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3 Mar 2006 : Column 1007W—continued

Legal Aid

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when she expects Lord Carter to report on legal aid procurement. [55204]

Bridget Prentice: Lord Carter of Coles published an interim report on his approach to criminal legal aid procurement on 9 February 2006. His final report on both civil and criminal legal aid procurement is expected later this spring.

Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether Frontier Economics prepared a report to inform the Carter Review of Legal Aid; and if she will make a statement. [55436]

Bridget Prentice: Frontier Economics have been working with Lord Carter in his Review of Legal Aid Procurement to help develop proposals for the reform of the legal aid procurement system and to provide advice on the economic impact of Lord Carter's proposed reforms. Lord Carter has not commissioned a formal report from Frontier.

Post Mortem

Mr. Evans: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many decisions to hold a coroner's post-mortem have resulted in delays to the release of bodies to (a) Jewish, (b) Muslim and (c) Hindu families living in Lancashire such that funerals have not been possible within 24 hours in each of the last five years. [55881]

Bridget Prentice: This information is not available.

Prerogative Powers

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has to review the use of prerogative powers. [55962]

Ms Harman: The Government has no such plans.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abandoned Cars

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cars were abandoned in each government office region in England in each year since 1997. [54552]

Mr. Bradshaw: Estimates for numbers of abandoned vehicles by government office regions and England have been made for years 2000–01 to 2003–04. The results are published in the DEFRA Municipal Waste Management Survey, 2003–4, Annex A, Table 17 and
 
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are available from the DEFRA website, link below: http://defraweb/environment/statistics/wastats/mwb0304/wbtables.htm#annxa.Estimates for 2004–05 will be available in the Spring.

Avian Influenza

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place to protect the farming industry in Hereford in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza in the UK; and if she will make a statement. [54729]

Mr. Bradshaw: In the event of an outbreak of avian influenza, disease control would focus on the slaughter of infected birds and dangerous contacts, and the imposition of movement controls around infected premises.

Poultry movements would still be permitted under license, depending on risk assessments and the proximity of poultry to infected premises. This approach would allow much of the poultry industry to continue its normal business.

The countryside would not be closed down as we saw during the foot and mouth outbreak. If we had an avian influenza outbreak there would be little need to restrict access to land by closing footpaths or other rights of way.

Our extensive wild bird surveillance programme in the UK has not revealed highly pathogenic avian influenza in any sample collected so far. We are continuing to work with stakeholders to increase vigilance and encourage sensible bio-security measures.

Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which countries have reported cases of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in the last 12 months. [54871]

Mr. Bradshaw: In the last 12 months the H5N1 virus type has been reported in Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Croatia, northern Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mongolia, Niger, Nigeria, Romania, Russia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam.

In addition the H5 virus type has been reported in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, and Switzerland.

Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many requests state veterinary surgeons have received for the vaccination of birds against avian influenza; and if she will make a statement. [55065]

Mr. Bradshaw: This information is not held centrally by the State Veterinary Service.

We believe, however, that swift detection and culling of infected flocks and dangerous contacts, and the introduction of movement controls around infected premises is a more effective and efficient strategy for disease control, should an outbreak of avian influenza occur in this country. The vast majority of poultry stakeholders agree.
 
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Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government is taking to protect endangered bird species kept in zoos from avian influenza; and if she will make a statement. [55066]

Mr. Bradshaw: Defra is considering a preventive vaccination programme for zoo birds in the UK for conservation purposes. This will be based on a scientific and veterinary risk assessment. If we decide to implement such a programme, it will require prior approval from the Commission.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government plans to take to protect rare breeds amongst UK poultry from avian influenza. [55377]

Mr. Bradshaw: Defra is considering a preventive vaccination programme for rare breeds in the UK for conservation purposes. This will be based on a scientific and veterinary risk assessment. If we decide to implement such a programme, it will require prior approval from the Commission.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether poultry producers producing rare breeds are permitted to vaccinate their poultry. [55379]

Mr. Bradshaw: Vaccines are available to protect poultry against some diseases, for example, Newcastle Disease. But the use of avian influenza vaccines is prohibited by European Union (EU) legislation except in emergency or high risk situations. An avian influenza vaccine would also have to be specifically authorised by the Chief Veterinary Officer.

Of course, we continue to monitor developments on vaccination and to discuss the issue with stakeholders.

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice the Government are giving to poultry farmers in Westmorland and Lonsdale on the possibility of an outbreak of avian influenza. [55385]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 2 March 2006]: Defra has distributed guidance materials to a range of industry groups who have helped to distribute information to their members. We have also provided leaflets and posters to farmers and local veterinary surgeons and placed advertisements in poultry hobby magazines. Specific guidance on worker protection has been issued by an industry and cross-departmental working group. Information is also available on the avian influenza pages of the Defra website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/index.htm.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to cull poultry from an unregistered flock in the event of an avian influenza outbreak. [55422]

 
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Mr. Bradshaw: In the event of an outbreak of avian influenza in this country, disease control would include culling birds on infected premises, regardless of whether they were registered under the GB Poultry Register.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the criteria which must be met before a decision is taken to order the vaccination of domestic poultry flocks. [55424]

Mr. Bradshaw: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leominster (Bill Wiggin) on 14 February 2006, Official Report, column 1807W.

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