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26 Jan 2007 : Column 2112W—continued

Biofuels

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2006, Official Report, column 1433, on bio-fuels, what estimate he has made of how much palm oil was used for bio-fuel in 2006. [116983]

Ian Pearson: The UK imported 633,000 tonnes of palm oil in 2005, the last full year for which figures are available. However, palm oil is used in many processed foods, cosmetics and detergents, as well as in biofuels.

We do not hold statistics on the use of palm oil. From 1 April 2008, the renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO) will require a declaration of sustainability to help identify sources of biofuels.

Bovine TB

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average cost is of a pre-movement bovine tuberculosis test; and whether his Department has estimated the cost of moving to a whole-herd annual test. [110995]

Mr. Bradshaw: A pre-movement tuberculosis test is a private transaction between an individual farmer and his or her local veterinary inspector.

The cost of moving to annual herd testing for the whole of England has not been estimated.

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what work (a) has been and (b) is being carried out to tailor the evaluation tables for compensation on bovine tuberculosis slaughter for the added value of (i) high yield dairy cattle, (ii) organic stock and (iii) pedigree stock. [110998]

Mr. Bradshaw: The decision to introduce a new cattle compensation system, in February last year, was not made lightly, and was taken only after two public consultations. Wherever possible, the Government have
26 Jan 2007 : Column 2113W
responded to detailed concerns raised by interested organisations. Following our consultations, significant enhancements to the system were made—in particular, the number of table valuation cattle categories was increased from the proposed 29 to 47.

In line with Government's on going commitment to work in partnership with interested organisations, Defra has set up the Cattle Compensation Advisory Group (CCAG) to monitor, with the industry, the introduction of the new compensation system.

Defra and the CCAG are discussing a range of ideas the group has suggested for enhancing the current compensation arrangements—these include the specific areas raised by the hon. Member. While Defra has not ruled out the possibility of changes to the compensation system, they are not inevitable. Any changes would need to be justified and fair to farmers and the taxpayer. They would also need to take account of the extensive evidence on the level of over-valuation experienced under the previous system based on individual valuations.

Cattle Testing

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will discuss with EU colleagues the provision of additional funding for animal handling facilities to deal with increased cattle testing. [110994]

Mr. Bradshaw: This issue was raised when I met with the hon. Member and a delegation of his constituents on 18 January. As agreed at the meeting, I will look into the matter and respond to the hon. Member in writing.

Employment Agencies

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many employment agencies were employed by the Rural Payments Agency in each of the last five years; and what expenditure was incurred on agency services in each year. [117235]

Barry Gardiner: The number of employment agencies employed by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) for each of the last five financial years is as follows:

Number

2002-03

9

2003-04

10

2004-05

10

2005-06

15

2006-07

14


The total expenditure incurred on agency services in each year was:


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£ million

2002-03

3.558

2003-04

4.777

2004-05

4.473

2005-06

21.080

2006-07 (part)

18.620


The costs for employment agency staff have been reported on an accruals basis and for financial years 2002-03 to 2005-06 they have been reported in RPA’s Annual Accounts and have been subject to audit by NAO.

For financial year 2006-07 costs have been reported on an accruals basis to the end of December 2006 (i.e. nine months’ position) and this figure is currently reflected in RPA’s 2006-07 provisional interim account.

Endangered Species

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to raise the issue of the sale of endangered animals on the internet at the forthcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora conference. [111952]

Barry Gardiner: The EU member states have submitted a UK-inspired proposal for a decision on “Internet Trade in Specimens of CITES-listed species”, to be considered at the 14th CITES conference of the parties this June.

Executive Agencies

Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of the executive agencies of his Department have regional offices outside London. [116723]

Barry Gardiner: All of Defra’s nine executive agencies have regional and/or head offices outside London. The locations are set out in the following table.


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26 Jan 2007 : Column 2116W
Agency Location of head office Location of regional offices

Central Science Laboratory

Sand Hutton, York

Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science

Lowestoft

Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex

Weymouth

Government Decontamination Service

Stafford

Marine Fisheries Agency

London

North Shields, Tyne and Wear

Amble, Northumberland

Hartlepool, Cleveland

Whitehaven, Cumbria

Grimsby

Kings Lynn

Scarborough

Fleetwood

Lowestoft

Harwich

Hastings

Poole

Portslade, W Sussex

Portsmouth

Plymouth

Brixham, Devon

Penzance

Penryn

Milford Haven

Holyhead, Anglesey

Pesticides Safety Directorate

York

Rural Payments Agency

Reading

Northallerton

Workington

Exeter

Carlisle

Newcastle

State Veterinary Service

Worcester

Carlisle

Leeds

Lincoln

Newcastle upon Tyne

Preston

Stafford

Bury St. Edmunds

Chelmsford

Leicester

Reading

Reigate

Exeter

Gloucester

Taunton

Truro

Worcester (animal health divisional office)

Ayr

Galashiels

Inverness

Inverurie

Perth

Caernafon

Cardiff

Carmarthen

Veterinary Laboratories Agency

New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey

Aberystwyth

Bury St. Edmunds

Carmathen

Langford, Bristol

Lasswade, Midlothian

Luddington, Warks

Newcastle

New Haw (Laboratory Testing)

Penrith

Preston

Shrewsbury

Starcross, Devon

Sutton Bonnington, Leics

Thirsk

Truro

Winchester

Veterinary Medicines Directorate

New Haw, Addlestone


Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which executive agencies are the responsibility of his Department; what the function is of each agency; and what the budget was of each agency in the most recent year for which figures are available. [116747]

Barry Gardiner: Defra is responsible for nine executive agencies. Information about their functions and recent budgets are publicly available on the Defra website as well as other information about the Defra Group delivery landscape. Please follow the link to:

Information about the executive agencies is also publicly available through the annual Defra departmental report and the Annual Report with Accounts of each executive agency, copies of which are lodged in the Library of the House.


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