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8 May 2006 : Column 7W—continued
Sudan
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the trend in the number of severely malnourished children in Darfur over recent months. [67873]
Hilary Benn: The massive international response to the Darfur crisis led to a significant improvement in the humanitarian situation last year, including in rates of malnutrition. Since January, however, rising levels of violence, lawlessness and displacement, together with a shortfall in donor funding for this year, threaten to reverse the progress that has been made.
UNICEF has recently warned of a risk of rising malnutrition. They have also reported instances of increasing rates of children being admitted to feeding centres, in line with what would be expected at this time of year because of the changing seasons. However, with the exception of localised pockets, malnutrition rates currently remain below the emergency threshold, and are significantly better than this time last year.
UNICEF's warning underlines the urgent need to end the violence in Darfur, to allow humanitarian agencies unrestricted access, and for donors to increase their funding for the 2006 appeal. The UK has been one of the few donors providing early and reliable funding to the crisis in Darfur in 2006. We continue to press our international donor partners to contribute more, and we are also working with the UN to find ways of mitigating the impact of the current shortfall of funding.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of recent statements by the UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs regarding the state of the relief operation in Darfur. [68233]
Hilary Benn: We share the concerns raised by Jan Egeland, UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs. As he noted, the security situation has deteriorated dramatically since January, with increasing levels of banditry, armed clashes and attacks on civilians and UN and NGO staff. This rising level of insecurity threatens to reverse progress made in 2005. Over the last four months alone, 200,000 people have been driven from their homes by the violence. The ability of the UN and NGOs to access the most vulnerable people is becoming a critical issue with no or very limited access to up to 650,000 people in Darfur.
As Mr Egeland rightly identified, these problems are compounded by the increase in restrictions and administrative delays imposed on humanitarian agencies by the Government of Sudan. We continue to press the Government for unimpeded and safe access for the humanitarian agencies. We hope that a conclusion to the Abuja peace process will aid this process.
The UK has played a leading role in the international community's response to Darfur, including support to the Abuja process. The UK is one of the few donors providing early and reliable funding to the humanitarian effort in 2006. We continue to press our international donor partners to contribute more, and we are also working with the UN to mitigate the impact of the current funding shortfall and security-related issues.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of trends in the incidence of malnutrition in Darfur. [68234]
Hilary Benn: The massive international response to the Darfur crisis led to a significant improvement in the humanitarian situation last year, including in rates of malnutrition. Since January, rising levels of violence, lawlessness and displacement, together with a shortfall in donor funding for this year, threaten to reverse the progress that has been made.
UNICEF has recently warned of a risk of rising malnutrition. They have also reported instances of increasing rates of children being admitted to feeding centres, in line with what would be expected at this time of year because of the changing seasons. However, with the exception of localised pockets, malnutrition
rates currently remain below the emergency threshold, and are significantly better than this time last year.
UNICEF's warning underlines the urgent need to end the violence in Darfur, to allow humanitarian agencies unrestricted access, and for donors to increase their funding for the 2006 appeal. The UK has been one of the few donors providing early and reliable funding to the crisis in Darfur in 2006. We continue to press our international donor partners to contribute more, and we are also working with the UN to find ways of mitigating the impact of the current shortfall of funding.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Avian Influenza
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what preparations have been made for civil contingency planning in the event of an avian influenza epidemic. [68050]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has robust disease control plans and instructions to address an avian influenza epidemic in birds. These are set but in our Exotic Animal Disease Generic Contingency Plan, which is available on the Defra website:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/avianinfluenza-contplan.htm.
These plans and procedures are kept under closer review. They were tested recently during the national avian influenza exercise 'Hawthorn'. They were also used effectively to deal with the case of H5N1 avian influenza in a swan in Cellardyke, Scotland and the recent outbreak of H7N3 avian influenza in Norfolk. We also continue to work very closely with operational partners including the Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS), the Department of Health, the Health Protection Agency, the Food Standards Agency, and the devolved administrations.
In addition, my Department has been actively involved in Department of Health-led planning in the event of an influenza pandemic. This is to ensure consistency and the sharing of expertise and experience.
Carcase Transportation
Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will seek to legislate to require animal carcases to be transported in (a) sealed and (b) refrigerated lorries. [67614]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Animal By-Products Regulation (EC) No. 1774/2002 lays down strict rules for the collection, transport, storage, handling, processing and use or disposal of all animal by-products, which includes the carcases of fallen stock, in order to safeguard public and animal health.
Animal by-products must be collected and transported in leak-proof, covered vehicles or containers in accordance
with Annex II of the EU Regulation. Local authorities, usually Trading Standards, are the enforcement authority for animal by-products legislation and are responsible for ensuring the conditions of the Regulation are complied with.
Transportation in a refrigerated vehicle is not a specific requirement of Annex II of the Regulation, unless the material is unprocessed Category 3 material destined for the production of feed material or pet food, when it must be transported chilled or frozen unless it is processed within 24 hours of departure. In other cases the transportation of animal by-products must take place at an appropriate temperature to avoid any risk to public or animal health and take place without undue delay. In all cases vehicles must be maintained in a clean condition, and be clean and dry before use, and washed and disinfected after use.
In addition, under section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities have a duty to check their areas periodically for existing and potential statutory nuisances, and to take reasonably practicable steps to investigate complaints of statutory nuisances, including any dust, steam, smell or other effluvia arising on industrial, trade or business premises and being prejudicial to health or a nuisance. A "premises" may be a dwelling, place of business, land, beach, vessel or sea.
Once satisfied that a statutory nuisance exists or may occur or recur, a local authority must issue an abatement notice requiring that the nuisance be ceased or abated within a specified timescale. It is an offence to breach or fail to comply with an abatement notice, which carries upon summary conviction through the courts a maximum fine up £5,000 for domestic premises and £20,000 for industrial, trade and industry premises.
Some plants and processes that have the potential for emissions of offensive odours are regulated under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations, which are enforced by either the Environment Agency or local authorities depending on the type of installation. Plants and processes that are covered by these regulations are not subject to the statutory nuisance regime, in order to remove double jeopardy.
Vehicles on public highways are not "premises" within the statutory nuisance regime on odour. However, vehicles driven in a careless or antisocial manner (that is causing or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress) may be seized by the police under section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002.
Cetaceans
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) the European Commission, (b) France and (c) other EU member states regarding actions necessary to reduce cetacean by-catch. [67034]
Mr. Bradshaw: A European Commission Technical Working Group met on 20 April to discuss the problems member states had been having with implementing the use of acoustic devices (pingers) in gillnet and entangle net fisheries and possible ways forward. The Commission will report back to the Council Internal Fisheries Group.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding his Department has (a) allocated and (b) spent on scientific research into preventing cetacean strandings in UK waters since 2003. [67035]
Mr. Bradshaw: The UK Government has spent £734,000 on researching by-catch mitigation measures and monitoring by-catch on vessels from 03/04 to the end of 05/06. Strandings data is obtained separately under the Defra-funded Cetacean and Turtle Stranding Scheme, carried out by the Natural History Museum in partnership with the Institute of Zoology and Scottish Agricultural College.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2006, Official Report, column 2506W, on cetacean by-catch, when he expects the Sea Mammal Research Unit to publish its report on observer schemes investigating cetacean by-catch. [67076]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Sea Mammal Research Unit is due to present a report to the Department on observer schemes investigating cetacean by-catch on completion of the research contract in spring 2007. However, results of observer schemes will be used to fulfil the obligations of Council Regulation (EC) 812/2004 and the first information will be available when the UK Government reports to the Commission on 1 June 2006 on by-catch monitoring in specified fisheries.
Incinerators
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) frequency and (b) potential health consequences of the emission from municipal incinerators of PM2.5 particles. [67172]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 2 May 2006]: Following the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report Waste not, Want not, published in 2002, Defra commissioned an independent body to bring together information on waste management facilities, including municipal incinerators, currently used in the UK and Europe, and the currently available scientific evidence on their environmental and health effects.
The resulting Review of Environmental and Health Effects of Waste Management: Municipal Solid Waste and Similar Wastes report; was peer reviewed by the Royal Society and published in May 2004. Among the other conclusions drawn, the report showed that risks to human health from incineration are small in comparison with other known risks to health.
Emissions from municipal incinerators of PM2.5 particles (estimated at 0.029 thousand tonnes in 2004) are proportionally lower than the contribution from other sectors, at around 0.03 per cent. of the national total of 104 thousand tonnes. The major sources of PM2.5 are thought to be road transport (27 per cent.), domestic combustion (14 per cent.), agriculture, (8 per cent.) industrial off road machinery (7 per cent.) power stations (4 per cent.) and small scale waste burning (4 per cent.). However, this fraction of national emissions will not represent the
level of human exposure arising from each source sector as a result of the different heights and conditions of release.
Defra recently launched a consultation on measures to review the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This consultation suggests a much more wide ranging approach for pollutants such as fine particles (PM 2.5), which is cost effective, geared towards improving public health in the UK and will lead to further improvements in air quality. Further details on this consultation can be found on the Defra website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/airqualstrat-review/index.htm
Resource Efficiency
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on improving resource efficiency. [67182]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department receives a range of representations on the subject of improved resource efficiency.
One of the main Government initiatives encouraging resource efficiency s the Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) Programme, which is returning £284 million from additional landfill tax to businesses over three years. The Programme helps to ensure that advice and assistance are available to help businesses achieve waste reductions and other resource savings in the most effective ways.
The Programme is being developed in full consultation with stakeholders. The Department is currently consulting with stakeholders on the third year of the Programme's delivery, beginning with a stakeholder event on 5 May. A selection of funding options will then be put forward for a full 12 week public consultation in August.
Sakhalin II Development
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the compatibility of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's funding for Shell's proposed Sakhalin II development with the Government's proposed resolutions at the International Whaling Commission on protecting the Western Gray Whale from anthropogenic impact. [67240]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Government are fully aware of the environmental issues associated with this project including any potential impact on the Western Gray Whale. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) and other members of the lender group are treating these issues very seriously and the group's concerns have been reflected in improvements made by the project operators to the project's social and environmental standards.
In December 2005 EBRD Management agreed that all documentation required for beginning a public consultation process was "fit for purpose". A 120 day public consultation period ended on 28 April. EBRD Management is now considering all written responses received and additional representations from public consultation meetings.
If EBRD Management recommends to its Board that the project should receive EBRD funding, then the UK Government will decide in the light of the case made by EBRD on the project operators' response to concerns raised, whether or not to support an EBRD loan. In reaching its decision, the Government will carefully assess all aspects of the project, bearing in mind its commitment to other International organisations.
Waste (Statutory Bodies)
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will introduce legislation to establish a statutory body with responsibility for waste. [68043]
Mr. Bradshaw: In compliance with Article 6 of the Waste Framework Directive (75/442/EEC as amended), the "competent authorities" which we have designated to be responsible for the implementation of the Directive's waste management controls are set out in paragraph 3 of Schedule 4 to the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994 (as amended). We have no plans to amend the current list of designated competent authorities.
Wind Farms
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Wales on (a) the proposal (i) to delay and (ii) to cancel the issuing of a licence for the development of the offshore wind farm at Scarweather Sands and (b) the effect of a wind farm for breeding harbour porpoises; and if she will make a statement. [67600]
Mr. Bradshaw: There has been no discussion with the Secretary of State for Wales. Licensing of the proposed offshore wind arm at Scarweather Sands is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.
My officials in the Marine Consents and Environment Unit, which is administering the licence application under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 on behalf of the Assembly, are in discussion with officials in the Welsh Assembly Government.
No decision has yet been taken by the Assembly to grant a licence partly because of the decision taken by the developer to postpone construction for commercial reasons until 2008 and to allow further data currently being collected about the local population of harbour porpoises to be properly assessed.
Transport
A27 (Chichester)
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on (i) the Highways Agency's plans for improvements to the A27 around Chichester and (ii) alternative methods of easing congestion. [68607]
Dr. Ladyman: The Secretary of State for Transport commissioned the South Coast Corridor Multi-Modal study (SoCoMMS) to investigate congestion, safety and environmental problems of transport on the South Coast between Southampton and Thanet.
In July 2003, the Secretary of State rejected the recommended improvements to the A27 Chichester Bypass. The Highways Agency was asked to work closely with the principal local authorities and the statutory environmental bodies to identify and develop less environmentally damaging options for easing congestion, including management measures, which reduce the need for major road construction, and report back.
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