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24 Jan 2007 : Column 1805W—continued
Tobacco Production: European Union
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what subsidies are available at (a) EU and (b) national level to producers of tobacco in the European Union. [116503]
Barry Gardiner: The European Union (EU) adopted budget for tobacco premiums in 2006 was €920 million and the provisional adopted budget for 2007 is €316.6 million. The main beneficiaries of the EU subsidy have been Greece and Italy.
European Community produced tobacco is classified so that payments (known as “premia”) are made on eight groups. Premia are paid only when a standard contract has been concluded between the producer and a first processor for tobacco grown in recognised production zones. However, there is a quota system with a Community limit of 350,600 tonnes (divided by member state and variety group). Producers may not conclude contracts for tobacco beyond their quota, so any tobacco grown beyond quota will only fetch market prices and no premium.
Following a successful reform of the EU tobacco regime in 2004, direct support will cease in 2010.
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of EU tobacco production is exported to non-EU nations. [116505]
Barry Gardiner: The most recent figures (for 2005) show that some 53 per cent. of the 364,000 tonnes of raw tobacco produced in the European Union (EU) was exported to countries outside the EU.
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what subsidies are provided for EU tobacco exports to non-EU countries. [116506]
Barry Gardiner: There is no export refund system.
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons tobacco production in the EU is subsidised. [116639]
Barry Gardiner: The tobacco regime was introduced in 1970 to support member states who have traditionally grown the crop in geographically disadvantaged areas, maintain farmers’ incomes and reduce surpluses by adapting production to market needs.
The UK does not produce tobacco and has always been critical of the support regime because of the cost and health implications. We believe that subsidies are at odds with the Community-sponsored Europe Against Cancer programme.
The successful reform of the EU tobacco regime in 2004 introduced ‘decoupling’, which means that the direct link between production and support is broken. This will apply progressively until 2010 when direct support for tobacco will cease.
Trade Union Funding
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding his Department has given to individual trade unions in the last three years. [113986]
Barry Gardiner: The Department does not fund individual trade unions. DEFRA does grant its trade union representatives reasonable time off and facilities to carry out union duties, activities and training in accordance with their statutory rights; and remains committed to doing so.
Translation Services
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what documents his Department and its agencies translate for people in the UK who do not speak English; into which languages such documents are translated; and what the cost was of producing such translations in each of the last five years, broken down by language of translation. [113872]
Barry Gardiner: No documents were translated in 2002 but in the last four years, DEFRA’s translation section has arranged the translation of the following documents for people in the UK who do not speak English:
Amendment to paragraph of “EC Quality Standards for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables—A Retailer’s Guide” (2003)
Leaflet entitled “If in doubt, leave it out” (re illegal imports) (2003)
Leaflet on Manual Harvest Workers (2003)
Gangmaster leaflet (2004)
Extracts from Agriculture and Horticulture Act (2004)
Leaflet entitled “Waste—duty of care” (2004)
Leaflet entitled “Food on the Go” (2005)
Two dry cleaning leaflets—reminders about Solvent Emissions Directive (2006)
Summary leaflet—Controls on the handling of waste (2006)
The cost per language in each of these years is as follows:
| £ | ||||
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for which services provided by his Department and its related agencies translation services are provided. [113873]
Barry Gardiner: DEFRA’s translation section provides a translation service from and into English for staff in the Department’s core divisions and its Executive agencies. Translations into English include correspondence, health conditions, draft EU regulations and scientific articles. Translations into a variety of foreign languages include correspondence and health certificates, plus some leaflets aimed at non-English speakers in the UK. In addition, publications, consultations and letters are regularly translated into Welsh under DEFRA’s Welsh Language Scheme, as set out on our website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/welshlangscheme/index.htm.
Wild Birds: Imports
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what grounds the EU has passed a permanent ban on the import of wild birds into the European Community. [117134]
Barry Gardiner: The European Union has voted for an indefinite ban on animal health grounds. It can be repealed or amended if, for example, there is evidence of a change in the risk associated with importing disease.
Education and Skills
A-Levels: Romford
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students within the constituency of Romford left further education having completed A-levels or equivalent qualifications to enter full-time employment in 2005-06. [117459]
Bill Rammell: In 2005-06, 558 students aged 16-18 completed their A level (or equivalent qualification) studies in institutions located in the Romford constituency. There are no data available on the number of these young people who entered full-time employment at this local level.
Child Care
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of families (a) are eligible for and (b) have taken up (i) free and (ii) subsidised child care in each London borough; and if he will make a statement. [110614]
Beverley Hughes: Information is not available in the form requested.
The available information about population estimates for three and four-year-olds in each London borough is shown in table 1. Information about the number of part-time early education places funded by the free entitlement for three and four-year-olds in each London borough is shown in table 2.
| Table 1: Population estimates for three and four-year-olds( 1,2) in each London borough—December 2005 | |
| London boroughs | Population estimates for three and four-year-olds |
| (1) ONS population estimates at December 2005, rounded to the nearest 100. (2) ONS population estimates are aggregated to age groupings of at least five years. Figures based on a single year of age at the sub-national level are therefore of limited reliability. | |
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