19 Jul 2005 : Column 1517W
 

Written Answers to Questions

Tuesday 19 July 2005

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bottled Water

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the number of litres of bottled (a) sparkling and (b) still water consumed in the United Kingdom in each year since 2002; and what percentage was supplied in (i) plastic, (ii) glass and (iii) other materials. [4436]

Mr. Bradshaw: It is estimated based upon records of consumer purchases from the Expenditure and Food Survey that 736 million litres of mineral water were consumed in the UK in the 12 month period starting in April 2003. These are the latest estimates available. In the same period a year earlier it was 655 million litres.

Defra does not collect statistics which distinguish between sparkling and still waters or the way water is packaged. However, figures published by Mintel in its Bottled Water Report of June 2003 indicate that 75 per cent. of bottled water in 2003 was still and 25 per cent. sparkling. In addition, 79 per cent. was packaged in plastic bottles, 20 per cent. in glass bottles and 1 per cent. in cans.

Bovine TB

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in the deer population over the last five years. [13036]

Mr. Bradshaw: Accurate data for bovine TB in deer across the UK are not available, because there is no statutory routine testing programme for bovine TB in deer.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what timescale she envisages for the badger culling trial in the South West; and if she will make a statement. [13176]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB aims to reveal the outcome of the pro-active culling effect of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial to Ministers in spring 2006 and publish its final report, covering all its works and findings, in spring 2007.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether compensation is payable to farmers who have suffered consequential loss through their herds being infected by tuberculosis; and if she will make a statement. [13186]


 
19 Jul 2005 : Column 1518W
 

Mr. Bradshaw: No compensation is payable for consequential losses. The payment of consequential loss to producers falls within the definition of state aids and cannot therefore be paid without the agreement of the EU Commission.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the level of compensation paid to farmers for herds which are infected by tuberculosis. [13187]

Mr. Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 30 June 2005, Official Report, column 1638W.

Common Agricultural Policy

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from Commonwealth countries about the effects of the EU's common agricultural policy on the developing world. [12363]

Jim Knight [holding answer 18 July 2005]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and her ministerial team have regular meetings with Commonwealth country representatives to talk about a range of issues, including the EU's common agricultural policy. A number of such representations have been received in the past, and there is every intention of continuing to be receptive to such representations in the future.

Departmental Publications

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the publications issued by her Department in each of the last seven years; and what the (a) circulation, (b) cost and (c) purpose of each was. [10465]

Jim Knight: A list of publications produced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (and includes those relevant publications from the Departments that formed Defra in June 2001) is detailed on the Defra website (Publications" link on the main website 'home' page).

The Government have a duty to explain their policies, decisions and actions; to inform the public about their rights and liabilities; and to provide the public with advice and warnings. Defra regularly publishes reports, consultations and publicity material in accordance with these principles.

The individual production cost of each of the publications could be collated only at a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Purchasing

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the companies from which her Department has purchased goods and services of a total value above £1 million in each of the last three years; and how much was spent in respect of each company. [11733]

Jim Knight: The information for the last three financial years has been made available in the Library of the House.
 
19 Jul 2005 : Column 1519W
 

Departmental Staff

David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many full-time equivalents have worked for the Department for each of the last five financial years for which figures are available. [11504]

Jim Knight: Information on staff numbers is contained in Table C of Civil Service Statistics 2004 which is available on the internet at: http://www.civil service.gov.uk/management_information/statistical_inf ormation/statistics/publications/xls/report_2004/table_ c.xls

This table shows the numbers of staff by Department and agency between 1998 and 2004, on a full-time equivalent basis. Copies of Civil Service Statistics are also available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets she has set for reducing car mileage within her Department since 1997; and what the mileage levels were in each year from 1997. [12642]

Jim Knight [holding answer 18 July 2005]: The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs was created in June 2001. Since then, we have worked towards published targets of reducing road transport vehicle carbon dioxide emissions by at least 10 per cent. by 31 March 2006 (against the baseline year 2002–03) and increasing the percentage of alternatively fuelled fleet cars to exceed 10 per cent. in the same period. We are reviewing mileage data by business area with the aim of reducing where delivery will not be comprised.

Full year road mileage data for Defra and its executive agencies is available for the years 2002–03 and 2003–04. Collation of data for 2004/05 is not yet complete.
Miles (Thousand)CO 2 emissions (Thousand kg)
2002–0320,5106,072
2003–0420,3815,403

Energy Efficiency

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of properties to be assisted under the revised Warm Front scheme are expected to be improved to an energy efficiency rating of SAP 65 or higher. [13546]

Mr. Morley: It is our aim wherever practical aim to achieve a SAP rating of 65 for households assisted by Warm Front. As part of our monitoring of the delivery of Warm Front we will assess the number of households achieving that SAP rating.

Where it is not possible to achieve this SAP rating we will offer applicants a benefit entitlement check to enable them to review whether they are receiving all state benefits they may be entitled to.
 
19 Jul 2005 : Column 1520W
 

Fallen Stock

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment was made of the potential demand that would be placed on the fallen stock scheme during lambing in North West Wales prior to the scheme's implementation. [12370]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 18 July 2005]: As part of the business case for the scheme an assessment was made of the potential demand for fallen stock collection from the farming industry and the ability of the collection and disposal industry to meet the demand. At a national level, as the latter has consistently maintained, there has been sufficient capacity to meet demand.

However, it was always anticipated that there may be localised areas, particularly during times of peak demand, where there may be difficulties in meeting the demand for collection services. Given that in advance of the scheme starting it was difficult to know how many farmers would join the scheme in a given area or which areas fallen stock collectors would wish to cover it was not possible to identify with any certainty the extent of such difficulties in advance.

Unfortunately in parts of North West Wales only one collector was available. This collector made every effort to increase capacity for the lambing season but was unable to meet the demand. Positive steps have now been taken by the National Fallen Stock Company, the farming industry and the collector concerned to learn from this and ensure demand can be met for next year's lambing season.

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultations were undertaken with farming interests in Wales prior to the implementation of the fallen stock scheme. [12371]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 18 July 2005]: Extensive consultations took place with farming interests throughout the UK, including Wales, and the scheme was fully supported by all the major farming unions.

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consideration was given to granting a derogation for North West Wales from the fallen livestock scheme prior to its implementation. [12372]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 18 July 2005]: Any derogation would need to be from the EU Animal By-Products Regulation which bans on-farm burial of fallen stock. The scheme is there to assist farmers in their compliance with the regulation. Under the regulation one of the criteria for meeting the requirements for a derogation is that the area concerned should have a low livestock density. This is not true for North West Wales and therefore it would be difficult for the National Assembly for Wales to make a case for granting one.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers have signed up to the Fallen Stock Scheme; and if she will make a statement. [13177]


 
19 Jul 2005 : Column 1521W
 

Mr. Bradshaw: The National Fallen Stock Company, which runs the Scheme, is pleased with the response it has had from farmers with nearly 32,000 members in the UK joining since 22 November 2004.


Next Section Index Home Page