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12 Dec 2007 : Column 700W—continued
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many attacks on people there were by dogs designated as dangerous under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in each year since 1997; and how many there were by dogs owned in contravention of the Act in each year; [171884]
(2) how many people were prosecuted under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in London in each year since 1997. [171882]
Jonathan Shaw: The information requested is provided in the following tables. Table 1 shows the number of people prosecuted for allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control. Table 2 shows the number of defendants proceeded against. However, we do not hold information on whether the dogs involved were held in contravention of the law.
| Table 2: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts in Greater London for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, 1997 to 2006( 1, 2) | |
| Number proceeded against | |
| (1) These data are provided on the principal offence basis. (2 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. | |
Departmental Consultants
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid by his Department in consultancy fees in each year since 2004-05. [171874]
Jonathan Shaw: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 22 October 2007, Official Report, columns 78-79W.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid in consultancy fees by (a) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and (b) the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions between 1997 and 8 June 2001. [172075]
Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA came into being in June 2001. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 22 October 2007, Official Report, columns 78-79W.
Departmental Data Protection
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department's information technology and data management systems are BS7799 compliant. [168749]
Jonathan Shaw: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by right hon. friend the Prime Minister on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 1179. The review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data. A statement on Departments' procedures will be made on completion of the review.
Departmental Manpower
Tom Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what proportion of posts in his Department were recategorised from back office to frontline posts as
classified by the Gershon efficiency review in each year since 2004. [172252]
Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA is committed to achieving workforce reductions of 1,400 posts by the end of 2007-08. This is a net target and no posts will be reallocated to the frontline as part of it.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account he will take of the likely costs of the proposed (a) Marine Management Organisation and (b) reforms of the Sea Fisheries Committees when deciding to allocate the moneys allocated to his Department in the next comprehensive spending review period; and if he will make a statement. [173007]
Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA's business planning and budgeting process is currently in hand for the period covered by the recent comprehensive spending review (CSR07). Allocations have not been finalised, but the likely costs of implementing the Marine Bill, including the costs of establishing the Marine Management Organisation and reforming Sea Fisheries Committees, are being taken into account.
Fisheries
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to undertake research into developing market opportunities for low-value fish; and if he will make a statement. [173018]
Jonathan Shaw: Making low-value fish available and convenient to consumers is a key part of Fisheries 2027, a long-term vision for sustainable fisheries. I am discussing with stakeholders a draft delivery plan for Fisheries 2027, which sets out the shared responsibilities of those involved in the fisheries supply chain. This includes DEFRA’s role. Fisheries 2027 is available in the Library of the House.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the European Commission on the classification of the (a) 10 metre and under fleet and (b) 10 metre and over fleet; whether there are any proposals to change this classification; and if he will make a statement. [173025]
Jonathan Shaw: I have had no discussions with the European Commission on any changes to the use of 10 metres as a division of the fishing fleet in the UK, and I am unaware of any proposals to change this classification.
Fisheries: Quotas
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether he plans to implement a Quota Management Change Programme without Scotland’s participation; and if he will make a statement; [172039]
(2) whether he plans to resume discussions with the devolved administrations on the Quota Management Change Programme; and if he will make a statement. [173021]
Jonathan Shaw: Following the Scottish Executive’s withdrawal from the Quota Management Change Programme, DEFRA and the devolved Administrations are currently considering how to take forward work on quota management reform flowing from the change programme, and any other measures that might be necessary. As soon as this has been decided I will make an announcement.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether he plans to alter the proportion of 2008 quota received by the (a) producer organisations, (b) 10 metre and under fleet and (c) non-sector compared to the allocation for 2007; and if he will make a statement; [173019]
(2) what he estimates to be an appropriate amount of quota for the 10 metre and under fleet for each fish stock; and if he will make a statement; [173020]
(3) when he expects to announce proposals to reform the management of the 10 metre and under fleet; and if he will make a statement; [173022]
(4) whether he intends to allow 10 metre and under vessels to continue to lease quota from the producer organisations in 2008; and if he will make a statement. [173023]
Jonathan Shaw: The proportions of quota received by each sector of the fishing fleet are based on arrangements laid down in the UK’s Quota Management Rules. I have no plans to change these arrangements for 2008.
Requirements for quota for each sector and each vessel vary throughout the year and between years in response to changing environmental and economic conditions. For this reason there is no single “appropriate amount of quota” for the under 10 metre fleet. In response, the Marine and Fisheries Agency adjusts quota holdings for the under 10 metre fleet throughout the year through quota swaps, donations from producer organisations and contributions through economic links.
The facility for the leasing of quota by under 10 metre vessels was introduced as a temporary measure for 2007. I am currently examining options to improve the management of the under 10 metre fleet, including the arrangements for access to quota by these vessels, and expect to make an announcement on this matter soon.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much quota available to skippers in each sector has been unused in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [173024]
Jonathan Shaw:
Figures for the uptake of United Kingdom quotas of fish are published each year in Table 6.2 of the United Kingdom Sea Fisheries Statistics Tables published by the Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA). This provides information on the level
of quota and the landings of each fish stock (covering demersal, pelagic and shellfish species) for which the UK receives a quota. Information for the year 2006 is included in the latest edition, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Information for previous years is available online from the MFA website.
The MFA also publish information on the uptake of quotas in terms of the quota allocated and uptake by each producer organisation in the United Kingdom. The latest information on uptake in 2007 is available, and similar information related to activity in 2005 and 2006 is available on the MFA website.
Fisheries Administrations in the UK seek to work with the industry to facilitate maximum uptake of UK quota. Uptake of quotas by the UK industry varies from stock to stock in line with operational and business decisions made by the industry, as well as the effect of other constraints on fishing operations such as the various effort control regimes that exist. Uptake also varies from year to year as well as throughout the year.
Fisheries: Science
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding has been provided for fisheries-related science in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [173015]
Jonathan Shaw: The following table shows spending by DEFRA and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on Marine Fisheries Science in each year since 1997. The figures show total spending, and also break this down into spend on Research and Development (R and D) and on monitoring and assessment work (non R and D).
Increases to the non R and D funds for 2004-06 reflect the introduction of a £1 million Fisheries Science Partnership initiative in 2004, and several increases to Capital Charges paid to the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS).
| £ | |||
| R and D | Non R and D | Total | |
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