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11 July 2006 : Column WA99
Written Answers
Tuesday 11 July 2006
Biodiversity: Dolphins
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage of the local population of common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins in United Kingdom waters was killed as bycatch in the past five years.[HL6387]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): There is no complete abundance estimate of common dolphin populations in the Atlantic near the UK,but advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) suggests that approximately 500,000 common dolphins inhabitthis area.
The number of animals that die as bycatch every year is unknown, as it is not feasible to monitor all fishing operations. Bycatch has been monitored in the bass pair trawl fishery. An average of 180 dolphins per year were bycaught in the bass pair trawl fishery between the 2000-01 and 2004-05 winter seasons. Estimates for each year are provided below.
Bycatch is known to occur in gillnet fisheries in the Channel and western approaches, but there are no recent estimates of the numbers involved. The most recent estimate dates from the early 1990s, when around 200 common dolphins were being bycaught in the English and Irish gillnet fishery for hake.
The known level of bycatch of common dolphins in the two fisheries mentioned above is about 0.076 per cent of the population per year.
There has been no bycatch of bottlenose dolphins observed in over 7,000 fishing operations monitored in Defra-funded research programmes since 1996. Local populations of bottlenose dolphins number about 130 in both Cardigan Bay and the Moray Firth. My understanding is that only two bottlenose dolphins have been recovered from beaches around the Moray Firth (in 1993 and 1999) and one from Cardigan Bay (in 1996), under the Defra-funded cetacean strandings scheme, which were subsequently found to have died in fishing-related accidents.
British Citizenship
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 2 May (WA 48), and having regard to Section 71 of the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended), whether the appointment quota for British citizenship applications at the
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The appointment quota for British citizenship applications at our consulate general in Hong Kong applies only to those of Indian/Nepalese race or ethnicity who are applying under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a person applying for British citizenship otherwise than under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 is required to make an appointment if he wishes to apply at the British consulate in Hong Kong.[HL6765]
Lord Triesman: A person applying for British citizenship otherwise than under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 is not required to make an appointment if he wishes to apply at our consulate general in Hong Kong.
Energy: Biofuels
Lord Rana asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will put forward proposals to reduce the rate of taxation on biodiesel to promote the use of this alternative fuel.[HL6713]
Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Government are committed to supporting biofuels as part of a long-term strategy to promote low-carbon transport. The Budget announced the extension of the 20 pence per litre duty differential for biofuels until 2008-09 and set out a range of announcements about the renewable transport fuel obligation, which will begin in 2008-09 and will ensure that biofuels comprise5 per cent of the road fuels market by 2010-11. Furthermore, we are awaiting state aid clearance to introduce an enhanced capital allowance (ECA) for the cleanest biofuels production plant, to support innovation and to help to develop the lowest-carbon biofuels production methods.
The Chancellor decides taxation policy considering all relevant economic, social and environmental factors. Any changes are announced in the context of his Budget Statement.
Food: Brazilian Imports
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations they have made to the European Commission following an inspection visit by the European Union Food and Veterinary Office last year which found that most of the deficiencies found in Brazil in 2003 have still not been rectified.[HL6783]
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The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): In January 2006, following the inspection visit, the Commission proposed changes to the list of third-country-approved residue plans, including the removal of Brazil in respect of honey and wild game. This was adopted unanimously by all member states at the meeting of the scientific committee on animal health and veterinary measures relating to public health (SCoFCAH) on 24 January 2006. Imports of honey and wild game have not been permitted from Brazil since 17 March 2006, the application date of the implementing Commission decision.
The UK representatives at the European Commission's meeting of SCoFCAH on 4 and 5 July expressed concern at the situation in Brazil. The Commission made it clear that it is taking the issue seriously and assessing whether Brazil can provide sufficient guarantees that the quality of its produce meets European standards. The UK Government will continue to monitor the situation closely.
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Given that there are no European Union approved pig production plants in Brazil, how much Brazilian pig meat has been imported to the European Union.[HL6784]
Lord Rooker: The table below shows imports of pig meat from Brazil into the EU in 2003 and 2004. There was no trade in 2005.
Imports of pork are not permitted from Brazil under animal/public health requirements, and were not permitted in 2003 or 2004. While Brazil is recorded as the country of dispatch for these imports into the EU, the products may have a different country of origin (records for this are not available). It should also be noted that overseas trade data are subject to a degree of statistical error. The overall level of errors is low, but these errors have a much greater proportional effect on countries with small values or volumes of trade. Therefore, care is needed when interpreting the data.
Gold Reserves
Baroness Noakes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the statement by the Lord McKenzie of Luton on 4 July (Official Report, col. 133) that the evaluation of the Government’s sale of gold
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Lord McKenzie of Luton: At the end of the Bretton Woods system, gold prices rose over a 10-year period from $35 per ounce in 1970 to $850 per ounce in 1980. The gold price then declined, at one point dropping more than $200 per ounce over five trading days, reaching a low of around $253 per ounce 19 years later. The volatility and the duration of fluctuations in the gold price make it inappropriate to measure gains or losses over the short period since the end of the gold sales programme in 2002.
House of Lords: Speaker
Lord Berkeley asked the Leader of the House:
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): This is required by Standing Order 18A(5), agreed by the House on 3 May 2006, which provides that,
Immigration: Independent Monitor for Entry Clearance
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Triesman on 23 May (WA 94), when they will publish the report by Ms Fiona Lindsley, the former Independent Monitor for Entry Clearance, the final text of which was submitted to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 23 January; and what procedures they will introduce to minimise delays in the publication of documents resulting from ministerial changes.[HL6719]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): Ms Lindsley's report is currently with my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary for further consideration and will be laid before Parliament before the Summer Recess. In the future, the independent monitor will produce reports every six months, rather than annually. These will be published promptly.
International Development: Global Opportunities Fund
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the priority countries for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Global Opportunities Fund.[HL6414]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): In 2005-06, there were six programmes within the Global Opportunities Fund (GOF), each with their own priority countries. These are listed below.
| Climate Change and Energy | |
| Economic Governance | |
| Engaging with the Islamic World | |
| Reuniting Europe | |
| Sustainable Development | |
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