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28 Apr 2009 : Column 1163W—continued
Fisheries: Western Sahara
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will seek an agreement with Polisario to allow UK vessels to fish the waters off Western Sahara following the declaration of an exclusive economic zone covering those waters. [270937]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The current EU/Morocco Fisheries Partnership agreement was signed in 2006 and sets out the terms for which UK and other European fishing vessels may fish in the waters off the coast of Western Sahara. The agreement does not prejudice the issue of the status of Western Sahara, which the UK regards as undetermined pending UN efforts to find a resolution, nor does it represent recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Maritime waters off Western Sahara.
In the event that an exclusive economic zone was declared, and internationally recognised, the EU would need to consider whether or not it wished to have an agreement with Western Sahara. If it was decided that no such agreement should be entered into, UK vessel owners would still be free to enter into private agreements with Western Sahara.
Waste Management
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) minutes, (b) presentations and (c) handouts from his Department’s sixth Waste Strategy stakeholder group meeting. [269886]
Jane Kennedy: A copy of the minutes, presentations and handouts from the sixth Waste stakeholder group meeting has been placed in the Library.
Waste Management: Essex
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the reasons are for the time taken to publish the conclusions of the Essex Waste Plan; when he expects to publish them; and if he will make a statement. [271797]
Jane Kennedy: It is for Essex county council to decide if and when to publish the conclusions of the Essex Waste Plan. There is no obligation for DEFRA to do this.
Waste Regional Advisory Group
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) membership and (b) remit of the Waste Regional Advisory Group in each Government office region is. [269976]
Jane Kennedy: Waste Regional Advisory Groups (WRAGs) were established by some Government offices to assist in the dissemination of funding from the Waste Implementation Programme’s Regional Support Fund (RSF). However, the South West, Yorkshire and Humber, North East and North West regions maintained their WRAGs when RSF funding ceased. Details of membership and the specific remit of individual WRAGs can be sought from the relevant Government office.
Water: Pollution
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 15 September 2008, Official Report, column 2033W, on bromine, when he expects to make a decision on the appeal relating to the Sandridge bromate contamination in Hertfordshire. [271752]
Huw Irranca-Davies:
Further to the answer to the previous question on this issue, the Secretary of State made a provisional decision on the two appeals in November 2008. The proposed decision would result in changes to the remediation notice which is the subject of the appeals. A further round of consultation with the relevant parties was, therefore, initiated under the
Contaminated Land Regulations 2006 which set out the legal framework in this area. This period of consultation has recently ended, and the Secretary of State is currently considering the responses received to determine whether these affect the proposed decision. If there is no change to the proposed decision, the Secretary of State would expect to issue the decision before the summer recess.
Whales: Conservation
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has held discussions with his counterparts in anti-whaling nations on policy to prevent resumption of commercial whaling; and if he will make a statement. [270862]
Huw Irranca-Davies: UK officials met with those of other likeminded anti-whaling countries at the intersessional meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), and also with EU countries, in March. At both meetings, the UK stressed its continued support for the moratorium on commercial whaling and the risks attendant upon allowing any exceptions to it.
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure that the work of the International Whaling Commission’s Small Working Group does not lead to a resumption of commercial whaling; and if he will make a statement. [270863]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The UK has consistently voiced its opposition to commercial whaling to the Small Working Group of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) which is looking at the future of the IWC. The UK would not agree to any proposal which it considered was likely to be detrimental to either the welfare or the conservation of whales.
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has had discussions with his counterparts in anti-whaling nations on the announcement by Iceland of a whaling quota of 100 minke whales and 150 endangered fin whales for 2009; and if he will make a statement. [270864]
Huw Irranca-Davies: UK officials discussed Iceland’s decision to issue new whaling quotas, including what representation might be appropriate following the forthcoming election in Iceland, when they met with those of other like-minded countries at the recent intersessional meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Rome, in March.
Wolf-dogs
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the practice of breeding and keeping F3-generation wolf-dogs with a high percentage of wolf DNA; what requirements there are to apply for a licence for such activity under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976; and if he will make a statement. [270978]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The keeping of wolves, and certain hybrids, is controlled under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 and licences to do so are required from local authorities who administer and enforce the 1976 Act.
The 1976 Act contains no provisions relating to the breeding of wolf hybrids and there has been no assessment of such practice in this respect.
The schedule, or list, of species requiring a licence under the 1976 Act was revised in 2007. The general entry for “mammal hybrids” was amended so as to ensure that keeping both first and second generation hybrids, including wolf hybrids, requires a licence. Third generation hybrids, or generations further removed, in this instance, from the original wolf content, do not require a licence.
DEFRA and the RSPCA jointly funded research into the keeping of wolf-dog hybrids which was published in 2001. The contractors found that very few wolf hybrids were kept and that advertisements for wolf-dogs were generally misleading and had been embellished to attract public interest and justify high prices.
Communities and Local Government
Community Relations
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the outcomes of her Department’s consultation on a framework for inter-faith dialogue and social action within local communities. [271643]
Mr. Khan: Following an extensive consultation process, my Department published “Face to Face and Side by Side—a Framework for Partnership in our Multi Faith Society” in July 2008. The aims of the document were to create more local opportunities both for ‘face to face’ dialogue between people from different religious backgrounds, and for ‘side by side’ collaborative social action.
We are making very good progress in implementing the framework. For instance, we will shortly be announcing the innovative local inter-faith projects around England which will be receiving funding under round 1 of the £4 million Faiths in Action scheme. We have invested £3.5 million to support the capacity of regional faith forums. We are working with the Inter Faith Network for the UK to deliver inter-faith week, a week of activities in November which will celebrate and promote inter-faith activity at local, regional and national level. A number of other commitments on the framework are also being taken forward.
Violent Extremism (Prevention)
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the oral answer of 21 April 2009, Official Report, columns 140-41W, on violent extremism (prevention), when the Minister for Community Cohesion wrote to local authorities about the monitoring of preventing violent extremism funding. [271670]
Mr. Khan: I wrote to local authorities who will receive Prevent funding as part of their area-based grant between 2008-09 and 2010-11 on 12 February 2009.
Community Relations: Immigration
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what provision she has made in her Department’s budget for the integration of migrants for the next six financial years. [271777]
Mr. Khan: The Department for Communities and Local Government has budgeted £50 million in the period 2008-09 to 2010-11 to support integration and community cohesion and to assist local authorities in preventing and managing community tensions. This includes £7.5 million to develop inter-faith activity and £4.5 million to help schools and others offer positive activities for young people. CLG has also contributed £50,000 in start-up funding to help the East of England Development Agency develop an information portal to help migrants find out more about living and working in the UK.
Communities and Local Government is also co-ordinating the allocation of the new cross-Government Migration Impacts Fund. This will provide £35 million in 2009-10 to local services managing the transitional pressures of migration. It will be paid for through increases to migrant fees. Subject to a review in the autumn of the economic position and the migrant fees being received, a similar amount will be made available in 2010-11.
Provision for 2011-12 and beyond will be determined by future Spending Reviews.
Energy Performance Certificates
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanisms are in place to ensure that prospective (a) buyers and (b) tenants in the (i) social and (ii) private rented sector are provided with an energy performance certificate for the property; and if she will make a statement. [270555]
Margaret Beckett: The Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations (2007/991) for England and Wales came into force for all property on 1 October 2008. From this date a valid Energy Performance Certificate was required to be made available free of charge to any prospective buyer or tenant. Enforcement of the regulations is a matter for trading standards officers.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new homes for (a) social and (b) private rent have been issued with an energy performance certificate in each of the last three years. [270557]
Margaret Beckett: The Department does not record information about whether new homes for which Energy Performance Certificates have been issued are in either the private or social rented sectors.
Grant Shapps:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate has been made of the number of residential properties
in the (a) private and (b) social rented sector which have received an energy performance certificate. [270604]
Margaret Beckett: The requirement for Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for homes in the social and private rental sectors came into force on 1 October 2008. The facility to lodge rental EPCs in the central register became available on 22 September 2008. In the period since 22 September 2008, 537,413 EPCs have been lodged in the private rented and 204,294 EPCs have been lodged in the social rented sector.
Equal Opportunities
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress her Department has made in improving the visibility of black male role models since December 2007. [271640]
Mr. Khan: The REACH report recommended that the Government should take action to improve the visibility of positive black male role models. The panel who wrote the REACH report envisioned a network of 20 national champions who would be used to challenge negative stereotyping, and support a network of black male role models in local communities. We have been working very closely with members of the REACH panel to ensure that their vision is realised.
On 3 December 2008 the Department launched the National Black Role Model Programme, and announced the names of the 20 National Role Models. These individuals are now working as champions of the programme, engaging at a national level and spearheading the work. The Role Models are being supported by the Windsor Fellowship, an organisation with very strong links to the black community at a grass roots level whom we are now funding to deliver the Role Models Programme.
Fire Services
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the lease upon each regional fire control centre commenced; on what date rent started to be paid on each lease; and on what date each centre began operations. [271665]
Mr. Khan: The information requested is set out in the following table, broken down by region.
| Region | Lease commencement date | Rent commencement date |
The buildings are undergoing a fit out programme at present to bring them into a fully operational state. No regional control centre has yet begun operation. The
current schedule for cut over was set out in the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) on 11 December 2008, Official Report, columns 248-50W, setting out the revised cut over schedule.
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