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5 Jun 2006 : Column 99W—continued
| April 2004 to March 2005 | |||
| ResCompany | Star | Room nights | Turnover (£) |
| April 2005 to March 2006 | |||
| ResCompany | Star | Room nights | Turnover (£) |
Part-time Ministerial Post
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors he took into account when deciding that the post of Minister of State (Sustainable Farming and Foods) should be a part-time post. [73210]
Barry Gardiner: The post of the Minister of State (Sustainable Farming and Foods) is full-time. In accordance with long standing practice Lords Ministers with particular departmental responsibilities also act as spokesmen for other Departments in the House of Lords. Lord Rooker acts as spokesman for Northern Ireland and is also deputy leader of the House of Lords.
Pesticides Safety Directorate
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 May 2006, Official Report, column 46WS, on the Pesticides Safety Directorate (Performance Targets 2006-07), who is responsible for progress on each of the targets; to whom each person reports; what recent discussions he has had about implementation of each target; and if he will make a statement. [73243]
Ian Pearson: The Pesticides Safety Directorate's performance targets are set by the Minister of State and published in the agency's Business Plan. The executive responsibility for delivering these targets lies with the agency's chief executive who is supported by three operational directors and one non-executive director who together are responsible for the day-to-day management of the agency and its business. In addition, the strategic direction and performance of the agency is monitored on behalf of the Minister by the Department's Regulatory Agencies Strategy Board. The agency's achievements against its targets, along with membership details of its management board and that of the Regulatory Agencies Strategy Board, are given in the agency's Annual Report and Accounts.
Poultry Meat
Albert Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the impact on the UK poultry industry of imports of surplus meat from other EU countries following outbreaks of avian influenza. [72069]
Mr. Bradshaw: Imports of poultry meat into the UK from some EU countries have affected the domestic wholesale market. There is nothing illegal about this practice, which is consistent with Single European Market principles. Further, it is anticipated that recent high levels of imports will begin to fall away as surplus European supplies diminish.
Private Office Staff
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been paid in (a) salary, (b) travelling expenses, (c) subsistence allowance and (d) removal expenses to special advisers in his private office in each of the last five years. [69095]
Barry Gardiner: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each pay band. For information relating to the last financial year I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, on 21 July 2005, Official Report, columns 158-61WS.
Information on special advisers for this financial year is currently being collected and will be published in the normal way when it is ready.
Queen's Flight
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what occasions she has travelled on the Queen's Flight since 2002; what the (a) departure point, (b) destination, (c) distance travelled and (d) cost was of each flight; how many (i) other Ministers and (ii) officials travelled on the same flight; how the costs are calculated; and on what basis decisions are made on whether such flights are cost effective. [64606]
Barry Gardiner: The use of 32 Squadron flights is governed by time and cost considerations. The rules on the use of special flights are set out in “Travel by Ministers”. The annual lists of overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers costing over £500 are set out when special flights are used, and the purpose of each trip. Copies are available in the Library. Carbon dioxide emissions arising from 32 Squadron flights are included in the Government's carbon offsetting commitment. Carbon emissions arising from the use of these flights have been recorded and offset in the same way as the use of scheduled flights since April 2005.
Rural Enterprise Scheme
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what grants have been allocated under the Rural Enterprise Scheme in the South West in each month since December 2005. [73274]
Barry Gardiner: The following figures show the number of applications approved in the South West region, in each month from December 2005 onwards. The numbers have been broken down by measure, to show the type of activity for which funding has been approved.
The funding awarded covers activity to take place across financial years 2005-06 to 2008-09.
| December 2005 | ||
| Measure | Number of projects | Total funding offered (£) |
| January 2006 | ||
| Measure | Number of projects | Total funding offered (£) |
| February 2006 | ||
| Measure | Number of projects | Total funding offered (£) |
| March 2006 | ||
| Measure | Number of projects | Total funding offered (£) |
| April 2006 | ||
| Measure | Number of projects | Total funding offered (£) |
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assistance his Department has provided to farmers to facilitate applications to the Rural Enterprise Scheme. [73275]
Barry Gardiner: Across the country, Regional Appraisal Panels have awarded Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES) grants to a number of facilitation projects and co-ordination bodies, totalling approximately £1.5 million, which includes significant support for farmer applicants. For example, one project in the West Midlands regions was awarded over £150,000 as a co-ordination body to facilitate the development of broad, high quality innovative and collaborative new projects in rural Warwickshire that had the potential to be funded under RES.
When the Rural Enterprise Scheme guidance notes for applicants were updated in 2004, an additional booklet providing advice on preparing a business plan for socio-economic projects was also developed and provided to prospective applicants.
Rural Development Service staff across the country have continually provided help and advice to prospective applicants as part of their day-to-day activity running the scheme. This has included pre-application clinics, advice and direction on priorities for funding, and site visits to discuss projects.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many applications have been received for the rural enterprise scheme in (a) England and (b) each Government region; how much money has been made available as part of the scheme in (i) England and (ii) each Government region; what percentage of the funds in each area have been allocated; to what extent funds allocated to the south west have been withdrawn to compensate for overspends in other parts of the country; and if he will make a statement. [73733]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 25 May 2006]: The following table provides details on the rural enterprise scheme which operates within the 2000 to 2006 England Rural Development Programme. Figures provided are up to date as of 23 May 2006:
| Region | Total number of RES applications received 2000 to 2006 | Total number of RES applications approved to date | Value of RES budget 2000 to 2006 (£ million) | Percentage of RES budget allocated 2000 to 2006 (percentage) |
| (1 )National covers projects that span a number of regional boundaries. | ||||
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