Cornwall, we started work with Kerrier district council at the end of 2003 to roll out a programme of action designed to raise awareness and promote radon remediation in the community. This has included over 31,000 invitations sent to householders offering free tests and retests (upon completion of satisfactory remedial work); and workshops providing information and advice on remediation for those householders recommended to take action to reduce radon levels in their homes.
Over 11,000 householders have accepted the offer and to date results from around 4,000 measurements are available. Some of the results reveal particularly high radon levels, and measurements taken in three dwellings are well above the previously highest recorded level of 10,000 Bq m - 3 . Kerrier district council, together with NRPB and the Building Research Establishment (BRE), are providing the support to the occupants
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1289W
of these dwellings that is available under Defra's programme, to enable prompt remedial action to be taken to reduce the risk to their health.
Bovine TB
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the then Under-Secretary of State's letter 167650/MM of 26 June 2002, what the latest evaluation is of the work done to establish the relationship between badgers and bovine TB; and if she will make a statement. [177891]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 15 June 2004]: The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG) carried out an interim analysis of Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) data collected up to the end of August 2003. The analysis revealed that there was an increased risk of TB breakdowns in cattle herds occurring in trial areas where "reactive" culling had taken place, compared to the related "survey only" (control) areas 1 .
As a result of this finding, Ministers suspended culling operations in the "reactive" treatment areas of the RBCT from November 2003, because to continue would have meant the unnecessary culling of badgers, leading to an increased risk of TB in cattle herds. Such reactive culling has effectively been ruled out as a TB control option.
Culling operations continue in "proactive" treatment areas, where more widespread and repeated trapping takes place. The ISG has given assurances that Ministers will be informed as soon as the data yield a scientifically significant result. The ISG estimate that the RBCT will be completed in 2006.
On 6 April, a report was published from an Independent Review Panel, which reviewed the progress of the RBCT and associated research, as part of a wider review of Defra's science. The ISG do not agree with all aspects of this report, and Ministers are considering its recommendations, particularly where the ISG does not concur.
1 The increase, compared to survey-only areas, was estimated to be 27 per cent. with 95 per cent. confidence that the increase lies between 4.8 per cent. and 53 per cent. A more conservative analysis would give would give confidence limits of between a 2.4 per cent. decrease and 65 per cent. increase. The ISG's most recent analysis of data collected to mid-February indicated an increase of 28 per cent. with confidence limits of between 1.1 per cent. and 62 per cent. using the wider confidence limits recommended by the Independent Review Panel.
Departmental Administration Budget
Mr. Letwin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) staffing and (b) staff costs for her core Department, excluding executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies are for 2004–05, in respect of (i) the environment protection strategy, (ii) environment quality and waste, (iii) climate, energy and environmental risk, (iv) water, (v) European Union and international policy, (vi) economics and statistics, (vii) food industry and crops, (viii) sustainable agriculture and livestock products, (ix) fisheries, (x) land management and rural development, (xi) the rural delivery review, (xii) wildlife, countryside, land use and better regulation, (xiii) Haskins policy
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1290W
implementation, (xiv) rural policy, (xv) Government Offices of the Regions, (xvi) veterinary, (xvii) Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy and zoonoses, (xviii) animal health and welfare planning, (xix) animal health, (xx) policy and corporate strategy, (xxi) finance, planning and resources, (xxii) delivery strategy, (xxiii) the State Veterinary Service, (xxiv) e-Business, (xxv) e-enabling DEFRA programme, (xxvi) communications, (xxvii) corporate services, (xxviii) the Rural Development Service, (xxix) the Science Directorate, (xxx) Legal Directorate A and (xxxi) Legal Directorate B. [176406]
Alun Michael: The following table shows the number of staff in full-time equivalents as at 1 April 2004 and the expected staff costs for 2004–05 for each current Defra directorate. This list differs slightly from the information requested due to recent organisational changes in the Department.
| Directorate | Staff numbers (FTE) | Staff costs (£ 000) |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Protection Strategy | 134.80 | 6,734 |
| Environment Quality and Waste | 126.25 | 6,961 |
| Climate, Energy and Environmental Risk | 142.60 | 6,615 |
| Water | 196.37 | 8,346 |
| EU and International Policy | 45.00 | 2,078 |
| Economics and Statistics | 165.51 | 6,365 |
| Food Industry and Crops | 344.39 | 11,964 |
| Sustainable Agriculture and Livestock Products | 123.10 | 4,365 |
| Fisheries | 196.67 | 3,400 |
| Land Management and Rural Development | 161.58 | 5,250 |
| Wildlife, Countryside, Land Use and Better Regulation | 195.33 | 7,876 |
| Rural Economies and Communities | 61.72 | 4,002 |
| Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer | 320.36 | 11,387 |
| TSE and Zoonoses Directorate | 115.25 | 4,385 |
| Animal Health and Welfare DG | 62.24 | 1,480 |
| Animal Health | 178.54 | 5,706 |
| Policy and Corporate Strategy Unit | 79.63 | 1,528 |
| Finance, Planning and Resources | 256.88 | 9,649 |
| State Veterinary Service | 1,218.73 | 41,155 |
| e-Business Directorate | 292.01 | 15,096 |
| Communications | 86.80 | 3,716 |
| Corporate Services and Secretariat | 596.15 | 18,815 |
| Rural Development Service | 1,372.50 | 40,189 |
| Science | 54.53 | 2,613 |
| Legal Services | 157.64 | 8,600 |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |