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27 Nov 2006 : Column 294W—continued
I am placing in the Library of the House a list which itemises the directives adopted together with:
(a) the EU deadline for transposition into domestic legislation.
(b) where, appropriate, the final or expected United Kingdom transposition date.
Details of all Directives in force can be found on the Eur-Lex database available on the European Union's website at: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex.
EU Emissions Trading Scheme
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his policy is on the auctioning of carbon emission permits under Phase III of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [103241]
Ian Pearson: The European Commission published, on 13 November 2006, a communication setting out the agenda and process for its review of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. We welcome the Commission's statement, which appears to cover all the key issues, including those the Government set out in our Vision for Emissions Trading published on 30 October.
The Commission has stated that the review will explore the allowance allocation methodology for Phase III of the scheme, including the level and design of auctioning across the EU.
The UK's aspiration is to move towards full auctioning in the future. This is the fairest method of allocation and ensures that the industry takes account of the full cost of carbon in its business decisions. We intend to learn from the experience of earlier phases and are actively working with other member states in the hope that we can harmonise the proportions of allowances to be auctioned as well as harmonising the rules governing auctioning. We are also keen that auctions are open to participants from all member states.
Farm Emissions
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the bodies of the farming industry on including farming within the carbon dioxide emissions targets. [102600]
Ian Pearson: Direct emissions of carbon dioxide are not the key issue for farming in tackling climate change. Agriculture contributes 7 per cent. of UK greenhouse gas emissions but less than 1 per cent. of UK carbon dioxide emissions.
The bigger challenge is on two other gases, methane and nitrous oxide, of which some 36 per cent. and 67 per cent. respectively of UK emissions comes from agriculture, from livestock, manures, and artificial fertiliser.
There are no specific emissions reduction targets for agriculture at the moment. Nevertheless we are working closely with the National Farmers' Union and the Country Land and Business Association, for
example through the Rural Climate Change Forum, on policies and measures to ensure that farmers can play a full part in reducing UK emissions and help move us to a low carbon economy.
Fisheries
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many British ships have licences to fish off the coast of Mauritania. [104300]
Mr. Bradshaw: The UK holds two licences to fish off the coast of Mauritania.
Fly-tipping
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what volume of waste he estimates was illegally fly-tipped in each year since March 2005, broken down by the nature of the waste. [103246]
Mr. Bradshaw: Flycapture, the national fly-tipping database, records summary data on incidents of fly-tipping broken down by waste type, land type and size of fly-tip.
Flycapture data for April 2005 to March 2006 were released on 31 July 2006 and are reproduced below:
| Number of incidents of fly-tipping by waste type reported to Flycapture by local authorities in England between April 2005 and March 2006 | |
| Waste type | Number of incidents |
| Number of incidents of fly-tipping by size reported to Flycapture by local authorities in England between April 2005 and March 2006 | |
| Size of fly-tip | Number of incidents |
Further information can be found on the DEFRA website:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/flytipping/flycapture.htm
Food Stocks Survey
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the Food Stocks Survey 2005. [101800]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 21 November 2006]: No. The survey contains information which is commercially sensitive and it is not suitable for publication. The information gathered allows DEFRA to better represent the food industry in any discussions with other Government Departments during incidents which could impact upon the industry.
Foot and Mouth Disease
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which countries he has been informed have had an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the last 12 months. [102604]
Mr. Bradshaw: Outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) have been reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) by the following countries over the last 12 months, up to 22 November 2006:
Argentina
Botswana
Brazil
China
Democratic Republic of Congo
Ecuador
Egypt
Israel
Palestinian Autonomous Territories
Russia
South Africa
Turkey
Vietnam.
Some of these outbreaks occurred in FMD control zones and did not affect the export status of the country concerned. FMD is endemic in a number of other countries in Africa, Asia and South America. In this case, individual outbreaks are not reported to the OIE.
Forestry
Mr. Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make it his policy to use the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification as a system of certifiable sustainable forestry; and if he will make a statement. [105976]
Barry Gardiner: The UK Government have assessed the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification scheme as providing adequate assurance that timber and timber products are from legal and sustainably managed sources as defined in the model contract condition and specification currently available for use by their central Departments.
The Government’s assessment was made in 2004 and is currently under review to check that it still holds good. The results of this review are expected to be published before the end of 2006.
Gloucestershire County Council (Farm Estate)
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with Gloucestershire County Council on its decision to review each tenancy on its farm estate as they become available; and if he will make a statement. [101451]
Barry Gardiner: There have not been any discussions between Gloucestershire county council and DEFRA on its decision to review tenancies as they become available.
The Agriculture Act 1970 provides the statutory framework for the operation of county farm estates. Under the Act, the day to day management of estates is the responsibility of local authorities. Local authorities have a duty to manage their estates in the best interests of all their tax payers.
Greyhounds
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to bring forward regulations to establish minimum standards for the transportation of greyhounds. [101449]
Mr. Bradshaw: Council Regulation 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport will come into force on 5 January 2007. It will establish minimum standards for the transport of vertebrate animals in connection with an economic activity.
The regulation will apply to the transport of greyhounds by commercial racers. Greyhounds owned and transported as pets will be exempt.
We are also committed to drafting a regulation on the welfare of racing greyhounds by 2008 with the aim of it coming into force in 2009. This regulation will be made under section 12 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and is concerned with the welfare of the dogs within the racing industry and not just their transport. We have set up a Greyhound Welfare Working Group which will be making recommendations to Ministers about this regulation.
Hunting
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which hunts the Forestry Commission has assessed as having successfully transferred to chemical-only based scents when drag hunting. [101267]
Barry Gardiner: The Forestry Commission is not aware of any hunt, whether a member of the Masters of Bloodhounds and Draghounds Association or the Masters of Foxhounds Association, which has successfully transferred to chemical-only based scents.
Inland Waterways
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the effect on inland waterways of the recent reduction in funding. [103959]
Barry Gardiner: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answers given on 23 October 2006, Official Report, column 1607; and 7 November 2006, Official Report columns 1067-68.
Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information he has received as to how much each EU member state is charging poultry units for compliance with Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control regulations. [103313]
Mr. Bradshaw: I refer my hon. Friend to my earlier reply to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) on 2 November 2006, Official Report, column 573W.
Land-based Economy
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to improve skill levels among sectors for which his Department is responsible in relation to the land-based economy. [102374]
Barry Gardiner: DEFRA has an ongoing commitment to promoting the recognition of skills and the business benefits of training in the environmental and land-based sectors. To help further these aims, we have commissioned a business competence framework.
The competence framework will provide a clear understanding of what skills an individual will require to work in particular industries and in specific jobs within those industries. It will also map out career progression more clearly, support continuous professional development and provide links to training opportunities. Data gathered from the competence framework will assist training providers in targeting their provision in line with emerging needs and geographical location.
The development of the competence framework is being undertaken by Lantra (The Sector Skills Council for the environmental and land-based sectors) and is wholly funded by DEFRA. However, it will be self-financing, on a fees basis, by 2009. Lantra are working to promote the business benefits of training through advocacy networks, in order to help overcome the cultural barriers to training uptake commonly found in their respective sectors.
The competence framework will contain competences relevant across the environmental and land-based sectors, organised into job profiles. Competences will be divided into different levels to reflect grade or seniority. Use of the competence framework will be voluntary and participation will be open to all sizes of business. Competences will be
mapped against national occupational standards and linked to existing and new qualifications. Users will have a ‘skills passport’ allowing them to demonstrate their competence to industry accepted standards.
Lantra continues to engage closely with industry to ensure that the competence framework accurately reflects their needs.
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