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22 Mar 2006 : Column 441W—continued
Fisheries
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many UK fishing vessels of 12 metres of more in length, operating in ICES areas VII e, f, g, h and j and using bottom set gillnet or entangling net will be required from 1 January 2006 to use acoustic deterrent devices under Regulation (EC) No 812/2004 (art.2); [38830]
(2) what the total (a) length and (b) effort in kilometres per hours is of bottom set gillnet and entangling net used by UK fishing vessels of 12 metres or more in length operating in ICES areas VII e, f, g, h and j. [38832]
Mr. Bradshaw [pursuant to the reply, 10 January 2006, Official Report, c. 446W]: My Answer contained the statement, the 14 entanglement netters some 11,200,000;". This was incorrect and should have read the 14 entanglement netters some 1,120,000;". This affects the overall length of nets used in the fishery but the rest of the Answer remains correct and is detailed in full as follows:
There are approximately 20 UK vessels of 12 metres or more in length regularly prosecuting this fishery. Gill nets are used for catching hake all year round and entanglement nets are used for
- catching monkfish, turbot and rays from March to September, a number of vessels prosecute more than one fishery, including wreck netting.
We estimate that the 12 regular hake netters deploy some 240,000 of nets; the 14 regular entanglement netters some 1,120,000; and, the 6 wreck netters some 24,000. This gives a total for the fishery of 1,384,000 of nets.
Free-range Poultry
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the animal welfare implications of free-range poultry being moved into shelters in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza. [60409]
Mr. Bradshaw: DEFRA has issued guidance to poultry-keepers about how to avoid welfare problems associated with housing for a sustained period birds that are not used to being kept indoors. This information is available on the DEFRA website at:
Incineration Capacity
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to increase incineration capacity in England. [51203]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 13 February 2006]: The Government have no plans to increase incineration capacity to any particular level; local authorities are responsible for deciding the most appropriate waste management facilities for their areas. Incineration with energy recovery is a sustainable option for the treatment of residual, post-recycling waste and preferable to landfill. In our recently published review of our waste strategy we anticipate needing significantly lower waste to energy capacity than was envisaged at the time of the last waste policy review in 2000.
Organic Entry Level Scheme
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers in Lancashire have been registered under the Organic Entry Level Scheme. [59029]
Jim Knight: Further to my Answer to UIN [53313] given to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire (Rosie Cooper) on 27 February 2006, Official Report, column 273W, records, as at 22 March 2006, show that 14 applications have been received by the Rural Development Service (RDS) in Lancashire and that six of these have generated a live agreement.
Pandemic Influenza
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to ensure continuity of satisfactory food supplies in the event of an outbreak of pandemic influenza; and if she will make a statement. [58264]
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Jim Knight [holding answer 16 March 2006]: Defra's Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group (FCELG) meets regularly to discuss emergency planning for dealing with disruptions to food supplies as well as food chain resilience issues. The Group comprises representatives from all key sectors in the food chain, for example, the British Retail Consortium for the food retail sector and the Food and Drink Federation for the food manufacturing sector. In consultation with the Group, Defra has promoted Business Continuity Planning best practice within the food industry and has commissioned ongoing research to establish, amongst other things, the extent to which best practice is currently being observed.
The Department of Health, which leads on emergency planning for pandemic influenza, published an Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan in March 2005. As sponsor of the food and drink industry, Defra requested information from each key trade body to help identify the implications of the publication for the food industry. This in turn was followed up at meetings of the FCELG aided by presentations by Department of Health experts on pandemic influenza. In the light of this work the FCELG agreed a number of priorities for further action, in particular regarding the resilience of food transportation, which are being taken forward. In the event of an influenza pandemic, Defra would continue to work closely with the food and drink industry to ensure the continuity of food supply.
Pheasant Rearing
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how intensive pheasant rearing is treated in relation to cross-compliance under single farm payments. [56951]
Jim Knight [holding answer 8 March 2006]: All Single Payment Scheme claimants are required to comply with cross-compliance in relation to the agricultural land and activities of their holding. If pheasants are being reared for meat production (i.e. reared and slaughtered in a controlled environment) this is an agricultural activity.
Where pheasants are reared for sport (released into the wild where they may be shot), claimants must still comply with the cross compliance requirements in relation to the agricultural land on which the activity is taking place.
Single Farm Payment
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on the administration of the single farm payments scheme in Staffordshire. [57851]
Jim Knight: The Rural Payments Agency responds to all correspondence relating to the Single Payment Scheme. As the scheme is not administered on a regional basis, it does not hold records on representations specific to Staffordshire.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many new applicants have registered land for entitlements under the single farm payment. [57982]
22 Mar 2006 : Column 444W
Jim Knight [holding answer 13 March 2006]: For the 2005 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) year, the Rural Payments Agency received in the order of 48,000 applications from new applicants and businesses.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much previously unregistered land has been registered for the single farm payment. [57983]
Jim Knight [holding answer 13 March 2006]: It is not possible to provide a figure for how much previously unregistered land has been registered for the Single Payment Scheme, as the Rural Payments Agency does not ask the applicant to identify the scheme to be claimed at the time of registration. Just over 360,000 new parcels have been registered since the introduction of the Single Payment Scheme and the Entry Level Schemes.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many payments of the single farm payment had been made by the end of February. [57984]
Jim Knight [holding answer 13 March 2006]: A total of 2,400 payments were processed and released in February, or BACS payments arranged, the last of which were in bank accounts by 2 March.
Soil Guideline Values
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department has held with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister regarding soil guideline values (SGV) and the work of the SGV Taskforce. [59569]
Mr. Morley: Officials of both departments are involved in the Soil Guidelines Value Task Force. We are now considering issues for and possible approaches to improved guidance in respect of assessing the risks to human health which can arise from contaminants in soil, drawing on the work of the Task Force, the Environment Agency, Health Protection Agency and other expertise. A number of discussions have taken place with ODPM officials, and will continue as this work progresses.
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