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Chewing Gum

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many litter enforcement notices were served on members of the public for dropping chewing gum in the Chewing Gum Action Group campaign pilot areas during the pilot period. [42532]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 18 January 2006] There were two litter fixed penalty notices for dropping chewing gum issued during the pilot campaigns—one by Manchester city council and one by Preston city council.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what evidence there is from the Chewing Gum Action Group campaign pilot areas of reductions in the quantity of illegal littering of public areas by chewing gum; [42533]
 
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(2) how much less gum there was on relevant streets at the end of the Chewing Gum Action Group campaign pilots compared with the beginning of the pilot period. [42534]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 18 January 2006]: Reliable figures on the reductions in gum deposition are only available from Preston city council, as both Maidstone borough council and Manchester city council experienced problems over the accurate measurement of gum deposits. In Preston there was a 76 percent. reduction in levels of gum deposition in the control areas at the end of the campaign, and subsequent assessments have found that significant reductions in those areas have been sustained.

Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) fixed penalty notices have been issued and (b) successful prosecutions have been brought for each section of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 that has been introduced to date, grouped by each local authority area in England and Wales. [45667]

Mr. Bradshaw: The fixed penalty provisions in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 will not be introduced until April 2006.

Figures for prosecutions will not be available until after this fiscal year has ended.

Correspondence

Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Minister of State will respond to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 3rd November 2005, reference: 29765. [41974]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 16 January 2006]: A reply was sent on 31 December 2005, I apologise for the delay.

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department will reply to the letter of 10 November 2005 from the right hon. Member for Warley regarding climate change. [44700]

Mr. Morley: I apologise for the delay in replying to my right hon. Friend's letter of 10 November 2005 regarding climate change. A reply will be sent shortly.

Executive Agencies

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) targets, (b) advice and (c) guidance her Department has given to executive agencies that fall under the remit of her
 
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Department on the reorganisation of their administrative functions on a regional basis; and if she will make a statement. [41644]

Jim Knight: No formal targets, advice or guidance has been given to Defra executive agencies on the reorganisation of their administrative functions on a regional basis.

Eight of the nine Defra executive agencies already have headquarters outside the London region and/or a presence across the regions.

Farm Waste Directive

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government expects to introduce the Farm Waste Directive. [43833]

Mr. Bradshaw: There is no Farm Waste Directive as such. Following a public consultation exercise and an adverse judgment by the European court of justice on infraction proceedings by the European Commission against the UK, we are now finalising the waste management (England and Wales) Regulations 2006. The main purpose of the Regulations is to repeal the exclusion in section 75(7)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and to apply to agricultural waste the national controls that are already in place to comply with the Waste Framework Directive and the Landfill Directive. Our aim is to make and lay the Regulations before Parliament by 31 March 2006.

Glue Traps

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to make illegal the (a) sale and (b) use of glue traps; and if she will make a statement. [41944]

Mr. Bradshaw: The use of glue traps is currently a lawful method of pest control and there are no plans to make their sale or use illegal.

However, when choosing to use glue traps instead of other methods such as spring and cage traps, or chemical control (warfarin for rats), the operator should consider their responsibilities in ensuring that the use of a glue trap does not cause any unnecessary suffering under Section 1, subsection (1) and Section 15 of the Protection of Animals Act 1911.

Habitats Directive

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many species the UK has requested to be added to the EU habitats directive 1992 in each year since 1992. [44868]

Jim Knight: The UK has not asked for any species to be added to the EU habitats directive.

However, the European Commission has set up a Marine Expert Group, which includes the UK. This group is looking to make an initial assessment of the marine chapters in the annexes of the habitats directive with a view to possible adaptations.
 
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Horse Exports

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to ensure that exported horses are categorised for export as for (a) breeding, (b) riding, (c) exhibition and (d) slaughter; and if she will take steps to ban the export of horses for slaughter. [42650]

Mr. Bradshaw: European Union animal health rules, which set out the requirements for exporting horses to other member states, do not stipulate different rule for horses being exported for breeding, riding, exhibition or slaughter. A unilateral ban on the export of live horses for slaughter would be illegal under EU law.

Under national animal welfare rules, we have a licensing system for the export of horses. Applicants wishing to export horses are asked the reason for export. However there is no evidence of a slaughter trade in this country or any demand for one. Information on reasons for export under the licensing arrangements can be found on the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/farmed/transport/horsestats.htm http://defraweb/animalh/wel fare/farmed/transport/horsestats.htm

House Building (Aylesbury)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate she has made of the additional waste recycling capacity that will be required as a result of the planned expansion of housing in Aylesbury Vale; [44162]

(2) what assessment she has made of whether a new waste treatment facility will be required to take account of the Government's planned expansion of housing in Aylesbury Vale. [45347]

Mr. Bradshaw: Local authorities and regional assembles are the responsible bodies to plan for the management of all waste types within their areas. Any growth in waste volumes needs to be seen in the context of wider trends in waste volumes linked to overall economic performance as well as any waste growth linked to planned expansion of housing. In defined growth areas, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) have held regional seminars to discuss how waste arising from increasing population, particularly from construction, demolition and excavation can be properly planned for to ensure that the necessary infrastructure can be developed.

The ODPM are also in discussions with the Environment Agency to carry out a study to predict quantities and types of waste that are likely to arise in the Thames Gateway region and the results from this study will be applicable to other designated growth areas. Additionally, the Environment and Quality of Life sub-group of the Milton Keynes South Midlands ((MKSM) Inter-Regional Board is conducting a desk study into waste strategies across the MKSM growth area, the results of which will be fed back through liaison with county and regional bodies.

The Government continue to encourage all local authorities to move towards innovative methods of waste disposal which will reduce amounts of waste sent to landfill. In the 2004 Spending Review the Government announced an increase in the EPCS
 
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Formula Spending Share block of £888 million by 2007–08 over 2004–05. Over the three-year period to 2005–06, authorities are also benefiting from a total of £294 million invested through the Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund and its successor the Waste Performance and Efficiency Grant, will provide a further £260 million over the three years to 2007–08. Finally, through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), credits worth £355 million have been made available over the three years to 2005–06 as an extra source of funding, with a further £535 million available in 2006–07 and 2007–08.

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