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Environment and Development (Ministerial Meetings)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the environment and development ministerial meeting scheduled for 17 and 18 March in Buxton, providing details of (a) the agenda and what aspects of the impact of climate change upon development will be discussed, (b) which environmental non-governmental organisations have been invited and will attend and (c) what the desired outcomes of the meeting are. [218928]

Mr. Morley: On 17 and 18 March, the Secretary of State for International Development and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will co-host the first G8 meeting of Environment and Development Ministers. The agenda will include action to tackle illegal logging, Africa and climate change, the recommendations from the Commission for Africa Report, biodiversity and Humanitarian Aid Reform.

The Africa and climate change item will examine recommendations made in the "African Climate Report" published by my Department and the Department for International Development in December 2004 and seek agreement on ways in which these should be addressed.

There will be a parallel outreach session, which will report back to the ministerial. A wide range of civil society groups, including environmental non-governmental originations from across G8 countries have been invited.

The desired outcomes will be action by G8 partners to tackle illegal logging, and on Africa and climate change to highlight the importance of measures to reduce Africa's vulnerability to climate change.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her statement on 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 1368, on climate change and the environment, which 20 countries will attend the round table discussion for Ministers; what the (a) date and (b) location of the meeting will be; what the agenda is for the meeting; what aspects of the impact of climate change upon development will be discussed; which environmental
 
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non-governmental organisations (i) have been invited and (ii) will be attending; and what the desired outcomes of the meeting are. [218929]

Mr. Morley: The Energy and Environment Ministerial Roundtable will take place at the Brewery, London, on 15–16 March 2005. The invited countries are: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, the United States and the European Commission. At this point, most countries have confirmed attendance by at least one minister and in some cases two.

In addition to participation by ministers, selected senior figures from international and non-governmental organisations concerned with energy and environmental issues have been invited.

The round table will consider the challenges and opportunities for investment in sustainable and secure energy systems in a lower carbon world. The sessions will cover national and international policy drivers, national experience of and priorities for the development and diffusion of technology and how to accelerate these and the deployment lower carbon energy systems. The roundtable will focus on the key issues that were identified by national experts during the preparatory meeting, including sustainable energy and its development context.

This new and innovative forum will enable us to share valuable experience and look at new ways of working together in the development and deployment of sustainable energy systems.

Emissions Trading (Brick Industry)

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the consequences for the brick industry if the European Commission does not ratify Phase 1 of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. [219545]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 3 March 2005]: The brick industry have made several representations on the effects of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme on their industry and these have been taken fully into account in our negotiations with the Commission on temporary exclusion from the scheme for Climate Change Agreement participants. If the Commission do not approve the UK's application to temporarily exclude Climate Change Agreement participants from Phase 1 of the EU scheme, the brick industry will join the scheme from 1 January 2005.

If the European Commission did not approve the amended UK National Allocation Plan for Phase I (2005–7) of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, the Government would be unable to issue free allowances to installations covered by the Scheme. This would include operators of installations in the brick industry.

Government are continuing its dialogue with the Commission with a view to finding a solution which addresses the concerns of both sides and which will enable allowances to be issued as soon as possible. While we cannot give a firm date at this stage, the Government
 
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envisage that the issuance of free allowances will be made well in advance of the deadline for surrendering allowances of 30 April 2006.

Energy from Waste

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the use of energy from waste. [217139]

Mr. Morley: Energy from waste is a sustainable waste management option that offers a solution for dealing with the residual waste that will be left after steps have been taken to reuse, recycle or compost waste.

Foot and Mouth

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many companies have not yet been paid by her Department for work on the foot and mouth epidemic; [216563]

(2) how many companies have gone to court to seek payment for work done during the foot and mouth epidemic; and how many have been settled (a) in and (b) out of court. [216565]

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claims arising from the foot and mouth outbreak lodged with the Department are awaiting payment. [218770]

Mr. Bradshaw: I refer my hon. Friend to pages 36 and 37 of the National Audit Office report "Foot and Mouth Disease: Applying the Lessons—Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General HC184 Session 2004–2005 2 February, 2005".

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which companies have disputed claims outstanding from the foot and mouth epidemic; and what amounts are involved in each case. [216564]

Mr. Bradshaw: It is neither appropriate nor fair to identify the names of contractors with whom the Department is in dispute given that these are ongoing disputes, which are being concluded either through litigation or alternative disputes resolution procedures, or which are the subject of investigation by the relevant authorities.

Although some contractors and their representatives have sought to publicise their disputes through the media for reasons unknown to the Department, others have chosen not to do so and no useful purpose is likely to be served by the identity of contractors being divulged in these circumstances.

Gangmasters (Licensing) Act

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to take action against those gangmasters who contravene provisions of the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004. [218459]

Alun Michael: The Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 gives the Secretary of State responsibility for enforcing the criminal offences set out in the legislation. These
 
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include the offences of operating as a gangmaster without a licence, using an unlicensed gangmaster and the possession or use of false documents.

These offences will be brought into effect once gangmasters who require a licence have had the opportunity to apply for one. It will also be necessary for the Secretary of State to make regulations clarifying the checks labour users must make to establish the due diligence defence created by the Act. If the Gangmasters Licensing Authority makes early progress on specifying licence conditions and establishing the new licensing arrangements after its anticipated establishment on 1 April, it is expected that the new offences will be introduced mid 2006.

A new team of enforcement officers will be appointed by the Secretary of State to enforce the criminal offences created under the Act. Enforcement officers will have wide ranging powers including the power of arrest, the right of entry and the power to obtain information or the production of records.

The Act gives the Gangmasters Licensing Authority responsibility for ensuring that licence holders comply with the provisions of a licence issued to them. The Authority will set out how it intends to undertake its compliance role once it is formally established.

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