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Rural Proofing

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the Countryside Agency's Rural Proofing report. [183914]

Alun Michael: I welcome the Countryside Agency's independent report which shows that in the three years since rural proofing was introduced, it has increasingly become an integral part of departments' policy making process. The report also makes valuable recommendations to government at all levels on further strengthening delivery to rural areas, and recognises the important step that we have made in making rural proofing a thematic issue for all Departments for the 2004 Spending Review.

Rural Strategy

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the Rural Strategy update to be published; and what consultation will follow publication. [183708]

Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, hopes to publish the Rural Strategy shortly. Rural policy and delivery is a complex area and we are taking the time we need to ensure that our decisions lead to workable and enduring arrangements.
 
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A wide range of stakeholders and interested parties have been consulted, in particular through the Review of the Rural White Paper, and the Review of Rural Delivery carried out by the noble Lord Haskins. The Department has also worked in close partnership with a wide range of delivery partners and stakeholders in taking forward work on the strategy and on modernising rural delivery and will continue to do so up to and following the publication of the Rural Strategy.

Sugar Beet

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many sugar beet producers she expects there to be in the UK in (a) 2008, (b) 2010 and (c) 2014. [183911]

Alun Michael: The number of UK producers growing sugar beet in future years will depend on a range of factors, including the relevant provisions of the Common Agricultural Policy at the time.

Following the issue of a paper in September 2003 on options for reform of the existing sugar regime, we understand that the European Commission may present a further Communication to the Agriculture Council on 19 July setting out their preferred approach. We will not be in a position to make any assessment before then.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many sugar beet producers there were in the UK on 1 July (a) 1997, (b) 2000 and (c) 2003. [183912]

Alun Michael: The June Agricultural Census indicates that the number of holdings in England growing sugar beet were:

(a) 1997—9,358

(b) 2000—8,655

(c) 2003—7,432

Figures for the other UK countries fall under the jurisdiction of the devolved authorities.

Note:

Figures prior to 2000 show main holdings only. From 2000 onwards all holdings are included.

Source:

June Agricultural Census

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact the European Commission's White Paper will have on British sugar beet producers. [183915]

Alun Michael: The European Commission issued a paper on sugar reform in September 2003 outlining broad options for political debate. We understand that a further Communication may be presented to the Agriculture Council on 19 July setting out their preferred approach in the light of the reactions they have received. Any assessment will need to await this.

UK Natura

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Government spending has been allocated to UK Natura 2000 sites of European importance for nature in this financial year. [182994]

 
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Mr. Bradshaw: Information is not collected in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Natura 2000 sites are underpinned by designation as sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs), with approximately 70 per cent. of SSSIs being Natura 2000 sites. There is not separate accounting for costs relating to European and National site designations, and protection of Natura 2000 sites is not differentiated from measures to protect SSSIs more generally. Moreover, decisions on spending are devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Measures which contribute to protecting Natura 2000 sites in England include the operation of the planning system, the work of Sea Fisheries Committees, funding from English Nature, the Environment Agency, the Forestry Commission, agri-environment schemes and spending by public bodies in their role as owners of Natura 2000 sites.

In 2002 the European Commission asked member states for a 10 year estimate of forecast spending on Natura 2000 sites. In reply we estimated that, as a minimum, in the region of €50 million per annum was likely to be spent on the UK's network of SSSI and Natura 2000 sites from all sources.

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the Government's position is on the (a) current and (b) future role of the EU LIFE-Nature programme in supporting management of the Natura 2000 network in the UK; [182995]

(2) what her policy is on the continuation of an EU fund dedicated to nature conservation; and if she will make a statement. [182996]

Mr. Bradshaw: The EU LIFE-Nature Programme has provided valuable funds for projects that have stimulated best practice in establishing, monitoring and managing Natura 2000 sites. The UK supports the extension of the current enabling EC regulation until 2006 and looks forward to debating the future financing of the Natura network following an expected Commission Communication on the subject due in the next few months.

Waste Management

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the future of (a) municipal waste disposal, (b) industrial waste disposal and (c) hazardous waste disposal in England. [182993]

Mr. Morley: Government policy on the disposal of waste in England is set out in Waste Strategy 2000.

Waterways

Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of funding by her Department to British Waterways in 2004–05 is to fund the strategic investment on waterway infrastructure; and if she will make a statement. [183683]

 
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Alun Michael: British Waterways has now cleared its safety-related maintenance backlog and is concentrating on its backlog of statutory arrears, currently standing at £158 million It will be spending £25 million on this work in 2004–05. This represents 42 per cent. of its grant in aid from Defra (£59 million). BW hopes to eliminate its backlog of statutory arrears by 2012.

HEALTH

Cancer

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the (a) incidence, (b) mortality rate and (c) survival rate for cancer among the (i) white and (ii) black and minority ethnic population was in each of the last five years for which information is available; [182703]

(2) what the five most prevalent types of cancer are in the (a) black Caribbean, (b) black African, (c) Indian, (d) Pakistani, (e) Bangladeshi and (f) Chinese ethnic groups; [182704]

(3) what the (a) incidence of, (b) mortality rates for and (c) survival rates for cancer were among the (i) black Caribbean, (ii) black African, (iii) Indian, (iv) Pakistani, (v) Bangladeshi and (vi) Chinese ethnic groups in England in each of the last five years for which information is available. [182709]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The data item, ethnic origin, was introduced in 1993 when the cancer registration minimum data set was established by the Department. This is an optional item for collection and the data held are not complete. It is not, therefore, possible to provide data on cancer incidence and survival broken down by ethnicity.

Cancer mortality data are not available broken down by ethnic group as ethnicity is not recorded as part of death registration.

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