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8 July 2009 : Column 812W—continued
Animals: Abuse
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many individuals were prosecuted for neglect of animals resulting from leaving animals in confined and hot spaces for a prolonged period in each of the last two years; and what average fine was issued for those convicted in such cases. [285070]
Jim Fitzpatrick: It is not possible to separately identify the number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 at all courts in England and Wales for neglect of animals left in confined and hot spaces for a prolonged period(1).
(1 )From data held by the Ministry of Justice.
Animals: Quarantine
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animal quarantine centres are in operation in the UK. [284035]
Jim Fitzpatrick: In England, Scotland and Wales there are currently 29 authorised quarantine premises for domestic (i.e. pet) animals. Quarantine premises in Northern Ireland are licensed by DARDNI (the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland).
Zoos and research establishments have not been included as the number of these establishments (which do not offer rabies quarantine for pets belonging to members of the public) that are approved can change frequently and are authorised only when required.
Avian Influenza: Poultry
Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of links between stocking densities of broiler chickens and the incidence of avian influenza. [283923]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
The management of animal disease risks forms part of sustainable livestock production. There is a variety of different livestock production systems and each present different animal disease challenges. More intensive systems in which the animals are housed provide greater opportunities for preventing disease
entering a herd or flock but higher stocking densities mean that disease, once it gains entry to a farm, may spread more rapidly. Good husbandry and management will help reduce the risk of entry but this risk cannot be eliminated. Sometimes disease will occur. This can happen in both intensive and extensive systems.
The risk of influenza has not been shown to be greater in either, although experience has shown that close contact between animals and man is an important factor in possible transmission to man.
Further, there is no evidence of a correlation between intensive farming and the frequency of influenza pandemics. Indeed, the frequency of influenza pandemics has not changed despite the intensification of livestock production in developed countries since the 1950s.
Avian Influenza: Vaccination
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether birds other than those in zoos may be vaccinated in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza; and if he will make a statement. [284097]
Jim Fitzpatrick: We would not vaccinate poultry in advance of an avian influenza outbreak, nor would we use the vaccine as an immediate disease control response, due to the limitations of the vaccines. Early reporting, rapid action, biosecurity, culling and surveillance remain the most effective ways of protecting against and controlling an avian influenza outbreak.
We keep our policy on vaccination under review in the light of scientific developments in vaccines. Vaccination also forms part of our contingency planning in view of potential uncertainties in the nature and spread of the virus. However, preventive vaccination of poultry is not the most effective defence against avian influenza, because currently available vaccines have a number of disadvantages.
With some limited exceptions, it is against the law to import, possess or administer avian influenza vaccine without authorisation from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Bees
Mr. Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on funding for research into the problems affecting the honey bee. [283650]
Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA has received approximately 13 parliamentary questions, 34 letters from MPs and 123 other pieces of correspondence in the last three months on the subject of honey bee health, including funding for research. There was an MP debate about bee health organised by Dr. Ian Gibson, former Labour MP for Norwich North, on 29 April, and a House of Lords Debate about the effect of disease on the British bee population, moved by Lord Moynihan on 21 May.
DEFRA has recently provided increased funding to bee health. £2.5 million is being made available over the next five years to the insect pollinator initiative on pollinator decline. In addition, £2.3 million will be provided to the Food and Environment Research Agency’s National Bee Unit over the next two years to implement the first stage of the healthy bees plan.
Carbon Emissions
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the percentage of the UK’s (a) greenhouse gas, (b) methane and (c) nitrous oxide emission which derive from (i) agriculture and (ii) forestry. [284872]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 7 July 2009]: According to the UK greenhouse gas (GHG) Inventory: 1990-2006 report, GHG emissions from agriculture in 2006 were 44.71 Mt CO2e which was 7 per cent. of total UK emissions. Emissions for which agriculture was responsible are as follows:
18.7 Mt CO2e of methane (CH4) emissions which was 38.0 per cent. of the UK’s CH4 emissions, mainly from the digestive systems of livestock and from manure and;
25.7 Mt CO2e of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions which was 67.4 per cent. of the total UK N2O emissions, mainly from the use of nitrogen fertiliser.
Forestry is recorded in the UK GHG inventory as part of the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector which contains both sources and sinks of GHGs. In 2006, the UK GHG inventory reported the following sources and sinks for the forestry sector:
A net removal of 14.7 Mt CO2, resulting from the growth of existing forests, and results of afforestation, but also accounting for emissions associated with deforestation (a removal, but in magnitude equivalent to 3 per cent. of UK CO2 emissions);
A source of 0.0029 Mt CO2e CH4 from wildfires and biomass burning (less than 0.1 per cent. of UK CH4 emissions);
A source of 0.0043 Mt CO2e N2O emissions from forest wildfires, biomass burning and nitrogen fertilisation of forest land (less than 0.01 per cent. of UK N2O emissions).
Dairy Farmers of Britain: Insolvency
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will hold an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the failure of Dairy Farmers of Britain, with particular reference to (a) the role of the banks, (b) when the receivers were brought in and (c) the expected financial effect on dairy farming. [283619]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFoB) is registered by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965. The FSA, in its capacity as registering authority, is working closely with the Receivers, who will be examining the reasons for the failure of DFoB and publishing their findings in a report to all creditors.
The Industrial and Provident Societies Act provides the FSA with only limited powers of investigation, and these are linked to its obligation to be satisfied that a society qualifies for registration under the Act.
The Receivers—PricewaterhouseCoopers were called in on 3 June. They have estimated the total financial costs to DFoB members to be around £83 million.
Departmental Energy
Gregory Barker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on energy efficiency measures for his Department’s
estate in each year from 2004 to 2009; what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that expenditure; and what plans he has for future energy efficiency measures. [280542]
Dan Norris: DEFRA became responsible for implementing energy efficiency measures throughout the DEFRA in 2006. Since that date expenditure on energy efficiency measures is as shown in the table (DEFRA Estates does not hold information for the period 2004-06).
| Investment in energy efficiency | |
| £ | |
These data do not include expenditure on energy efficiency measures in new builds and refurbishments as sustainable technologies and energy efficiency measures are inherent in the overall programme and costs.
The measures implemented by DEFRA Estates resulted in achievement of the Energy Efficiency Accreditation Scheme (EEAS) in 2007 and the Carbon Trust Standard in 2008, both of which are independently assessed and confirm increased energy efficiency and a reduction in carbon emissions.
DEFRA has already met the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate (SOGE) Target for reducing carbon emissions from offices and the continued programme of spend on efficiency measures will ensure that the Department is in the best possible position when Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) begins in 2012. In addition, a Sustainable Built Environment Workplace Support (SBEWS) delivery partnership with Interserve plc which spans a 15-year period will deliver significant efficiencies, not just in energy but across the entire range of SOGE targets.
Departmental Information Officers
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to his Department of press office staff other than press officers has been in each year since 1997. [283070]
Dan Norris: The requested information cannot be provided due to disproportionate costs.
Dogs: Tagging
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will undertake research into the effect of dog microchipping schemes on (a) levels of crime and (b) perceptions of crime. [284100]
Jim Fitzpatrick: There are no plans to assess the effect of dog microchipping schemes on levels of (a) crime and (b) perception of crime.
Domestic Waste Disposal
Mr. Stewart Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 19 May
2009, Official Report, columns 1279-82W, on domestic waste: waste disposal, what records the Waste and Resources Action Programme holds on the frequency of the collection of household residual waste in each of the new unitary councils. [284082]
Dan Norris: The Waste and Resources Action Programme's (WRAP) records on the frequency of collection arrangements have not been updated since the local government reorganisation in April 2009. However, WRAP'S understanding is that these arrangements are still continuing exactly as they did before the local government reorganisation took place.
Farmers: Manpower
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) dairy, (b) arable, (c) beef and (d) sheep farmers there are in each English county. [283583]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of farmers on dairy, arable, beef and sheep holdings in June 2008 (the latest data available) are shown in the following table. The type of farm is determined by the predominant agricultural activity taking place on the holding, using data from the annual June Survey of Agriculture. Beef and sheep farms are not categorised separately.
The number of farmers on mixed holdings are also shown as these are holdings with both livestock and crops but where neither activity dominates.
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