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26 Jan 2010 : Column 740W—continued
Food: Production
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the percentage of (a) meat, (b) eggs, (c) bread, (d) wheat, (e) fruit, (f) vegetables and (g) milk consumed which was domestically produced in each of the last three years. [313412]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Estimates of the percentage of meat, eggs, wheat, fruit, vegetables and milk consumed and which were produced domestically are provided in Table 1. Figures for the last three years are fairly stable.
These figures are based on volumes of production and trade. Figures are affected by market conditions in the UK and abroad. Factors affecting market conditions include exchange rates, weather conditions, animal disease
and consumer demand. When interpreting the figures it is important to look at the trends over time, rather than concentrating on figures for individual years.
Information on the percentage of domestically produced bread consumed is not available. However, data on the tonnage of wheat grain used for milling and the proportion of wheat grain that is home grown are shown in Table 2. This is also based on volumes but is for the crop year rather than calendar year. The grain will be milled into flour for a range of purposes including bread, biscuits, cakes and starch. It is not possible to provide information that distinguishes home grown wheat grain milled for bread flour alone. The lower percentage home grown wheat in the last two years is a reflection of the lower quality of the domestic crop for milling.
| Table 1: Estimate of the percentage consumed from domestic production for meat, eggs, wheat, fruit, vegetables and milk | |||
| Percentage | |||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| Source: DEFRA statistics | |||
| Table 2: Estimate of the percentage of home grown wheat grain milled into flour | |
| Percentage | |
| Source: DEFRA statistics | |
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the amount of domestic (a) meat, (b) eggs, (c) bread, (d) wheat, (e) fruit, (f) vegetables and (g) milk consumed which was domestically produced in each of the last three years. [313470]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The volume of UK production of meat, eggs, wheat, fruit, vegetables and drinking milk available for use in the UK is provided in the Table 1. This information is not available for bread.
These figures are calculated as UK production minus exports from the UK. This leaves the volume of UK production that is available for use in the UK. These products may be consumed in the UK, but they could also be used in the manufacture of other products, which could later be exported. In the case of wheat availability this includes wheat that is used for animal feed or seed production.
Table 2 shows the tonnage of UK produced grain which is used by the milling industry to produce flour for a range of uses including bread, biscuits, cakes and starch. It is not possible to provide this information specifically for bread.
| Table 1: Volume of UK production available for use in the UK | |||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| Table 2: Volume of UK produced wheat grain used by the milling industry | |||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| Source: DEFRA statistics | |||
Genetically Modified Organisms: Animal Feed
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will commission a study into the possible effects of consumption of genetically modified maize on animal health. [311436]
Dan Norris: We have no plans to commission such a study. Under European Union rules, genetically modified (GM) crops are cleared for animal feed use only if they pass a robust safety assessment carried out by the European Food Safety Authority. The assessment takes account of any potential effects on animal health.
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of consumption of genetically modified feedstuffs on animal health in the last two years; and if he will make a statement. [311440]
Dan Norris: We have not made such an assessment. Under European Union rules, genetically modified (GM) crops are cleared for animal feed use only if they pass a robust safety assessment carried out by the European Food Safety Authority. The assessment takes account of any potential effects on animal health.
Hares: Conservation
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of making the hare a protected species; and if he will make a statement. [312254]
Huw Irranca-Davies [holding answer 21 January 2010]: Our assessment is that the hare already has the appropriate protection.
Livestock: Waste Disposal
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2010, Official Report, column 963W, on agriculture: waste disposal, what provision of the EU Animal By-Products Regulations 1774/2002 prohibits the disposal of fallen stock by means of anaerobic digestion; and if he will make a statement. [312566]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Fallen stock are categorised as high risk material under the animal Regulation 1774/2002, articles 4 and 5 of which require such material to be disposed of by rendering or incineration only (with limited exceptions-for example feeding of certain material to dogs in hunt kennels). Only these disposal routes are approved because they have been shown to be effective in destruction of TSEs-transmissible spongiform encephalopathies-and other serious diseases, whereas anaerobic digestion has to date only been shown to be effective against a more limited range of pathogens.
Monuments: Conservation
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which sites and monuments in the guardianship of the Secretary of State have (a) current and (b) lapsed conservation or management plans. [311615]
Huw Irranca-Davies: There is a current management plan for each of the buildings, sites and monuments in the guardianship of the Secretary of State. These management plans were established as part of the quadrennial and biennial reports prepared in 2008 and 2009 as part of the wider asset management approach.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether any sites and monuments in the guardianship of the Secretary of State are on the English Heritage Monuments at Risk register. [311617]
Huw Irranca-Davies: There are no buildings, sites or monuments in the guardianship of the Secretary of State on the English Heritage Monuments at Risk register.
Monuments: Vandalism
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many sites and monuments in the guardianship of the Secretary of State have been damaged by vandalism requiring remedial repair action in each of the last five years. [311616]
Huw Irranca-Davies: There are no reported instances of vandalism resulting in damage requiring remedial repairs to the historic estate over the past five years.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's strategy is in respect of deterrence of vandalism to sites and monuments in the guardianship of the Secretary of State, with particular reference to those in (a) remote and (b) economically deprived areas. [311618]
Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA considers that none of its historic buildings, sites or monuments are located in (b) economically deprived areas and our experience of vandalism does not necessitate a deterrence strategy.
There is a single monument which might be considered to be in a (a) remote location. It is an earthwork monument located in woodland in a semi-rural location. It has a low profile and access is via the main site entrance; our experience is that an active deterrence strategy is not required.
River Dee: Salmon
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the size of the salmon population in the river Dee in the last (a) two, (b) five, (c) 10 and (d) 15 years. [312618]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The following table shows the estimates of the numbers of adult salmon returning to the river Dee at Chester each year since 1992 when an intensive long-term monitoring programme for migratory salmonids began on the river.
These estimates are published in spring each year (alongside those of other salmon rivers in England and Wales) in a joint report produced by the Environment Agency and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science: Environment Agency and CEFAS (2009) Annual assessment of salmon stocks and fisheries in England and Wales 2008: A preliminary assessment prepared for ICES, March 2009.
Estimates for 2009 are due to be available by March 2010.
| Dee salmon run estimates 1992 to 2008 | |
| Number | |
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on the size of the salmon population in the river Dee. [312706]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Environment Agency has not received any specific representations on the level of the salmon population in the river Dee. The Agency has regular contact with fisheries groups on the river Dee in which salmon populations and angling are discussed.
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