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15 Mar 2007 : Column 486W—continued
Departments: Equal Opportunities
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to implement the Race Equality Duty since 2000. [120633]
Barry Gardiner: Following the introduction of the race duties we produced a Race Equality Scheme in draft format for public consultation in May 2002. We revised and updated our Race Equality Scheme in July 2003.
Our revised scheme, which took account of comments received during the consultation, lays out in detail how we implemented the Race Equality Duty. This includes information on how we:
assess, and consult on, the likely impact proposed policies will have on promoting race equality;
monitor policies for any adverse impact on promoting race equality;
publish the results of assessments, consultation and monitoring;
make sure the public have access to information and services; and
train staff to carry out the general duty and the specific duties.
A copy of our Race Equality Scheme is enclosed/available at www.defra.gov.uk
Race Relations Act training for staff;
launch of an Equality Impact Assessment toolkit; and
the extension of DEFRA’s successful Elevator Partnership Scheme to specifically address under-representation of minority ethnic and disabled staff at senior management levels.
Departments: Manpower
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civil servants are working on policy on anaerobic digestion, broken down by grade; and if he will make a statement. [126176]
Barry Gardiner: A cross-cutting project team is co-ordinating work across DEFRA to develop policy on anaerobic digestion. This regularly involves 14 individuals across five DEFRA divisions as well as a number of others. The total level of staff resources dedicated to the work on anaerobic digestion is equivalent to just under two full-time staff, broken down by grade as follows:
| Number | |
Anaerobic digestion has the potential to make a significant contribution to a number of key Government objectives. Most notably, this includes reducing greenhouse emissions from waste management and agriculture, and improving air quality, as well as providing a source of renewable energy.
We will shortly be publishing the UK Biomass Strategy, which will include details of how we propose to work with interested parties to drive faster growth in the use of this technology. We are also currently assessing the level of staff resources that will be required to deliver the UK Biomass Strategy.
In parallel, the national Waste Strategy, which is also to be published this spring, will set out the important contribution which anaerobic digestion can make to achieving our waste management goals.
Departments: Orders and Regulations
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his most recent estimate is of the (a) one-off cost and (b) recurring costs of implementing the Animal By-Products Regulations 2003 to (i) businesses and (ii) the regulators. [126666]
Barry Gardiner: The total administrative burden cost of the Animal By-Products Regulations 2003 to business was calculated as £7.58 million. One-off/contingent costs were estimated at £41,000, and recurring costs were £7,539,000. Costs to the Department can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
A full regulatory impact assessment was published alongside the Animal By-Products Regulations 2003. Copies were made available in the Library of the House. It is also available from the DEFRA website at:
The successful application of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) feed controls has brought about a year on year reduction in the incidence of BSE. This, along with the Government’s other BSE controls, has enabled the Over Thirty Month scheme to be replaced, at an annual saving to the taxpayer of £300 million, and paved the way for the beef export ban to be lifted.
Departments: Paper
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what plans he has to increase the amount of recycled paper used in his Department; [122429]
(2) what percentage of the paper used by his office comes from recycled sources. [122430]
Barry Gardiner: During the last financial year the core Department purchased 874 tonnes of recycled paper for printed publications (96 per cent.) and 235.8 tonnes of recycled paper for internal office use (100 per cent.).
DEFRA’s procurement policy requires use of recycled paper that meets the Quick Wins targets set by the Government in October 2003. These require all Departments to buy paper for printed publications using coated paper that meets or exceeds a 60 per cent. recycled target of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post consumer waste. DEFRA currently buys 75 per cent. recycled paper in this category. For office paper and publications using uncoated paper there is a 100 per cent. recycled target of which 75 per cent. should be post consumer waste.
The only exceptions to these standards are where recycled paper is not available for a specific process, e.g. security paper.
Energy: Housing
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans his Department has to encourage local planning authorities to enforce higher standards for the energy efficiency of homes. [126734]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 14 March 2007]: Enforcement of higher standards for the energy efficiency of homes is the responsibility of Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). DEFRA has been working closely with DCLG to secure greater energy efficiency of new and existing homes through amendments to Part L of the Building Regulations. DEFRA supports the recent amendment to Part L, which will lead to an increase in the energy efficiency of new homes by approximately 20 per cent. compared with those built to the 2002 Regulations. DEFRA also supports the commitment that all new homes will be zero carbon by 2016, introduced through a timetable of phased improvements.
Environment Protection: EC Law
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the timetable is for the introduction of the environmental liability directive; and what is required for it to have regulatory effect. [127134]
Barry Gardiner: Member states are required to transpose the Environmental Liability Directive (ELD) by 30 April 2007. The Government completed the first of two public consultations (on policy options for transposing) at the end of February. Following analysis of consultation responses, the way forward is currently being considered. The second consultation (on draft legislation) is planned to take place later in the year. The 30 April implementation deadline will therefore not be met. Taking account of all the required processes, implementation is expected during spring 2008. While the Government wish to implement the Directive as expeditiously as possible, it also wants to ensure optimum stakeholder engagement. We will apply section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972, using the appropriate Designation Orders, as the legal base for transposing the ELD.
Executive Agencies
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2006, Official Report, column 1723W, on executive agencies, what the net change was in the (a) value and (b) percentage of (i) resource and (ii) capital budget levels for each of his Department's executive agencies from 2005-06 to 2006-07 in (1) cash terms and (2) real terms; and if he will make a statement. [122625]
Barry Gardiner: Of the Department’s nine executive agencies, five (Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Central Science Laboratory, Pesticides Safety Directorate, Veterinary Laboratories Agency and Veterinary Medicines Directorate) are net controlled agencies and recover their full economic costs through charges to their customers which include both DEFRA and non-DEFRA clients.
Details of the net changes to budgets of the four gross controlled agencies are given in the following table.
| lncrease/(reduction) in cash terms | Increase/(reduction) in real( 1) terms | |||||||
| Value (£ million) | Percentage | Value (£ million) | Percentage | |||||
| Prog | Cap | Prog | Cap | Prog | Cap | Prog | Cap | |
| (1 )2.68 per cent. added to the 2005-06 to restate at 2006-07 values. Notes: GDS Government Decontamination Service MFA Marine Fisheries Agency RPA Rural Payments Agency SVS State Veterinary Service Source: HMT GDP Deflators | ||||||||
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2006, Official Report, column 1723W, on executive agencies, what subsequent changes to the (a) resource and (b) capital budgets of his Department’s executive agencies have been made; and if he will make a statement. [122632]
Barry Gardiner: The following subsequent changes (in value and percentage) have been made to the 2006-07 resource and capital budgets of the Department’s executive agencies listed:
(i) Government Decontamination Service
Resource: £0.05 million - 1 per cent. reduction
Capital: £0 - 0 per cent.
Resource: £0 - 0 per cent.
Capital: £0 - 0 per cent.
Resource: £2.2 million - 1 per cent. increase
Capital: £0 - 0 per cent.
Resource: £3 million - 3 per cent. increase
Capital: £0 - 0 per cent.
(v) Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Resource: £0 - 0 per cent.
Capital: £0 - 0 per cent.
(vi) Central Science Laboratory
Resource: £0 - 0 per cent.
Capital: £0 - 0 per cent.
(vii) Pesticides Safety Directorate
Resource: £0 - 0 per cent.
Capital: £0 - 0 per cent.
(viii) Veterinary Laboratories Agency
Resource: £0 - 0 per cent.
Capital: £0 - 0 per cent.
(ix) Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Resource: £0 - 0 per cent.
Capital: £0 - 0 per cent.
Falcons: Conservation
Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what actions his Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take on the status of the saker falcon following the meeting of the CITES Consultative Committee on Trade in Falcons in May 2004. [126757]
Barry Gardiner: There was no recommendation from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting in May 2004 to change the listing status of the saker falcon. The UK has a policy of only putting forward species for listing or amendment of their listed status where we or one of our overseas territories are a range state. This is not the case with the saker falcon and any action therefore to change its listing status would be for one of the range states. Although the saker falcon is listed by CITES as Appendix II, it is listed by the EU as Annex A (the most endangered category).
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