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7 Feb 2008 : Column 1325W—continued
I take the problem of cetacean by-catch very seriously. DEFRA puts significant resources into by-catch monitoring and research into by-catch mitigation measures and cetacean strandings. However, the nature of fisheries means that a solution to cetacean by-catch can only be achieved on a European scale and I will continue to work towards this.
Climate Change
Stephen Hesford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking in concert with the UK’s partners in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to ensure
that the international road map on climate change will (a) complement economic development in the poorest nations and (b) provide protection for those countries expected to be most affected by climate change. [184962]
Mr. Woolas: The Bali Action Plan, agreed at the United Nations Climate Change conference in Bali in 2007, commits developed and developing countries over the next two years to negotiate a global climate deal by 2009. Mitigation action by developing countries should be in the context of sustainable development. Discussions under the Bali Action Plan will cover improving access to financial resources and investment to support mitigation and adaptation including adequate, predictable and sustainable financial resources; the provision of new and additional resources; and official and concessional funding for developing countries.
It is widely acknowledged that the current level of financial support to help developing countries adapt to climate change is inadequate, although estimates vary widely. The Bali Action Plan will discuss financial and technical support for adaptation in developing counties, particularly the most vulnerable ones.
Departmental Freedom of Information
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of Freedom of Information requests received by his Department have given rise to responses that have been published by his Department. [180215]
Jonathan Shaw: The Department has adopted a selective disclosure log. Where information is disclosed to an individual in response to a request under the FOI Act, Departments and NDPBs have been advised to consider whether the information disclosed is of general interest and include released information in a disclosure log as part of the publication scheme. A disclosure log is a web-based list of FOI requests together with links to the documents released in response to them and including descriptions of the information.
The figures since 2005 are set out in the following table:
| Quarter | Requests answered partially or fully | In disclosure log | Percentage |
Departmental Marketing
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2008, Official Report, column 1390W, on departmental marketing, whether the plastic bags purchased by his Department are biodegradable. [183154]
Jonathan Shaw: Plastic bags are used across the DEFRA estate to remove all manner of waste. Clear plastic bags are used for security purposes. DEFRA is working currently with its supply chain to trial recycled bags for the same purpose and durability.
Currently, bags and contents are collected and processed for recycling or entry to the waste to energy route. Plastics are hand picked from the waste content.
DEFRA's marketing department has not produced plastic carrier bags for a number of years. We do produce biodegradable bags, and sturdy reusable fabric bags, for example for our Act on CO2 campaign.
Mr. Hoban:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 January 2008, Official Report, column 2123W, on departmental marketing, what the size is of
each of the six displays located in the main buildings of his Department. [184882]
Jonathan Shaw: We have vacated one of our London offices so now only have five displays located in our main buildings. The ministerial displays are designed to be of an appropriate size for their location and enable us to display other information about the work of the Department. The sizes of the ministerial displays are:
1. 500x1095mm
2. 500 x 995mm
3. 500 x 1275mm
4. 300 x 700mm
5. 600 x 1200mm
Departmental Recycling
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much and what proportion of its waste his Department recycled in each of the last five years. [174423]
Jonathan Shaw: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) can confirm that his Department recycled the following amounts of waste in each of the last four years.
| 2005-06 | 2004-05 | 2003-04 | 2002-03 | |||||
| Waste (Tonnes) | Percentage of total waste | Waste (Tonnes) | Percentage of total waste | Waste (Tonnes) | Percentage of total waste | Waste (Tonnes) | Percentage of total waste | |
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