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6 Jun 2008 : Column 1188W—continued
Internet: Fraud
James Brokenshire: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent discussions he and his officials have had with the Attorney General's office on initiatives to combat online fraud. [207355]
Mr. Watson: Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and advice. It is not normal practice to disclose details of such meetings.
National Income
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the gross value added was in (a) London and (b) each region on the latest date for which figures are available. [208824]
Mr. Watson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 6 June 2008:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the difference in gross value added (GVA) between London and the rest of the UK. (208824)
The Office for National Statistics publishes regional GVA using official statistical geographies known as Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics (NUTS). NUTS1 data cover the Government Office Regions of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
GVA for the NUTS1 regions for 2006 (the latest year for which data are available), each region’s percentage share of the UK’s GVA, GVA per head and GVA per head indices are shown in the table below.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Biodiversity
Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome of the Ninth Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity was; and if he will make a statement. [208252]
Joan Ruddock: The ninth Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was held in Bonn, Germany from 17-30 May 2008. I represented the UK Government at the high level ministerial segment from 28-30 May. During this period I also held bilateral discussions with other Ministers, met representatives of UK stakeholders and attended side-events run by the UK-funded Darwin Initiative and by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
During the high level segment I announced new additional voluntary commitments by the UK Government to further CBD objectives. These include a £100,000 contribution to the preparation and production of the Third Global Biodiversity Outlook, and a further £100,000 contribution to the global study on The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity, the initial findings of which were presented during the high level segment.
The COP adopted decisions on over 25 issues that included establishing an intersessional process to review the 2010 biodiversity target and use the findings to develop a new target or series of targets beyond 2010 for consideration by COP 10. Other key outcomes included:
A decision on Access and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources (ABS) that agreed a process for three further intersessional ABS Open Ended Working Groups, together with a number of Ad Hoc Technical Experts Groups (AHTEGs), to ensure that the negotiating mandate for the international regime is concluded as soon as possible before COP 10 in 2010.
A decision on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity that agreed scientific criteria for identifying ecological or biologically significant marine areas in need of protection in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
A decision on Biodiversity and Climate Change that secured a process for the CBD to contribute biodiversity expertise to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Bali
Action Plan, including Reduced Emissions from Deforestation (REDD) in the form of a meeting of technical experts that the UK will part fund.
A decision that created an effective moratorium on Ocean Fertilisation activities which attempt to manipulate marine ecosystems to increase the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, with an exception for controlled research studies.
A decision that strengthened activities in the implementation of the Forestry Programme of Work including strengthening forest law enforcement and governance, increasing the links between forests and climate change mitigation, and adopting a precautionary approach to the release of GM trees.
A decision on the Agricultural Programme of Work including language on promoting the sustainable use of biofuels and developing sound policy frameworks as well as follow up intersessional work on this issue.
A decision on Protected Areas which provided for the enhanced management of existing protected areas and the establishment of additional ones.
Carbon Emissions
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of the Act on CO2 Public Engagement Campaign. [207721]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 2 June 2008]: The Government’s “ACT ON CO2” campaign aims to increase awareness and understanding of the relationship between climate change and CO2 and encourages genuine sustained behaviour change. The estimated cost of DEFRA’s core ACT ON CO2 campaign in 2007-08 was £5.5 million.
Composting: Environment Protection
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of levels of emission of bio-aerosols from open windrow composting sites in the last period for which figures are available; what assessment he has made of implications for (a) human and (b) animal health of such emissions; and what guidelines his Department issues to planning authorities on applications for new open windrow composting sites. [207158]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 22 May 2008]: There are no estimates of emissions of bioaerosols from open windrow composting sites for any period.
In 2004 DEFRA published an independent study, “Review of the Environmental and Health Effects of Waste Management”, which concluded that on the evidence from studies so far, the treatment of municipal solid waste has at most a minor effect on health particularly when compared with other health risks associated with ordinary day-to-day living. In relation to composting, the study acknowledges that this an area where there has been less work and the science is less certain than for other waste management activities. The report is available on DEFRA’s website at:
This is the most up to date source of information on open windrow composting sites.
Good site management is important in minimising risks to the environment and health from composting facilities. In 2005, the Composting Association published
the Composting Industry Code of Practice, which brings together legislative requirements and good management practice to support the professional operation of composting facilities.
The Environment Agency has taken a position that there will be a presumption against permitting (and to object to any application) of any new composting process (or modification to an existing process) where the boundary of the facility is within 250 m of a workplace or the boundary of a dwelling, unless the application is accompanied by a site-specific risk assessment, based on clear, independent scientific evidence which show that the bio-aerosol levels are and can be maintained at appropriate levels at the dwelling or workplace.
In addition, Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 10 and companion guide provides guidance on waste planning. Environment Agency’s position indicates that any application with 250 m would need a detailed risk assessment showing how bioaerosol emissions would be managed and reduced at sensitive receptors. Clearly open windrow composting would not allow sufficient management of emissions so would not be acceptable close to a dwelling or workplace.
Pollution Control
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to reduce the administrative burden associated with the implementation of the integrated pollution prevention control regulation. [206297]
Joan Ruddock: The pollution prevention and control regime was implemented through the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Regulations (England and Wales) 2000. The PPC regulations transposed several EU directives into domestic legislation.
In England and Wales the PPC regulations were superseded on 6 April 2008 by the Environmental Permitting (EP) Regulations 2007 (England and Wales). These new regulations bring together the PPC and Waste Management Licensing Regulations into one new regulatory system.
My Department has issued a comprehensive guidance package which is designed to provide those operating and regulating PPC activities under the EP regulations with information on the permitting procedure.
For the 400 or so installations regulated by local authorities, a revised, one-stop General Guidance Manual has been published to accompany the introduction of the EP regulations.
My Department will continue to look for opportunities to simplify the regulation of these installations, consistent with securing the environmental protection objectives of the legislation.
Wastes
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the amount of waste (a) produced and (b) recycled in the (i) agriculture, (ii) mining and quarrying, (iii) sewage sludge, (iv) dredged materials, (v) household, (vi) commercial, (vii) industrial and (viii) construction and demolition sectors in each year since 1997. [205736]
Joan Ruddock: The available data for the requested waste streams are shown in the tables. Note that the geographical basis varies according to how the data are collected. Estimates for agriculture, household, commercial, industrial, construction and demolition sectors are for England. UK estimates only are available for dredgings and mining and quarrying wastes. Figures for sewage sludge relate to England and Wales.
| (i) Agriculture, England | |
| Agriculture waste arisings (thousand tonnes) | |
| (1) 2006 figures contain incorporate additional waste types (machinery, tyres, asbestos roof sheets, CFC gas and batteries) which were not included in estimates for previous years. These waste streams account for an estimated 83,000 tonnes in 2006. Source: England estimates of agricultural waste arisings based on Environment Agency modelling. | |
Estimates for 1998 and 2003 only cover material which are classified as waste following the incorporation of agricultural waste under the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2006. Agricultural waste excludes manure and slurry where they are applied to land as fertiliser for the benefit of agriculture on clearly identified parcels of land and where storage is limited to the needs of those spreading operations.
Farmers have several management options available to them including storage of waste on site for up to 12 months, recovery or disposal at a permitted waste facility, or registration with the Environment Agency for an appropriate waste management permit or exemption for on-farm recovery. There is little information available on the recycling and other management of agricultural waste.
Agricultural waste arisings are estimated using Agricultural Census data on the numbers of livestock and crop areas multiplied by unit waste arisings (per hectare or per head) which are based on a variety of sources. Therefore, these figures are only broad estimate of agricultural waste arisings.
| (ii) Mining and quarrying, UK | |
| Minerals waste( 1) (million tonnes) | |
| (1) Dry weight. (2) Provisional. Source: DEFRA estimates based on the production data in UK Minerals Year Book, published by British Geological Survey, and applying product to waste ratios. | |
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