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8 May 2007 : Column 46W—continued
My Department continues to engage with retailers and the food industry to reduce the amount of food and packaging waste generated by the industry itself and by consumers. In particular, DEFRA’s Food Industry Sustainability Strategy (FISS), published in
April 2006, challenges the food manufacturing sector to reduce its own waste by 15-20 per cent. by 2010. 13 major grocery retailers (representing 92 per cent. of the UK grocery sector) have also signed up to the ‘Courtauld Commitment’, agreeing to work with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in order to:
(i) design out packaging waste growth by 2008;
(ii) deliver absolute reductions in packaging waste by March 2010; and
(iii) identify ways to tackle the problem of food waste.
Each retailer signed up to the Commitment has been developing its own programme of work with WRAP to reduce packaging and packaging waste. A number of retailers have now announced their own specific performance targets on waste and other environmental issues.
In addition, several food and drink brands and manufacturers, including some confectionery manufacturers, have now signed up to the ‘Courtauld Commitment’. WRAP will shortly be announcing further details.
WRAP also provides technical and financial support to retailers and suppliers through an Innovation Fund. This is helping to identify ways of reducing the weight of primary packaging and the cost of production and transportation, mainly through research and development and innovative packaging design.
Importantly, DEFRA, working with WRAP and the devolved Administrations, has recently secured the agreement of UK retailers to reduce the overall environmental impact of their carrier bags by 25 per cent. by the end of 2008.
Paper: Recycling
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps the Waste and Resources Action Programme is taking to promote and provide incentives for the use of paper sludge as an alternative raw material for cement companies; [134629]
(2) how many tonnes of (a) recovered paper are used and (b) paper sludge were produced in the UK in each of the last three years for which figures are available; [134643]
(3) what steps he is taking to promote and provide incentives for the use of paper sludge as an alternative raw material for use by cement companies. [134644]
Mr. Bradshaw: In 2004, 2005 and 2006, 6.2, 6.0 and 5.6 million tonnes of paper were produced in the UK respectively. In the same three years, the UK used 4.6, 4.5 and 4.2 million tonnes of recovered paper(1). A secondary effect of the use of this recovered paper, was the creation of around 1 million tonnes per year of deinking sludge.
Neither my Department nor the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) are currently taking steps specifically to promote or incentivise the use of paper sludge as an alternative raw material for cement production. However, WRAP is working to create stable and efficient markets for recycled materials and products more generally in the manufacturing and construction industries.
WRAP has recently published a report on developing the opportunities for recycling paper mill sludge into new products. “A new approach to paper mill sludge” is available from WRAP’s website. This report highlights several potential outlets for this material, including cement and brick additives. Further work in this area is planned in WRAP’s current business plan.
(1) According to published data from the Confederation of Paper Industries.
Primates: Animal Experiments
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) date of arrival in the UK, (b) species, (c) country of export and (d) cause of death was of each non-human primate imported for research purposes which was found to be dead on arrival in the UK in (i) 2003, (ii) 2004, (iii) 2005 and (iv) 2006. [134558]
Mr. Bradshaw: Records held by DEFRA show that, in the years between 2003 and 2006, no primate imported for research was dead on arrival into the UK.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) longest and (b) average recorded journey time for non-human primates imported into the United Kingdom for research purposes from (i) China, (ii) Mauritius, (iii) Vietnam, (iv) Israel, (v) the Philippines and (vi) Indonesia was in (A) 2005 and (B) 2006; and if he will make a statement. [134559]
Mr. Bradshaw: DEFRA does not hold the information requested.
Recycling
Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of (a) domestic, (b) commercial and (c) industrial waste was recycled in England in the last year for which figures are available. [135655]
Mr. Bradshaw: 26.7 per cent. of household waste was recycled or composted in England in 2005-06(1). Results from the most recent commercial and industrial waste survey, carried out by the Environment Agency, show that 42.2 per cent. of commercial waste and 46.7 per cent. of industrial waste were recycled or reused in 2002-03.
(1) DEFRA’s municipal waste statistics 2005-06.
Rural Development Programme
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Rural Development Programme 2007-13 is expected to be introduced. [135534]
Barry Gardiner: We hope to submit the new programme to the EU Commission for approval shortly. The programme will not formally begin until it has completed the approval process, which could take some six months.
We have kept Environmental Stewardship open, with new agreements made on a provisional basis, in advance of the Commission's approval. The Hill Farm Allowance has also continued this year in advance of programme approval.
Sewage: Coastal Areas
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at what locations Northumbrian Water has applied to stop UV disinfection of sewage outside the bathing season; what the duration of the bathing season in the UK is; and when he expects the Environment Agency to decide on the applications. [135723]
Ian Pearson: The applications by Northumbrian Water refer to Sewage Treatment Works at the following locations:
| Location | Receiving water |
The bathing season in England runs from 15 May to 30 September.
The Environment Agency is considering the applications but will not make a formal decision until the Secretary of State has decided whether or not to agree to requests that he calls them in for his own determination.
Sewage: Renewable Energy
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has had discussions with water companies on using sewage for energy production. [134791]
Ian Pearson: I have had discussions on this issue with a number of water companies and am aware that there is interest and activity in the industry to find energy solutions. For instance, earlier this year Severn Trent Water outlined to me its 25 year business plan and the role energy generation from sludge is expected to play in reducing its long-term carbon footprint.
Sewers: Urban Areas
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the guidelines and performance standards are for sustainable urban drainage systems. [135724]
Ian Pearson: Sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) comprise of a variety of techniques ranging from source control to infiltration, conveyance and storage features.
The Building Regulations part H provide guidance on the incorporation of SUDS in drainage systems, stating that the preferred option for surface water
drainage should be to an adequate soakaway or other infiltration system. It is clear that SUDS systems are most effectively implemented in the context of a strong planning framework. We consider this will be helpful in successfully engaging developers, prospective owners/managers of SUDS systems, and the providers of related services.
The Department of Communities and Local Government is working closely with DEFRA, and has recently strengthened the planning context through Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk and the introduction of the concept of Surface Water Management Plans. Detailed information on SUDS design and performance considerations can be found in the CIRIA publication C609 “Sustainable drainage systems—hydraulic, structural and water quality advice”, published in 1992, and the CIRIA publication C697 “SUDS manual”, published in 2007.
Shellfish
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the availability of new technology to detect the scrubbing of eggs from berried lobsters. [135067]
Mr. Bradshaw: I understand that both Cornwall Sea Fisheries and Eastern Joint Sea Fisheries Committees have recently trialled the technology available to detect the scrubbing of berried female lobsters. This technology was developed and successfully used in the United States for American lobsters that, although very similar, are a different species to our European lobster.
Eastern Joint Sea Fisheries Committee has an impending case in relation to their byelaw banning the landing of berried lobsters which involves this technology. It would be inappropriate for me to comment further until after the result of the court case, which my officials and I await with interest.
State Veterinary Service
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimate he has made of the cost of merging the State Veterinary Service, the Dairy Hygiene and Egg Marketing Inspectorates and the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service. [135501]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Hampton Review recommended the consolidation of DEFRA inspection and enforcement functions into seven thematic regulators, with one of those regulators being a new Executive Agency for Animal Health and Welfare, with the State Veterinary Service (SVS) at its core. DEFRA Ministers subsequently determined to merge the Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate, the Egg Marketing Inspectorate, and the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service with SVS to create such a body. The Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate joined SVS in October 2006, and the Egg Marketing Inspectorate and WLRS joined on 1 April 2007. The new enlarged agency was then re-named Animal Health.
The cost of collating the mergers was approximately £200,000 which was predominantly internal staff costs.
The indirect costs are difficult to quantify. For example, there would be an opportunity cost for staff working on the Hampton project as opposed to other areas of work, but as to what these were it would be very difficult to provide figures against.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the (a) mass and (b) value of existing letterheaded stationery from the (i) State Veterinary Service, (ii) Dairy Hygiene and Egg Marketing Inspectorates and (iii) Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service; and whether the existing stationery will continue to be used after the merger of those agencies into Animal Health. [135502]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Hampton Review recommended the consolidation of DEFRA inspection and enforcement functions into seven thematic regulators, with one of those regulators being a new Executive Agency for Animal Health and Welfare, with the State Veterinary Service (SVS) at its core. DEFRA Ministers subsequently determined to merge the Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate, the Egg Marketing Inspectorate, and the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service with SVS to create such a body. The Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate joined SVS in October 2006, and the Egg Marketing Inspectorate and WLRS joined on 1 April 2007. The new enlarged agency was then re-named Animal Health.
The mass and value of extant letterheaded stationery from State Veterinary Service is:
| Amount (£) | |
These are minimum quantities kept in stock under an SLA agreement between DEFRA and the printing provider to ensure a five-day turnaround for stationery orders.
EMI, DHI and WLRS have never operated with their own personalised stationery, but used standard DEFRA stocks. As a result, any stocks of pre-printed DEFRA stationery can be used up by DEFRA and therefore not wasted.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what change in staff numbers he expects to occur as a result of the merger of the State Veterinary Service, the Dairy Hygiene and Egg Marketing Inspectorates and the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service. [135503]
Mr. Bradshaw:
The Hampton Review recommended the consolidation of DEFRA inspection and enforcement functions into seven thematic regulators, with one of those regulators being a new Executive Agency for Animal Health and Welfare, with the State Veterinary Service (SVS) at its core. DEFRA Ministers subsequently determined to merge the Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate, the Egg Marketing Inspectorate, and the
Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service with SVS to create such a body. The Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate joined SVS in October 2006, and the Egg Marketing Inspectorate and WLRS joined on 1 April 2007. The new enlarged agency was then re-named to Animal Health.
Animal Health is not planning for any changes in staff numbers as a direct result of the mergers with the Dairy Hygiene and Egg Marketing Inspectorates and the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service. Consolidation of these inspectorates is intended to achieve benefits in terms of customer focus, fewer interfaces with regulatory bodies and a more consistent approach to risk based inspection.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on outside consultants on the (a) rebranding and (b) merger of the State Veterinary Service and other bodies concerned with animal health; and if he will make a statement. [135505]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Hampton Review recommended the consolidation of DEFRA inspection and enforcement functions into seven thematic regulators, with one of those regulators being a new Executive Agency for Animal Health and Welfare, with the State Veterinary Service (SVS) at its core. DEFRA Ministers subsequently determined to merge the Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate, the Egg Marketing Inspectorate, and the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service with SVS to create such a body. The Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate joined SVS in October 2006, and the Egg Marketing Inspectorate and WLRS joined on 1 April 2007. The new enlarged agency was then re-named Animal Health.
The cost of employing outside consultants for (a) re-branding the enlarged Agency is approximately £40,000, and (b) for the merger to a single organisation is nil, since no such consultants were used in this element.
Senior Civil Servants
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of staff employed in the top five grades of his Department have (a) qualifications in waste management and (b) previous employment in the waste management sector. [132273]
Barry Gardiner: The data required are not held centrally. To collate this information would incur disproportionate costs.
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