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22 Oct 2008 : Column 359W—continued
Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors underlay the decision to reduce the number of herds tested for bovine tuberculosis between January and June 2008 compared to the same period in 2007. [227297]
Jane Kennedy: There has been no deliberate decision by DEFRA to decrease the number of herds tested for bovine tuberculosis (TB) in 2008 compared to 2007.
The number of routine TB surveillance tests is determined on the basis of parish testing intervals, which are reviewed on an annual basis. In addition, further testing is generated as a result of new and ongoing TB incidents.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential for bovine tuberculosis to transfer between (a) badgers and humans, (b) badgers and companion animals, (c) cattle and humans and (d) cattle and companion animals. [227320]
Jane Kennedy: Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is primarily a respiratory disease in most mammalian species, however, the relative importance of different routes of transmission (respiratory, oral, cutaneous) among and between species is unknown.
The principal species affected by bovine TB in Great Britain are cattle and badgers. While small numbers of companion animal species and many wild animal species have been shown to be infected with bovine TB, most are spill-over hosts. There is some indirect evidence of transmission from spillover hosts though it is uncertain how often this is occurring.
The Health Protection Agency has lead responsibility for tuberculosis in humans and works closely with DEFRA where human cases of Mycobacterium bovis ( M. bovis) infection are identified. The risk posed by bovine TB to human health from cattle, pets or wildlife
is considered very low and the number of cases is not increasing. In 2006 there were 33 cases in the UK. Most cases seen today are attributable to infection picked up abroad or reactivation of infection in older people who contracted the infection before the introduction of milk pasteurisation. Despite the low risk there are robust controls in place to protect public health. These include regular testing of cattle herds and early removal of test reactors; cattle movement controls; a cattle tracing system; slaughterhouse inspections; controls on meat and milk; and occupational health controls. DEFRA works in liaison with a number of Government Departments including the Health Protection Agency, Department of Health, Food Standards Agency and Health and Safety Executive, to help protect the public from contracting infection caused by M. bovis.
Carbon Emissions: Waste Disposal
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) of 14 January 2008, Official Report, column 869W, on waste disposal: domestic waste, whether the work on estimating dioxin emissions from domestic burning is complete; and if he will place in the Library copies of the research reports on the topic to date. [224888]
Jane Kennedy: The work referred to is still ongoing. The results will be due later this year.
Departmental Research
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research that his Department has commissioned is being undertaken by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee; and if he will make a statement. [228474]
Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA does not routinely commission research from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) but, rather asks for advice. JNCC then commissions research that it believes is necessary to underpin this advice. Details of this research are available in the JNCC annual report and its planned research is contained in its Corporate Plan, both of which can be found on JNCC’s website.
There is one exception however, in that JNCC is currently undertaking DEFRA commissioned research on the status of marine habitats and species as part of DEFRA’s contract to JNCC to author chapters of ‘Charting Progress 2’. This in turn is a contribution to the UK Marine Monitoring and Assessment Strategy, as required under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Dogs: Animal Welfare
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the levels of (a) deformity, (b) disability and (c) hereditary disease amongst (i) pedigree and (ii) other dogs; [227331]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect of breeding practices on the welfare of pedigree dogs, with particular reference to consanguinity between breed pairs; [227332]
(3) what assessment he has made of the effects of the rules and regulations of pedigree dog shows on the welfare of pedigree dogs; [227333]
(4) what assessment he has made of the effects of breed standards on the welfare of pedigree dogs; and if he will make a statement; [227334]
(5) what his policy is on the culling of pedigree dogs which do not meet breed standards; what estimate he has made of the number of pedigree dogs (a) culled and (b) neutered on such grounds in each of the last three years; and if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ban this practice; [227335]
(6) if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend breed standards in order to reduce health problems and improve the welfare and life expectancy of pedigree dogs; [227336]
(7) if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ban (a) inbred dogs, (b) unhealthy dogs and (c) dogs with inherited diseases from being entered in pedigree shows; [227337]
(8) if he will introduce mandatory health checks for pedigree dogs as a condition of entry into pedigree shows; [227338]
(9) if he will review the standards and rules relating to breed showing for their implications for animal welfare; [227339]
(10) what recent representations he has received on inbreeding in pedigree dogs and its effects on animal welfare; and if he will make a statement. [228385]
Jane Kennedy: The Dogs Trust and the Kennel Club have jointly announced an independent and wide ranging review of dog breeding. I will shortly meet with representatives of these organisations to discuss the assistance that DEFRA can provide to the review.
Fishing: Norwegian Exclusive Economic Zone
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has information on the amount of fish caught by vessels from other EU member states within the Norwegian Exclusive Economic Zone and then discarded in EU member state waters in each year since 1997. [228475]
Huw Irranca-Davies: Information on the scale of such discards is not available.
Fisheries: Quotas
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 865W, on fisheries: quotas, whether the quota management change programme remains in existence following the Scottish Executive’s withdrawal from it; and if he will make a statement. [228471]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The formal withdrawal by the Scottish Executive from the quota management change programme (QMCP) in September 2007 effectively brought about the end to this process.
DEFRA is considering the options on how best to take forward work on quota reform. This work will be done in close partnership with the devolved Administrations and in consultation with the industry. It will also need to be considered in the context of the common fisheries policy (CFP) reform agenda.
Government Decontamination Service: Manpower
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many full-time equivalent staff are employed by the Government Decontamination Service, broken down by (a) region and (b) county of employment. [228526]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Government Decontamination Service, which provides a UK wide service, has its office in Stafford, West Midlands. The 24.76 full-time equivalent staff, as at 20 October 2008, all work out of this office.
Hamford Water Estuary
Mr. Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statutory obligations the Harwich Haven Authority has for the development or conservation of Hamford water estuary. [227309]
Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
None. Hamford water estuary lies outside the jurisdiction of the Harwich Haven Authority.
Marine Animals: Biodiversity
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of non-native invasive species identified in UK waters in each year since 1997; what types of non-native species were identified in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [228056]
Huw Irranca-Davies: My Department does not currently compile annual estimates of the number of non-native species identified in UK waters. However, under the Invasive Non-Native Species Framework Strategy for Great Britain, we are commissioning a dedicated directory of information about presence and spread of non-native species in Great Britain. This will aim to collate information from surveillance and monitoring activity both terrestrially and in the marine area. Records of non-native species are also being collated on an all-Ireland basis.
Within the UK, recent audits of non-native species have been commissioned in England and Scotland.
In Scotland, an audit was conducted in 2001 and efforts since then have included co-ordination at the GB level and work by Scottish Natural Heritage on a Species Action Framework. This sets out a strategic approach to species management in Scotland and was based on a review of key priorities. The framework identified six invasive non-native species as the focus of new action for five years from 2007. Further details can be found at:
For England, a database of non-native species introductions was produced as part of an audit commissioned by Natural England; this extends up
to 2005. It indicates that since 1997 two to three new species, on average, have been identified each year in marine and freshwater environments in England as shown in the following table. The majority of these new introductions have been animals and most have been found in the freshwater environment. Of these freshwater animals, three species have been identified as potentially invasive, while four of the marine animals have been similarly categorised.
| Non-native aquatic species observed in the wild in England, 1997 to 2005( 1) | ||
| Type | Total number of species | Mean number of species per year |
| ( 1) Source: Audit of non-native species in England. English Nature. ISSN 0967-876X. | ||
Recreational Sea Angling Strategy
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what his response is to the draft Recreational Sea Angling Strategy; which policies in the strategy he plans to implement; whether he has a timetable for implementing the strategy; and if he will make a statement; [228472]
(2) what species will be covered by management plans introduced under the draft Recreational Sea Angling Strategy; and if he will make a statement. [228473]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Summary of Responses to the DEFRA consultation on a draft Recreational Sea Angling Strategy will be published shortly, and will include a brief outline of the next steps. Revisions to the draft strategy are being made to reflect the results of the consultation, after which the revised draft will be discussed with key stakeholders. DEFRA intends to publish the revised strategy before the end of the year.
In advance of the publication of the revised strategy, revised management measures for sea bass, which is a prime sports fish for the sea angling sector, are under consideration. This involves a review of the 30 restricted areas in existence around the English coast to protect juvenile bass. The first stage of this process has just been completed, involving questionnaires being sent to Sea Fisheries Committees and the Marine Fisheries Agency in coastal regions of England, to identify whether amendments to the existing areas, or new areas, are needed. Full consultation with stakeholders will take place in the new year once the results of the first stage of the process have been assessed.
Special Areas of Conservation: EU Action
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the candidate special areas of conservation listed as the Dee, Humber and Severn estuaries have been formally adopted as such by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement. [228383]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Dee, Humber and Severn estuaries have not yet been formally adopted by the Commission as Sites of Community Importance. But we expect that process to be finalised shortly. My Department will then institute the necessary procedures to formally designate these sites as Special Areas of Conservation under the Habitats Directive.
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