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21 Nov 2007 : Column 857W—continued
House of Commons Commission
Administration
Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the total value of the House of Commons Administration Estimate was in each year since 1978. [165089]
Nick Harvey: Only cash-based figures are available for the years prior to 2001-02. Unlike resource-based figures, these are not comparable over the period. The cash figures are as follows:
| £000 | |
For the years 1992-93 to 1999-2000, the Works expenditure programme was covered by a separate Vote. This period included significant cash expenditure on projects such as the construction of Portcullis House. The figures shown cover the Administration Vote only for those years.
The net resource outturn figures from 2001-02 are as follows:
| Resource outturn (£000) | |
Information Services: Expenditure
Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the total expenditure on Library services was in each year since 1978. [165086]
Nick Harvey: Only cash-based figures are available for the years prior to 2001-02. These are less comparable than resource-based figures over the period. The cash figures are as follows:
The total resource expenditure on Library services from 2003, following a change of accounting system, are as follows:
| Resource outturn (£000) | |
Political Activities: Stationery
Mr. Maude: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the Commission’s definition is of campaigning with regards to the prohibition of the use of House stationery for campaigning. [164174]
Nick Harvey: The House approved on 28 March 2007 a new Communications Allowance as set out in the First Report from the Members Estimate Committee 2006-07 HC 319. At the same time, a limit of £7,000 was placed on the amount of House stationery which could be used by each Member in one year. Detailed rules for both the Communications Allowance and the use of House stationery, approved by the Members Estimate Committee, were published at the time (The Communications Allowance and the use of House stationery, April 2007). The Committee undertook to review the detailed rules in the light of experience. The Committee on Standards and Privileges has recently reported on a number of cases arising from use of the Communications Allowance. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards has said that he intends to submit a further report to that Committee on some general issues relating to publications funded from the allowance. The Commission and the Members Estimate Committee will await the Committee’s conclusions on this before deciding on a review.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Angling
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate he has made of the contribution that angling makes to the economy; and if he will make a statement; [165510]
(2) what estimate he has made of the likely change in size of the angling sector over the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [165511]
Jonathan Shaw: I recognise the value of recreational sea angling (RSA) and the important contribution it makes to the economy.
DEFRA’s report “Research into the Economic Contribution of Sea Angling”, published in July 2004, estimated that the total expenditure on their sport by anglers residing in England and Wales was £538 million a year.
The same report estimated that 1.1 million households in England and Wales contained at least one family member who had been sea angling in 2003. Since the early 1990s, the number of sea anglers had stabilised and possibly increased. Although not quantified, the report suggests that we could see a stable or possibly increasing demand for sea angling in future, with the sector's prospects depending mainly on demand, fish stocks and facilities. These factors are considered in a draft RSA Strategy, which we will shortly consult on.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to publish his draft recreational sea angling strategy for consultation; and if he will make a statement. [165512]
Jonathan Shaw: A draft Recreational Sea Angling Strategy has been developed collaboratively with key stakeholders in inshore fisheries and contains a broad package of measures. On 25 October I announced that I would launch a consultation on the draft Strategy in November this year.
Beaches: EU Law
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to the Environment Agency of implementing the revised Bathing Water Directive; and what additional funds have been allocated to allow them to do so. [165953]
Mr. Woolas: DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government have recently launched a public consultation, including a partial impact assessment which sets out the costs and benefits associated with the implementation of the revised Bathing Water Directive in England and Wales. The impact assessment suggests that there will be some relatively small additional costs incurred by the Environment Agency from the implementation of the revised Directive (over and above its on-going costs under the current Bathing Water Directive), but that these are likely to be off-set by the savings it may incur as a result of the simplification provisions included in the revised Directive.
Birds: Conservation
Mrs. Moon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UK Bird Registration Scheme under section 7 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in facilitating the enforcement of
(a) the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora and (b) other wildlife laws by police. [165501]
Joan Ruddock: The Animal Health Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service enforcement section is not aware of any cases within the past five years where information solely available from BIRDLOG (the database system used for bird registration) has been critical in obtaining successful convictions of CITES or other wildlife laws enforced by the police. It is however aware of numerous instances where information from BIRDLOG has been released to the police to assist in the investigation of registration offences, but these rarely result in the keeper being taken to court.
Bluetongue Disease: Compensation
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) financial and (b) other aid is planned to be made available to farmers who have had livestock infected with bluetongue disease; what elements of that aid will be funded by the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [164358]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 19 November 2007]: For bluetongue, compensation will be paid for all animals which are compulsorily slaughtered (at market value immediately before it was slaughtered) and disposal costs will also be paid for. No financial aid packages for bluetongue are proposed.
We are developing our response to bluetongue in line with the UK bluetongue control strategy. We aim to relieve the economic and welfare problems facing the industry by allowing movement of animals in areas of Great Britain based on a risk assessment. We are working in close partnership with farmers and the devolved administrations in order to achieve this.
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