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25 July 2006 : Column 1495W—continued
Lyme Bay
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of static gear fisheries, sea angling and diving on the local economy of communities around Lyme Bay; and if he will make a statement. [86058]
Mr. Bradshaw: Such an assessment has not yet been made. The South West Inshore Scallopers Association is commissioning a report from the Marine Institute at the University of Plymouth on “Options for the Spatial Management of Scallop Dredging Impacts on Hard Substrates in Lyme Bay”. Part of the study will address these important issues.
Navigation Charges
Dr. Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the effect of its proposed increases in charges to boaters on their use of its navigations. [87030]
Barry Gardiner: Navigation supports Government objectives for health, recreation and social inclusion and plays an important role in flood relief. However, for waterways to remain sustainable in the future, boaters need to pay a fair and reasonable rate. The Environment Agency is currently in discussion with industry over what that rate might be.
Noise-related Complaints
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many noise abatement notices were served in each London borough in each year since 1997. [87276]
Mr. Bradshaw: We do not hold the information requested. Data held relating to noise abatement notices are compiled from voluntary returns from local authorities to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). They are recorded by year, but not location.
The relevant data for 2004-05 for England and Wales are available from the ClEH's website at the following address:
http://www.cieh.org/library/Knowledge/Environmental_protection/CIEH_annual_noise_complaint_statistics.pdf.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many noise-related complaints have been lodged in each London borough in each of the last five years; and how many of these resulted in further action. [87304]
Mr. Bradshaw: We do not hold the information requested. Data held relating to noise-related complaints are compiled from voluntary returns from local authorities to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). They are recorded by year, but not location.
The relevant data for 2004-05 for England and Wales are available from the CIEH’s website at http://www.cieh.org/library/Knowledge/Environmental_protection/CIEH_annual_noise_complaint_statistics.pdf.
Nuclear Waste
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department takes to ensure the safe disposal of nuclear waste. [88335]
Ian Pearson:
The UK Government and devolved Administrations are committed to finding a solution to the problem of nuclear waste. Most radioactive waste is currently stored safely on major sites under licence from the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, and is subject to strict
regulatory control. The environment agencies of the respective Administrations regulate any disposal of waste from nuclear sites.
For higher and intermediate activity radioactive waste, future policy, and arrangements for implementing this, will be decided by the Government in light of the independent Committee for Radioactive Waste Management's (CoRWM's) final recommendations. CoRWM's report is due to be delivered to the Government at the end of this month and copies will be made available in the Libraries of the House. The Government will make a formal response to CoRWM's report after the summer recess, when the UK Parliament and devolved Administrations are sitting.
Earlier this year, the Government held a public consultation on the long-term UK strategy for dealing with solid, low level radioactive waste. The results of this consultation are being considered and a statement will be made in the autumn.
One Planet Farming Concept
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to elaborate on his one planet farming concept; and how this concept will inform his attempts to renegotiate the Common Agricultural Policy. [87224]
Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for DEFRA, made clear in his speech at the Royal Show on 3 July that he wants to encourage a wide ranging debate about the vital role which farming plays in this country and the contribution it can make to one planet living. Working in partnership with key stakeholders, we expect thinking on this issue to develop in the coming months.
An important starting point is the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy: Forward Look, available at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/pdf/sffs-fwd-060718.pdf
The Forward Look sets out key areas that need to be taken forward to help achieve one planet farming, building on the excellent work that has already been put in place under the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy at a national and regional level. It has five priority themes: succeeding in the market; improving the environmental performance of farming; Sustainable consumption and production; climate change and agriculture and animal health and welfare.
Reducing the environmental footprint of farming was one of the important aims of the last major reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2003. The reforms reduced the environmental impact of agriculture by decoupling subsidies from production, thereby removing an incentive to intensify production, and also by requiring cross compliance with environmental standards.
The review of agri-environment schemes carried out in the light of the 2003 reforms has enabled us to build on the way we support farmers to change their farming methods to conserve biodiversity through the development of the Environmental Stewardship schemes.
The Government’s Vision for the CAP is consistent with, and complimentary to, the Secretary of State’s goal of ‘one planet farming’. The Vision considered agriculture from an environmental perspective (among others) setting out proposals for sustainable farming. In particular the Vision calls for more emphasis on Pillar 2 funding and the total phasing out of coupled payments. Both of these aims will help ensure the CAP secures further environmental benefits.
Organic Production
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many certification bodies are approved by his Department to inspect organic production and processing in the UK; and what checks are being made by his Department on these bodies to ensure that organic producers are complying with relevant UK and EU regulations. [88603]
Ian Pearson: There are 10 Certification Bodies approved to inspect organic production and processing in the UK.
An Approved Certification Body must demonstrate that they satisfy the general requirements for the bodies operating product certification systems (EN45011). They are therefore subject to an annual inspection by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).
Reports from these inspections are then passed on to the Advisory Committee on Organic Standards (ACOS). Through ACOS, checks are made on a selection of Certification Body inspections to ensure that they are complying with the relevant UK and EU Regulations.
Pollution (Beaches)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department takes to encourage local authorities to deal with pollution on beaches. [88334]
Ian Pearson: Under section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse, local authorities must keep amenity beaches for which they are responsible generally clear of all types of litter and refuse between 1 May and 30 September inclusive. This duty extends to the place at which the tide flows at mean high water springs.
The recently revised code recommends, as good practice, that duty bodies also carry out a regular monitoring programme of other beaches in their area and develop an appropriate cleansing regime. Under the current and revised European bathing water directive, there is a provision to monitor the presence of litter and other pollutants in identified bathing waters and to manage these accordingly.
Beyond these requirements, local authorities are encouraged to keep beaches clean through the international Blue Flag Award administered in the UK by ENCAMS (Environmental Campaigns), and of the UK-wide ENCAMS Seaside Award scheme recognising clean, safe and well-managed beaches. Each year, local authorities can apply for a Blue Flag or Seaside Award, or both, for any of their beaches.
Each application is independently assessed and must satisfy rigorous criteria covering a broad range of factors pertaining to the management of the beach. In 2006, 77 beaches in England were awarded the blue flag, and 229 beaches gained the seaside award.
A new Quality Coast Award scheme is being introduced for applications from this year, to replace the Seaside Awards. This has been developed by ENCAMS with support from Defra, and will further assist and encourage local authorities in dealing with pollution on beaches through a holistic approach to the management of beach areas, recognising the diversity of beach environments and their different uses.
Post Office Network Services
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what services (a) his Department and (b) its associated public bodies (i) make available and (ii) have made available in the last five years through the Post Office network; through how many outlets the service is or was made available; and how many relevant transactions were undertaken in each case in the most recent year for which figures are available. [79200]
Barry Gardiner: From information held centrally, the core Department has no contracts with the Post Office.
DEFRA does utilise the Post Office to issue Rod Licences and Game Licences. Rod licences are available from all Post Office outlets in England and Wales and, more recently, have been available in selected outlets on the Scottish border. Overall, the number of available outlets has decreased from 17,500 to 13,000 currently. Approximately 1.3 million rod licences are sold annually and the Post Office process just over 1 million annually. In 2005-06, the Post Office issued 1,067,663 rod licences at a total value of £16,338,105.75. Under the 1975 Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act, the Environment Agency provides remuneration to the Post Office for the issuance of such licences.
Under section 134 of the Post Office Act 1969, the Post Office issues licences to take game and an excise licence is required to sell game on behalf of local authorities. Under section 135 of the 1969 Act, DEFRA provides remuneration to the Post Office for the issuance of such licences which are available through all branches of the Post Office. The total number of licences issued for the years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 were 42,310; 48,385; 66,975;
77,361 and 72,385 respectively. The figures cover licences issued in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Produce Prices
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average (a) farm gate and (b) retail price was of (i) one kilogram of (A) ham, (B) tomatoes, (C) strawberries, (D) apples, (E) grapes, (F) cheese, (G) chicken, (H) potatoes, (I) carrots, (J) lettuce, (K) spring onions and (L) beetroot, (ii) one pint of (A) milk, (B) cream and (C) yoghurt, (iii) one dozen eggs and (iv) one litre of English wine in each year since 1997, broken down by (1) organic and (2) conventionally produced foodstuffs. [87437]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 24 July 2006]: Soil Association guide prices for organic produce in 2005 are shown in table 1. The prices are taken from a range of direct, wholesale and contracted markets. Farm-gate and retail prices are shown in tables 2 and 3. It is not possible to separately identify organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs.
| Table 1: Guide prices for organic produce in 2005 | ||
| Produce | ||
| n/a = Not available (1 )In pence (p) (2 )In pounds (£) (3 )Estimated farm-gate price Source: Soil Association “Organic Market Report 2006” | ||
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