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15 Jun 2009 : Column 95W—continued
Recycling: Drinks
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing a national deposit and return scheme for drinks containers. [277808]
Dan Norris: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Jane Kennedy), that the then Minister of State, gave to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 13 May 2009, Official Report, column 759W.
Recycling: Supermarkets
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings representatives from his Department have had with supermarkets to discuss recycling in the last 12 months. [279907]
Dan Norris: DEFRA has met with a number of supermarkets over the past 12 months to discuss the recycling of packaging. As part of the development of the packaging strategy, DEFRA held two stakeholder workshops last year which were attended by supermarkets as well as other industries involved in the packaging chain. In addition to this, supermarkets are represented on both the Advisory Committee on Packaging and the Packaging Recycling Action Group, which discuss a range of issues concerning packaging and packaging waste.
DEFRA has also met with supermarkets to discuss recycling in general on two occasions over the last 12 months.
Renewable Energy: Waste
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of amending section 1.1 of the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2007 to (a) take into account the Court of Appeal ruling in the OSS Group v. Environment Agency case and (b) to ensure that used cooking oil that has obtained an End of Waste classification from the Environment Agency is treated as a virgin oil; and if he will make a statement. [276189]
Dan Norris: The question of whether any particular waste has been fully recovered and has ceased to be waste must be determined on the facts of the case and taking into account relevant case law on the definition of waste. The Environment Agency is responsible for the implementation of waste management controls in England and Wales. However, schedule 1, part 2, section 1.1 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 applies to fuel manufactured from waste regardless of whether the waste from which it has been manufactured has been fully recovered and has ceased to be waste.
This section was contained in predecessor regulations dating back to the last decade. No assessment of its impact specifically on used cooking oil has been carried out. DEFRA has no plans to change this section of the regulations.
Sheep
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of sheep in England in each year since 1997. [279294]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 12 June 2009]: The number of sheep (including lambs) in England since 1997 can be found in the following table.
| Total sheep and lambs | |
| Source: June 2008 Agricultural and Horticultural Survey | |
Trapping
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his policy is on the practice of snaring; and if he will make a statement. [277991]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government consider that where there is a need for wildlife management then the proper use of snares is one of a range of control methods. Used according to best practice, snares can be an effective and practical means of wildlife management and are needed where other forms of pest control are ineffective or impractical. Self-locking snares have been banned for over 20 years and continue to be so.
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 contains strong protection for animals under the control of man to help prevent unnecessary suffering including any animal held in a snare.
The “Defra Code of Good Practice on the use of Snares in Fox and Rabbit Control in England”, published in 2005 details the legal obligations for people using snares in England and provides guidance on responsible use.
DEFRA commissioned a research project, beginning on 1 February 2008, to determine the extent of use and humaneness of snares in England and Wales. The project aims to provide a more informed basis for future discussions and policy decisions on snares.
Trees: Merseyside
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding his Department allocated for the preservation of trees in (a) Crosby and (b) Merseyside in each year since 1997. [278901]
Mr. Ian Austin: I have been asked to reply.
Local planning authorities are responsible for making and administering tree preservation orders. Funding for this function is contained in the revenue support grant and is not ring-fenced. The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Water Charges: Voluntary Organisations
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance he has issued to Ofwat on surface water drainage charges for (a) voluntary, (b) religious, (c) sporting and (d) not-for-profit organisations. [280023]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Government issued guidance to Ofwat in 2000 on delivering the Government's objectives in the Water Industry Act 1999. This included guidance on surface water drainage charges. A copy is available in the Library of the House.
Water: East of England
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding his Department has allocated to reducing water consumption in (a) Mid Bedfordshire constituency and (b) the East of England in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [278847]
Huw Irranca-Davies:
DEFRA does not provide direct funding to reduce water consumption in specific areas. However, the Department is supporting a media campaign to be launched this summer that will encourage water
efficiency under the Act on CO2 banner. In addition, DEFRA has funded research to support the aims of the Water Saving Group, including work on developing the evidence base for water efficiency projects, improving water efficiency in new buildings, and introducing water efficiency targets. To encourage resource efficiency in business, DEFRA jointly runs the enhanced capital allowance (ECA) scheme for water efficient technologies which provides accelerated tax relief to businesses investing in designated water saving technologies.
World Oceans Day
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what events his Department (a) supported and (b) participated in relating to World Oceans Day on 8 June 2009. [279468]
Huw Irranca-Davies: On World Oceans Day, the Marine and Coastal Access Bill had its Third Reading in the House of Lords. This Bill is a ground-breaking piece of legislation that aims to deliver a change in the way the UK manages its marine resources, and sets an excellent example to other nations. The Department also supports numerous events relating to our seas throughout the year.
Leader of the House
Members: Allowances
Roger Berry: To ask the Leader of the House what external (a) legal and (b) accountancy advice her Office has sought on the operation of the Members' Allowances scheme in the last six years. [278994]
Barbara Keeley: The Office of the Leader of the House has taken no external legal or accountancy advice on this subject and has no plans to do so.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Leader of the House how many (a) debates and (b) votes there have been in the House on the subject of hon. Members’ allowances since 1983. [279139]
Barbara Keeley: It is not possible to provide an answer without incurring a disproportionate cost.
Parliamentary Procedure
Mr. Amess: To ask the Leader of the House what the (a) date, (b) time and (c) number voting in each lobby was in each division which took place after 11pm in each Session (i) from 1983-84 to 1997-98 and (ii) since 1999-2000. [279127]
Barbara Keeley: It is not possible to provide an answer without incurring a disproportionate cost.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Leader of the House how many speeches were given by each of the 30 hon. and right hon. Members who delivered the most speeches in the Chamber in Session (a) 1983-84, (b) 1987-88, (c) 1991-92, (d) 1997-98, (e) 2001-02, (f) 2005-06 and (g) 2008-09. [279137]
Barbara Keeley: It is not possible to provide an answer without incurring a disproportionate cost.
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Leader of the House what the (a) average hour of rising of the House, (b) number of divisions, (c) number of public bills (i) passed and (ii) reported from Standing or Public Bill Committee, (d) number of affirmative statutory instruments (A) debated in Standing Committee and (B) debated on the Floor of the House, (e) number of prayers against statutory
instruments (1) debated in Standing Committee and (2) debated on the Floor of the House, (f) number of Opposition days and (g) number of Bills guillotined or programmed was in the first 100 sitting days of Session (u) 1983-84, (v) 1984-85, (w) 1997-98, (x) 1998-99, (y) 2005-06 and (z) 2006-07. [279140]
Barbara Keeley: It has not been possible to source all of the information requested as this would incur disproportionate cost. However I am able to provide the following information:
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