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30 Oct 2008 : Column 1171W—continued
Domestic Violence: Hampshire
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Solicitor-General how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions for offences related to domestic violence there were in Hampshire in each of the last 10 years. [231625]
The Solicitor-General: The following table shows the domestic violence prosecutions that have been brought by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Hampshire and Isle of Wight. Earlier figures have not been provided, as the CPS’s records on domestic violence prosecutions are considered as complete and reliable only from 2005-06.
| Convictions | Unsuccessful outcomes | ||||
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Total prosecutions | |
Plain English
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Solicitor-General how many documents produced by the Attorney-General’s Office were submitted to the Plain English Campaign for approval for Crystal Mark status in each year since 2005; and how many documents achieved such status in each year. [230503]
The Solicitor-General: Records are not held by the Attorney-General’s Office on documents submitted to the Plain English Campaign.
Sentencing
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Solicitor-General how many charges brought by the police were downgraded to a lesser charge by the Crown Prosecution Service in the last 12 months. [231606]
The Solicitor-General: The records maintained by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) comprise information at defendant level rather than at specific charge level, and include no data on amendments made to charges during the life of criminal proceedings. To obtain this information, by reference to individual case files, would incur disproportionate cost (Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, part 2, clause 9).
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Solicitor-General how many prosecutions sought by the police were not proceeded with by the Crown Prosecution Service in the last 12 months. [231615]
The Solicitor-General: The decision not to proceed with a prosecution may be taken either by way of a pre-charge decision, or after a defendant has been charged and proceedings have commenced.
The following table shows the number of defendants whose cases were referred to Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Areas for a pre-charge decision in the 12 months ending 30 September 2008. The table includes an analysis of the decisions taken by the CPS, broken down into those in which the decision was to bring charges, and all other pre-charge decisions.
The table also shows the number of defendants whose cases were completed during the same period, together with the number and the proportion that resulted in a conviction and in an unsuccessful outcome. Within those resulting in an unsuccessful outcome, the table shows separately the number and proportion in which the CPS decided, on consideration of the evidence and the public interest, that a prosecution should not proceed.
| Table 2: Prosecution outcomes October 2007-September 2008 | ||
| Number | Percentage | |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Animals: Diseases
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the changes in mean surface temperature on the number of flystrike cases reported this (a) summer and (b) autumn. [231412]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 29 October 2008]: Flystrike is not a notifiable disease and as such farmers are not obliged to report cases to Animal Health. The number of submissions to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) are very small and therefore any conclusions drawn from these figures would be unreliable as they are not reflective of the incidence of flystrike.
Flystrike occurs annually in most UK sheep flocks, the incidence being highest in warm and humid areas of South West England. It is estimated that about 12,000 sheep die each year in the UK as a result of flystrike (NADIS report, 2005). Flystrike is a major welfare concern and an important cause of ill thrift in affected animals. Furthermore, the disease results in economically significant fleece and hide damage.
An article by leading experts, J. M. Broughan and R. Wall (2007) following a study in South West England during 2002-03 indicated that flystrike was associated with higher mean temperatures among other variables. The article concluded that an increase average ambient temperature was likely to increase the incidence of flystrike.
Bees: Disease Control
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the additional funding made available to the National Bee Health Unit has been allocated for research into alternative treatments for the varroa mite. [231415]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 29 October 2008]: The additional funding allocated to the National Bee Unit this year was directed at expanding investigations into cases of abnormal colony losses for which there is no ready explanation and to meet demand for increased inspections of bee imports consequential to colony losses.
Bluetongue Disease: Vaccination
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department took to encourage uptake for the bluetongue vaccination. [231413]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 29 October 2008]: DEFRA worked in partnership with the industry to create a strategy for voluntary vaccination, and ensured the availability of vaccine. DEFRA has always encouraged vaccination as the only effective way for individuals to protect the welfare of their animals and their own livelihood. Ministers and the chief veterinary officer have emphasised the importance of vaccinating against bluetongue in the media and in meetings with the industry. DEFRA also supported the industry-led Joint Action Against Bluetongue (JAB) communications campaign which promoted the benefits of vaccinating against bluetongue (under the “Don’t hesitate, vaccinate” banner), and highlighted the risks of not doing so.
DEFRA backed up these messages through a communications campaign which ran throughout the summer, using the farming press and local channels such as roadshows and Animal Health communications to stress the importance of vaccination.
Departmental Pensions
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civil servants working in his Department and its agencies have pensions with a cash equivalent transfer value of over £1 million. [229553]
Huw Irranca-Davies: It is not appropriate to disclose pension information for civil servants other than board members whose details are shown in the Remuneration Report in annual Resource Accounts. A copy of the Department's Resource Accounts for financial year 2007-08 can be found in the Library or accessed electronically using the following link:
Inland Waterways
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many residential moorings are registered by the Environment Agency; what their locations are; and how many boats can be moored at each location. [231163]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Environment Agency does not maintain a register of known residential moorings or information about other boats other than house boats used for residential purposes. As residential use is a matter for the local planning authority, the agency advises these authorities if it detects a potential change of land use from leisure to residential purposes.
National Forest Estate
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the timetable is for the review of the Forest District Strategic Plans on the National Forest Estate to meet the objectives of the revised English Forestry Strategy. [226679]
Huw Irranca-Davies:
The Forestry Commission is reviewing its approach to Forest District Strategic Plans so that their revision, which is expected to be undertaken
in 2009, takes into account changes in national and regional policy, including the Strategy for England’s Trees, Woods and Forests.
New Forest National Park Authority
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people are employed in the New Forest National Park Environmental Design Department; and how many of them are (a) architects, (b) have another professional design qualification and (c) are unqualified in environmental design. [230856]
Huw Irranca-Davies: I understand that the New Forest National Park Authority employs three members of staff whose principal role includes environmental design matters. One has a BSc Honours in Construction, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Architectural Conservation; one is a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) qualified Architect, no longer registered; and the third has a Post Graduate Diploma in Building Conservation. In addition these officers draw on advice from the authority’s qualified arboriculturalists and Landscape Officer as necessary.
Rural Areas
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in respect of which of his Department’s public service agreements rural proofing of departmental policies is stipulated. [230746]
Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA leads on one cross-government public service agreement (PSA)—to secure a healthy natural environment for today and the future. DEFRA has signed up as a formal delivery partner for the following six PSAs:
Olympics;
Housing;
Child Poverty;
Regional Economic Performance;
International Poverty Reduction; and
Counter-terrorism.
It is a requirement for all new policies and programmes to be subject to an impact assessment which includes rural proofing.
Rural Development Programme
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been paid to regional development agencies for implementation of the Rural Development Programme for England. [230695]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The regional development agencies assumed responsibility for delivery of the social-economic measures of the Rural Development Programme for England from 1 October 2006. RDA operating costs for delivering the RDPE are funded by DEFRA. The amounts set out as follows have been transferred to RDAs:
| £ | |
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what projects have been approved for the Rural Development Programme for England; on what date each was approved; and by which regional development agency in each case. [230696]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The following table provides details of the projects approved by regional development agencies since the programme was opened for applications under the socio-economic measures:
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