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30 Oct 2006 : Column 63W—continued
Media Advisers
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of reducing the number of media advisers in his Department. [91399]
Barry Gardiner: A review of the Department’s press office was carried out earlier this year. This resulted in a reduction of four posts. There are no plans for a further review.
Minimum Wage
Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many employees in (a) his Department and (b) related agencies and non-departmental public bodies were affected by the increase in the minimum wage on 1 October. [96443]
Barry Gardiner: The information requested is as follows:
(a) No staff in core-Defra, or its executive agencies (Central Science Laboratory; Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science; Rural Payments Agency and Veterinary Laboratories Agency) who operate delegated pay arrangements, were affected by the increase in the national minimum wage on 1 October i.e. minimum salaries were already set at a level above the new rate quoted.
(b) In respect of the Department’s non-departmental public bodies, I am unable to comment on them, as this information is not readily available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Monopoly Food Processors
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what plans the Government have to regulate the activities of (a) British Sugar and (b) other monopoly processors in the food chain; [95241]
(2) what plans the Government have to regulate the activities of larger processors and retailers in the food chain. [95242]
Barry Gardiner: Processors and retailers in the food chain are already subject to a wide range of regulatory requirements, most of which are of wider applicability. The adequacy of these controls is kept under review. Where new controls are needed, the Government’s policy is to examine all options, including alternatives to regulation such as voluntary agreements.
Competition law already prohibits companies that are in a dominant position in their markets from abusing their dominance. Responsibility for enforcing the law in this area rests with the Office of Fair Trading.
Natural England
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much of the financial savings targeted by the establishment of Natural England have been realised; what the estimate is of the total savings to be realised from its establishment; and what the original estimate was. [94518]
Barry Gardiner: The establishment of Natural England delivered £0.8 million of efficiencies in 2005-06, and is currently expected to deliver £3 million of efficiencies in 2006-07 (in line with original estimates). The Modernising Rural Delivery programme as a whole, of which the establishment of Natural England is a significant part, was originally expected to deliver (and is still on target to deliver) annual efficiencies of £21 million by 2009-10. Natural England is expected to deliver efficiencies of £6.5 million by 2007-08. Latest estimates are that in 2009-10 approximately £13.5 million of efficiencies will result from the establishment of Natural England, and from its decision to outsource its corporate service functions to DEFRA’s Shared Service Organisation.
Private Finance Initiative Projects
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by his Department on private finance initiative projects postponed pending further consideration or stopped in the last 12 months. [96807]
Barry Gardiner: There have been no DEFRA- sponsored PFI projects postponed pending further consideration or stopped in the last 12 months.
Poultry Farms (Pollution Prevention)
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the proposed charges for the pollution prevention and control regulations have been calculated with regard to poultry farms; and if he will make a statement. [97307]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Environment Agency (EA) is required, in accordance with HM Treasury's guidance and the “polluter pays principle”, to recover the full costs of regulation from those it regulates. The EA has worked with the farming sector to develop a straightforward, least-cost approach for farmers. It is for the EA, as the regulator, to assess the level of effort required to meet the pollution prevention and control requirements. In parallel, my Department continues to encourage the EA to demonstrate full transparency on what costs are for. The EA is also being set targets to drive efficiency throughout the organisation and gains will in turn offset charges as appropriate.
In response to concerns raised by the industry, the EA presented a proposal on subsistence charging in February this year. The EA's proposals were accepted by the British Poultry Council as well as other intensive livestock trade associations in May. A subsistence charge of £1,471 for an existing small farm and £1,844 for an existing large farm will therefore be charged to the industry from August 2007 until March 2008, provided that the industry stages its applications over the three month application window (from 1 November 2006 to 31 January 2007).
The annual subsistence fee covers not only the EA's costs for inspections, but also the costs of providing guidance, scheme infrastructure and permit maintenance.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken to prevent the spread of Campylobacter through the chicken production chain. [96792]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has been working closely with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to improve our understanding of how Campylobacter infection develops and spreads. We have also considered effective methods of controlling the spread of this bacteria at all levels of the food chain, including controls on farm and best practice guidance in the kitchen.
For the period 2005-08, DEFRA has committed £2.65 million towards research on the control of Campylobacter and the development of intervention practices to reduce the incidence of the bacterium within poultry production systems. This includes a DEFRA/FSA joint-funded three year survey, starting in 2007, to determine the prevalence of Campylobacter in UK flocks of chicken for meat production.
A report published by the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food in July 2005 concluded that the control of Campylobacter is a practical proposition in housed flocks where producers maintain rigorous biosecurity measures and high flock management standards. As a result, priority action at farm level has focused on the importance of meeting good biosecurity standards. This action reinforces wider food hygiene initiatives in the commercial and domestic food handling settings.
These research and education projects will help to support the FSA and the poultry industry in meeting their target to achieve a 50 per cent. reduction in the incidence of UK-produced chicken testing positive for Campylobacter by 2010.
Recycled Waste
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance his Department provides to local authorities about sending recyclable waste to be recycled overseas; and if he will make a statement. [96652]
Mr. Bradshaw: In March 2005, DEFRA wrote to all waste collection and disposal authorities in England, pressing them to ensure that any waste collected from households is managed in accordance with national, European and international obligations.
Local authorities should assure themselves that waste that is exported is in compliance with the relevant environmental legislation, including that which applies to waste exports, and the duty of care.
The Environment Agency has also published a guide on the international shipment of waste, “The Transfrontier Shipment of Waste”, which is available from its website: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/ep235tsw_446853.pdf.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which local authorities in England operate a compulsory recycling scheme; when each came into force; how much each local authority raised by using compulsory recycling in each year since its scheme came into force; and if he will make a statement. [89683]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department does not hold the information requested. It is the responsibility of each local authority to decide how to manage household waste sustainably and meet its targets. We are aware that authorities, such as the London borough of Barnet, are using compulsory recycling schemes. This is to ensure recycling services provided are used well, not to raise revenue.
Rural Payments Agency
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Department has allocated to the Rural Payments Agency, in addition to its agreed annual budget, in each year since 2003-04. [96164]
Barry Gardiner: The opening and final allocations for the running costs of the Rural Payments Agency for each year since 2003-04 are shown in the following table.
| £000 | ||
| Opening allocation | Final allocation | |
| (1 )RPA's running costs allocation was increased in-year by £16.6 million to reflect the merger with the British Cattle Movement Service. (2 )Running costs allocation increased in-year by £16.7 million end-year- flexibility (carry forward of underspends incurred in previous years). | ||
Tree Planting
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has for encouraging the planting of more trees by farmers. [97094]
Barry Gardiner: Incentives to promote the planting of trees in England are part of the Forestry Commission's English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS). Defra's Environmental Stewardship Scheme builds on past achievements by providing incentives for small-scale tree planting. Defra's Energy Crops Scheme has provided the option for farmers to plant short rotation coppice willow species, as part of the Government's support for diversifying resources for renewable energy initiatives.
In addition to these England-wide schemes there are various regional and local initiatives aimed at increasing tree cover; notably the National Forest in the Midlands and the 12 Community Forest partnerships based close to urban areas.
Waterways
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment was made of the effects of the reduction in grant in aid for 2006-07 to British Waterways prior to the decision being made; what his most recent assessment is of the effect of the reduction; and if he will make a statement. [94936]
Barry Gardiner: I have consulted closely with the chairman and chief executive of British Waterways about the in-year cut of about 7 per cent. of grant in aid amounting to £3.94 million. They accept that Government have provided £524 million in funding for British Waterways since 2000, of which £452 million was for waterways in England and Wales. Over this period, British Waterways has substantially improved the state of its waterways and has eliminated the safety backlog. It has also concluded substantial regeneration and property projects and facilitated the restoration of some 200 miles of derelict canals. The current assessment of the effect of the reduction in the 2006-07 budgets is that there is likely to be some delay to capital works and a setting back of the date by which British Waterways will be able to reduce year-on-year the requirements for grant in aid from Government.
I will be meeting the chief executive again and will look further at the implications of the cuts in funding and how British Waterways can continue to contribute to Government priorities.
Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the backlog of maintenance works on waterways. [95585]
Barry Gardiner:
British Waterways received an additional £42 million between 1999 and 2004, which has enabled it to clear its backlog of safety maintenance. There remains a general maintenance arrear of £119 million. It is responsible for about 60 per
cent. of the navigable waterways in England and Wales, about three quarters of which are canals.
The Environment Agency manages about 1,000 kilometres of waterways in England and Wales, roughly 25 per cent. of the total. Its backlog of safety maintenance work to its waterways assets, all of which are on navigable rivers, is currently approximately £50 million.
The Broads Authority manages about 3 per cent. of the waterways of England and Wales. It has a backlog of dredging estimated at £21 million, but the costs of disposal and maintenance are still being evaluated.
Information on the condition of waterways owned or managed by non-public navigation authorities is not available.
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the effect of the cuts in the budget of British Waterways will be on canals in Sandwell. [94573]
Barry Gardiner: British Waterways is restructuring its organisation in order to deliver improvements in its customer service and business efficiency.
As part of this there are proposals for the merger of the West Midlands and Central Shires business units which include Sandwell. These proposals are currently subject to consultation with the trade unions. The impact on the canals in Sandwell will be assessed in parallel.
This process of restructuring has been accelerated by the recent reduction in Government funding.
Whaling
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he will take against Iceland when it resumes commercial whaling. [96264]
Mr. Bradshaw: The UK will continue to protest at the highest diplomatic level against Iceland’s activities. I have called the Icelandic ambassador to my office to explain this decision and to voice our strong opposition to Iceland’s commercial whaling. We will continue our efforts, along with other countries, to urge Iceland to reconsider its position and reverse this unjustified and unnecessary decision.
House of Commons Commission
Parliamentary Papers
Mr. Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many copies of inHouse are produced; at what cost; to whom copies are distributed; how (a) hon. Members and (b) staff of hon. Members can obtain copies; if he will (i) arrange for copies to be sent to hon. Members who express an interest in receiving them and (ii) place copies in (A) the Vote Office, (B) the Printed Paper Office and (c) the Library; and if he will make a statement. [97870]
Nick Harvey: inHouse is the staff magazine of the House of Commons and the House of Lords and is produced five or six times per annum depending on the pattern of the parliamentary year. The current print run is 3,000 copies at a typical net cost of some £6,200 per edition (including VAT). Thirty per cent. of this cost is met by the House of Lords. Copies are provided to all current staff of the two Houses including contractors, some retired staff and others (for example those featured in a particular issue). Copies are provided to Members and their staff on request to the editor. As inHouse is not connected to business of the House and is primarily intended for the staff of the two Houses, it would not be appropriate to distribute it via the Vote Office. The Printed Paper Office is a matter for the House of Lords. The Library keeps a reference copy of each edition for use by Members and others.
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