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Departmental Expenditure
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Department and its agencies have spent on (a) the design and production of new logos and (b) employing external (i) public relations and (ii) graphic design agencies in each year since 2000, broken down by project. [33217]
Jim Knight:
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was formed in June 2001 and all costs provided are from this organisation from that date.
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(a) The costs of design and production of new logos since 2001:
Four other logos have been produced:
(b) Since 2001 DEFRA's Communications Directorate has commissioned the following external media relations services:
All agencies provided specialist skills and services not currently available within DEFRA's Communications Directorate.
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the annualexpenditure on vehicles by (a) her Department and (b) each (i) non-departmental public body, (ii)Executive agency and (iii) other public body for which she is responsible in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) each of the English regions and (D) Northern Ireland was in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06. [39967]
Jim Knight: Details of annual expenditure on vehicles are not held centrally for DEFRA and the bodies for which it is responsible, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on bottled water in 2004–05. [40336]
Jim Knight: For the financial year 2004–05 my Department spent a total of £20,400 on bottled water at its HQ offices in London, Guildford and York. Costs for the remainder of the estate would be very difficult to separately identify and are therefore not included. Similarly, the figure does not include the provision of bottled water for hospitality that is paid for from decentralised budgets.
Energy Efficiency
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the percentage change was in energy efficiency in (a) domestic buildings, (b) commercial buildings and (c) Government buildings between 2000 and 2005 (i) in total and (ii) in each year. [39914]
Mr. Morley: The tables give our best estimates of energy efficiency changes at the present time.
However, only those for households represent proper energy efficiency improvements, based on summing the contributions made by individual technical measures such as insulation and high efficiency boilers and lights. The Government are extending this approach to the industrial and services sectors, but will require much more detailed data to produce reliable indicators.
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Historically, they have used change in energy intensity (i.e. energy per unit output—usually gross value added (GVA)) as a proxy for change in efficiency, while recognising that intensity change also includes structural change in business as well as change in demand for the underlying services provided by energy such as thermal comfort and illumination. Accordingly, comparisons at the moment between indicators for housing and for larger buildings are not meaningful.
No data are available yet for 2005, nor GVA figuresseparately for the commercial and government subsectors for 2004.
| Domestic | |
|---|---|
| 2000–04 | 7.6 |
| 2000–01 | 2.3 |
| 2001–02 | 1.8 |
| 2002–03 | 1.8 |
| 2003–04 | 1.9 |
| Commercial | Government | |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–03 | 11 | 20 |
| 2000–01 | 2 | 2 |
| 2001–02 | 9 | 12 |
| 2002–03 | 0 | 6 |
Entry Level Scheme Criteria
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will amend the Entry Level Scheme criteria to give greater reward for activities in upland areas, with particular reference to (a) maintenance of stone walls and (b) mixed stocking options. [41917]
Jim Knight
[holding answer 16 January 2006]: We will be considering all Entry Level Scheme options available for upland farmers, including stone wall maintenance, as part of our current evaluation of Environmental Stewardship. The initial results from this will be available in the spring. Decisions on the inclusion of mixed stocking options will depend on the outcome of the Hill Farming Allowance review.
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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 Community action programme in the field of civil protection, (b) Committee on the control of major accident hazardsinvolving dangerous substances (Seveso II) and (c) Committee for the implementation of the Community framework for cooperation in the field of accidental or deliberate marine pollution have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement. [38785]
Mr. Morley: During the UK presidency the Committee of the Community action programme in thefield of civil protection met on 20–21 October. The Committee was chaired by the European Commission and the UK was represented by a Cabinet Office official.
The Committee on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances (Seveso II) meton 13 October. The Committee was chaired by a representative from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which, together with the Environment Agency (EA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, comprises the UK Competent Authority for the Seveso directive. Officials from the HSE and the EA attended and represented the UK.
There was also one meeting of the Committee for the implementation of the Community framework for co-operation in the field of accidental or deliberate marine pollution. The meeting was chaired by the European Commission. The UK representative was from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is the competent authority for dealing with marine pollution.
The devolved Administrations are routinely asked to represent their views.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the directive on protection of water against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources, (b) Management Committee on application of the directive on the standardisation and rationalisation of reports on the implementation of certain directives relating to the environment and (c) Committee for adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the directive on conservation of wild birds have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement. [38823]
Mr. Morley:
During the UK presidency there was one meeting of the committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the directive on protection of water against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources, which was held on 12 December and was chaired by the European Commission. Officials from DEFRA, SEERAD and DOENI represented the UK.
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On 3 November, the Management Committee on the application of the directive on the standardisation and rationalisation of reports on the implementation of certain directives relating to the environment, discussed, on this occasion, a questionnaire on the implementation of the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) directive, and was chaired by the European Commission. There was no representative from the UK at this particular meeting.
No committees were held during this period for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the directive on conservation of wild birds.
The devolved Administrations are routinely asked to represent their views.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) management committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for poultrymeat and eggs, (b) management committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for fresh fruit and vegetables and (c) management committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for products processed from fruit and vegetables 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. [39002]
Jim Knight: The Eggs and Poultrymeat Management Committee met during the UK presidency on 13 July, 20 September, 19 October, 16 November and 7 December 2005. Meetings were chaired by European Commission officials. The UK was represented by one official from DEFRA. The devolved authorities were consulted on agenda items prior to each meeting, and receive reports and papers shortly after each meeting.
Meetings of the Management Committee for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables were held on 12 July, 13 September, 18 October, 22 November and 13 December. The Management Committee for Processed Fruit and Vegetables also met on all of these dates with the exception of 13 December. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Management Committee also met in the margins of the Wine Management Committee on 7 July and in the margins of the Cereals Management Committee on 25 August. All meetings were held in Brussels, chaired by officials of the European Commission and attended by DEFRA officials.
The UK Government take into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government).
Angus Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) management committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for wines, (b) management committees of the common
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organisation of agricultural markets for raw tobacco and (c) management committees of the common organisation for agricultural markets for hops 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. [39010]
Jim Knight: The Wine Management Committee met seven times during the UK presidency of the European Union with the UK being represented by DEFRA. All of these meetings were presided over by European Commission officials.
The Tobacco Management Committee met twice during the UK presidency, on 19 September and 22 November. Both meetings were held in Brussels, chaired by officials of the European Commission and attended by DEFRA officials.
There were no management committees held for hops under the UK presidency.
The UK Government take into account the views and interests of the devolved Administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved Administrations is set out in paragraphs B4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government, available on the internet at www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_ 600629.pdf).
Ministers from the devolved Administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) Standing Forestry Committee and (b) Committee on the conservations, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture 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. [39020]
Jim Knight: The Standing Forestry Committee met three times during the UK presidency of the EU. All three meetings were presided over by officials from the European Commission (DG Agriculture and Rural Development, and DG Environment) and were attended by officials from the Forestry Commission. Provision for representation of the devolved Governments is made through the EU Forestry Group, which is an informal group created by the Forestry Commission to consult with the devolved Administrations and other Government Departments to agree a UK line to take to the EU negotiations.
The Committee on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture did not meet during the UK presidency of the EU. However the Committee's Management Committee (ManCom) did meet once to consider the details of a
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Community programme established under Council Regulation (EC) 870/2004 to encourage the achievement of these aims. The meeting was chaired by EC officials (DG Agriculture) and was attended by DEFRA officials. DEFRA officials take account of views expressed by experts of the devolved governments who sit on the advisory bodies of the National Steering Committee for Farm Animal Genetic Resources and the United Kingdom Plant Genetic Resources Group.
Projects for funding under the first call for proposals under EC 870/2004 are currently being considered. A call for a second round of proposals is expected to be issued shortly.
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