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25 Nov 2009 : Column 137W—continued
In addition, £500,000 was allocated in each year to ACRE (Action for Communities in Rural England) to support projects in the remaining local authority areas.
Funds are provided to local authorities via an area-based grant which gives them freedom over how to spend money locally. There is no requirement for local authorities to report directly to DEFRA, but some, including Derbyshire, do put data about their projects onto DEFRA's ALSF database. Reports reviewing ALSF, including local authority funding, were undertaken in 2003 and 2006 and a further review is planned for early 2010.
Dogs: Electric Shock Equipment
Mr. Roger Williams:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects
the research project commissioned by his Department on the effects of electronic training aids on the welfare of dogs to be completed; how much the research has cost; when he expects to announce his decision on the regulation of the use of electronic shock collars; and if he will make a statement. [301024]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The research project on electronic training aids for dogs is due to be completed at the end of February 2010. The cost of the research project will be £469,000. We will not be able to announce any decision on the future use of such devices until the results of the research have been peer-reviewed, and we have had the time to fully consider the results.
Genetically Modified Organisms: Food
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many genetically modified food trials the Government has licensed (a) in each region and (b) for each species in each of the last five years; how much his Department has spent on genetically-modified food trials in each of those years; and if he will make a statement. [301025]
Jim Fitzpatrick: In the last five years DEFRA has issued three consents for GM crop trials as follows:
| Consent ref. | Applicant | Crop | Date of consent | Release site |
The trials by Leeds university formed part of a wider research project on the control of potato cyst nematodes, funded mainly by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and with a contribution from DEFRA under a Government Partnership Award programme. DEFRA's contribution to the overall project costs was £41,000 in 2005 and £18,000 in 2009. Specific cost figures just for the field trial component of the project are not readily available. The BASF trials were entirely funded by the company.
Horses: Animal Welfare
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the compatibility of the horse-riding activities which form part of the Appleby Horse Fair with the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. [301213]
Jim Fitzpatrick: It is DEFRA's understanding that the RSPCA are present at the Appleby Horse Fair and work closely with participants to encourage adherence to good standards of horse welfare.
If anyone has any evidence of unnecessary suffering or if animal welfare is being compromised, then they can either report it to the appropriate authorities or take forward a prosecution under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Nature Conservation: Trade
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms are in place to ensure that police are trained to enforce EC regulations 338/97 and 865/2006 on the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in respect of the requirement for Article 10 certificates, with particular reference to endangered primates. [300311]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The police service is primarily responsible for training its officers in those areas where it has enforcement responsibility.
In addition, members of the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) provide assistance and support in this specialist area of enforcement, including training opportunities. Members of PAW include the UK Border Agency and the UK's Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Scientific Authorities.
Animal Health (an Executive agency of DEFRA) also provides advice and information on CITES to police officers on request.
Pets: Retail Trade
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many local authorities provide evidence to his Department on the enforcement of the Pet Animals Act 1951 Model Standards for Pet Shop Licence Conditions; and what mechanisms his Department uses to verify compliance with those conditions by (a) local authorities and (b) pet shop owners. [300310]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Local authorities are required to enforce the Pet Animals Act 1951 (as amended, 1983). However, local authorities are not bound to use the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health's Model Standards as guidance. If anyone considers that a particular authority is not enforcing the 1951 Act or is not applying appropriate standards they can report it to the local government ombudsman.
Sewers: Private Sector
Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps he has taken to enable private sewers to be transferred to water and sewerage undertakers; and if he will make a statement. [301133]
Huw Irranca-Davies: On 15 December 2008 the Secretary of State announced the Government's decision to transfer all private sewers and lateral drains linked to the public sewerage system from 2011. Since that announcement officials have been working to prepare proposals to prevent the proliferation of new private sewers as a precursor to the transfer of the existing stock. The proposals are contained in the Flood and Water Management Bill, which was presented to Parliament on 19 November.
The Bill's provisions will ensure that, in future, all new sewers and lateral drains connecting to the public sewerage system will be required to be built to a mandatory standard and will be automatically adopted by water and sewerage companies as public sewers.
Officials have also been developing detailed proposals for regulations to implement the transfer of existing private sewers and lateral drains that will be the subject of consultation this winter, prior to the regulations themselves being presented to Parliament for approval.
Wildlife: Finance
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many local authorities applied to his Department for funding to support local wildlife facilities in each of the last five years. [300771]
Huw Irranca-Davies: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 17 January 2008, Official Report, column 1394W, by my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Joan Ruddock), to the same question. We do not directly fund, or keep a national register of, small community-led projects tackling the local environment, important though these are. My hon. Friend is welcome to write to me with a more specific request and I will respond to him.
Wildlife: Licensing
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effect of revisions to the schedule of restricted species of dangerous wild animals on the level of non-compliance with licensing requirements under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. [300309]
Jim Fitzpatrick: No assessment has been made since the Schedule to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act was amended in 2007 with regard to the levels of non-compliance.
Treasury
Banks: Pay
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislative proposals to limit the remuneration of directors of banks with deposit-taking licences to 10 times the average wage paid to employees of that bank. [300726]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government have taken steps to ensure that remuneration paid at systemically significant financial institutions is commensurate with a prudent approach to risk and leads to long-term value creation. The FSA code, which comes into force on 1 January 2010, includes requirements for deferral and clawback from significant banking and other institutions. In addition, the Government are taking legislative measures in the Financial Services Bill that will strengthen the FSA's hand and enable improved disclosure of remuneration, which in turn will facilitate better shareholder oversight of risk.
Christmas
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Christmas parties his Department plans to host in 2009; what has been budgeted for each such reception; what estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) lamb, (b) beef, (c) chicken, (d) pork, (e) turkey, (f) other meats, (g) vegetables, (h) fruit and (i) alcohol to be served at each such function which is produced in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [300865]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Treasury does not plan to host any Christmas parties in 2009. Where parties are held within the Department, these are arranged and paid for by staff themselves.
Corporation Tax
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue which would be raised by treating all capital gains accruing to companies as income and taxing them at the appropriate corporate tax rate in 2009-10. [300725]
Mr. Timms: No additional revenues would be raised. Companies capital gains are charged to corporation tax as part of their total profits, at the same rate as any income profits. Consequently companies' chargeable gains are already taxed at the relevant rate of corporation tax for 2009-10. It is highly probable that there would be a fall in net receipts once account is taken of any accumulated capital losses which are currently only given relief against future capital gains, rather than income.
Departmental Assets
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assets of his Department are planned to be sold in each year from 2009-10 to 2013-14; what the (a) description and (b) book value of each such asset is; what the expected revenue from each such sale is; and if he will make a statement. [300209]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government have stated their intention to realise £16 billion in asset disposals over the period 2011-14 and will publish further details of opportunities to commercialise business assets in the coming weeks.
The Treasury's Asset Management Strategy was published in December 2007 on the Treasury's website at:
It stated that with the disposals in 2007-08, the Treasury Group will have met the Government's aim that each Department should dispose of at least 10 per cent. of its asset stock in the period 2004-05 to 2010-11. There will be limited opportunities to make any further disposals in the remainder of the period through to 2010-11.
Departmental Coordination: Economic Situation
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what mechanism the activities of HM Treasury and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to tackle the recession are co-ordinated. [300223]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Treasury Ministers and officials are in constant contact with colleagues in BIS on economic policy matters including those activities designed to tackle the recession.
The National Economic Council is a full Cabinet Committee introduced in October 2008 to provide a new approach to managing economic policies across Government in the context of the immense challenges created by recent global financial and economic uncertainties.
The Chancellor and the First Secretary of State-as well as other HMT and BIS Ministers-are members of the National Economic Council, which meets frequently to assess the implications of the ongoing challenges in the financial markets for the wider economy, at both a global and national level.
In addition, both HM Treasury and BIS are jointly responsible for public service agreement 1 (PSA 1)-to raise the productivity of the UK economy. This mechanism provides a forum for coordinating action across member departments.
Departmental Cost Effectiveness
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what efficiency savings projects (a) his Department and (b) its agencies put in place under the Operational Efficiency Programme; on what date each such project was initiated; how much each such project was expected to contribute to Departmental savings; how much had been saved through each such project on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [300940]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Treasury Group's Value for Money Delivery Agreement, revised in July 2009, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House, sets out how it is aiming to deliver £35 million of VfM savings by 2010-11, including £5 million increased at Budget 2009 as a result of work on the Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP).
The Treasury Group will provide an update on progress towards delivering its VfM target in its Autumn Performance Report. Details of VfM plans beyond the current spending review period are not yet available.
Departmental Disclosure of Information
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many allegations of victimisation for whistleblowing have been made to his Department by its staff since 6 June 2006. [301488]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Since 6 June 2006 there have been no official allegations of victimisation for whistleblowing by Treasury staff.
Departmental Food
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) lamb, (b) beef, (c) chicken, (d) pork, (e) turkey, (f) other meats, (g) vegetables and (h) fruit procured by his Department that was produced in the UK in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [300181]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The following table shows the information requested, where such food products were procured by contractors supplying food to HM Treasury during 2008-09.
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