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Fisheries

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much EU aid was paid to the fishing industries of (a) Spain, (b) France and (c) Denmark in each of the last eight years for which figures are available. [218128]

 
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Mr. Bradshaw: The current EU fisheries grants scheme covers the period 2000–2006. The EU aid planned in that period for those countries was (a) Spain £1,076.4 million (b) France £145.9 million and (c) Denmark £127.7 million. The comparable figure for the UK is £136.4 million. We do not know what has been spent to date in other member states. However since 1 January 2005 there has been a level playing field in that no member state has been able to give aid for the construction of new vessels and only for modernisation if vessel capacity is not altered. In addition to the grants scheme various other sources of help for those fishing industry will exist in those member states as it does in the UK.

Hazardous Waste

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much contaminated soil has been disposed of to landfill since the coming into force of regulations implementing the EU Waste Framework Directive; and what the figure was in the equivalent period prior to the coming into force of those regulations; [224558]

(2) how many movements by lorry of hazardous waste there have been since the coming into force of regulations implementing the EU Waste Framework Directive. [224559]

Mr. Morley: I have referred these questions to the Environment Agency. The Agency will take some time to collate the information requested and my noble Friend, The Baroness Young, will write to the hon. Lady directly when they have done so.

Radioactive Sources

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to change the policy on management of high activity radioactive (a) sealed sources and (b) orphan sources. [224716]

Mr. Morley: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the devolved administrations published a consultation paper on 18 March. This set out proposals for implementing Council Directive 2003/122/Euratom on the control of high-activity sealed sources and orphan sources. The consultation paper included draft regulations to amend existing legislation in this area. Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the Library.

Raptors

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to examine methods of control of peregrine hawks and sparrow hawks, with particular reference to their impact on other bird species. [224806]

Mr. Bradshaw: We have no plans to examine methods of control of birds of prey. We are aware of increasing concerns from grouse moor owners, racing pigeon fanciers over the impact of rising raptor populations on bird numbers, including songbirds. A Raptor Working Group was set up in 1995, jointly chaired by the DETR and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. The recommendations from the Raptor Working Group's
 
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final report, published in 2000, provides the basis for and inform efforts to find an effective and acceptable solution to the problems caused by birds of prey.

Work is now being taken forward by the country conservation agencies, and other organisations. In addition, English Nature has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Moorland Association on addressing the issue of raptor predation in the uplands.

A paper on progress in implementing the recommendations of the Raptor Working Group Report was presented to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, and noted by them, in September 2003. The paper is publicly available on their website at: http://www.incc.gov.uk/management/committee/papers03–09/incc03N06.pdf. Copies of the Raptor Working Group report are available from the Library of the House.

Birds of prey are usually the top predators in their food chains. As with other predatory species, populations of birds of prey are normally heavily influenced by their prey populations rather than the other way around. The available evidence suggests that recovering populations of birds of prey are not responsible for recent declines in some songbirds and that other factors related to habitat change and the intensification of farming are mainly to blame.

Recycling Targets

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much in fines the UK has paid to the EU for failing to meet recycling targets in each year since 2001. [224761]

Mr. Morley: The UK has not paid any money to the EU for fines in 2001 or in subsequent years.

The UK narrowly failed to meet the packaging directive's recovery target in 2001, but did meet the recycling target and material-specific recycling targets for all materials. In each year since 2001, the UK has continued to meet the required targets.

Sewers and Drains

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) consultation and (b) research has been done to assess the effects of proposed changes of ownership of private sewers and lateral drains on the sector, with particular reference to companies working in drain services. [224859]

Mr. Morley: The Department published the Review of Existing Private Sewers and Drains in England and Wales consultation paper in 2003. A range of organisations was consulted, representing many different stakeholder groups. The consultation paper was also publicised in the trade press.

Key stakeholders, including the drain repair industry, were invited to a private sewers seminar in January this year. This included a workshop looking at the potential impacts on small businesses.

The Department has also undertaken further research to identify the potential impacts any transfer may have on drain repair companies. This involved contacting over 130 companies. A small firms impact test and
 
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competition assessment will be included in the updated regulatory impact assessment. This will accompany the decision paper intended for publication in the summer.

Water Supplies

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the likelihood of water shortages in 2005. [224061]

Mr. Morley: The Environment Agency is the statutory body with a duty to manage water resources in England and Wales and it advises the Secretary of State accordingly. The agency's current assessment is that even with average rainfall over the next six weeks there may still be some localised water supply problems in southern England this summer. Below average rainfall is likely to result in more serious problems for water companies in the South and this may extend towards the South-West and into the Midlands and East Anglia. Water companies may need to activate the measures in their drought plans, such as hosepipe bans, if the rainfall deficit does not diminish.

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with water companies on the adequacy of future supplies; and if she will make a statement. [224062]

Mr. Morley: The Environment Agency is the statutory body which has a duty to secure the proper and efficient use of water resources in England and Wales and it advises the Secretary of State accordingly. Each water company in England and Wales produces a water resources plan setting out how it proposes to maintain the supply and demand balance of water for the next 25 years. The plans are assessed by the Environment Agency and reviewed annually.

The plans were updated as part of the recent periodic review of water company prices. The agency reported to Ministers, in July 2004, on these plans in "Maintaining Water Supply", which is available on its website.

The agency concluded that all water companies should be able to meet their customers' needs in the short term, although some companies need to work quickly to address security of supply issues. It believes that greater attention to demand management measures could offset the need, identified by some companies, for new or enlarged reservoirs that are expensive and potentially damaging to the environment.

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