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18 Oct 2006 : Column 1212W—continued
Minister for Women
People Trafficking
Mr. Bone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality if she will bring forward proposals to provide safe houses for women who have been trafficked into this country for the purpose of sexual exploitation and who are willing to testify against the traffickers. [95291]
Meg Munn: We are sympathetic to the needs of victims of trafficking and since March 2003 have been funding the POPPY scheme to provide a protective environment in which adult female victims who have been trafficked into prostitution in the UK can receive care and support whilst deciding whether to assist the authorities. Women are provided with initial unconditional support for four weeks, with longer term support provided in return for co-operation with the authorities. To date, over 100 women have been supported whilst they recover from their ordeal and prepare to return safely to their communities.
This year the Home Office has entered into a two-year, £2.4 million funding agreement with Eaves Housing for Women to: continue the existing crisis provision service at the POPPY project for up to twenty-five women; provide 10 additional regional “step-down” places to help women live semi-independently with less intensive support; introduce the first ever specialist national outreach service in the UK for victims trafficked into sexual exploitation; and develop a resource/information pack for victims, service providers and law enforcement agency staff.
Whilst capacity on the Government funded POPPY project has been as issue in the past, there are currently spaces available.
In addition, the UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC), which was launched on 3 October 2006, intends to continue to provide the victim centred approach delivered by Operation Pentameter. The UKHTC have appointed a victims co-ordinator whose role will include developing partnerships with other local support services and possible accommodation providers.
Deputy Prime Minister
Philip Anschutz
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister where the gifts he received from Mr. Philip Anschutz in July 2005 are stored; and what his estimate is of the cost to public funds of the storage. [90713]
The Deputy Prime Minister [holding answer 11 September 2006]: The Government publish an annual list of gifts received by Ministers valued at more than £140, including details of which gifts were retained by Ministers, are held by the Department or have been disposed of. Information relating to 2005-06 was published on Monday 24 July and copies are available in the Library for the reference of Members. Gifts retained by the Department are stored within the Department.
Tablighi Jammaat
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether (a) he and (b) others in his Office have met representatives of Tablighi Jammaat during the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [94348]
The Deputy Prime Minister: For information relating to the period prior to Friday 5 May 2006, I refer the hon. Member to the answer to be given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Neither I nor officials have had any meetings since then.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Air Quality
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what percentage of poor air quality days were recorded in urban areas in each of the last 20 years. [93767]
Mr. Bradshaw: The average number of days of moderate or higher pollution at urban and rural monitoring sites in the UK is shown in the following table. Data prior to 1987 are not available. There is no clear basis on which to attribute a percentage of pollution days to urban areas. However, it should be noted that the majority of the population live and work in such areas so they are where the majority of human exposure takes place.
| Number of days of moderate or higher air pollution: 1987-2005 | ||
| UK Urban average | UK Rural average | |
| Source: Air Quality Indicator for Sustainable Development, DEFRA, http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2006/060424d.htm. Moderate or higher pollution is as defined in the national Air Pollution Banding system, http://www.airquality.co.uk/archive/standards.phptfband. | ||
Animal Welfare
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to introduce proposals to amend the legislation governing the welfare of animals grazing on open land; and if he will make a statement. [93538]
Mr. Bradshaw: Legislation exists to protect the welfare of animals.
Under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 it is an offence to ill-treat or cause unnecessary suffering to any domestic or captive animal. It is also an offence under the Abandonment of Animals Act 1960 to abandon any domestic or captive animal in circumstances that are likely to cause it unnecessary suffering.
The Animal Welfare Bill, currently before Parliament, will reduce animal suffering by placing on those who own or are responsible for animals, a duty to ensure their welfare. This duty of care will help animal welfare agencies, such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and local authorities, to take action when an animal is being treated contrary to its welfare needs, even if it is not immediately suffering.
Beaches
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of beaches in England and Wales met the EU (a) higher and (b) mandatory standard in each of the last 20 years. [93769]
Ian Pearson: The percentage of identified bathing waters in England and Wales that met the EU higher and mandatory standards in the period between 1990 and 2005 are shown in the following table. 2005 is the last year for which data are available.
| Percentage of identified bathing waters meeting EU higher (guideline) standards | Percentage of identified bathing waters meeting EU mandatory standards | |
Bovine Tuberculosis
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much compensation was paid to dairy farmers for the destruction of TB infected cattle in each year since 2001-02; and if he will make a statement. [94239]
Mr. Bradshaw: The table shows the total amount of compensation paid to farmers in Great Britain for cattle slaughtered as a result of TB control measures for the financial years 2001-02 to 2005-06. We do not hold information on compensation paid specifically to dairy farmers.
| Compensation paid to farmers (£ million) | |
| (1)Provisional figure | |
Compensation includes payments for disease infected animals which are compulsorily slaughtered and haulage costs. They also take into account ‘salvage’ receipts received by the Government.
Chicken Farms
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ensure that existing chicken farms are required to meet the same health and safety standards as new ones. [91977]
Mrs. McGuire: The same health and safety standards apply to all chicken farms regardless of how long they have been established. Operators of all farms are expected to fulfill their legal duties to themselves, their employees and others who may be affected by the work activity, so far as is reasonably practicable, in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and relevant statutory provisions.
Drinking Water
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of drinking water met EU drinking water standards in each of the last 20 years. [93832]
Ian Pearson: The original EU drinking water standards were implemented in England and Wales towards the end of 1989. Compliance is measured by results of tests on samples from consumers' taps. Compliance figures for each year from 1992 to 2003 are in the following table.
| Compliance (percentage) | |
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