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12 Jun 2006 : Column 894W—continued
Mobile Phones
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of disposing of mobile phones; [75558]
(2) what measures are being taken to encourage the (a) recycling and (b) safe disposal of mobile phones; and if he will make a statement. [75560]
Mr. Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 18 April 2006, Official Report, column 31W.
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of mobile phones disposed of in England in each of the last five years. [75559]
Mr. Bradshaw: This Department does not collect information on the recycling or reuse of mobile phones. However, the mobile phone industry estimates that 18 million handsets are replaced every year and that in 2003 and 2004, about 5 million handsets were taken by mobile phone recycling and refurbishment companies in the UK. The industry estimates that about 60 per cent. of these were refurbished and the remaining 40 per cent. were sent for materials recycling.
Northern Way Initiative
Mr. Iain Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role his
Department plays in the delivery of the Northern Way initiative. [74039]
Barry Gardiner: The Northern Way is a pan-regional growth strategy being taken forward by the three northern Regional Development Agencies and their partners. Its work has potential to play an important role in delivering Government’s Regional Economic Performance PSA. The Department for Communities and Local Government co-ordinates Government involvement with the Northern Way. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs works with the Northern Way where its activities relate to our responsibilities.
Parliamentary Questions
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he will answer written parliamentary questions 66755 and 66756 on single farm payments, tabled by the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale on 25 April. [74544]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 5 June 2006]: Answers to these questions were provided on 5 June 2006, Official Report, column 163W.
Performance Targets
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of his Department’s customer performance targets are being missed, on the basis of the latest available information; and if he will make a statement. [71693]
Barry Gardiner: The Department provides regular performance updates against its outstanding public service agreement targets through its annual Departmental Report and its Autumn Performance Report published in spring/summer and autumn respectively. The 2005 versions, which are the most recently published, are available in the Library of the House and online at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/deprep/default.htm
A short summary of progress against our 2004 Spending Review targets can be found in Appendix 4 of the 2005 Autumn Performance Report, with more detailed information available in Chapter 2.
The Department also gives regular updates on its performance via HM Treasury’s website at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/performance/DEFRA.cfm
Defra’s 2006 Departmental Report is due for publication in spring 2006.
Recycling
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the average cost per ton of recycling (a) wood, (b) glass, (c) plastics, (d) paper, (e) cardboard and (f) metal in each London borough in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [75540]
Mr. Bradshaw: Defra does not gather information on individual recycling schemes or the costs of recycling waste material. These will vary depending on a number of factors, including the collection method used by a local authority, the materials collected and the market for recycled materials.
River Severn
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what studies his Department has evaluated investigating the potential for a build-up of contaminated water in the Severn Estuary up-stream of a proposed barrage scheme; and if he will make a statement. [75606]
Ian Pearson: The environmental implications of a Severn Barrage, including water quality implications, were considered in detail during the 1980s as part of tripartite studies funded by the then Department of Energy, Central Electricity Generating Board and Severn Tidal Power Group. These studies are reported in “Energy paper 57: The Severn Barrage Project: General Studies (ISBN 0 11 412952 5) HMSO 1989” and associated reports, which can be found at:
http://www.tsoshop.co.uk/bookstore.asp?FO=1159966&Action=Book&ProductlD=0114129525&From=SearchResults
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the sources of radioactive (a) wastewater discharged into and (b) runoff into the River Severn; and if he will make a statement. [75608]
Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency lists the organisations that are currently authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 to make disposals, either directly or indirectly, to the River Severn or its estuary on its website at:
http://maps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/wiybyController? extraClause=PROCESS_NAME~'RADIOACTIVE% 20SUBSTANCES'
Rural and Agricultural Shows
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which rural and agricultural shows will be attended by Ministers from his Department up to 31 August. [76363]
Barry Gardiner: Defra will have a corporate presence at the following rural and agricultural shows up to 31 August. We will be attending additional shows beyond this date.
14-15 June: Cereals 2006 in Lincolnshire
28-29 June: The Royal Norfolk Show
2-5 July: The Royal Show, at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire
11-13 July: The Great Yorkshire Show
26 July: Fruit Focus, East Malling, Kent
28-30 July: CLA Game Fair, Romsey, Hampshire
All five Ministers will be attending the Royal Show between 2-4 July.
With regards to the other shows on this list, we are currently putting plans in place to ensure that where
possible Ministers attend, based on relevance to their individual portfolios and availability.
Additionally, Ministers may of course choose to attend further shows where there is not a corporate presence. For example, Lord Rooker attended the Royal Cornwall Show on 9 June.
Rural Payments Agency
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of systems for paying farm subsidies to farmers in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) European Union states and (d) England. [71541]
Barry Gardiner: Such assessments are rarely productive as the systems and processes adopted by each paying agency in the UK and across the EU will have been tailored to the specific circumstances of the territory that it serves.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department’s legal bills have been (a) in each year since 2001 and (b) in relation to the Rural Payments Agency; and if he will make a statement. [74072]
Barry Gardiner: Legal costs incurred by this Department and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) over the past five financial years are as follows:
| DEFRA | |
| £ million | |
| Rural Payments Agency | |
| £000 | |
Both sets of figures relate to running costs. However, the DEFRA figures also include payments to counsel, legal contractors and costs relating to claims and arbitration in respect of foot and mouth disease (FMD) cases that were directly attributed to the Department’s Legal Directorate. Other FMD legal related costs and costs in respect of commercial contracts, estates, etc. are held elsewhere in the Department and it would not be possible to draw this information together without incurring disproportionate cost.
Sheep Dip
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to allow the reintroduction of cypermethrin as a sheep dip. [76069]
Mr. Bradshaw: Before we can consider the reintroduction of the Marketing Authorisations for cypermethrin sheep dip products, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate needs to receive and assess further information on the environmental risks presented by their use and how these can be managed. The Marketing Authorisation Holders have been asked to provide such information. Additionally, the VMD and Environment Agency have jointly commissioned an R&D project on environmental exposure to cypermethrin released to the farmyard. In particular, this will consider the impact of recently dipped animals crossing watercourses in order to enable VMD to provide more advice to farmers on how long such animals need to be kept away from watercourses. The results of this part of the project should be available by the end of the summer.
When all of this information has been received we will be able to begin to consider the reintroduction of the cypermethrin sheep dip Marketing Authorisations in conjunction with interested stakeholder groups.
Single Farm Payment
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the performance target is of the Rural Payments Agency for the time taken from receipt of an application for a claim form for the 2006-07 Single Payments Scheme to the despatch of the form to the applicant; and if he will make a statement on the progress being made by the agency towards meeting that target. [68862]
Barry Gardiner: The Rural Payments Agency does not have a formal performance target for the despatch of application forms as the vast majority are sent automatically to previous applicants. However, where a request is received the estimated turnaround time is 24 hours. Application forms were also available at RPA sites and could be downloaded from the RPA website.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had on compensation for farmers' creditors in relation to delayed single farm payments. [68902]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 8 May 2006]: The discussions that the Department has had with representatives of the banks and the agricultural supply trade have focused on the payment timetable for the 2005 Single Payment Scheme. Over £1.3 billion, representing 88 per cent. of the total value of those payments, has now been disbursed and the Rural Payments Agency remains focused on paying the outstanding sums as soon as possible for the benefit of all concerned.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the long-term plan is for the payment of the single farm payment. [68955]
Barry Gardiner:
We are determined that the right lessons are learned from our experience this year with the Single Payment Scheme, first to prepare for the undoubted challenges that will exist in the delivery of the 2006 scheme, and second to move to a more stable
position for the 2007 scheme year. Our subsequent plans will be guided by the outcome of the fundamental review of the Rural Payments Agency that my right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South announced in her written statement of 16 March 2006, Official Report, column104WS.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what help is given to farmers to help with problems in filling in single farm payment forms. [68956]
Barry Gardiner: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has used a variety of methods to help farmers complete their 2006 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) application form. These measures include:
Pre-populating application forms with as much information as possible to limit the amount of information farmers have to complete by hand.
The 2006 SPS Handbook, which was sent to all farmers along with their application form, which contained section-by-section guidance on how to complete the application form.
The Customer Service Centre (CSC) has been available for callers to contact them with queries via telephone, e-mail or letter. Owing to customer demand, during the peak period, the CSC increased its opening hours.
An annotated application form with text boxes was sent to all potential claimants and was also posted on the RPA website to help guide claimants.
A Q&A is being constantly updated and added to on the RPA website, clarifying some of the queries raised by customers when trying to complete their SPS form.
An advertising campaign has been used in the farming press, to remind customers of the most important parts of the form to complete and also point out the most common errors being made.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints have been received from farmers in the East Riding of Yorkshire regarding the single farm payment scheme; and if he will make a statement. [69319]
Barry Gardiner: Ministers and officials at the Rural Payments Agency have apologised for the delay in making payments under the Single Payment Scheme. As of 25 May over 94,000 claimants to the scheme had received £1.32 billion, representing 88 per cent. of projected payments. As the scheme is administered on a national basis the RPA does not hold statistics in respect of farmers in the East Riding.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated cost to date to the industry is of delays in payment of single farm payments. [69561]
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to farmers per month in interest payments caused by delays in single farm payments; and for what reason guidelines on set aside have (a) been changed and (b) been changed at this stage of the scheme. [70343]
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) total debt and (b) interest on that debt accrued by farmers as a result of the delay in single farm payments in England, broken down by county. [71513]
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