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Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what methods are available to test for M.bovis in soil samples. [52495]
Mr. Bradshaw: The most effective way of detecting Mycobacterium bovis (M.bovis) in soil is through microbiological culture of the organism.
Methods based on the amplification of nucleic acids, such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), have obvious potential. So far, however, PCR has not shown itself to be superior in terms of sensitivity, specificity or overall reliability to conventional culture.
Defra is funding a project to consider the alternative methods available to culture for the detection of M.bovis in environmental and clinical samples, and this is due to report shortly.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on the promotion of English (a) beef and (b) lamb in 200405. [50974]
Mr. Bradshaw: The principal organisation promoting English beef and iamb is the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX), a federal body within the Meat and Livestock Commission. Full details of its activities are on its website www.eblex.org.uk. In particular, EBLEX are about to embark on a three year £5.5 million campaign, funded by Defra, to support the reintroduction to the food chain of cattle over 30 months of age born on or after 1 August 1996.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the official residences for which her Department is responsible; who occupies each one; what the annual cost is of running each property; what contribution the occupants of each make towards running costs; what the total capital and refurbishment expenditure was on those properties in 200405; how much was spent in each property on (a) flowers and plants, (b) wine and entertaining, (c) food, (d) telephone bills and (e) electricity and gas in 200405; how many (i) domestic and (ii) maintenance staff are employed at each property, broken down by post; and what the total cost of staff employment was in 200405. [50879]
Jim Knight: The Department is responsible for one official residenceFlat 1, Admiralty House, Londonwhich is occupied by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.
The running costs to the Department for 200405 were £195,500. These costs are those paid by the Department to the Cabinet Office in respect of rent and a service charge, which covers costs for utilities (including electricity and gas), security, facilities management and general maintenance. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, does not contribute towards these costs.
Capital or refurbishment expenditure is the responsibility of the Cabinet Office, who would recharge the Department through the service charge. We were not advised of any such expenditure in 200405.
The Department incurs no expenditure on flowers and plants, wine and entertaining or food. Telephone charges incurred are not available due to disproportionate cost.
No staff are employed in or for Flat 1.
Ministers occupying official residences do not pay tax on the living accommodation itself. However, tax is paid on the ancillary services (lighting, heating etc.) a sum limited to 10 per cent. of his/her taxable ministerial salary and benefits (if any).
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers in (a) West Lancashire and (b) Lancashire have been registered under the Organic Entry Level Scheme. [53313]
Jim Knight: As at 16 February 2006, 460 applications have been received by the Rural Development Service (RDS) in Lancashire. 358 of these have generated a full agreement.
I regret it is not possible to provide figures for the area of West Lancashire, although the numbers for specific counties can be provided by the RDS.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason she has not yet signed the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals; and if she will make a statement. [52716]
Mr. Bradshaw: A decision on whether to sign will be taken after the enactment of the Animal Welfare Bill, which will allow compliance with the Convention.
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many inspectors are employed in each of her regional offices to deal with (a) registered and (b) unregistered flocks of poultry. [52138]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has 30 Egg Marketing inspectors who visit the majority of poultry farms across England and Wales engaged in producing eggs for human consumption. These premises must be specifically registered with the Egg Marketing Inspectorate for this purpose. The inspectorate will shortly begin visiting poultry meat producers registered to market non-intensively reared birds on a commercial scale and any remaining cage producers not visited for other reasons already.
In addition veterinary officers and animal health officers, of the State Veterinary Service, undertake inspections and testing on farms, including poultry establishments. These officers however also perform a wide variety of other duties in addition to their poultry work.
No routine inspections are made of unregistered poultry sites.
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many calls the Poultry Register helpline has received in each week since it was opened. [54181]
Mr. Bradshaw: As of 21 February 2006, more than 15,000 1 calls have been received since the Poultry Register Helpline opened on 9 December 2005. Weekly totals are as follows:
The week ending 26 February 2006 has already shown a marked increase in call traffic, with more than 1,300 calls being received on Monday alone.
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2005, Official Report, column 2210W, on poultry, whether her Department has reconsidered making it (a) possible or (b) mandatory for owners of smaller flocks to register their birds. [54479]
Mr. Bradshaw: Although there is no statutory requirement we are now actively encouraging owners of less than 50 birds to register their flocks under the GB Poultry Register.
James Duddridge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2005, Official Report, column 2210W, on poultry, what percentage of poultry owners have fulfilled the requirement to register their flocks under the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) Regulations 2005; [54480]
27 Feb 2006 : Column 275W
(2) pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2006, Official Report, column 451W, on poultry, how many flocks of 50 birds or more have now been registered with her Department; and what the flock size is of each registered poultry owner. [54481]
Mr. Bradshaw: Information from enforcement officers and from other data sets about poultry held by Government suggest there are at least 6,200 holdings with 50 or more birds. As at 16 February 2006, 11,163 poultry premises had registered on the GB Poultry Register, including both compulsory and voluntary registrations. These figures suggest that poultry owners have responded positively to the requirement to register their flocks on the GB Poultry Register.
Further information, including an analysis of flock sizes, will be available after the 28 February deadline for compulsory registration has expired.
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