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11 Jul 2005 : Column 643W—continued
PRIME MINISTER
Advertising
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Prime Minister how much his Office spent on advertising in each of the last five years. [10234]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 3 February 2005, Official Report, column 1010W, and to the letter of 1 March from the then Minister for the Cabinet Office to the hon. Member for Yeovil, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House.
Departmental Bills
Mr. Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what criteria are used by him in selecting Government bills that he will co-sponsor; and if he will make a statement. [10466]
The Prime Minister: I support all Government bills whether sponsored or not.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list bills that he has (a) sponsored and (b) co-sponsored in each session since 1997. [10467]
The Prime Minister: This information is not held in the format requested. However, it is a matter of public record and can be found in the Official Report.
English Wine
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Prime Minister if he will ensure that English wine is made available at dinners and receptions which he hosts during the EU presidency at which hospitality involving wine is appropriate; and if he will make a statement. [8876]
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The Prime Minister: All procurement is undertaken in line with the European Commission's procurement rules and to obtain value for money. Where possible British products are used.
France
Mike Penning: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has made to the French Government on the issue of public statements regarding British cuisine; and what representations he has received on this subject. [11748]
The Prime Minister: I have not made or received any representations on this matter.
Illegal Immigration
Bob Spink: To ask the Prime Minister when (a) he and (b) his Office first became aware (i) of Home Office research into the number of people illegally in the country and (ii) that the research had made an estimate of the number of such people. [11384]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the afternoon press briefing given by my official spokesman on 30 June 2005, a copy of which is available on the Number 10 website.
Iraq
Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer of 29 June 2005, Official Report, column 1288, what evidential basis there was for Sir Richard Dearlove's assessment of United States administration policy contained in the memorandum. [10727]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 29 June 2005, Official Report, column 1288.
Voting Record
Mr. Amess: To ask the Prime Minister how many times he has voted in (a) divisions on the floor of the House and (b) deferred divisions in each session since 1997. [10468]
The Prime Minister: This information is made available at the end of each parliamentary session in the Standard Note 'Members' participation in Commons Divisions'. Copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Bird Scarers
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what regulations are in place on the use of audible bird scarers by farmers; [10617]
(2) what her Department's policy is on the use of audible bird scarers by farmers. [10618]
Mr. Bradshaw
[holding answer 7 July 2005]: The National Farmers Union has produced a code of practice on the use of bird scarers, on which the Department was consulted. This code of practice
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recommends, among other things, that auditory bird scarers sound only four times in any one hour, and that they are placed as far away as is practicable from nearby hospitals, homes or schools in order to avoid causing a nuisance.
Should a local authority receive a complaint of noise from an auditory bird scarer, they have a duty to take reasonable steps, where practicable, to investigate the complaint under section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. If satisfied that the noise amounts to a statutory nuisance, or that a statutory nuisance is likely to occur or recur, the local authority must serve a notice requiring the noise to be abated or restricted. Failure to comply with an abatement notice can result in a fine of up to £20,000 upon summary conviction.
Car Audio Systems
Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions were made in relation to waste from car audio systems under (a) Regulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations and (b) other legislation in the last year for which figures are available. [9772]
Dr. Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
No data are available for prosecutions related to noise from car audio systems. Data are only available for noise offences committed against the Road Use (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 in total. In addition to Regulation 97, this would also include offences against Regulations 54 to 58 that prohibit excessive noise from modified or poorly maintained exhaust systems and silencers. On this basis, the number of fixed penalty notices issued and prosecutions recorded by the Home Office during 2003 in England and Wales were as follows:
(11)Offences under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, Regulations 54–58, 97–99.
Cetaceans
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to protect (a) whales, (b) dolphins and (c) porpoises in coastal waters. [8640]
Mr. Bradshaw:
The taking of whales, dolphins and porpoises is prohibited in EU and UK waters. In addition to EU measures adopted in 2004 to tackle the threat to small cetaceans from incidental capture in fisheries operating in Community waters, the UK has also put in place measures to protect common dolphins through a prohibition on pelagic pair trawl fishing for bass within 12 nautical miles of the south-west coast.
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Dog Microchips
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the percentage of dogs in England which have not been micro-chipped; if she will initiate a campaign to increase micro-chipping of dogs; and if she will make a statement. [9350]
Mr. Bradshaw: Micro-chipping of dogs is currently undertaken through local registration schemes, therefore Government do not keep statistics on the number of dogs that have or have not been micro-chipped. There are no current plans for a national campaign to increase the micro-chipping of dogs.
English Wine
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department takes to promote English wines. [9145]
Jim Knight: The Government have a continuing supporting role in helping the wine industry and in particular, their endeavours to produce and market quality wines. This is encouraged through the Quality and Regional Wine Schemes which have been introduced by the Department to promote the quality and reputation of English and Welsh wine. Officials meet regularly with the industry to discuss producer concerns, and to monitor how these schemes are operating. I am very pleased that more and more producers are being persuaded to take part in these schemes.
When suitable opportunities arise, we in the Department always endeavour to serve and promote national products including English wine. These occasions are an important means of introducing our wines to a new and influential audience. For example, British produce (including English wine) will be promoted generally during the UK presidency of the EU, and we plan to provide British produce and drink for all EU Council meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg over this period.
In addition, English wine producers have benefited from Defra grants in excess of £350,000 to help with production and marketing.
Defra has also been in recent contact with the United Kingdom Vineyards Association (UKVA), which represents a majority of English and Welsh wine producers, to encourage further uptake of marketing and processing assistance schemes available to the industry.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will ensure that English wine is made available at dinners, receptions and parties she hosts at which hospitality involving wine is appropriate (a) during the EU presidency and (b) generally; and if she will make a statement. [9155]
Margaret Beckett:
Since Defra was established in June 2001 I have followed a policy of serving British food and drink, including English wine. I am delighted that my Cabinet colleagues are intending to join me in promoting British food and drink more generally during the presidency. We are also planning to provide British produce and drink for all EU Council meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg during the UK presidency.
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