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29 Sep 2008 : Column 2410W—continued
These figures show only the incidents diagnosed as a result of veterinarians submitting samples to these Government laboratories and therefore do not provide an unbiased or comprehensive estimate of the occurrence of the condition in GB. Many factors may influence the likelihood of a farmer/his veterinarian submitting a clinical sample for diagnosis: general economic situation within the sheep and cattle industry, awareness of the disease and its perceived importance, other concurrent priorities, the particular clinical presentation of the suspected disease etc.
All these factors need to be taken into account when interpreting the figures. Changes over time of any of these factors will impact on the observed trends, so caution needs to be exercised when comparing annual figures. Furthermore, and within these limitations, figures in Table 1 only represent incidents where clinical disease was present and could be confirmed with the current testing procedures. The figures therefore are likely to represent a fraction of the total number of animals and farm holdings infected with coccidiosis in GB.
Bovine Tuberculosis: Vaccination
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to publish an evaluation of the fieldwork being undertaken as part of the vaccine trials for bovine TB taking place at Aston Down. [224009]
Jonathan Shaw
[holding answer 17 September 2008]: The badger vaccine study, which is designed to collect data on the safety and efficacy of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) as an injectable vaccine against bovine TB, is due to be completed by March 2010. The field work
finishes in autumn 2009. An evaluation of the work will be published once the results have been analysed and findings have been peer reviewed.
Carbon Emissions
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the percentage of the contribution to global carbon dioxide emissions from (a) power generation, (b) deforestation, (c) aviation, (d) shipping, (e) motor vehicles and (f) all sources in the UK. [224071]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 17 September 2008]: The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) gives a best estimate of around 6 billion tonnes for the annual global carbon dioxide emissions caused by land-use change (which is dominated by deforestation).
Using data from the IEA and the IPCC (including an estimate of the emissions from industrial processes such as cement manufacture), the percentage contributions of the different sectors in 2005 to the global total were as follows:
| Percentage contribution to global total | |
Carbon Emissions: Rural Areas
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to implement the CERT 40 per cent. carbon dioxide emission reduction obligation among rural priority groups in remote areas. [223340]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 10 September 2008]: Rural priority groups in remote areas have the same access to the offers under the carbon emissions reduction target (CERT) as others. With CERT aiming some £1.5 billion energy supplier investment in carbon reduction measures at a priority group of low income and age 70-plus households, we expect to see rural priority group households see significant benefits. CERT also includes measures which deliver specific benefits to rural households. For example, we expect some 90,000 priority group households to benefit from fuel switching, e.g. moving to gas central heating from electric or oil heating. We have also established a ‘flexibility’ option under CERT, whereby suppliers get a significant uplift in carbon credits for installing more expensive measures, such as solid wall insulation and heat pumps in off gas grid properties. They can utilise this flexibility option for up to 5 per cent. of their 40 per cent. priority group target.
Cattle
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of cows born annually in the UK prior to 1996; what estimate he has made of the number of cows which will have been culled by the Government by the end of 2008; and how many of these he expects will not meet the deadline for compensation. [223517]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 15 September 2008]: Before 1996 detailed data of calves and cattle on UK agriculture holdings were compiled through the MAFF annual agriculture survey, and are available in the form of historical datasets through the Defra statistical website (data for years before 1983 available upon request).
Data supplied by the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) show that there are (as of end of June 2008) 230,757 cattle born before 1 August 1996 still remaining on farm, and it is expected that at least 362,000 cattle will have entered the Older Cattle Disposal Scheme (OCDS) from its inception by its closure on 31 December 2008; the predicted throughput indicates some 85,000 cattle remaining once the OCDS closes.
All animals culled under this scheme, up to 31 December 2008, providing they meet the eligibility criteria, will meet the deadline for compensation.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of records relating to cows born in the UK before 1996 that have been lost; and if he will make a statement. [223537]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 15 September 2008]: There are 207,461 animals registered onto the Cattle Tracing System (CTS) born before 1996. Of these 20,979 are reported lost or at present not traced for reasons such as alleged theft. In addition to these there are 1,039 animals whose final destination is presently unreported.
Departmental Alcoholic Drinks
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place in his Department to monitor expenditure on alcohol for hospitality purposes. [219601]
Jonathan Shaw: Hospitality is intended to cover occasions where there is a need to provide hospitality for others. Hospitality may therefore be provided if it is in the public interest only and necessary for the conduct of departmental business to do so. As a general rule, expenditure on alcohol for hospitality purposes is not allowed. The core-Department’s catering services provider does not hold a licence to serve alcohol. Were alcohol to be purchased for hospitality purposes it should be acquired through formal purchase order, or through the Government Procurement Card, both of which methods are subject to formal authorisation procedures.
Departmental Appeals
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions his Department and its predecessor instructed the Treasury Solicitor to seek leave to appeal to the House of Lords from (a) the Court of Appeal and (b) the House of Lords itself in each of the last 10 years; and on how many occasions the application was rejected. [220816]
Jonathan Shaw: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs does not maintain a record of cases in which it instructed the Treasury Solicitor to seek leave to appeal to the House of Lords from (a) the Court of Appeal, and (b) the House of Lords itself in each of the last 10 years. The cost of obtaining this information would be disproportionate.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will provide a breakdown by source of the level of carbon dioxide emissions from his Department’s (a) agencies and (b) arm’s length bodies in each of the last five years. [223449]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 10 September 2008]: A breakdown of the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (collation of the core department and its Executive agencies) level of carbon dioxide emissions has been provided through the annual Sustainable Development in Government report, published annually by the Sustainable Development Commission.
The Department does not collect this information for its arms length bodies.
Departmental Conferences
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the conferences hosted by his Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost was of each conference. [211690]
Jonathan Shaw: This information is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Manpower
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many permanent staff in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are classed as (i) staff without posts and (ii) part of a people action team. [215573]
Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA currently has 50 people without jobs within the core Department who are part of a people action team. There are a further 39 staff without jobs in its agencies who are not part of a people action team.
Departmental Marketing
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of (a) internet and website design and hosting, (b) print media design and (c) broadcast media of each of his Department’s public information campaigns since 1997. [214687]
Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA was formed in June 2001 therefore information following has been largely derived from financial year 2001-02 through till 2007-08.
| £ | |||||
| Campaign | Internet | Press | TV | Radio | |
All figures, except for the internet, exclude VAT, production, miscellaneous costs, COI fees and advertising rebates .
| £ | |||
| Campaign | TV | Radio | |
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