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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 6 March 2006
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Aggregates Levy
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tonnes of aggregates were (a) quarried and (b) recycled in each of the five years (i) before and (ii) since the introduction of the aggregates levy. [53349]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 27 February 2006]: I have been asked to reply.
Quarried and dredged aggregate
The aggregates levy applies to the whole of the United Kingdom. Data is not available on the amount of aggregate quarried", or extracted" because producers keep no such records. Great Britain sales data, sometimes erroneously described as production", is available from the Annual Minerals Raised Inquiry (AMRI) undertaken by the Office for National Statistics under commission from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department for Trade and Industry.
Data on the sales of aggregate in Northern Ireland comes from their Annual Minerals Statement that provides data on all mineral production. Because this data does not provide sufficient detail to enable clear identification of aggregates, the available figures exceed the amounts of aggregate that have been produced. Combining these sources produces the following table:
There was a fall in sales between 2001 and 2003 but an increase in 2004. The Office for National Statistics is currently examining the reasons for this. One factor may be an increase in the number of quarries surveyed in the AMRI following a review of, and additions to, the list of quarries that were surveyed.
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Data on the amount of construction demolition and excavation waste used as aggregate comes from surveys of Arisings and Use of Construction, Demolition and Excavation Waste as Aggregate", commissioned by ODPM. These surveys have collected data for 1999, 2001 and 2003 only. A contract for a 2005 survey has been placed recently but results will not be available until early 2007. Although the 1999 and 2001 surveys included analysis for England and Wales, the 2003 survey covered England. Therefore, the complete time series is for England only. There are no data available for Scotland or Northern Ireland.
| Tonnes million | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 22.0 |
| 2001 | 36.4 |
| 2003 | 39.6 |
Airguns
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government have taken to tackle misuse of air weapons against (a) domestic pets and (b) wildlife. [55335]
Mr. Bradshaw: This Government are committed to high standards of welfare for all animals.
Currently, the Protection of Animals Act 1911 prevents wanton acts that cause unnecessary suffering to any animal, wild or domestic. This includes any suffering or death caused by the misuse of air weapons. The Animal Welfare Bill will strengthen the protection available, for example through tougher penalties for serious offences. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 gives additional protection to wild animals and birds.
Avian Influenza
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action is being taken to protect pets from avian influenza. [55378]
Mr. Bradshaw: If a case of H5N1 is found in Great Britain, owners of pet birds would be asked to keep their birds indoors. Infection in any other pet species is believed to be very rare but we have commissioned scientific advice on the recent infection of a cat in Germany.
Information on effective biosecurity and surveillance has already been produced for hobby keepers of birds and for local veterinary practices. Owners should also make use of advice and information, which is 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 percentage of the poultry flock is registered; and what percentage of flocks of (a) above and (b) below 50 birds are registered. [55421]
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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 28 February 2006, 17,691 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 made available on the Defra website later this month.
Bovine TB
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department has held with the British Veterinary Association on the introduction of pre-movement testing for bovine tuberculosis in cattle herds. [55423]
Mr. Bradshaw: Defra has held regular meetings with the veterinary profession on the introduction of pre-movement testing. The views of veterinary groups were also taken into account as part of our public consultation exercise, and by the TB Stakeholder Group on pre-movement testing.
We have also appointed an independent advisor to carry out a rapid survey of veterinary capacity and preparedness to deliver the new requirements for pre-movement testing from 27 March.
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if her Department will provide assistance towards the costs of pre-movement tuberculosis testing of cattle; and if she will make a statement. [56060]
Mr. Bradshaw: Cost sharing on animal health issues between Government and industry is a key part of our Animal Health and Welfare Strategy. As there are benefits to herd owners from buying or selling cattle with additional disease assurance, it is right that they should share the cost of tests which are outside the routine surveillance programme. The Government continue to fund the provision of tuberculin and all routine surveillance testing at a cost of over £40 million per annum.
Countryside Agency (Designations)
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has recently discussed with the Countryside Agency the designation of new (a) National Parks and (b) Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; and if she will make a statement. [55196]
Jim Knight:
My officials talk regularly to staff from the Countryside Agency on a variety of matters but it is the agency's responsibility to decide whether to make a designation order for any area in England. The agency is due to carry out a review programme for National Park and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty boundaries. This may also examine the merits of designating any new areas.
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Meanwhile, the process of designating the South Downs as a new National Park is ongoing and a public inquiry has now been held. The full inspector's report will be considered by the Secretary of State on receipt.
Departmental Energy Costs
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent by her Department on (a) gas and (b) electricity in 2004–05. [51778]
Jim Knight: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was created in June 2001.
The annual spending on (a) gas and (b) electricity at buildings for which Defra and its Executive Agencies have contractual responsibility was as follows:
| Gas | Electricity | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 1,331,589 | 2,292,248 |
| 2002–03 | 1,337,644 | 2,583,077 |
| 2003–04 | 1,423,414 | 2,361,546 |
| 2004–05 | 1,459,602 | 2,779,828 |
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