House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 5 Jul 2004 (pt 2)

5 Jul 2004 : Column 436W—continued

Badgers

Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the results of trials in Northern Ireland on TB in badgers; and if she will make a statement. [178901]

Mr. Bradshaw: There have been no trials in Northern Ireland on TB in badgers.

Beef Exports

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department last held talks on the export of beef to (a) Thailand and (b) other Asian countries. [180717]

5 Jul 2004 : Column 437W

Mr. Bradshaw: Defra officials have met delegations from a number of countries, including Thailand and South Korea, in the past year and discussed beef exports. Also, diplomatic posts continue regularly to urge host Governments of Asian and other countries to lift bans on imports of UK export eligible beef.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what grounds the Thai authorities ban the import of British beef. [180718]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Thai authorities ban beef imports from countries where cases of BSE have been recorded.

The UK Government believes that this ban is unjustified with respect to UK beef produced under the Date-based Export Scheme .

BSE

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the current situation in relation to BSE in the UK. [181287]

Mr. Bradshaw: [holding answer 1 July 2004]: As at 21 June 2004, there had been 182,770 confirmed cases of BSE in the UK. Due to stringent controls numbers of BSE cases are now significantly lower than in 1988, when the disease was first made notifiable. Reported new cases are running at less than 1 per cent. of early 1993 levels, at the peak of the epidemic, when there were over 1,000 a week.

Cage and Aviary Birds

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on exhibitions of cage and aviary birds, with particular regard to the Pet Animals Act 1951; and if she will make a statement. [181052]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Pet Animals Act 1951 is concerned with the sale of animals and is applicable only to events where sales take place and therefore exhibitions which are solely for competitive showing fall outside the scope of the 1951 Act. Our policy on the sale of pet and captive animals is currently under review and the 1951 Act is likely to be repealed and replaced with more up to date legislation.

Civil Service Relocation

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civil servants and what percentage of the total civil service workforce in her Department will be relocated over the next five years (a) outside the M25, (b) to the West Midlands and (c) to Staffordshire. [180184]

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 22 June 2004, Official Report, column 1292W, by my right hon. Friend, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Paul Boateng).

Contaminated Land

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much

5 Jul 2004 : Column 438W

contaminated land was reclaimed in each of the last three years in (a) England, (b) the Eastern Region and (c) Essex. [179408]

Mr. Morley: Most remediation of contaminated land takes place as part and parcel of the development of land, and is secured through the planning system. Data on this activity is not collected centrally. Where remediation is instead being secured through Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, data is collected by the Environment Agency. Data to 31 March 2004 is contained in the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 28 April, Official Report, columns 1004–12, detailing action under Part IIA, including seven cases in the Eastern region of which two are in Essex. Data about completion of remediation is not collected centrally.

Domestic Water Conservation

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures the Government will bring forward to encourage domestic water conservation. [180186]

Mr. Morley: The Government are engaged in a number of activities to encourage water conservation across different sectors. In relation to domestic water use, the recent report by the Sustainable Buildings Task Group, "Better Buildings—Better Lives", contained a number of recommendations to improve the water efficiency of new and existing buildings. These include tighter minimum standards for water fittings, development of best practice guidance and incentives to encourage the uptake of water efficient products. The Government are actively considering how it will take these forward. I am also looking into the feasibility of introducing a product labelling scheme to help domestic consumers identify water efficient fittings and appliances. These activities will complement the existing duty on water undertakers to promote the efficient use of water by their customers.

Farming

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking (a) to promote dairy farming and (b) to persuade young people to enter dairy farming. [180714]

Alun Michael: The Government are taking action in line with its Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food to facilitate industry action to create a dairy sector that is attractive, sustainable and profitable for those engaged in it. For example:

My noble friend Lord Whitty has been chairing meetings of a Dairy Supply Chain Forum, which has been looking at co-operative solutions to improve supply chain efficiency and other issues.

The Government have made a grant of nearly £0.5 million to the Food Chain Centre to examine how to improve dairy supply chain efficiency; and

We have established English Food and Farming Partnerships to encourage co-operation and collaboration across all agricultural sectors.

5 Jul 2004 : Column 439W

As with all new entrants into farming, young farmers can obtain a range of business advice for start up businesses through the business links network and the Small Business Service. For full time farmers this includes access to the Farm Business Advice Service.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will reduce the administrative burden for farmers. [180715]

Alun Michael: The Government are indeed working hard to reduce administrative burdens on farmers not least through reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, reducing 10 main funding schemes to a Single Payment Scheme. This will remove much of the bureaucracy and paperwork associated with the old schemes and result in a streamlined and simplified application process for farmers. More than 100 pages of forms will be reduced to a fraction of this number. And through the Modernising Rural Delivery Rural Programme we aim to simplify access to rural funding streams.

In addition, the Whole Farm Approach will be rolled out in late 2005. The whole farm appraisal is currently being widely piloted, and this will transform Defra's interactions with farmers on subsidies, regulation and advice by redesigning them around on-farm activities and saving farmers from repeated requests for regulatory data.

The existing administrative burdens on farmers derive largely from regulations to achieve desirable outcomes for society such as protecting human and animal health, animal welfare and the environment. In addition, administrative checks are required to ensure proper disbursement of funds under CAP and other rural schemes. However, the Government are taking a broader approach to reducing administrative burdens on farmers; in response to the recent recommendations of the Regulation Taskforce set up by the Secretary of State. Along with a new unit developing a farm regulation strategy, this will help improve Defra's regulatory performance; achieving a coherent and holistic approach to the development of regulation and its impact on farmers.

Fisheries

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the number of fishermen in the UK in each year since 1990. [179436]

Mr. Bradshaw: The following table shows estimates of the number of fishermen in the UK for 1990–2002, compiled from estimates made by Defra and other Fisheries Departments in the UK.

Estimates for 2003 are not yet compiled, but will be published in "United Kingdom Sea Fisheries Statistics 2003", available in August 2004.
Number of Fishermen in the UK, 1990–2002

England and Wales
Scotland

Regular Part-time Total Regular Part-time Total

1990 ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— 7,550 766 8,316

1991 ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— 7,303 792 8,095

1992 ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— 7,181 865 8,046

1993⁽²⁾ ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— 7,675 1,347 9,022

1994 7,542 3,425 10,967 7,160 1,410 8,570

1995 8,240 2,192 10,432 6,889 1,506 8,395

1996 7,867 2,130 9,997 6,689 1,395 8,084

1997 7,253 2,176 9,429 6,729 1,465 8,194

1998 7,149 1,962 9,111 6,395 1,376 7,771

1999 6,083 1,613 7,696 6,042 1,288 7,330

2000 5,491 1,815 7,306 5,594 1,308 6,902

2001 6,057 1,392 7,449 5,353 1,284 6,637

2002 5,587 841 6,428 4,369 1,338 5,707

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Northern Ireland
United Kingdom

Regular Part-time Total Regular Part-time Total

1990 1,050 316 1,366 ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾—

1991 1,081 288 1,369 ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾—

1992 1,036 296 1,332 ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾—

1993⁽²⁾ 957 272 1,229 ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾— ⁽¹⁾—

1994 938 228 1,166 15,640 5,063 20,703

1995 933 226 1,159 16,062 3,924 19,986

1996 815 148 963 15,371 3,673 19,044

1997 850 131 981 14,832 3,772 18,604

1998 892 115 1,007 14,436 3,453 17,889

1999 845 90 935 12,970 2,991 15,961

2000 612 74 686 11,697 3,197 14,894

2001 513 46 559 11,923 2,722 14,645

2002 568 43 611 10,524 2,222 12,746

⁽¹⁾ No data.
⁽²⁾ The apparent increase in fishermen in Scotland reflected the licensing of 10m and under vessels; when more information became available on the numbers of such active vessels.
Source:
Fisheries Departments in the UK

	England and Wales	Scotland
	Regular	Part-time	Total	Regular	Part-time	Total
1990	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	7,550	766	8,316
1991	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	7,303	792	8,095
1992	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	7,181	865	8,046
1993⁽²⁾	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	7,675	1,347	9,022
1994	7,542	3,425	10,967	7,160	1,410	8,570
1995	8,240	2,192	10,432	6,889	1,506	8,395
1996	7,867	2,130	9,997	6,689	1,395	8,084
1997	7,253	2,176	9,429	6,729	1,465	8,194
1998	7,149	1,962	9,111	6,395	1,376	7,771
1999	6,083	1,613	7,696	6,042	1,288	7,330
2000	5,491	1,815	7,306	5,594	1,308	6,902
2001	6,057	1,392	7,449	5,353	1,284	6,637
2002	5,587	841	6,428	4,369	1,338	5,707

	Northern Ireland	United Kingdom
	Regular	Part-time	Total	Regular	Part-time	Total
1990	1,050	316	1,366	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—
1991	1,081	288	1,369	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—
1992	1,036	296	1,332	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—
1993⁽²⁾	957	272	1,229	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—	⁽¹⁾—
1994	938	228	1,166	15,640	5,063	20,703
1995	933	226	1,159	16,062	3,924	19,986
1996	815	148	963	15,371	3,673	19,044
1997	850	131	981	14,832	3,772	18,604
1998	892	115	1,007	14,436	3,453	17,889
1999	845	90	935	12,970	2,991	15,961
2000	612	74	686	11,697	3,197	14,894
2001	513	46	559	11,923	2,722	14,645
2002	568	43	611	10,524	2,222	12,746

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