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Climate Change

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what data the Government have concerning changes in any international comparisons with similar or greater changes in rain and snowfall; and with changes in peak flows and flooding in river catchment areas in North West Europe or elsewhere; [39264]

(2) what data the Government holds concerning changes in the intensity of rain and snowfall measured by meteorological stations in the United Kingdom; what recent trends have been observed in such intensity; and whether there have been associated changes in (a) peak flows and (b) flooding in river catchment areas. [39242]

Mr. Morley: Defra has policy responsibility for flood risk management in England. The Met Office is a Trading Fund within the Ministry of Defence and one of the world's leading providers of environmental and weather-related services. The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body of Defra and is the principal operating authority with responsibility for flood risk management in England.
 
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I understand the Met Office has analysed data relating to changes in the intensity of rain in the UK and also data relating to changes in the intensity of rain in North West Europe and countries elsewhere in the world but has not specifically compared the changes in the UK with the changes in these other regions.

The Met Office has looked at trends in annual average precipitation intensity in the UK over the period 1961–2004. Their assessment is that precipitation intensity has increased since 1961 by 5–10 per cent. in most parts of the UK apart from north-west England. This increase is statistically significant for East Anglia, the Midlands, south-west England, and most of Scotland. Trends in snowfall intensity have not been specifically studied but there has been a decreasing trend in days of snow cover for all parts of the UK since 1981.

I understand from the Environment Agency that measurement of change in peak flows and flood risk over time is difficult and not helped by the brevity of historical records and large year-on-year variations in precipitation and peak river flows.
 
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The Agency is collecting high-flow data to undertake the necessary analysis in future. Recent reviews of seasonal mean river flows do show some evidence of autumn and winter increases since the 1970s.

Coastal Access

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish new guidance on access to coastal countryside areas. [40691]

Jim Knight: We are talking to a range of interested parties to inform the development of detailed options for improving access to coastal land. We then plan to consult publicly in October 2006.

Coastal Erosion

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her latest assessment is of the rate of coastal erosion. [38899]

Mr. Morley: Defra has overall policy responsibility for coastal erosion risk in England and grant aids local authority improvement projects to reduce this risk but does not build defences, nor direct the authorities on which specific projects to undertake. Management of coastal erosion risk and associated monitoring is the responsibility of the relevant local authority in each area.

Erosion risk will vary around the coastline depending on local conditions and defences in place. Defra has encouraged the relevant authorities to produce Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) which provide large-scale assessments of the risks associated with coastal processes and present long term policy frameworks to manage these risks in a sustainable manner. In 2001 Defra funded a national study of information on long term coastal processes and evolution over the next century (Futurecoast). This is designed to be used by coastal authorities to inform their current revisions of SMPs.

The Office of Science and Technology's Foresight Future Flooding report, published in 2004, also considered possible rates of coastal erosion under different scenarios over the next 80 years.

Constituency Dispute (Leominster)

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps her Department is taking to investigate the dispute between Mr. Gilgan, Ms Quershi and Mrs. Booton, constituents of the hon. Member for Leominster; [41234]

(2) when she will reply to the letter of 5 December from the hon. Member for Leominster about the treatment of his constituents Ms Qureshi and Mrs.Booton by officials in her Department. [41190]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 12 January 2006]: I apologise for the delay in replying to the hon. Member's letter, which deals with the dispute involving his constituents. I will reply shortly.
 
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Departmental Property

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid by her Department in rates to each local authority in the UK in 2004–05; and what the total paid in (a) each (i) nation and (ii) region of the UK and (b) London was in that year. [35992]

Mr. Bradshaw: The amounts paid by the Department in rates in 2004–05 are summarised on spreadsheets by local authority, by nation and region of the UK and in London made available in the Library of the House.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) Committee on the Financial instrument for the Environment, (b) Committee for the application of the Regulation authorising voluntary participation by undertakings in the industrial sector in a Community eco-management and audit scheme and (c) Committee for the implementation of the Directive on the incineration of hazardous waste have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement. [39009]

Mr. Morley: During the UK presidency there was one meeting of the Committee on the Financial instrument for the Environment (the LIFE-Committee), which was held in July 2005 and was chaired by the European Commission. Two officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) attended the meeting.

There was also one meeting of the Committee for the application of the Regulation allowing voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS). The European Commission presided over the meeting. The two UK representatives at the meeting were from Defra and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, the UK competent body for EMAS.

No Committees were held during this period for the implementation of the Directive on the incineration of hazardous waste.

The devolved administrations are routinely asked to represent their views.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many meetings of the EU (a) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Madagascar), (b) Standing Committee for implementation of the Directive on the marketing of biological products, (c) Committee on evaluation and control of the risks of existing products and (d) Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the provisions on the removal of technical barriers to trade in the sector of dangerous substances and preparations have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement; [39013]
 
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(2) how many meetings of the EU (a) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Comoros), (b) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Co(r)te d'Ivoire) and (c) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Estonia) have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present;what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement; [39015]

(3) how many meetings of the EU (a) Fisheries JointCommittee (EEC-Gambia), (b) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Greenland) and (c) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Guinea) have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement; [39016]

(5) how many meetings of the EU (a) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Sao Tome and Principe), (b) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Senegal) and (c) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Seychelles) have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement; [39018]

(4) how many meetings of the EU (a) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Guinea Bissau), (b) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Equatorial Guinea) and (c) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Mauritius) have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement; [39017]

(6) how many meetings of the EU (a) Committee on supply of agricultural products to the population of the former Soviet Union, (b) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Angola), (c) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Argentina) and (d) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Cape Verde) have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement; [39019]

(7) how many meetings of the EU (a) Fisheries JointCommittee (EEC-Morocco), (b) Fisheries Joint Committee (EEC-Mauritania and (c) Fisheries Joint Committee (EC-Russia) have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement. [39022]

Mr. Bradshaw: The UK did not attend any of the Joint Committees (except that for EU/Greenland) listed in these questions as we have no fishing interests in these waters. Records about these meetings are not held by my Department. The meeting of the EU/Greenland Joint Committee took place on 12 December 2005. The
 
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UK was represented by DEFRA officials. UK officials also attended negotiations of the EU/Morocco and EU/Senegal agreements during our presidency of the EU.

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