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Farm Subsidies
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the written statement of 16 March 2006, Official Report, columns 104–05WS, on the single payment scheme, whether the outgoing chief executive of the Rural Payments Agency will receive a payment on leaving his post. [62548]
Jim Knight: [holding answer 30 March 2006]: The immediate priority for the Department was to change and strengthen the leadership team in the RPA. Therefore for the foreseeable future the outgoing chief executive of the RPA is taking a period of paid leave of absence. Discussions regarding his future are yet to take place.
Fixed Penalty Notices
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many unpaid fixed penalty notices for environmental offences there were in each Government office region in each year for which figures are available. [60113]
Mr. Bradshaw: There were no unpaid fixed penalties for noise offences in those years for which figures are available. The figures are as follows.
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n/a=Not applicable.
n/a=Not applicable.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many fixed penalty notices for (a) littering and (b) dog fouling were issued in each year for which figures are available. [60114]
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Mr. Bradshaw: The figures are as follows:
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Fly-tipping
Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many incidents of fly-tipping have (a) been reported and (b) led to a prosecution in (i) North East Lincolnshire and (ii) North Lincolnshire since April 2004. [62656]
Mr. Bradshaw: Defra has worked with the Environment Agency to establish a national database on fly-tipping (Flycapture) which has been operational since April 2004. No national data were previously available on illegal waste disposal or fly-tipping. Flycapture collects data at local authority level only.
It is important to note that the data are probably an underestimate and will increase as authorities get better at collecting and reporting the data.
North East Lincolnshire Council reported 1,653 incidents of fly-tipping between April 2004 and March 2005 (average of 138 per month) and 1,116 between April 2005 and February 2006 (average 101 per month). During the same time periods, the Environment Agency investigated three and one incidents respectively.
Prosecution data are only available from April 2005 to February 2006. During this period no prosecutions were reported by North East Lincolnshire Council or the Environment Agency.
North Lincolnshire Council reported 3558 incidents of fly-tipping between April 2004 and March 2005 (average of 297 per month) and 3,956 between April 2005 and February 2006 (average 360 per month). During the same time periods, the Environment Agency investigated five and two incidents respectively.
No prosecutions were reported between April 2005 and February 2006 by North Lincolnshire Council or the Environment Agency.
Forestry Commission
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will make a statement on her plans to integrate the Forestry Commission with Natural England; [62422]
(2) what research she has commissioned into the implications of the integration of the Forestry Commission with Natural England for (a) Crown holding of and (b) delivery of grant support for private woodlands; and if she will make a statement. [62424]
Jim Knight:
There are currently no plans to integrate the Forestry Commission England with Natural England, and no formal research has, therefore, been commissioned into these aspects. However, Defra is
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working with the Forestry Commission in England and the Natural England Partnership to identify opportunities for greater collaborative working between those two bodies by aligning their activities and services, including management of the public forest estate, in order to provide a better service for their customers and the environment.
On the delivery of grants, we are working to bring together into a single 'Environmental Land Management Fund' all the funding streams for the protection and enhancement of our countryside, woods and forests, including the Forestry Commission's grants for private woodlands and those grants that are currently delivered by the Natural England confederate partners. The fund will provide a clearer and simpler framework for applicants that will be better targeted to maximise outcomes. As part of this project, we are reviewing all current schemes, run by the two bodies, to ensure a good fit with the new funding framework.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the future of the Forestry Commission. [62423]
Jim Knight: As set out in the Rural Strategy 2004, Defra is working to identify opportunities for greater collaborative working between the Forestry Commission in England and Natural England. The two organisations will align their activities, in order to provide more effective and efficient delivery of environmental outcomes and public benefits with improved customer service.
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