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10 Nov 2004 : Column 684W—continued
CITES Import Permits
Mr. Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what safeguards there are to ensure that primates imported into the UK under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species regulations are kept by people who have sufficient knowledge to care for and house the animals. [197043]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 8 November 2004]: A CITES import permit may only be issued when certain conditions have been met. One of the conditions is that the scientific authority must be satisfied that the intended accommodation for an Annex A specimen (great apes, chimpanzees etc) at the place of destination is adequately equipped to conserve and care for it properly. For Annex B specimens (most other primates) documentary evidence that the accommodation is suitable must be provided.
Departmental Expenditure
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will break down the budget set by her Department for public expenditure on wildlife, countryside and better regulation for financial years (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06 by programme. [196689]
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Alun Michael: The Department's plans for public expenditure on wildlife, countryside and better regulation for the two years 2004–05 and 2005–06 consist of the following programmes:
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will break down the budget set by her Department for public expenditure by the Rural Payments Agency on (a) the Over-Thirty Month Scheme, (b) direct payments under the Common Agricultural Policy and (c) other schemes for the financial years (i) 2004–05 and (ii) 2005–06 by scheme. [196692]
Alun Michael: The current budget allocation that has been set by Defra for the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) for the 2004–05 financial year is as follows.
The public expenditure for the RPA for the 2005–06 financial year is under consideration. The expenditure figures are before any reimbursement by the European Union.
Hydrofluorocarbons
Mr. Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress on her policies and measures for reducing HFC emissions as outlined in paragraphs 72–76, section two, chapter four of Climate Change—the UK Programme (November 2000). [196288]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 8 November 2004]: Good progress has been made in developing effective measures to reduce HFC emissions. Political agreement to an EC regulation on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases, and a directive amending Existing Vehicle Type Approval in relation to Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) in cars was reached in October 2004.
The regulation includes measures on: containment through responsible handling during use, recycling and end-of-life recovery; reporting on quantities produced, supplied, used and emitted; certain application specific bans on use and placing on the market. The directive
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includes a ban on the use of fluorinated gases with high Global Warming Potential (GWP) in MACs from 2011 (new vehicle types) and 2017 (all new vehicles).
Jubilee River
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the conclusions of the Atkins report into the construction of the Jubilee River; and if she will make a statement. [195683]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 2 November 2004]: Operational responsibility, including the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of the Jubilee River rests with the Environment Agency (EA).
I am advised that all independent reports so far, including the Atkins report, confirm that the effect of the operation of the Jubilee River on downstream water levels during flood events is minimal. The EA advise that the Atkins report recommended further investigations and survey work, particularly regarding the height of the river banks and further monitoring of flows while the scheme is being operated.
I understand that as a result of the report the EA will conduct surveys prior to consideration of further works to improve capacity.
Landfill
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with waste disposal authorities on the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme; and what contingency plans she has put in place if local authorities fail to reduce landfill by their targets. [195344]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 2 November 2004]: Ministers and officials in Defra have had extensive discussions with local authorities on the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme ranging from bilateral meetings with individual councils through to regional roadshows aimed at all local authorities. In addition, local authority representatives sit on the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme stakeholders group that discuses all issues in respect of the scheme.
If local authorities fail to meet their landfill reduction targets the draft Regulations laid before this House on 13 October make provision for financial penalties. Local authorities are being encouraged to make full use of the flexibilities built into the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme to avoid exceeding their allowances.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to review the level of fines to be levied as a result of the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme Regulations 2004. [195345]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 2 November 2004]: The draft Regulations laid before this House on 16 October 2004 set the penalty at £200 per tonne. This represents
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the most expensive option available to local authorities taking account of the marginal cost of landfill compared with the most expensive diversion option. Government will keep the level of penalties under review, taking account of changes in marginal costs or other factors. A full review of the operation of the scheme, including penalty levels, is planned for 2007.
Water Bills
Mr. Heyes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will replace current arrangements for assisting water customers who have difficulty paying their bills with payments through the benefits and tax credit system. [195108]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 8 November 2004]: A cross-Government steering group is reviewing the way in which lower income households are helped with their water and sewerage charges, in discussion with a range of stakeholders. A report will be published by the end of the year.
Refrigerators
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 September 2004, Official Report, column 1676W, to the hon. Member for Guildford (Sue Doughty), on refrigerators, what measures she has taken to prevent the loss of ozone depleting substances from refrigerators during their working life. [190869]
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Mr. Morley [holding answer 14 October 2004]: EC Regulation 2037/2000 includes a requirement to take all precautionary measures that are practicable to prevent and minimise leakages of ozone depleting substances. This includes checking fixed equipment with a refrigerating fluid charge of more than 3 kg annually for leakages.
Domestic and small commercial refrigerators are manufactured with hermetic seals and so are designed not to leak.
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