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8 Feb 2005 : Column 1362W—continued
Common Agricultural Policy
Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of how much the Common Agricultural Policy costs an average sized family in (a) increased food prices and (b) taxes. [212133]
Alun Michael: The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) raises the price of agricultural products to consumers, though the specific effect will vary over time according to conditions in world markets and exchange rates. We can make an estimate of the cost of the CAP to consumers by comparing the domestic price of agricultural products with the world price. Our latest provisional estimate is for 2003 and this shows a cost to UK consumers in the range £4.50 to £5, per family of four, per week.
The UK does not contribute to individual EU budget categories, rather it contributes to the entire EU budget.In order to provide an indication of the cost to UK taxpayers we have calculated a notional UK contribution to expenditure on the CAP. In 2003 we estimate this to have been around £5, per family of four, per week.
It remains the Government's objective to bring the down the cost of the CAP to taxpayers and consumers.
Departmental Spending
Mr. Laws:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her latest
8 Feb 2005 : Column 1363W
estimate is of unallocated departmental spending in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07, and (c) 2007–08; and if she will make a statement. [213268]
Alun Michael: Plan figures for departmental unallocated provision in 2005–06 were published in Central Government Supply Estimates 2004–05, Supplementary Budget Information (Cm 6133). Plan figures for 2006–07 and 2007–08 will be published in Central Government Supply Estimates 2005–06, Supplementary Budget Information.
Farm Subsidies
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how she will apply the single payment scheme to areas of common land, broken down by appropriate registration schemes for the land. [211893]
Alun Michael: We announced the way in which farmers with common land rights may apply under the single payment scheme in December last year. Details are available on the Defra website and will soon be sent to all farmers in another policy update brochure. We shall be considering applications from farmers by 16 May who have agricultural rights to common land in calculating the allocation of entitlements under the single payment scheme. In the majority of cases, these rights will have been registered under The Registration of Commons Act 1965. One exception to that is the New Forest where we are currently consulting with interests to determine what arrangements will apply there.
Fishing Quotas
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) discussions her Department has had with and (b) communications have been received from the European Commission since 1998 on the imposition of monthly cod quota allocations for individual vessels operated by under 10 metre PO members exploiting waters in (i) Area VIId and (ii) other areas. [213862]
Mr. Bradshaw: None. Vessels fishing against quota allocations managed by producer organisations (POs) are not subject to monthly catch limits set by fisheries departments but to such catch restrictions as may be imposed by their POs.
Foot and Mouth
Mrs. Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what systems were put in place by her Department to ensure that all relevant evidence was submitted to the Anderson Inquiry into the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2001. [214255]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 4 February 2005]: Defra set up an Inquiries Liaison Unit which was responsible for ensuring that Dr. Anderson's Lessons Learned Inquiry had access to any relevant information it requested relating to the FMD outbreak.
Free Trade
Mr. John Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment
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she has made of the economic effects on (a) UK consumers and (b) the UK economy of allowing free trade in agricultural products. [212134]
Alun Michael: Allowing free trade in agricultural products would eliminate the costs to consumers of higher food prices generated by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Our latest provisional estimate is for 2003 and this shows a cost to UK consumers in the range £4.50 to £5, per family of four, per week.
Free trade in agricultural products would benefit the UK economy through a more efficient allocation of domestic resources. We have not made our own estimate of the magnitude of the effect; a number of such estimates have been published in academic journals. These estimated costs vary, according to the baseline and methodology used. A recent estimate (along with a review of previous studies) is contained in Philippidis, G., and Hubbard, L.J., (2001), 'The economic cost of the CAP revisited', Agricultural Economics", 25, 375–385. This puts the economic cost of the CAP at around 0.2 per cent. of GDP for the EU and 0.5 per cent. for the UK. It should be noted that this estimate predates recent reforms, which will reduce the estimated economic costs of the CAP.
The UK Government will continue to argue during the current World Trade Organisation round for further liberalisation of agricultural trade, which will bring economic benefits to both developed and developing countries.
Publicity
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total expenditure by her Department on (a) advertising and (b) advertising and publicity was in (i) 1996–97, (ii)1997–98 and (iii) 2003–04; and what the estimate of cost of each will be in (A) 2004–05, (B) 2005–06, (C)2006–07 and (D) 2007–08. [211666]
Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 20 November 2003, Official Report, column 1235W and 3 March 2004, Official Report, column 958W. This includes communications on a wide range of matters, much of it necessary or beneficial to the public and the wide range of industries in which Defra has an interest, together with local government, voluntary organisations and other bodies.
Estimated costs for 2004–05 are not yet available and total allocations for advertising and publicity for 2005–06, 2006–07 and 2007–08 have not yet been made.
Research and Development
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what expenditure (a) her Department and (b) agencies for which her Department is responsible have made on research and development by private sector companies in each financial year since 2001–02. [206992]
Alun Michael:
Defra is a major funder of research, currently spending over £150 million pa on research services. The research budget is held within core-Defra. It is spent directly with contractor organisations and
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not accounted for through any of Defra's Executive Agencies. The figures provided are, therefore, limited to Defra expenditure alone.
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 24,912 |
| 2002–03 | 27,747 |
| 2003–04 | 28,619 |
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) her Department's expenditure and (b) the expenditure of each agency for which she is responsible on research and development relating to UK university departments andresearch centres in each year between 2001–02 and 2003–04. [206996]
Alun Michael: Defra is a major funder of research, currently spending over £150 million per annum on research services. The research budget is held within core-Defra. It is spent directly with contractor organisations and not accounted for through any of Defra's Executive Agencies. The figures provided are, therefore, limited to Defra expenditure alone.
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 18,284 |
| 2002–03 | 16,000 |
| 2003–04 | 17,379 |
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) her Department and (b) each agency for which she is responsible spent on research and development with overseas Government laboratories or research establishments (including collaborative Government funded laboratories and research establishments) in each year between 2001–02 and 2003–04. [206998]
Alun Michael: Defra is a major funder of research, currently spending over £150 million per annum on research services. The research budget is held within core-Defra. It is spent directly with contractor organisations and not accounted for through any of Defra's Executive Agencies. The figures provided are, therefore, limited to Defra expenditure alone.
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 12 |
| 2002–03 | 254 |
| 2003–04 | 366 |
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much and what percentage of the expenditure of each agency sponsored by her Department went on research and development in each year between 2001–02 and 2003–04. [207003]
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Alun Michael: Defra is a major funder of research, currently spending over £150 million per annum on research services. The research budget is held within core-Defra. It is spent directly with contractor organisations and not accounted for through any of Defra's Executive Agencies except in the case of the Pesticides Safety Directorate and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate who together currently manage research funding of £7.6 million per annum on the Departments behalf.
The Executive agencies for which the Department is responsible are the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Central Science Laboratory (CSL), Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). These agencies may be contractors receiving Defra R and D funding, or in the case of PSD and VMD, managers of Defra R and D funding. The figures do not cover research expenditure made by Non-Departmental Public Bodies such as the Environment Agency and the Countryside Agency.
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what expenditure was made by (a) the Department and (b) agencies for which the Department is responsible on research and development projects undertaken by organisations other than university departments, Government-funded research establishments and private sector companies in each year since 2001–02. [207016]
Alun Michael: Defra is a major funder of research, currently spending over £150 million per annum on research services. The research budget is held within core-Defra. It is spent directly with contractor organisations and not accounted for through any of Defra's Executive Agencies. The figures provided are, therefore, limited to Defra expenditure alone.
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 4,724 |
| 2002–03 | 4,924 |
| 2003–04 | 4,480 |
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