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1 July 2008 : Column 766W—continued
Mr. Woolas:
A number of pesticides used for carrot fly control were withdrawn from use in the United Kingdom either for commercial reasons or following a
review of anticholinesterase active substances. The substances concerned were subsequently withdrawn in the European Community following a review under Council Directive 91/414/EEC. Manufacturers of these substances may resubmit applications for approval if they wish to do so, for consideration in accordance with criteria for protection of health and the environment set out in EC and national legislation.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what methods of controlling carrot fly are available to amateur gardeners. [214434]
Mr. Woolas: No insecticides are authorised for amateur use specifically for carrot fly control. Gardeners may use any insecticide authorised for amateur use on edible crops, but their effectiveness may be limited. Effective means of physical control include using covers or barrier fences, avoiding sowing during the time of peak flight activity of carrot fly, and harvesting early to avoid damage from later generations.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department has undertaken on a less environmentally damaging alternative to the pesticide dieldrin to treat carrot fly. [214435]
Mr. Woolas: Use of dieldrin for the control of carrot fly was prohibited in 1979.
As part of PSD’s alternative crop protection technologies research programme, a project is currently underway to investigate the control of soil-dwelling horticultural pests such as carrot fly using the staphylinid beetle Atheta coriaria. This work aims to build on existing knowledge to further develop this native beetle as a biological control agent.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the ban on the use of pesticides under the EU Council Directive 79/117 on the incidence of carrot fly. [214436]
Mr. Woolas: Use of HCH and dieldrin for control of carrot fly was prohibited in 1979 under Council Directive 79/117/EEC. Alternative pesticides were available at that time and the directive is not expected to have affected the incidence of carrot fly.
Cattle: Imports
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many imported cattle were accompanied by inadequate paperwork when arriving at a UK port in each of the last three years. [212797]
Jonathan Shaw: Cattle imported from third countries must enter the UK (and the Community) through a border inspection post (BIP). Individual BIPs hold their own information regarding statistics surrounding import figures relating to inadequate paperwork.
Animal Health has been responsible for this area of work since December 2007. In the time from December 2007 to May 2008, Animal Health has received 12
non-compliance reports relating to cattle. Collective figures for such reports, prior to this time, are not available centrally.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many live cattle were imported into the UK in each of the last three years. [212798]
Jonathan Shaw: The following table gives the number of live cattle recorded as imported into the UK in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Please note these figures are obtained using VAT records and will exclude some EU trade for businesses which are below the VAT threshold. As a result, actual trade levels may be higher than those given.
| Live cattle | |
| Number | |
| Note: 2007 data are subject to amendments. Sources: HM Revenue and Customs Data prepared by Trade statistics, Agricultural Statistics and Analysis, DEFRA | |
Central Science Laboratory: Standards
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made towards meeting the Central Science Laboratory performance targets for 2007-08, broken down by target. [212902]
Jonathan Shaw: For information on progress made by the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) towards the 2007-08 performance targets, please see the CSL annual report and accounts for 2007-08, published on 18 June 2008. This is available on the CSL website at:
Commission for Rural Communities
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the planned budget for the Commission for Rural Communities is for (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2010-11. [214809]
Jonathan Shaw: The Commission for Rural Communities grant in aid from DEFRA is £6.4 million for 2008-09. Final decisions on DEFRA budgets (and the funding it gives to its sponsored bodies and Executive Agencies) for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been made. We expect to make an announcement on 2009-10 budgets by 31 August and on 2010-11 in the spring of 2009.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people are employed by the Commission for Rural Communities; and how many are expected to be employed by it in each of the next three years. [214810]
Jonathan Shaw: The Commission for Rural Communities currently employs 58.9 full-time equivalents. Decisions on future staff numbers are for the Commission's management.
Departmental Accountancy
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's (a) chart of accounts and (b) resource account codes and usage descriptions for the current financial year. [210990]
Jonathan Shaw: I have arranged for placement in the Library a copy of the chart of accounts for 2008-09 which reflects the Department's revised budget framework for the current year. This shows the budget relationships and account codes that are being used following the restructuring of the Department along programme and project lines and does not reflect the 2007-08 structure, or that for future years. The chart shows the relationship between parent codes (used for preparing resource accounts) and children codes (used for more detailed management purposes). Each code has a brief description that describes its use.
Departmental Buildings
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value of the property held by (a) his Department and (b) associated public bodies was at the most recent date for which figures are available. [212876]
Jonathan Shaw: The value of property held by DEFRA and the principal associated public bodies is:
| Value (£) | Valuation date | |
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how frequently his Department restates the asset values of its building estate. [213400]
Jonathan Shaw: The departmental property assets are revalued every five years in accordance with accountancy practices. In addition, an annual review of asset values is undertaken and any change in value is restated within the central departmental accounts.
Departmental Public Participation
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 12 May 2008, Official Report, columns 1327-28W, on departmental public participation, how much each (a) survey, (b) questionnaire and (c) other service cost; and how many members of the public participated in each activity. [207327]
Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA conducts regular detailed research amongst both the general public and selected target groups to inform its policy and communication planning and evaluation. The following table records the surveys, questionnaires and other services conducted by third parties which received funding from DEFRA and which sought opinion, and which were provided in completed and agreed form during the financial year 2007-08.
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