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Tier 2 System
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are in the Tier 2 system. [195807]
Miss Melanie Johnson: This information is not collected by the Department.
Waiting Times
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the average waiting time for a first consultant appointment in West Derbyshire in each year since 1997. [198367]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is shown in the table.
Source:
Department of Health form QM08R.
Wanless Report
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library copies of correspondence relating to the Government's activity target to get 70 per cent. of the population reasonably active by 2020, between his Department and the team responsible for the Wanless Report on "Securing Good Health for the Whole Population"; and if he will make a statement. [187176]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
There was a close working relationship between the Department and the team responsible for assisting Derek Wanless to produce his report, "Securing Good Health for the Whole Population". I cannot, however, make public information, the disclosure of which would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion between Government officials and independent review teams
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commissioned by Government, such as that led by Derek Wanless. Exemption 2 (internal discussion and advice) of the open Government code of practice applies.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Renewable Energy Strategy
1. Mr. Mackay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has held with the Department for Trade and Industry on the Government's renewable energy strategy. [198953]
Mr. Morley: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary State for Trade and Industry, has the lead responsibility for renewables and our two Departments are in close contact on this issue.
Organic Fruit Production
16. Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial help her Department provides to organic fruit producers. [198968]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department's Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) provides financial assistance to fruit producers to convert to organic production, deliver the environmental benefits organic farming produces and help meet consumer demand for organic food.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions (Target)
17. Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will set a target for UK carbon dioxide emissions for 2020. [198969]
Mr. Morley: The Government set out their longer-term goal in the Energy White Paper to make real progress by 2020 towards reducing the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. by 2050.
Fruit Farming
18. Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the application of single farm payments to orchards. [198970]
Alun Michael: Traditional orchards, which are generally those with greatest amenity and environmental value, will be eligible for the new CAP Single Payment subject to eligibility criteria that are currently being defined. Commercial orchards will not be eligible for the Single Payment anywhere in the European Union, nor have they ever been eligible for CAP subsidy.
Pesticides and Herbicides
19. Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of residue levels of pesticides and herbicides in fruit and vegetables. [198971]
Alun Michael:
I am satisfied that our current controls on pesticide residues provide a high level of protection for all consumers.
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Waste Management
20. Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to reduce waste. [198973]
Mr. Morley: Defra is taking a number of steps to reduce waste. These include initiatives by the Waste and Resources Action Programme; additional funding for local authorities through the waste minimisation and recycling fund; and the Envirowise programme of advice to businesses on waste issues.
Dairy Industry
21. Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she last met representatives of the dairy industry to discuss the price of milk. [198974]
Alun Michael: Price negotiations are a private commercial matter in which the Government cannot and should not get involved, provided competition rules are respected. However, Ministers frequently meet representatives from all parts of the dairy supply chain and are therefore aware of the issues.
Air Pollution
22. Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to improve air quality. [198975]
Alun Michael:
The Government policies to improve air quality are set out in the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, published in January 2000 and the Addendum to the Air Quality Strategy published in February 2003.
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Water Customers (Benefit Payments)
23. Mr. Heyes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will ensure that water customers who are in receipt of benefit who have direct payments deducted from their benefit are eligible for direct debit discounts. [198976]
Mr. Morley: If companies were to propose a discount for customers using the direct deductions scheme and could demonstrate that it reflected a cost saving, Ofwat would consider whether to approve this discount.
Single Farm Payments
24. Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on proposals for cross-compliance in relation to single farm payments. [198977]
Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced the key policy decisions on cross compliance by written statement to the House on 22 July 2004, Official Report, column 69WS.
Animal Cruelty
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases of animal cruelty have been prosecuted in the courts (a) in England and Wales, (b) in Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) in the City of York in each year since 1994. [192421]
Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
Defendants proceeded against for various offences connected with animal cruelty are shown in the table for England and Wales, Yorkshire and the Humber region and York magistrates court, 1994 to 2002.
Statistics on court proceedings for 2003 will be published on the 18 November.
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n/a = not applicable
(44) Principal offence basis.
(45) Staffordshire Police were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates' courts in 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data these data are not robust at a detailed level and have been excluded from this table.
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