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5 Dec 2006 : Column 224W—continued
Tail Docking
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will set up a working party on tail docking when the consultation is completed. [106399]
Mr. Bradshaw: There are no plans to set up such a group. We intend to lay the regulations before Parliament immediately after the consultation responses have been considered. This is to ensure that they are brought into force in line with section six of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which bans tail docking with an exemption for working dogs.
The main principles of the ban on tail docking were thoroughly debated in Parliament and decided by a free vote of hon. Members during the passage of the
Animal Welfare Act 2006. The regulations will be made via the affirmative procedure and will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny in both Houses.
Trees
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of how many trees were planted in each region of England in each of the last five years. [107011]
Barry Gardiner: Information on the number of trees planted in each region is not collected. However, we do know the area of woodland created and the area restocked after felling that has been grant aided by the Forestry Commission and the area of woodland creation and restocking carried out by the Forestry Commission itself. These figures are given in the following tables. In addition planting is carried out in connection to development and by a large range of bodies, including the voluntary sector and local government.
| Grant aided woodland creation claims paid in financial year (area in hectares) | |||||
| Region | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Grant aided woodland restocking claims paid in financial year (area in hectares) | |||||
| Region | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Forestry Commission woodland restocking planting year (September to August) area in hectares | |||||
| Region | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | ( 1) 2005-06 |
| (1 )Figure to 31 March 2006, not complete planting year. | |||||
UK Pesticides Campaign
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what requests he has received from Georgina Downs of the UK Pesticides Campaign for a meeting since May 2006; whether he intends to have such a meeting; and if he will make a statement. [106903]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 4 December 2006]: Requests from Ms Downs for a meeting were received by the Secretary of State and Lord Rooker on 6 and 15 May 2006 respectively. Lord Rooker replied to both letters on 7 June stating that as Minister responsible for pesticides he would meet with Ms Downs in due course and this meeting took place on 31 July 2006. A further request from Ms Downs for a meeting was received by the Secretary of State on 13 September and a response declining this invitation was sent by the Secretary of State on 3 October. Ms Downs had also met with Lord Bach, who was previously responsible for pesticides, on 18 July 2005 and 11 January 2006.
Neither the Secretary of State nor Lord Rooker have current plans for a meeting with Ms Downs.
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