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Parliamentary Questions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that the percentage of questions tabled for a named day reply answered by that day increases. [189615]

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to my earlier answer to him of 29 April 2004, Official Report, column 1203W.

PFI/PPP Contracts

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contracts her Department had with (a) Barclays, (b) Royal Bank of Scotland, (c) UBS Warburg and (d) Bank of Scotland for advice on private finance initiative and public private partnership contracts in each financial year since 2001–02; and what fees were paid in each case. [186660]

Alun Michael: From analysis of information held centrally, no contracts have been let and fees paid by the Department in each financial year since 2001–02 to Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, UBS Warburg or Bank of Scotland for advice on private finance initiative and public private partnership contracts.

Rural Payments Agency

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether a second wave of expressions of interest in voluntary exit from the Rural Payments Agency will be offered on similar terms to the first wave; and how many staff in each location took advantage of the first wave terms. [188712]

Alun Michael: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is committed to reducing the number of posts as part of its change programme which includes the implementation of the changes resulting from CAP reform. It has already ceased operations at three sites and a further two sites will be vacated in 2005.

Staff at those sites that are to remain open have been invited to express an interest in voluntary exit from the RPA to take effect by the end of 2006. They are being offered voluntary redundancy on compulsory terms.

The number of staff who have expressed an interest is broken down by location as follows.
 
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Location	Number of staff
Newcastle	63
Carlisle	22
Exeter	66
Northallerton	31
Reading (including outstations)	222

There will be at least one further round of invitations for voluntary exit. This will target specific locations, grades and times linked to transition plans now being finalised.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions in 2003–04 decisions were taken by the Rural Payments Agency to recover wrongfully made payments to farmers; and if she will list the 20 greatest sums involved. [189616]

Alun Michael: In the 2003–04 year the Rural Payments Agency has taken action to recover 299 payments that had resulted from administrative errors. The total value of these payments was £392,844.96 with the 20 greatest sums being:

	Value of payments (£)
	44,259.45
	37,562.39
	26,637.11
	26,506.15
	19,839.00
	16,800.07
	13,329.78
	12,124.00
	10,580.07
	8,963.00
	8,931.65
	5,699.96
	5,491.16
	5,049.57
	4,637.67
	4,395.56
	4,023.00
	3,612.88
	3,552.37
	3,465.03
Total	265,459.87

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints were received from farmers by the Rural Payments Agency in 2003–04; and of those, how many (a) complained about the time taken to process claims and (b) elicited the response that claims by farmers had not been received. [189617]

Alun Michael: The number of complaints dealt with under the RPA's complaints procedure in 2003 and 2004 are set out below, these have been broken down into complaints regarding Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) and non-IACS schemes.

Schemes	2003	2004
IACS	134	113
Non-IACS	21	25
Total	155	138

Notes:
1. Figures for calendar years.
2. 2004 figures as of 13 September.



 
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The RPA could not extrapolate the data required to break these figures down into the requested categories without incurring disproportionate costs.

Scrapped Cars

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's estimate is of the number of cars in the UK scrapped each week; and if she will make a statement. [189923]

Mr. Morley: Estimates for numbers of abandoned vehicles removed and destroyed are compiled from the Defra Municipal Waste Management Survey. The estimates (310,100 for 2002–03) are collected on a yearly basis only.

Veterinary Services

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of current (a) levels of preventable disease in UK farm livestock and (b) the provision of large animal veterinary services.

Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is as follows:

(a) The Veterinary Laboratories Agency and Scottish Agricultural College publish the following disease surveillance reports:

Monthly disease surveillance reports in the Veterinary Record;

Annual national disease surveillance report (known as the VIDA report);

Annual report on Salmonella in livestock production; and

Contributions to the annual UK Zoonoses Report

In addition, the VLA produces quarterly retrospective reports for each of the major livestock species which are published on their website. These reports give a continuous indication of current levels of disease in UK farm livestock.

The concept of 'preventable' disease is complex and depends on 'cost and benefit' analyses as well as inherent characteristics of the various diseases. The Animal Health and Welfare Strategy Defra Publication No. PB9469 (published June 2004) and the UK Veterinary Surveillance Strategy Defra Publication No. PB8296 (published October 2003) describe a range of measures which are being implemented in partnership with stakeholders, in order to bring about a sustainable improvement in the overall health and welfare of our farmed livestock.

(b) Earlier this year we commissioned a report to investigate the issues surrounding the supply and demand of large animal vets. While there is much concern expressed about the closure of some rural practices and the future availability of veterinarians, there is also very clear evidence that many graduates are attracted to large animal work. We are committed to regularly monitoring the supply and retention of large animal veterinary surgeons in partnership with the RCVS to ensure that the profession can play a full and effective part in the implementation of the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy.
 
11 Oct 2004 : Column 100W
 

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the non-legislative guidance issued by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons precluding veterinary surgeons from offering their services to farmers with existing arrangements for emergency and clinical care of livestock; and if she will make a statement. [189603]

Mr. Bradshaw: The current guide to professional conduct issued by the Royal College does not preclude veterinary surgeons offering their services to farmers with existing arrangements for emergency and clinical care of livestock.

The Guidance for veterinary surgeons who are approached by new clients states:

"Although both veterinary surgeon and client have freedom of choice, as a matter of professional courtesy and in the interests of the welfare of the animals involved a veterinary surgeon should not knowingly take over a colleague's case without informing the colleague in question and obtaining a clinical history.

When an animal is initially presented a veterinary surgeon must ask whether it is already receiving treatment, and if so, when it was last seen, and then contact the original veterinary surgeon for a case history. It should be made clear to the client that this is necessary in the interests of the patient. If the client refuses to provide this information the case should be declined.

In an emergency it is acceptable to make an initial assessment, and administer any essential treatment before contacting the original veterinary surgeon."

The Guidance for veterinary surgeons with mutual clients states:

"Where different veterinary surgeons are treating the same group of animals, each may supply medicines for administration to those animals. Each must, however, keep the other informed of any examinations of the animals, relevant clinical information and medicines supplied or prescribed, so as to avoid any danger that might arise from conflicting advice or adverse reactions arising from unsuitable combinations of medicines.

Even where two veterinary surgeons are treating different groups of animals owned by the same client, it is still advisable for each to keep the other informed of any problem which might affect their work."

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