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14 Jul 2004 : Column 1143W—continued
Rats
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information she collects in respect of moneys expended by sewerage undertakers to control rat populations; and what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of sewerage undertakers in regard to control of such populations. [182858]
Mr. Morley: The Department does not collect information on moneys expended by sewerage undertakers to control rat populations.
Late last year, my Department sought the views of all chief executives of local authorities in England and Wales on how well the liaison arrangements between water companies and local authorities are working in relation to sewer baiting for rats. The level of response was disappointing. The results of that review and a more recent and comprehensive report by the CSL (Central Scientific Laboratory) on the presence of rodents in domestic dwellings will be considered by the Rats in Sewers Working Group.
Red Squirrels
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the change in the red squirrel population over the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [153746]
Mr. Bradshaw:
No assessment has been made in the changes to red squirrel population over the last five years. However, within England, significant populations of the red squirrel are still found in the north-west and north-east, the Isle of Wight and the
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islands in Poole Harbour. The population in Thetford Forest remains in a precarious position, with no recent sightings there.
Little can be said about changes in numbers at any of these sites as the species is very difficult and costly to monitor at this level of detail. We hope that the recently-formed Tracking Mammals Partnership will make some progress with developing integrated monitoring methods for this challenging species.
On the positive side, the red squirrel seems to have made some small gains in the Yorkshire Dales, where it has been able to expand into plantations that are now maturing and producing good crops of the pine cones that it needs.
On the negative side, the grey squirrel continues to expand its range and threaten red squirrel populations, with the species now appearing in the west of Northumberland, where it is moving up the Tyne valley, and more northern parts of Cumbria, where it has moved north of Thirlmere and is now appearing around Keswick.
The continuing expansion of the grey squirrel is to be expected and red squirrel conservation is focused on limiting that expansion in areas where the two species overlap. Some significant progress has been made in developing more effective and targeted ways of defending healthy populations of red squirrels against replacement by the grey squirrel.
The UK red squirrel Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Group has identified those areas of the UK where action to maintain red squirrels is most likely to be effective in the long term. In northern England, these priorities have now been translated into management plans for key forest areas, where we believe a combination of large-scale habitat management in forests and buffer areas allied to surveillance and targeted grey squirrel control gives the red squirrel the best chance of survival.
These plans will form the basis of a bid for Heritage Lottery funding within the next few months by a consortium of government agencies, wildlife trusts and private landowners.
Elsewhere in England, a red squirrel strategy for the Isle of Wight has recently been published. Work on improving the island's woodlands and hedgerows for the red squirrel has been continuing, funded by the Forestry Commission and the HLF, and a recent survey found signs of red squirrels in 86 per cent. of the woodlands, an improvement over the 71 per cent. found in 1996–97. The populations on the islands in Poole Harbour (Brownsea, Furzey) are also important and a joint management plan to ensure their survival here will soon be developed.
Rural Payments Agency
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what new technology has been introduced by the Rural Payments Agency since its formation. [182917]
Alun Michael:
The following new technology has been introduced by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) since its formation in October 2001.
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A new integrated Human Resources and Finance system using the Oracle E-Business Suite was introduced in October 2003 and subsequently upgraded to the latest versions of the Oracle applications and database in February 2004.
Online internet based systems have been implemented for the electronic transfer of information from abattoirs directly into RPA systems and electronic links between HM Customs and Excise have been established for exchange of import and export licence data.
The e-IACS system was enhanced to provide customers with an off-line web based solution to submit Integrated Administration Control Systems (IACS) claim forms electronically. This went live in March 2003.
In June 2003 an improved Intranet system was introduced together with devolved content management facilities supported by a Knowledge Management network of staff throughout RPA. This has quickly become a key business tool throughout RPA.
Combined Bovine Risk Assessment was introduced in August 2002 allowing Inspectors to use laptops on customer premises to complete bovine inspections.
Other specialist corporate systems have been introduced, specifically an intelligence support systems for the RPA Counter Fraud and Compliance Unit based on Memex software and a case management system for RPA's Internal Audit group based on Galilio software—both introduced during 2003.
A secondary data centre has been established to provide disaster recovery (DR) protection. New high end servers use modern technology with centralised data storage and dedicated high speed telecommunications links between the primary and DR sites.
Enterprise disk storage array systems have been introduced for economies of scale and administrative efficiency. These provide approximately 20 terabytes of disk space at each of the data centres.
Over 3,000 new and upgraded desktop computers have been deployed throughout the RPA offices with access to centrally managed Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Servers supporting Microsoft Exchange for email.
A new communications network service has been installed linking the five main RPA sites and providing flexible bandwidth on demand to support data and telephone communications.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Business Link
Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small businesses have been helped by Business Link in (a) Bath and North East Somerset and (b) Wansdyke constituency in each year since 2001. [182494]
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Nigel Griffiths: Since 2001 business support to enterprises in Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) and Wansdyke constituency has been provided by Business West, one of a national network of 45 Business Link Operators.
The year on year breakdown is made up of enterprises unique to that year, as follows:
| BANES | Wansdyke | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1,127 | 352 |
| 2002 | 1,548 | 486 |
| 2003 | 1,801 | 585 |
| 2004 (January to June) | 1,184 | 363 |
Consumer Protection (Budget Airlines)
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from representatives of independent tour operators about the financial protection for consumers who book accommodation through websites related to budget airlines; and if she will make a statement. [183613]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Officials and I, have received several representations from the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), from AITO members, and from the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) representing, among others, their independent tour operator members. AITO and ABTA joined me at a meeting I held with representatives from the package travel industry in March at which extending financial protection for holidaymakers and travellers was discussed. Both organisations are in frequent contact and attend regular meetings with officials on this and other matters. I am, therefore, very aware of AITO and ABTA members' views on this issue as we await the Civil Aviation Authority's final recommendations to Government on extending protection.
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