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28 Feb 2005 : Column 921W—continued
Earth Observation Summit
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the results of the Earth Observation Summit in Brussels on 16 February. [217762]
Mr. Morley: The Summit participants adopted a resolution on the future of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems. The resolution included endorsement of a 10-year implementation plan. The plan details the work needed to assess the capacity of existing observation systems, identify gaps in the global observational network, and to work with others to address those gaps and develop more coordinated and comprehensive systems. A further result was the issue of a communique" that emphasised the high priority that should be given to tsunami and multi-hazard warning systems within the GEOSS.
The UK endorsed the plan and the communique" along with the other 57 countries participating in GEO.
EU Subsidies
Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the monetary value of direct EU export subsidies for agricultural goods exported by the EU to Africa in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [217200]
Alun Michael:
Total expenditure on EU export refunds (subsidies) is as follows.
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| Expenditure (£ million) | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 5,572.8 |
| 2000 | 5,646.2 |
| 2001 | 3,400.6 |
| 2002 | 3,432.4 |
| 2003(1) | 3,703.0 |
(1)Data for 2003 refers to appropriations for commitments entered in the budget for 2003.
Sources:
Agriculture in the European Union" for 2000–03 and The Agricultural Situation in the European Union" for 1999.
However, information on expenditure on export subsidies is not available by destination country and thus subsidised exports to Africa are not separately identifiable.
Horse Passports
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated revenue raised from (a) horse passports and (b) animal passports is. [217529]
Alun Michael: The Government do not collect any revenue from the issue of horse passports. Charges are made by individual Passport-Issuing Organisations and retained by those organisations. The Government do not charge pet passports since any charges are a matter for the vets who issue pet passports to pet owners. No charges are made for cattle passports.
Meat/Dairy Products
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the main export markets are for (a) beef, (b) lamb, (c) dairy products and (d) pork produced in England. [216568]
Alun Michael: The following table shows UK exports of beef, lamb/sheep, dairy products, pork/bacon and ham by main export market for the 12 months to November 2004. Exports from England are not separately identified.
Note:
Data are subject to amendments until 30/06/2005
Source:
HM Customs and Excise
Data prepared by Trade statistics, Food Chain Analysis 3, DEFRA
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Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what quantity of (a) milk, (b) eggs, (c) beef and lamb, (d) chicken and (e) pork was imported to the UK from (i) the EU and (ii) outside the EU in the last period for which figures are available. [216566]
Alun Michael: The following table shows UK imports of milk, eggs, beef, lamb/sheep, chicken, pork/bacon and ham from EU and Non-EU countries over the 12 months to November 2004.
Note:
Data are subject to amendments until 30 June 2005
Source:
HM Customs and Excise
Data prepared by Trade statistics, Food Chain Analysis 3, DEFRA
28 Feb 2005 : Column 924W
Further information on the production and supply of agricultural commodities can be found at: http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/publications/auk/2004/excel. asp.
Single Farm Payments
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the timing of single farm payments to farmers entitled to receive them in 2005–06. [216646]
Alun Michael: The payment window for the Single Payment Scheme is 1 December 2005 to 30 June 2006. The objective is to make as many payments as possible as early as practicable, within that window.
The Rural Payments Agency issued a News Release on 19 January confirming that the most probable date for payments to start is February 2006.
Waste
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how waste from schools is defined with respect to the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and what duties are incumbent on (a) waste authorities and (b) schools for the collection and disposal of waste from schools. [218307]
Mr. Morley: Section 75(5)(d) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 defines waste from premises forming part of a university or school or other educational establishment as household waste. In addition, Schedule 2 to the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992 classifies this waste as household waste for which a charge for collection may be made.
Section 45(1) of the 1990 Act places a statutory duty on waste collection authorities to arrange for the collection of household waste. Section 48(1) of the 1990 Act requires waste collection authorities to deliver for disposal to the waste disposal authority all waste which has been collected under section 45.
Section 51(1) of the 1990 Act requires waste disposal authorities to arrange for the disposal of the waste collected in its area by the waste collection authorities.
Schools may arrange for the collection of their waste with either the waste collection authority or any other person who is an authorised person" for the purposes of section 34 of the 1990 Act (the duty of care).
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date Newcastle upon Tyne city council applied for a grant for a gas from waste burning plant; what (a) volume and (b) type of materials are proposed to be gasified and burnt; what sum of money has been requested; and if she will place the application in the Library. [218033]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 24 February 2005]: The Strategy Unit report Waste Not, Want Not" (published in November 2002) pointed out that new options for dealing with residual waste need to be developed and tested as landfill diminishes in importance. To address this issue, Defra's Waste Implementation Programme is currently delivering a programme of advice on and development of new technologies including pilots for
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more innovative waste management practices—providing detailed and impartial technical and operational data to inform future decision-making.
Defra's latest call for industrial research proposals or projects aimed at developing pilot scale treatment equipment closed on 30 November 2004. Project proposals are now being evaluated by an expert advisory committee, including representatives from the public, private, community, NGO and financial sectors against a range of key criteria. Full details of the evaluation process are available on the Defra website.
I can confirm that Newcastle city council has submitted a proposal for a pilot scale gasification and pyrolysis plant as part of the current bidding round on 29 November 2004. It would not be appropriate at this stage to release detailed information on any individual proposal as this would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of local authorities' industry partners. However, details of preferred bidders and information on their specific projects will be announced publicly in the spring.
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