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30 Oct 2007 : Column 1085W—continued
UK Film Council: East Midlands
Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent by the UK Film Council in the East Midlands in the last six years. [161452]
Margaret Hodge: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in time available before Prorogation.
VisitBritain: Finance
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much he allocated to (a) VisitBritain and (b) VisitScotland for (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09, (iii) 2009-10 and (iv) following the Comprehensive Spending Review for the whole SR07 period. [161122]
James Purnell: VisitBritain’s grant in aid for the present year (2007-08), and for the following three years up to 2010-11 which were the subject of the recent comprehensive spending review, is as follows:
| £ million | |
DCMS does not fund VisitScotland, which is fully supported by the Scottish Executive.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with VisitBritain on changes to its budget following the Comprehensive Spending Review. [161825]
Margaret Hodge: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Where We Live Programme
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department has spent on the Where We Live programme in each of the last three years. [159456]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 19 October 2007]: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Floods
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to assist farmers with protection from (a) flooding and (b) waterlogging. [160729]
Mr. Woolas: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Agriculture: Subsidies
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what his estimate is of the percentage of the 2007 single farm payment which will be paid in (a) December 2007, (b) January 2008, (c) February 2008, (d) March 2008, (e) April 2008, (f) May 2008, (g) June 2008 and (h) after June 2008; [159904]
(2) what his estimate is of the number of the 2007 single farm payment claims which will receive their payments in (a) December 2007, (b) January 2008, (c) February 2008, (d) March 2008, (e) April 2008, (f) May 2008, (g) June 2008 and (h) after June 2008. [159905]
Jonathan Shaw: The Rural Payments Agency has a formal target to pay 75 per cent. by value of valid 2007 single payment scheme claims by 31 March 2008 and 90 per cent. by 31 May 2008. The production of reliable estimated monthly breakdowns is not possible because of the number of factors, which may affect the flow of payments.
Air Pollution: Standards
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when his Department received a letter of a formal notice from the European Union Commission for failing to meet its legal obligations in relation to (a) sulphur dioxide and (b) nitrogen dioxide pollution of the air; if he will place in the Library a copy of such correspondence; and if he will make a statement. [160399]
Jonathan Shaw: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Angling: Seas and Oceans
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has identified the species of most value to the recreational sea angling sector; and what steps he plans to take to protect and develop those recreational sea fisheries. [161755]
Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA's report "Research into the Economic Contribution of Sea Angling", published in July 2004, provided information on the important sites for sea angling, its contribution to the economy and the value of the experience to anglers. A survey conducted in support of the report identified that cod, bass and mackerel are the top target species for anglers.
I will shortly be consulting on a draft recreational sea angling strategy, developed collaboratively with key stakeholders in inshore fisheries. The draft strategy considers management measures for species of value to anglers.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of commercial catching practices on the recreational sea angling sector. [161781]
Jonathan Shaw: I recently announced new work that will take account of recreational sea anglers’ interest in fisheries and consider the impact of different fishing practices. Details are set out in the autumn 2007 edition of Fishing Focus, available in the Library of the House.
Angling: White Fish
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what timetable he has set for the implementation of measures to develop the potential of the UK inshore recreational bass fishery. [161720]
Jonathan Shaw: I recently announced measures that will provide benefits for stocks of bass and recreational sea anglers. Details are set out in the autumn 2007 edition of Fishing Focus, available in the Library of the House. The next step will be to ensure that all stakeholders are engaged in agreeing how and when to take this work forward collaboratively.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the optimum minimum landing size for bass (a) to ensure a robust stock structure and (b) to stimulate the development of the recreational sea fishery sector. [161756]
Jonathan Shaw: Scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea suggests that sea bass are fished sustainably under current management measures which include a minimum landing size (MLS) of 36cm.
The Regulatory Impact Assessment produced as part of proposals to increase the MLS for bass in England set out the impact of the measures on bass stocks, and the associated costs and benefits for recreational sea anglers and commercial fishermen. This was published on 10 August 2006. Having considered all the evidence available, I recently announced that I will not increase the MLS for bass. Instead, I set out a package of other measures that will provide benefits for stocks of bass and recreational sea anglers.
Animal Experiments: Finance
David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) central Government, (b) research councils, (c) UK levy boards and (d) industry through LINK schemes spent on animal science research and development in each year from 1996-97 to 2006-07; what estimate he has made of the equivalent amounts in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10; what the distribution is of the estimated spend from 2007 to 2010 by type of research and development; and what information his Department holds on comparable expenditure on research and development for animal science by other EU and OECD nations. [160437]
Jonathan Shaw: Spend on animal science research between 1996 to 2007 for central Government (Defra), research councils (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council), UK Levy boards (Meat and Livestock Commission, Milk Development Council) and industry through LINK (Sustainable Livestock Production programme) is tabulated as follows.
| Financial year | Defra | BBSRC( 1) | MLC | MDC | Industry through LINK( 2) |
| (1 )BBSRC's Animal Sciences Committee supports basic and strategic work on animal function at the level of tissues and systems. This covers the basic and comparative physiology and behaviour of all animals, both invertebrates and vertebrates (including humans), but excludes clinical research and studies aimed at understanding the mechanisms of specific human diseases. Figures presented are estimated, not actual. (2 )Includes levy body funding. (3 )Provisional figures. Note: Figures include spend on animal health and welfare research. | |||||
The Scottish Government and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland also support animal science research and development that contributes to the UK science base and research outputs in this area.
Defra and BBSRC are taking forward work to assess current and future skills and capacity needs, which will inform future spending plans.
Defra does not hold information on comparable expenditure on research and development for animal science by other EU and OECD nations.
Beekeeping
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent
estimate his Department has made of the economic benefit to agriculture and horticulture of honey bees. [161626]
Jonathan Shaw: A 2001 Economic Evaluation of DEFRA’s bee health programme estimated the value of honey bees to commercial pollination at approximately £120 million, although a recent reassessment taking into account changes in crop areas and values suggests that the value may have increased to some £165 million. No valuation of the role of honey bees in relation to the pollination of wild plants is available.
Bees: Diseases
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much funding his Department provided to support research on bee diseases in each of the last five years; what proportion was to the National Bee Unit; and whether other government departments fund bee research; [161625]
(2) how much funding his Department provided to support the National Bee Unit in each of the last five years; and how much was spent on (a) supporting inspectors and (b) funding research in each year. [161627]
Jonathan Shaw: Expenditure on the National Bee Unit (NBU), which includes the Bee Health Inspection and Advisory Service, by DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government is as follows:
| Financial year expenditure (£) | |
These figures do not include any expenditure on specific research projects, although some of the NBU’s activity is in support of research initiatives. DEFRA’s annual expenditure on bee health research has averaged around £210,000 since 2001.
There is an ongoing review of expenditure on all DEFRA programmes, including bee health. Future funding will need to be considered alongside the full range of priorities facing the Department but we will not take decisions that could compromise biosecurity and the sustainability of bee health in England.
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