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16 Dec 2004 : Column 1222W—continued
Turkeys
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of turkeys sold for the fresh meat Christmas market which were produced and slaughtered in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years for which figures are available; [204195]
(2) how many United Kingdom produced turkeys have been slaughtered for (a) domestic consumption, (b) catering and (c) processing industries in each of the last five years for which figures are available; [204196]
(3) how much and what proportion of supplies of (a) fresh and frozen retail, (b) catering and (c) other
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(i) turkey, (ii) chicken and (iii) other poultry in the UK was imported in each of the last five years for which records are available; [204197]
(4) how much turkey, produced in the United Kingdom broken down by (a) weight and (b) number of head, was exported to (i) European Union member states and (ii) third countries in each of the last five years for which records are available. [204198]
Alun Michael: Assuming the majority of turkey meat consumed during the Christmas period will have been slaughtered or imported during the final quarter of that year, the following table provides an estimate of the proportion of the Christmas market met from UK production. Figures are provided thousand tonnes carcase weight equivalent to provide comparability.
| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production | 69 | 70 | 71 | 65 | 67 |
| Imports | 18 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 21 |
| Exports | 16 | 24 | 21 | 21 | 24 |
| Supply (3) | 70 | 57 | 64 | 58 | 64 |
| Proportion of UK supply which was UK produced(4)(percentage) | 75 | 80 | 78 | 75 | 68 |
(3) Production plus imports less exports
(4) Production less exports as percentage of supply
It is not possible to identify separately the use of turkey, chicken and other poultry for domestic household consumption, catering or processing industries. The following tables provides statistics on the total production and supply of turkey meat, chicken and other poultry in thousand tonnes carcase weight equivalent to provide comparability. Estimates are then derived on the proportion of total supplies sourced from imports.
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| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production | 267 | 255 | 253 | 238 | 229 |
| Imports | 50 | 38 | 35 | 47 | 55 |
| Exports | 78 | 74 | 78 | 76 | 78 |
| Supply | 239 | 219 | 210 | 209 | 206 |
| Imports as percentage of supply | 21 | 18 | 17 | 23 | 27 |
| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production | 1,238 | 1,216 | 1,263 | 1,270 | 1,292 |
| Imports | 276 | 290 | 282 | 285 | 306 |
| Exports | 83 | 74 | 76 | 105 | 142 |
| Supply | 1,431 | 1,431 | 1,469 | 1,450 | 1,456 |
| Imports as percentage of supply | 19 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production | 44 | 43 | 50 | 46 | 46 |
| Imports | 23 | 27 | 29 | 34 | 30 |
| Exports | 25 | 26 | 32 | 33 | 23 |
| Supply | 42 | 44 | 47 | 48 | 53 |
| Imports as percentage of supply | 55 | 61 | 62 | 72 | 57 |
| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production | 1,548 | 1,514 | 1,566 | 1,554 | 1,567 |
| Imports | 349 | 355 | 346 | 367 | 391 |
| Exports | 186 | 174 | 186 | 214 | 243 |
| Supply | 1,711 | 1,695 | 1,726 | 1,707 | 1,715 |
| Imports as percentage of supply | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 23 |
The following table provides details of UK exports of live turkeys and turkey meat and meat products. Exports of turkey meat and meat products are only available by weight.
Note:
Tonnage figures are provided in product weight
Source:
HM Customs and Excise
Urban Foxes
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the extent to which urban foxes within the Greater London area are caught and then released into a rural environment; and if she will make a statement. [204087]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has made no assessment of this.
It is not unlawful to trap foxes in live capture cage traps and to release them at the same or a different location as long as this is done humanely and as long as the fox is not abandoned in circumstances likely to cause unnecessary suffering.
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However, I should point out, that the Department advises against relocating foxes on welfare grounds, mainly due to their territorial nature.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Kettles
Mr. Steen: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what health and safety guidance led to the decision to remove kettles from communal facilities for hon. Members and office staff in outbuildings on the Parliamentary estate. [205403]
Sir Archy Kirkwood: I have been asked to reply.
The Serjeant at Arms is required to ensure that all electrical equipment in House of Commons buildings on the Parliamentary Estate meets health and safety requirements. When this is found not to be the case, the equipment is disposed of.
LEADER OF THE HOUSE
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House whether his Office's special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997. [203924]
Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Miliband) earlier today.
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House whether his Office's special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997. [203964]
Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Miliband) earlier today.
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House whether his Office's special advisers have written to external (a) bodies and (b) individuals in their official capacity since May 1997. [204294]
Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to him by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) on 14 December 2004
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House whether his office's special advisers have made appearances before parliamentary select committees in their official capacity since May 1997. [204314]
WALES
Departmental Files
Dr. Julian Lewis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether it is the policy of the Department to retain for the benefit of future (a) historians and (b) applicants under the Freedom of Information Act
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2000 the same (i) complete categories of files, (ii) numbers of files and (iii) representative examples of files from categories of files destroyed, as had been preserved prior to the passage of that Act. [203322]
Mr. Touhig: In accordance with the Public Records Act 1958 S.3, the selection of records of enduring historical value for permanent preservation at The National Archives (TNA) will continue to take place in the Wales Office under the guidance and supervision of TNA staff. The Wales Office will also comply with the Code of Practice on Records Management, issued by the Lord Chancellor under S.46 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which underlines the importance of having clear selection policies and disposal schedules in place.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many departmental files have been destroyed in each of the past five years. [203323]
Mr. Touhig: The Wales Office was established July 1999. Departmental policy is to destroy files after they have been closed for five years. Any files which have been closed for five years or more will be reviewed in January 2005 in accordance with the Wales Office selection policies and disposal schedules.
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