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Written Answers to Questions

Friday 16 July 2004

NORTHERN IRELAND

Moylinn GP Co-operative

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in developing a replacement facility for Moylinn Out-of-hours GP Co-operative in Craigavon. [182622]

Angela Smith: The Association of Southern Area Doctors on Call (ASADOC), in conjunction with the Southern Health and Social Services Board and Craigavon Area Hospital Trust, have finalised plans for the development of a new out-of-hours centre on the Craigavon Area Hospital site as a replacement for the current centre at Moylinn.

A contract for the building of new premises has now been agreed, with the work due to start in the near future. The expected date of completion for the new facility is September 2004.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Kyoto

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultations her Department has conducted on the ratification of the Kyoto Accord. [183081]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 13 July 2004]: The UK ratified the Kyoto Protocol, along with the rest of the EU, in May 2002. The Kyoto Protocol is a crucial first step in developing an effective international regime on climate change and we continue to encourage all countries that have not yet done so to ratify. In order to enter into force the Protocol must be ratified by at least 55 countries including developed countries that account for 55 per cent. of this group's greenhouse gas emissions in 1990. Because of the withdrawal of the United States from the Protocol in 2001, entry into force requires ratification by Russia, responsible for 17.4 per cent. of developed countries' greenhouse gas emissions in 1990.

This Department along with others continues to urge Russia to ratify as soon as possible. We believe there are strong economic as well as environmental advantages to Russia of ratification and put these across at every opportunity. We welcomed President Putin's positive statement on 21 May that in light of progress made in WTO negotiations he would accelerate movement towards ratification.

Aarhus Convention

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the EU regarding the Aarhus Convention. [183793]


 
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Mr. Morley: The Department has been actively involved in all discussions within the EU on the Aarhus Convention since the UK and the Community signed it in 1998. The Dutch Presidency of the EU recently indicated that it would reopen negotiations on the package of measures proposed by the European Commission in 2003 to complete implementation of the Convention in the Community. The Department will lead for the UK Government in these negotiations.

Bastroe Channel

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) Romania and (b) Ukraine regarding the proposed construction of the Bastroe channel and its effect on the Danube Delta; and if she will make a statement; [183691]

(2) what discussions she has had with her counterparts in the EU regarding the proposed construction of the Bastroe channel and its effect on the Danube Delta. [183692]

Mr. Morley: The Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs has not had any bilateral discussions with her counterparts in the EU, Romania or Ukraine regarding the proposed construction of the Bastroe channel.

The issue is being discussed at EU level between EU Institutions and the Ukrainian Government. The subject was also raised last week at the EU/Ukraine summit in the Hague.

Practical steps to resolve the issue have already been taken by the Council of Europe. Ukraine has agreed to an independent environmental impact assessment by experts appointed by the Council of Europe, which is scheduled to take place at the end of July. The results will be presented at the upcoming meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention. The UK Government fully supports this course of action.

Combined Heat and Power

Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much good quality combined heat and power plant capacity has been brought online as a consequence of the Government's (a) programme of climate change agreements and (b) enhanced capital allowances programme. [181957]

Mr. Morley: There has been no assessment made of the change in use of CHP by companies covered by climate change agreements The agreements set targets for improvements in energy efficiency, which in some cases take account of the potential for CHP in the facility. In other cases, operators are required to make an assessment of the potential for CHP, which may result in a change to their targets. Operators are free to meet their targets in a range of ways.

Defra has issued 89 enhanced capital allowance certificates of energy-efficiency to new CHP schemes. Information is not available on the capacity of Good Quality CHP that has been brought online as a result of the availability of Enhanced Capital Allowances.
 
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Environment Agency (Discussions/Public Database)

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what matters the Environment Agency (a) has discussed in the past year and (b) plans to discuss with other environmental regulators in the European Union; what the outcomes of past discussions have been; what her policy is on transparency of such discussions; and if she will make a statement. [183183]

Mr. Morley: As befits an organisation with its range of regulatory responsibilities, the Environment Agency has frequent contact with other EU and international environmental regulators to share experience and knowledge on mattersconcerning the implementation and enforcement of environmental law. This includes active participation in IMPEL, a network of EU environmental regulators whose purpose is to ensure more effective implementation and enforcement of EU environmental legislation, to share information and experience and to promote good practice. The Agency led a recent IMPEL project on better EU legislation and is leading projects on transfrontier shipments of waste, emissions trading and assessing the impact on human health of environmental emissions. Reports on completed IMPEL projects are published on the IMPEL web-site, as is information about IMPEL's current work programme.

The Agency also participates in a new informal network bringing together the heads of organisations involved in the practical day-to-day implementation of environmental policy in the EU to exchange views on issues of common interest. Discussions at the last meeting focused on evaluating performance and the environmental impacts of agriculture. A summary of the meeting is published on the web-site of the European Environment Agency. The Environment Agency is co-hosting the next meeting of the network jointly with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will propose to the Environment Agency that it maintain a public database summarising the facts, sentence and aggravating and mitigating circumstances of each prosecution it secures. [183198]

Mr. Morley: The Environment Agency maintains a National Enforcement Database, which holds data on prosecutions undertaken, formal cautions administered, and enforcement notices served, including the names of the individuals concerned, the alleged statutory offences, the court that dealt with the offences, the penalty imposed, and the costs awarded. The database is not available to the public, although the Agency is exploring means to make such information as accessible as data protection legislation will allow. Details of major prosecutions resulting in convictions may be accessed via Press Releases posted on the Agency's website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk. The Department has no plans to require the Agency to collect further data on prosecutions.
 
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Fallen Stock

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of calf carcases that require disposal she estimates are collected by hunt kennels. [183125]

Mr. Bradshaw: This information is not available.

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations have been made to her Department about the role that hunt kennels play in collecting horse carcases. [183124]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has had a number of discussions and representations about the role hunt kennels play in collection of fallen stock but none specifically regarding collection of horse carcases.

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