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Agricultural Workers

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many agricultural workers are on the Seasonal Agricultural Workers programme in Lincolnshire. [179435]

Alun Michael: In 2004 so far 607 work cards have been issued under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme to scheme participants planning to work on farms in Lincolnshire.

Energy Policy (Modelling)

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department models the external costs of energy-related activities in the UK. [178320R]

Mr. Morley: There are several types of external costs that are usually associated with energy activities, including impacts on noise, health, buildings, crops, ecosystems and global warming. The most important externalities of energy activity in the UK are attached to emissions to air, including emissions of CO2 and of local pollutants.

The DTI UK Energy Model is the most comprehensive source of forecasts of CO2 emissions from energy use. The UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI), which is funded by Defra and Devolved Administrations, annually compiles estimates of emissions to the atmosphere from UK sources such as cars, trucks, power stations and industrial plants. Estimates of emissions of pollutants to air are a fundamental input to the air quality modelling work that the Department carries out to assess ambient concentrations of important air pollutants and to estimate their health and other impacts.

Valuation of non-market impacts is a challenging but important element of appraisal, and should be attempted wherever feasible. However valuation techniques are constantly being refined and considerable uncertainty typically characterises monetary estimates of the marginal damage costs associated to emissions of various pollutants.

A Government Economic Service working paper 'Estimating the Social Cost of Carbon Emissions' suggested a range of illustrative estimate for the global damage cost of carbon emissions. These figures are currently being reviewed by an interdepartmental group on the social cost of carbon which is expected to report by the end of the year.

The Department of Health's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) advises on how to quantify the health impacts associated with changes in local pollutant emissions, including PM10,
 
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NOx, SO2 and ozone. Currently there is no UK agreed monetary value that can be used for the reduction in risk of deaths brought forward by air pollution due to a lack of empirical evidence in the field. However, Defra has recently published a study which attempts to generate a theoretical range of monetary values for health benefits and is considering the feasibility of recommending a range of values to monetise the health impacts associated with air pollution for use in policy appraisal.

The Government also follow with interest the work of ExternE, a major EU-funded research study on the external cost of energy.

Firearms

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what discussions she had with the Home Secretary about firearms prior to the issue of the recent consultation paper; [179195]

(2) what mechanism she uses to present her views on the rural affairs aspects of firearms law to the Home Secretary; [179196]

(3) what assessment she has made of the implications for the rural economy of the Home Office firearms consultation paper. [179197]

Alun Michael: The Government are committed to rural proofing all domestic policies to take account of rural circumstances and needs. Defra will be contributing to the process of consultation as it affects the Departments responsibilities through the normal processes of collective Government.

GM Crops

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department plans to (a) commence and (b) report on the proposed consultation on co-existence and liability of GM crops. [179979]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 22 June 2004]: We are currently preparing our consultation package on the issue of the co-existence of GM and non-GM crops in discussion with the authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and this will be issued as soon as possible. A consultation period of three months is envisaged, following which we will decide on the next steps. No GM crops currently have the necessary approvals for cultivation in the UK and we do not anticipate any move towards commercial cultivation of GM crops here before 2006 at the earliest.

Horse Exports

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she intends to preserve the current effective ban on the live export of horses for overseas consumption. [179194]

Alun Michael: The Government are not in favour of the live export of horses for slaughter and have worked closely with animal welfare organisations on this issue and to strengthen the welfare requirements for horses in transit. While there is no ban on the export of horses and ponies for slaughter and never has been, we will retain and
 
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continue to operate the current minimum values and licensing rules unless and until we succeed in obtaining EU-wide modern, welfare-based arrangements to protect horses and ponies.

Livestock Exports

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many live cattle were exported to EU member states in each of the past three years. [179405]

Mr. Bradshaw: There have been no exports of live cattle to EU member states in the past three years. The export of live cattle from the UK is banned under EU legislation.

Sustainable Farming

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support is available to fund the South West Plan for Sustainable Farming and Food. [178202]

Alun Michael: The delivery plan for Sustainable Farming and Food (SFF) in the South West, "Making a difference", was launched on 26 May after extensive consultation. It has been drawn up by the stakeholders who will be responsible for implementing the actions detailed within it.

The delivery of the South West plan, as with all of the SFF regional delivery plans, will be facilitated by many public body and industry representatives and these organisations will work together with both resource and funding support to deliver the vision detailed in the plan. They are making use of Government grants, industry support and the resources of the Government Office and Regional Development Agency, as well as other Government bodies participating in the regional steering group. In particular, existing support programmes, including the England Rural Development Programme and the objective 1 agriculture programme in Cornwall, have been targeted to deliver the SFF plan; also the Regional Development Agency is making considerable resources available to support delivery of the plan. Given the number of public and industry bodies contributing to delivery of the plan, it is not possible precisely to quantify the level of support available to fund the plan.

Temporary Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total amount paid by her Department to employment agencies for the supply of temporary staff was in financial year 2003–04. [178914]

Alun Michael: The total amount paid to employment agencies for the supply of temporary staff in Defra itself in financial year 2003–04 was £12.02 million. To supply the information for Defra agencies would involve disproportionate cost.

Village Shops

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will make a statement on the withdrawal of the vital villages scheme and its potential impact of the continuation of voluntary shop initiatives in rural areas; [179295]
 
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(2) what funding schemes are available for voluntary shops. [179296]

Alun Michael: The vital villages scheme was established in 2001 as a time-limited programme. The Countryside Agency has met its three-year target to help rural communities to help themselves and to demonstrate good practice through the vital villages scheme and the programme is now closed to new applicants.

During 2004–05 the Countryside Agency will continue to provide funding to rural voluntary shops from the vital villages programme where existing commitments exist.

Other possible sources of funding and support for voluntary shops include: funding from district councils; for those eligible, rate relief from local authorities; community bond and share schemes, through which some community shops have raised funds; and, for those with strong community backing, Defra's Rural Enterprise Scheme.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she last met representatives of the Village Retail Services Association; and if she will make a statement of what help is now forthcoming to that organisation. [179321]

Alun Michael: I last met representatives from the Village Retail Services Association (ViRSA) on 16 December 2003 and I have a further meeting arranged in early July 2004. The Government value the work of the association for its support to village shops and post offices.

The Countryside Agency has recently been approached for funding by ViRSA and progress has been made towards agreeing support to fund formal Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative accreditation for several ViRSA fieldworkers, which will allow them to contract to Business Links to provide advice and support to rural retailers. Once accredited, fieldworkers could generate more income for ViRSA and in addition to the Countryside Agency is willing to fund a Business Counselling Training seminar for ViRSA fieldworkers associated with their accreditation.

ViRSA has also proposed that the agency fund a joint meeting and that the agency help with support costs of ViRSA in developing regional relationships and securing future funding—particularly with the rural development agencies with whom the remit for advice to rural retailers (via Business Links) will lie. The agency is awaiting a costed breakdown of what ViRSA's aims, objectives and projected outputs are for these areas of work.

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