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12 Mar 2009 : Column 683W—continued
Genetically Modified Organisms
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what determination the EU has made in respect of the Mon-810 strain of genetically-modified maize; and whether any member state has agreed that the strain should be planted. [262433]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Monsanto MON 810 genetically modified maize secured EU approval for commercial cultivation in 1998, and it has been grown in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. Of these member states, France implemented a national ban on MON 810 in 2008, that is still being maintained. Monsanto has applied to renew the EU authorisation for MON 810 and this is being assessed by the European Food Safety Authority.
Horses
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2009, Official Report, column 1082W, on horses, what estimate he has made of the number of horses which have entered the human food chain in the UK in each of the last 10 years. [259661]
Jane Kennedy: The Meat Hygiene Services have only been recording figures on those horses bound for the food chain since 2005.
The numbers of horses that have entered the food chain are as follows:
2005-06: 3,782
2006-07: 4,939
2007-08: 3,664
2008-09 (to date): 3,398.
Insulation: Hazardous Substances
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance the Environment Agency issues to landfill operators on the acceptance at landfill sites of construction waste containing (a) plastic foam with ozone depleting substances and (b) other hazardous waste. [260965]
Jane Kennedy: All wastes going to landfill must comply with the acceptance criteria for the site, which is defined by the site's Environmental Permit. There is no specific guidance relating to waste building foams, but guidance on the interpretation of acceptance criteria for landfill operators receiving all types of waste is to be found in the Environment Agency's publication “Guidance for waste destined for disposal in landfills” Version 2, June 2006.
Members: Correspondence
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Northavon of 18 November 2008, regarding figures on carbon dioxide emissions in South Gloucestershire. [260112]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
I replied to the hon. Member on 11 March.
National Flood Forum
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to ensure the continuation of the National Flood Forum. [262720]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The National Flood Forum (NFF) has an important role in providing an independent national voice for those at risk of flooding and we are keen to see it continue. Since its creation the NFF has received significant core funding from the Environment Agency, using DEFRA grant in aid. This has gradually been scaled back since 2004 to allow the NFF to become more independent. However, DEFRA has continued to fund the NFF to undertake specific projects and to support its general stakeholder role. The Environment Agency has also continued to fund NFF on a project by project basis.
Paper and Plastics: Waste Disposal
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the research report produced by the Waste and Resources Action Programme on the effects of transporting recovered paper and plastic bottles to China. [262621]
Jane Kennedy: The requested information is available on WRAP'S website:
Recycling
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Waste and Resources Action Programme spent on promoting the sale of compost bins under the Recycle Now campaign, in each year of that campaign. [252882]
Jane Kennedy: The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has sold almost 2 million home compost bins on behalf of local authorities since the programme started in 2004.
WRAP has also provided advice and support to those householders who have adopted home composting as an effective means of reducing the amount of waste they send to landfill or other treatments. This promotional activity helps householders to make the best use of their home composting bin once bought, through the ongoing provision of practical tips and advice.
WRAP’s promotional expenditure under the Recycle Now home composting campaign has been as follows:
| £ million | Per bin (£) | |
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the income received by local authorities in England per tonne of recycled waste in (a) 2008 and (b) 2009; and what estimate he has made of the cost per tonne to local authorities of collecting recycled waste. [262963]
Jane Kennedy: Neither DEFRA nor the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) holds the information requested.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what volume of waste for recycling (a) was collected by local authorities in each region in 2008 and (b) is expected to be collected in 2009. [262964]
Jane Kennedy: The following table shows the amount of waste sent for recycling between July 2007 and June 2008. These are the most recent data to be published.
| July 2007 to June 2008 | |
| Region | Thousand tonnes |
| Notes: 1. Recycling data are published in terms of amounts sent for recycling, not amounts collected for recycling. 2. The amount sent is calculated by deducting from the collected figure the waste rejected for recycling and adding in recyclable waste that has been taken out of the residual stream and sent instead for recycling. 3. There are no estimations made for future recycling tonnages. Source: WasteDataFlow | |
Veal
Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the size of the veal industry in England. [261455]
Jane Kennedy: The domestic UK market for veal is less than 1 per cent. of total beef and veal production. Total beef and veal production in 2007 was 888,000 tonnes.
Veterinary Services: Rural Areas
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to increase the provision of veterinary services in rural areas. [261636]
Jane Kennedy: There are no plans to increase the provision of veterinary services in rural areas of England. This is essentially a matter of commercial supply and demand.
Professor Philip Lowe has chaired a vets and veterinary services working group with representatives of the veterinary profession, farmers, academia and Government. The working group has been considering the changing public priorities in Great Britain, for farm animal health and welfare, food safety and public health and the ability of farm animal veterinarians to respond. Professor Lowe is due to publish a personal report on his findings in the near future and further information on his work is available on the DEFRA website.
Waste Disposal: Electronic Equipment
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the quantity of UK electronic waste exported to destinations beyond the EU which has been (a) re-used, (b) recycled and (c) otherwise disposed of in each of the last three years. [256967]
Jane Kennedy: ‘Approved exporters’ of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) report exports of WEEE to EU and non-EU countries. Separate data returns for exports to non-EU countries are not available. The Environment Agency's provisional estimate for 2008 is that 4,643 tonnes of WEEE from UK households was exported by approved exporters to EU and non-EU countries for reuse and recycling. It is illegal to export waste for disposal.
Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the oral evidence taken by the Communities and Local Government Committee on 17 December 2007, HC (2007-08) 195, Q24, which local authorities had expressed an interest in participating in the pilot financial incentive schemes. [262278]
Jane Kennedy: We have committed to release the names of any local authorities which come forward with formal expressions of interest in piloting a waste reduction scheme; none have yet done so. My hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, Deptford, referred in the oral evidence session of 17 December 2007 to authorities which had made initial inquiries only.
Waste Management: Conferences
Mr. Stewart Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the presentation and
handouts produced by his Department’s Head of Waste Programme on the Implementation of Waste Strategy for England for the Waste Management Finance Forum on 22 January 2009. [262622]
Jane Kennedy: A copy of the presentation by the Head of Waste Programme given at the Waste Management Finance Forum in January 2009 will be placed in the Library of the House.
Wood: Licensing
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to reintroduce log licences; and if he will make a statement. [262291]
Huw Irranca-Davies: Decisions on allowing the collection of firewood by licence or permit on the public forest estate in England managed by the Forestry Commission are for the Forestry Commission and are delegated to local forest management directors.
When deciding whether to allow firewood collection, the Forestry Commission takes into account conflicts with other objectives including the importance of dead and decaying timber as part of the woodland ecosystem and the duty of care to all woodland users.
Work and Pensions
Departmental Art Works
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which works of art from the Government Art Collection each Minister in his Department has selected for display in a private office. [259448]
Jonathan Shaw: I can confirm that the following works of Art from the Government Art collection are displayed in the Ministers offices.
| Minister’s Office | Title | Artist |
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