23 Jan 2006 : Column 1705W

Written Answers to Questions

Monday 23 January 2006

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Byways

Mr. Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many byways claims have been made by (a) the Trail Riders Federation, (b) motorway groups and (c) the Land Access and Recreation Association since December 2003. [43428]

Jim Knight: We do not have the particular data that you specify. This information is held by local highway authorities and could be gathered only at a disproportionate cost. I will write to you with information on the number of applications for byways open to all traffic.

Coastal Defence (Nuclear Power Plants)

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what coastal defence work (a) has recently been, (b) is being and (c) is planned to be undertaken as a result of the proximity of nuclear power plants. [40258]

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.

The following coastal defence work is taking place, or is proposed, in the proximity of nuclear power plants:

At Berkeley, Gloucestershire, a proposed sea wall repair will provide erosion protection for 25 years.

At Dungeness, Kent, a beach feeding programme is routinely undertaken to protect the foreshore and is likely to be maintained until at least 2018 (when generation at Dungeness B is expected to end). Long-term management options for the area adjacent to the power stations is under consideration.

At Hartlepool, a proposal to extend a marine recycling facility navigation channel may require that the coastal defences of the power station be reinforced. Discussions with the developer are under way.

At Sizewell B, Suffolk, the frontage of the adjacent Minsmere Bird Reserve is not secure and long-term management options are being considered.

Dairy Processing

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the competitive position of the dairy processing industry in each EU member state. [41868]

Jim Knight: My noble Friend, the Lord Bach, announced in September 2005 that the Dairy Supply Chain Forum would fund a study benchmarking the technical efficiency of our farmers and of our processing plants against a number of their EU and international counterparts. The work is due to start shortly.

23 Jan 2006 : Column 1706W

Departmental Expenditure

Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent by her Department on refreshments in each year since 1997. [41253]

Jim Knight: DEFRA came into being in June 2001. From information held centrally, the total value of expenditure by core-DEFRA on catering contracts in financial year 2004–05 was £281,413; on hospitality was £370,544; and on conference facilities was £1,105,762. The expenditure figures for catering contracts, hospitality and conference facilities for the first six months of financial year 2005–06 are £494,864, £208,394 and £354,162 respectively. The specific costs of working breakfasts or lunches, official entertainment and refreshments at meetings or conferences could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with the principles set out in Government Accounting.

Identity Fraud

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what training her Department has provided for (a) front desk and (b) administrative staff in relation to identity fraud. [41410]

Jim Knight: Guidance on identity verification is available to staff via our intranet. The Department carries out identity checks on all recruits including casuals, consultants and agency temps and also on contractors working in our London buildings. Training is given to staff carrying out these identity checks.

National Parks

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been allocated to each national park for each year since 1997. [43705]

Jim Knight: Defra has provided the following National Park Grants (figures prior to 2000–01 are estimates):

Authority £

Broads Authority

1996–97 2,133,333

1997–98 2,070,667

1998–99 2,000,000

1999–2000 2,224,000

2000–01 2,212,000

2001–02 2,411,261

2002–03 2,801,437

2003–04 3,196,877

2004–05 3,065,680

2005–06 3,933,182

Dartmoor National Park Authority

1996–97 2,433,333

1997–98 2,789,333

1998–99 2,589,333

1999–2000 2,858,667

2000–01 2,863,000

2001–02 3,127,480

2002–03 3,721,705

2003–04 4,177,323

2004–05 3,965,325

2005–06 4,308,058

Exmoor National Park Authority

1996–97 2,032,000

1997–98 2,224,000

1998–99 2,142,667

1999–2000 2,377,333

2000–01 2,369,000

2001–02 2,582,842

2002–03 3,059,765

2003–04 3,518,950

2004–05 3,290,756

2005–06 3,616,422

Lake District National Park Authority

1996–97 3,700,000

1997–98 3,897,333

1998–99 3,781,333

1999–2000 4,144,000

2000–01 4,180,000

2001–02 4,640,000

2002–03 5,460,856

2003–04 6,107,102

2004–05 6,050,672

2005–06 6,290,679

New Forest National Park Authority⁽¹⁾

2005–06 3,517,297

Northumberland National Park Authority

1996–97 1,448,000

1997–98 1,732,000

1998–99 1,578,667

1999–2000 1,769,333

2000–01 1,745,000

2001–02 1,928,560

2002–03 2,419,922

2003–04 2,882,555

2004–05 2,702,191

2005–06 3,010,044

North York Moors National Park Authority

1996–97 2,706,667

1997–98 2,906,667

1998–99 2,905,333

1999–2000 3,380,000

2000–01 3,212,000

2001–02 3,565,239

2002–03 4,224,936

2003–04 4,677,842

2004–05 4,678,157

2005–06 4,933,864

Peak District National Park Authority

1996–97 5,294,667

1997–98 5,414,667

1998–99 5,413,333

1999–2000 5,904,000

2000–01 5,984,000

2001–02 6,223,073

2002–03 6,721,617

2003–04 7,361,069

2004–05 7,422,471

2005–06 7,542,550

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

1996–97 2,605,333

1997–98 2,805,333

1998–99 2,912,000

1999–2000 3,092,000

2000–01 3,101,000

2001–02 3,442,378

2002–03 ⁽²⁾4,583,616

2003–04 ⁽²⁾5,237,283

2004–05 4,580,902

2005–06 4,906,870

⁽¹⁾National Park created 1 March 2005.
2Includes £500,000 capital grant towards new office accommodation.

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23 Jan 2006 : Column 1708W

Authority	£
Broads Authority
1996–97	2,133,333
1997–98	2,070,667
1998–99	2,000,000
1999–2000	2,224,000
2000–01	2,212,000
2001–02	2,411,261
2002–03	2,801,437
2003–04	3,196,877
2004–05	3,065,680
2005–06	3,933,182

Dartmoor National Park Authority
1996–97	2,433,333
1997–98	2,789,333
1998–99	2,589,333
1999–2000	2,858,667
2000–01	2,863,000
2001–02	3,127,480
2002–03	3,721,705
2003–04	4,177,323
2004–05	3,965,325
2005–06	4,308,058
Exmoor National Park Authority
1996–97	2,032,000
1997–98	2,224,000
1998–99	2,142,667
1999–2000	2,377,333
2000–01	2,369,000
2001–02	2,582,842
2002–03	3,059,765
2003–04	3,518,950
2004–05	3,290,756
2005–06	3,616,422

Lake District National Park Authority
1996–97	3,700,000
1997–98	3,897,333
1998–99	3,781,333
1999–2000	4,144,000
2000–01	4,180,000
2001–02	4,640,000
2002–03	5,460,856
2003–04	6,107,102
2004–05	6,050,672
2005–06	6,290,679

New Forest National Park Authority⁽¹⁾
2005–06	3,517,297

Northumberland National Park Authority
1996–97	1,448,000
1997–98	1,732,000
1998–99	1,578,667
1999–2000	1,769,333
2000–01	1,745,000
2001–02	1,928,560
2002–03	2,419,922
2003–04	2,882,555
2004–05	2,702,191
2005–06	3,010,044

North York Moors National Park Authority
1996–97	2,706,667
1997–98	2,906,667
1998–99	2,905,333
1999–2000	3,380,000
2000–01	3,212,000
2001–02	3,565,239
2002–03	4,224,936
2003–04	4,677,842
2004–05	4,678,157
2005–06	4,933,864

Peak District National Park Authority
1996–97	5,294,667
1997–98	5,414,667
1998–99	5,413,333
1999–2000	5,904,000
2000–01	5,984,000
2001–02	6,223,073
2002–03	6,721,617
2003–04	7,361,069
2004–05	7,422,471
2005–06	7,542,550

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
1996–97	2,605,333
1997–98	2,805,333
1998–99	2,912,000
1999–2000	3,092,000
2000–01	3,101,000
2001–02	3,442,378
2002–03	⁽²⁾4,583,616
2003–04	⁽²⁾5,237,283
2004–05	4,580,902
2005–06	4,906,870

School Milk

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the proposed withdrawal of the subsidy for the provision of milk in nursery and primary schools. [42041]

Jim Knight: The evaluation of the national top-up to the EU school milk subsidy scheme in England was published on 4 January 2006. The report contained a number of recommendations which included ending the top-up and spending the £1.5 million released as a result on other programmes to promote milk consumption by young people. The Government have, however, decided that the subsidy scheme has a valuable role to play and should remain unchanged.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions (a) she has had and (b) officials within her Department have had with (i) representatives from Milk for Schools, (ii) local education authorities, (iii) headteachers and (iv) Dairy UK about the proposed withdrawal of subsidy for the provision of milk in nursery and primary schools. [42042]

Jim Knight: Ministers and officials from the Department and its agencies are in regular contact with stakeholders in the dairy sector, and other interested parties, on a range of issues. We have no plans to change the school milk subsidy scheme.

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the free milk to schools scheme. [43137]

Jim Knight: An evaluation of the national top-up to the EU school milk subsidy scheme in England was published on 4 January. The report contained a number of recommendations which included ending the top-up and spending the £1.5 million released as a result on other programmes to promote milk consumption by young people. The Government have, however, decided that the subsidy scheme has a valuable role to play and should remain unchanged.

Decisions on the implementation of the EU school milk subsidy scheme and the national top-up scheme in Wales are the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government.

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