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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 1 July 2004
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Canoeists (Access)
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what public funds are available to pay land and river owners to improve access for recreational canoeing; and if she will make a statement on the number of rivers to which canoeists have access. [181369]
Alun Michael: The lengths of water for canoeing on canals, rivers with public navigation rights and rivers with formal access agreement in England total over 5,000 km (34 per cent. of the major river and canal network). According to the feasibility study "Improving Access for Canoeing on Inland Waters: A Study of the Feasibility of Access Agreements", published in May 2004, there are no specific funds for land and river owners to improve access for recreational canoeing but the report highlights a number of potential sources of funding for access agreements.
Egg Stamping
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement about the Government's policy on the stamping of ungraded eggs (a) at the farm gate and (b) at local public markets. [181284]
Alun Michael: Under the Registration of Laying Flocks Order and the Egg Marketing Regulations, all producers must register in order to obtain an identifying code. Currently small producers with less than 350 birds are exempt from this requirement, provided that the eggs are ungraded and sold direct to the final consumer.
However, because of enforcement difficulties in other member states, it was agreed in November 2003 that part of the derogation from marking for ungraded eggs be removed. From 1 July 2005 farmers selling eggs from
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their own farms at local public markets will no longer be exempt from the requirement to mark their eggs, irrespective of the number of laying hens kept. Some producers with fewer than 350 laying hens will therefore have to register for the first time, in order to obtain a distinguishing number. This measure had the support of the majority of other member states. Sales in farm shops and door to door do remain exempt.
Firearms Consultation Paper
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2004, to questions 179195, 179196 and 179197, on what date (a) she and (b) her officials had discussions with Home Office Ministers and officials about the firearms consultation paper; what representations she has received from the rural community on the implications of the Home Office firearms consultation paper; and by what mechanisms she has communicated these views to the Home Office. [181007]
Alun Michael: Defra will contribute to the process of consultation as it affects the Department's responsibilities. I have received representations from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), from a number of Labour MPs and we have seen a copy of the Countryside Alliance's initial statement. Recently I discussed the consultations with the Minister of State at the Home Office and this week I have a meeting with my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Caroline Flint) on 30 June as part of the on-going discussions between Departments on the issues in the consultation paper.
GM Products
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list GM products which may be imported into the UK; and in which countries each is grown prior to export. [181029]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 28 June 2004]: The crops in the following table were approved for placing on the market under Directive 90/220/EC (Directive 2001/18's predecessor). As far as we are aware the countries listed in the third column of the table have approval to cultivate these crops but we do not know for certain whether crops are grown there for export to the EU. This information has been taken from the AGBIOS database which can be accessed on their website at www.agbios.com/dbase.php.
| Crop | Event/line | Countries which have approval to cultivate |
|---|---|---|
| Tobacco | C/F/93/08–02 | EU |
| Soya | GTS40–3-2 | Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, USA, Uruguay |
| Chicory | RM3–3, RM3–4, RM3–6 | EU (seed breeding only), USA |
| Maize | Bt176 | Argentina, Canada, EU, Japan, USA |
| Oilseed rape | MS1, RF1(1) | Australia, Canada, Japan, USA |
| Oilseed rape | MS1, RF2(1) | Australia, Canada, Japan, USA |
| Carnation | 4, 11, 15, 16 | Australia, EU |
| Oilseed rape | Topaz (HCN92) | Canada, Japan, USA |
| Maize | T25 | Argentina, Canada, EU, Japan, USA |
| Maize | MON810 | Argentina, Canada, EU, Japan, Philippines, South Africa, USA |
| Maize | Bt11 | Argentina, Canada, Japan, USA |
| Carnation | 66 | Australia and EU |
| Carnation | 959A, 988A, 1226A, 1351A, 1363A, 1400A | EU |
(1) Consent agreed at EU level but not issued by lead Competent Authority
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Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of the GM crops with part C product approval contain antibiotic markers; and what those markers are. [181034]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 28 June 2004]: The table lists GM crops with part C marketing approval which contain antibiotic resistance markers.
GM crop | Consent number | ARM gene |
|---|---|---|
| MS1, RF1 Herbicide tolerant oilseed rape | C/F/95/05/01/A C/UK/94/M1/1 | nptII |
| MS1, RF2 Herbicide tolerant oilseed rape | C/F/95/05/01/B | nptII |
| Herbicide tolerant soya | C/UK/94/M3/1 | nptII |
| Topaz 19/2 Herbicide tolerant oilseed rape | C/UK/95/M5/1 | nptII |
| Herbicide tolerant chicory | C/NL/94/25 | nptII |
| Bt-176 Herbicide tolerant and insect resistant maize | C/F/94/11–03 | bla |
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Aid Budget
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the UK's arrangements for payment of each element of the aid budget channelled through the European Union. [180590]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: UK contributions to the EC Budget are made in accordance with the Own Resources Decision, which sets out the rules for financing the Budget. These contributions are made to the Budget as a whole, including to the EC external aid programme, and not to specific programmes.
The UK's contribution to the European Development Fund, which does not form part of the EC Budget, is paid directly from DFID accounts in three instalments. The overall level of contributions are based on Commission estimates of expenditure and agreed by Council Decision.
Departmental Staff
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total amount paid by his Department to employment agencies for the supply of temporary staff was in financial year 2003–04. [178909]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: This information is not centrally available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
East Timor
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on poverty in East Timor; and what assistance the UK is providing. [180954]
Mr. Gareth Thomas:
East Timor is one of the poorest countries in South East Asia, with most people surviving on less than 50 cents a day. Essential services are of poor quality, especially education and health, and access to them is limited. The Government has prepared a
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National Development Plan, which focuses upon poverty reduction, and the international community is contributing to the Plan's implementation. East Timor should be able to finance development programmes itself once significant revenues from Timor Gap oil and gas start to flow, probably around 2007–8. Until then it must rely heavily on external support.
Since 1999 the UK have committed over £30 million to East Timor. Currently DFID is contributing £12 million (between 2002–5) to a World Bank managed fund for implementing their National Development Plan. A further £1.3 million is being provided over the same period, through OXFAM, to support community education. Britain has also contributed some 19 per cent. of European Commission development expenditure in East Timor. Between 1999 and 2002 (the last year for which figures are available) this is estimated to be approximately £14 million.
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