| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
13 Jun 2005 : Column 33W—continued
Bovine Tuberculosis
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Independent Scientific Group on its conclusion that there was nothing to learn from the Republic of Ireland's study on bovine tuberculosis. [1669]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG) did not conclude that there was nothing to be learned from the Republic of Ireland's four-area badger study. The ISG recognised that the Republic of Ireland study added to the available evidence, but identified limitations in the applicability of the study to the situation in Great Britain.
The Government's Strategic Framework for the sustainable control of bovine tuberculosis sets out a process for decision-making on badger culling, based on analysis of practicality, cost-effectiveness and sustainability. The Government are working on modelling (including cost-benefit analysis) badger-culling options using existing and emerging data, and this will include data from the Irish Four Area Trial.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will introduce more rigorous pre-movement tuberculosis testing of cattle; and if she will make a statement. [2659]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 9 June 2005]: The Department is considering a proposal for pre-movement testing in Great Britain, developed by one of the TB interest groups. The report of the group, which was chaired by a farmer, is available on the Defra website. http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/pdf/pre-movementtest.pdf. We are considering the groups' recommendation.
The policy will require agreement from the Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly. We aim to consult later this year on the detailed proposal. A proposal is also being developed for post-movement testing in Scotland (led by the Scottish Executive).
BSE
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the incidence of cases of BSE in cows born after the imposition of the reinforced feed ban. [3640]
Mr. Bradshaw: The UK's reinforced feed ban, effective from 1 August 1996, has resulted in a step change decrease in BSE in cattle born from this date. There have been 121 cases born after July 1996 in the UK. More than 183,000 cases have been confirmed in the UK to date and over 99 per cent. were born before August 1996.
No cases have yet been found in animals born in the year between August 2000 and July 2001. Three cases have recently been confirmed in cattle born in September 2001, October 2001 and May 2002. All were from the same farm and investigations into a possible cause continue.
13 Jun 2005 : Column 34W
Professor William Hill is currently carrying out an independent assessment of the possible causes of BSE cases born after July 1996 at the request of Defra.
Cattle Diseases
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the new system of table valuations for (a) bovine TB, (b) enzootic bovine leukosis, (c) BSE and (d) brucellosis. [2566]
Mr. Bradshaw: Defra remains committed to introducing a new cattle compensation system, based on table valuations, and aims to put the new system in place during 2005.
The Department is looking closely at concerns raised during the consultation, especially in relation to the scope of categories for commercial and pedigree animals. Ultimately we want a system that is fair to both farmers and taxpayers.
Once we have more concrete details, Defra will arrange further meetings with stakeholders to discuss how it intends to proceed.
Chewing Gum
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated cost of removing chewing gum from streets was in (a) England, (b) each English region and (c) each local authority in each year since 1997. [2411]
Mr. Bradshaw: Figures are available for the total cost of street cleansing at national and regional level. However, these figures are not broken down to include more detailed aspects such as chewing gum removal.
A recent survey by ENCAMS—the environmental charity which runs the Keep Britain Tidy Campaign—received 66 responses from local authorities on gum removal. The spending by these authorities on removing gum ranged from £0 to £200,000, with the average per authority at £12,792.
Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act
Dr. Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she intends to lay an order before Parliament implementing section2 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. [3882]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Nuisance Parking Offences under part 2 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act came into force on the 7 June. We hope to implement the abandoned vehicle measures in the autumn. The Fixed Penalty Notices relating to local environmental offences, including nuisance parking and abandoned vehicles, are due to be implemented by April 2006.
Committee on Radioactive Waste Management
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of the representatives on the Committee on Radioactive Waste
13 Jun 2005 : Column 35W
Management have direct scientific or engineering experience of the nuclear industry; and if she will make a statement. [2657]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 9 June 2005]: Details for the members of CoRWM, together with a declaration of their interests, can be found on the CoRWM website, www.corwm.org.uk
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many options on the disposal of nuclear waste are being considered by the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management. [2658]
Mr. Morley:
The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) launched the second phase of its Public and Stakeholder Engagement consultation programme on 4 April 2005. One of the items covered by this consultation is its proposed shortlist of options for the long-term management of the UK's higher level
13 Jun 2005 : Column 36W
radioactive waste. Of the 15 options originally evaluated, CoRWM has proposed that four be carried forward to further assessment:
This shortlist will be finalised in light of CoRWM's consultation. Further details can be found at www.corwm.org.uk
Consultants
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many consultants were employed by her Department in each of the last three years; and what their names were. [1333]
Jim Knight: The Department has engaged consultants from the companies shown as follows in each of the last three financial years:
13 Jun 2005 : Column 37W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |