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9 July 2008 : Column 1589W—continued
Primates
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animals of each species of primate were imported to the UK to be sold as pets in each of the last 10 years, broken down by country of origin; and what steps are taken to monitor the whereabouts of such animals. [216727]
Jonathan Shaw: While we record the purpose for which primates are imported, imports for sale are simply recorded as imports for trade purposes, and there is no way to distinguish whether that sale will be for the animal to be kept as a pet, for research or for display in a zoo.
As primates are a rabies-susceptible mammal, primates imported to be sold as pets must undergo a period of six months quarantine. After this period, their locations are not tracked.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many primates were bred in the UK to be sold as pets in each of the last 10 years; [216728]
(2) how many primates are kept as pets in England. [216729]
Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA does not maintain records of primates kept as pets.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when codes for primate-keeping under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 will be published; and when they will be brought into force. [216730]
Jonathan Shaw: As a result of concerns raised during the passage of the Animal Welfare Act through Parliament, the Government intend to introduce a code of practice on the keeping of primates as pets. It is anticipated that this will restrict the keeping of primates by private keepers to specialists.
The code will be subject to public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny. Preliminary work has been completed and DEFRA officials and Ministers will shortly consider how this work is to be progressed. Until this review has been completed it would not be appropriate to make any further commitments as to the date of its introduction.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what interim measures are being taken to safeguard the welfare of primate pets prior to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 codes coming into force. [216731]
Jonathan Shaw: The Animal Welfare Act 2006 provides protection to animals that are in the control of man or animals that are commonly domesticated in the British isles. Typically, the Act protects pet animals, farmed animals, wild animals in captivity (e.g. wild animals in sanctuaries) and, in relation to cruelty offences, feral animals commonly domesticated in the British isles.
It therefore provides that primates are protected by the Act, which prevents unnecessary cruelty or suffering to any vertebrate animal. In addition, the Act introduced a new ‘duty of care’ for any animal under the control of
man, which makes owners and keepers responsible for ensuring that the welfare needs of their animals are met.
Red Squirrels
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how often the size of the population of the red squirrel is estimated; and when it was last estimated; [216340]
(2) what steps the Government are taking to monitor and control the red squirrel population under the Bern convention. [216689]
Joan Ruddock: There is no reliable estimate of the red squirrel population because it is very difficult to carry out an accurate census. In the areas where red squirrel populations remain, the densities can vary between one and 0.1 squirrels per hectare. Numbers are subject to significant fluctuation depending on environmental factors and breeding success.
Red squirrels are not controlled under the Bern convention. They are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and are the subject of a species action plan (SAP) as part of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.
Squirrels
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consideration he has made of the merits of extending the period in which warfarin may be used for the control of grey squirrels beyond autumn and winter. [216690]
Joan Ruddock: No consideration has been given to extending the period in which Warfarin can be used. The increased use of Warfarin would go against the stringent requirement in the UK Woodland Assurance Standard for pesticides reduction.
Summertime: Energy
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will commission research on the effects on UK energy consumption of a change to British Summer Time in winter and double British Summer Time in summer. [214786]
Mr. McFadden: I have been asked to reply.
There are no plans to change the current summer time arrangements or to undertake additional research as the Government are not convinced that a change would be in the best interests of the UK.
Water Supply
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the volume of average water leakages per megalitre per day was in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) distribution and (b) supply infrastructure. [217283]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 8 July 2008]: The table shows total industry leakage broken down into distribution losses (leakage from company-side pipes) and underground supply pipe leakage (losses from customer supply pipes) for the years 2002-03 to 2006-07. Ofwat is currently collecting the figures for 2007-08.
| Total industry leakage 2002-03 to 2006-07 (megalitres per day) | |||
| Distribution losses (mega litres per day) | Underground supply pipe leakage (mega litres per day) | Total Leakage (mega litres per day) | |
These figures are published in Ofwat's 'Security of supply 2006-07 report' available on Ofwat's website.
Water Supply: Compensation
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the levels of compensation paid by water companies to their customers were last reviewed; and if he will make a statement. [217284]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 8 July 2008]: Ofwat last reviewed the Guaranteed Standards Scheme Regulations in November 2005 in the consultation document 'Dealing with customers affected by sewer flooding and the guaranteed standards scheme—a review'.
Water: Meters
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what plans he has to discuss water metering arrangements with water companies; [216784]
(2) if he will hold discussions with water companies to encourage them to introduce a regime of lower charges for occupants of small flats who are unable to install water meters. [216793]
Mr. Woolas: Discussions have been held with the water industry on accelerating metering through the Water Resources Management Plans process. Those companies operating in ‘areas of serious water stress’, as designated by the Secretary of State for this purpose, can make proposals to accelerate metering where there is a water resources case to do so. Where the case is sufficiently robust company proposals will be allowed to proceed.
As we announced in our water strategy “Future Water”, the Government have commissioned an independent review to advise on metering and charging, looking in particular at social, economic and environmental concerns. The review is due to start shortly.
Where a customer requests to have a water meter installed, water companies can refuse to do so where it is impracticable or unreasonably expensive to install. Where a company is unable to install a meter (and a single shared meter is not feasible, for example for a block of flats), companies must offer an ‘assessed charge’. Assessed charges should be a better reflection of customers’ consumption than their unmeasured charges. Companies use a number of different methods for determining assessed charges; for example:
charges based on the type of property;
a fixed charge based on a reasonable assumption of the amount of water customers typically use;
occupancy based charges; and
charges based on an assessment of the customer’s usage.
Ofwat, the economic regulator of the water and sewerage sectors in England and Wales, checks and approves each company’s charges every year. It also determines any reported disputes from customers regarding a company’s decision to refuse their request to have a meter installed.
Home Department
Alcoholic Drinks: Crimes of Violence
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of violent offences in England and Wales were related to (a) alcohol abuse and (b) use of illegal drugs in each of the last five years. [212692]
Mr. Coaker: The following table shows the percentage of violent offences in England and Wales estimated by the British Crime Survey, in each of the last five years, where the victims believed the offender or offenders to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
| Percentage of violent incidents where the victim believed the offender(s) to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, 2002-03 to 2006-07 BCS , England and Wales | |||||
| Percentage and number ( T housand) | |||||
| Interviews | |||||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
Alcoholic Drinks: Domestic Violence
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of domestic violence offences were related to (a) alcohol abuse and (b) use of illegal drugs in each of the last five years. [212693]
Mr. Coaker: The following table shows the percentage of domestic violent offences in England and Wales estimated by the British Crime Survey, in each of the last five years, where the victims believed the offender or offenders to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
It should be noted that these estimates are obtained from face-to-face interviews with victims of domestic violence and thus some caution is required as victims may not wish to disclose such sensitive information. In addition, the percentage estimates are based on small numbers of victims sampled and will fluctuate from year to year due to random variation.
| Percentage of domestic violent incidents where the victim believed the offender(s) to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, 2002-03 to 2006-07 BCS , England and Wales | |||||
| Percentage and number ( T housand ) | |||||
| Interviews | |||||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
Deportation: Grants
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what average amount was paid to people leaving the UK under the Facilitated Returns Scheme in each month since its inception, broken down by country of destination; [208834]
(2) how many people have left the UK under the Facilitated Returns Scheme in each month since its inception, broken down by country of destination. [208835]
Jacqui Smith: Most recent figures show that between 1 November 2006 and 31 October 2007 around £350,000 has been spent on FRS, which includes administrative costs. For the same period 880 foreign national prisoners left the UK under the scheme. This represents considerable savings for the taxpayer in detention costs alone.
The chief executive of the UK Border Agency wrote to the Home Affairs Committee on 18 February and advised them that, as of 28 January 2008, there were around 1,200 foreign national prisoners removed under the scheme. She will continue to update the Home Affairs Committee with the most robust and accurate information available on the deportation of foreign national prisoners as requested.
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