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Tidal Power
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they expect that the first tidal lagoon or tidal impoundment scheme will start to generate electricity; and whether they will provide funds to speed up the development of a prototype or first production model.[HL887]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): The bringing forward of any scheme is a matter for the developer. Support for such a development would be available through the renewables obligation mechanism.
Zimbabwe
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many British companies are currently trading with Zimbabwe; what advice is currently given to such companies; and what restrictions are in place on them.[HL1029]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: UK Trade & Investment has no statistics on the number of UK companies trading with Zimbabwe. UK Trade & Investment offers general advice to UK companies wishing to trade with Zimbabwe and deals with inquiries on a responsive basis only. There is currently an EU arms embargo, but no economic or trade sanctions have been imposed.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What state aid, including tax credits, subsidies and guarantees, is available to companies trading with Zimbabwe.[HL1030]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: UK Trade & Investment services, some of which are subsidised, are available to companies trading with Zimbabwe. The Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) does not currently make cover of any sort available to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has a double taxation treaty with the UK. The Zimbabwean Government offer certain tax incentives to foreign investors.
Unsolicited E-mail
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will widen the opt-in provisions of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations to give companies the same legal protection against those who send unsolicited
e-mails as that enjoyed by individual consumers.[HL1157]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: When we consulted on implementation of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive last year, the majority view was that the opt-in consent requirement that applies to e-mail marketing to individuals should not be extended to corporate subscribers, including limited companies, because of the potential impact on business-to-business marketing. The Government's response to consultation made it clear however that we are prepared to review this in the light of working experience of the new rules. Both corporate and individual subscribers are currently covered by the requirement in the regulations not to send commercial e-mail which disguises or conceals the identity of the person on whose behalf it is sent, or does not provide a valid address to which a request that communications cease may be sent.
General Practitioners
Lord Chadlington asked Her Majesty's Government: lynne
- How many general practitioners there were in England and Wales in each of the past 10 years.[HL1107]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): The number of all general practitioners (GP) (excluding GP retainers) in England and Wales in each of the past 10 years is shown in the table.
| England | Wales | |
| 1992 | 28,185 | 1,835 |
| 1993 | 28,460 | 1,850 |
| 1994 | 28,735 | 1,850 |
| 1995 | 28,869 | 1,845 |
| 1996 | 29,116 | 1,832 |
| 1997 | 29,389 | 1,874 |
| 1998 | 29,697 | 1,888 |
| 1999 | 29,987 | 1,891 |
| 2000 | 30,252 | 1,903 |
| 2001 | 30,685 | 1,919 |
| 2002 | 31,182 | 1,930 |
| June 2003 | 32,159 | 1,923 |
Notes:
(1) All Practitioners (excluding GP retainers) include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA), PMS Other and Flexible Career Scheme GPs. GP retainers were first collected in 1999 and have been omitted for comparability purposes
Data as at 1 October 1992–1999, 30 September 2000–2002 and 30 June 2003
Source:
Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any funding has been awarded by the Department of Health under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 to any charities representing those with myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome other than Action for ME since April 2003; if so, how much was awarded; to which charities; and for which purpose.[HL1180]
How much funding has been awarded by the Department of Health under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 to the United Kingdom charity Action for ME since April 2003; for what purpose the award was made; and what were the terms under which it was made; and[HL1179]
11 Feb 2004 : Column WA163
Lord Warner: In February 2003, Action for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) was awarded a grant of £187,000 over a three-year period to support its chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) clinical network project. The project is intended to help all those in the field to access knowledge and share best practice on meeting the needs of patients.
The Association for Youth with ME was awarded a grant in 2002 of £110,000 over a three-year period in respect of its positive living project. This involves developing a training and information programme to empower children and young people via skills workshops to voice their experience, knowledge and needs of living with CFS/ME.
All voluntary organisations awarded Section 64 grants provide regular progress reports showing how they meet the objectives laid down by the grant conditions.
Common Agricultural Policy
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish a list of payments made to farmers under the provisions of the Common Agricultural Policy.[HL964]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): Payments made under the CAP and on national grants and subsidies throughout the UK are published in table 9.1 of Agriculture in the United Kingdom 2002, which is available in the Library of the House. In the UK financial year 2001–02, direct product subsidies were £1,888.2 million, other subsidies on production were £392.6 million and total capital grants, transfers and other payments were £1,828 million. In addition, market support payments were made of £555.1 million. Some of the payments were only partly EU-funded.
Sudden Oak Death Virus
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What measures they have taken before and since 6 January to prevent the spread of oak death virus (Phytophthora ramorum) internally within the United Kingdom and in particular from Cornwall; and whether movement controls on nursery stock would be helpful in advance of the spring planting season.[HL1123]
Lord Whitty: The Plant Health (Great Britain) Order 1993 (SI 1993/1320, as amended) sets out the controls on the import, movement and keeping of plants within the EU. The order requires all plants entering the UK from third countries to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate and are subject to inspection at import. For trade within the EU, specific disease control measures are applied at the place of production and plant passports may be
issued that travel with consignments allowing their free movement between member states. Such controls operate throughout the year.From May 2002 measures to control the movement of plants susceptible to the pathogenic fungus Phytophthora ramorum into and within the UK were introduced under the Plant Health (Phytophthora ramorum) (England) Order 2002. Parallel legislation was introduced in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and by the Forestry Commission. These measures included a notification requirement for movements of susceptible plants within the UK. Subsequently, following pressure from the UK Government, agreement was reached in the European Community's Standing Committee on Plant Health to extend the UK's emergency measures to apply to the whole European Community. In England these were introduced in November 2002, by the Plant Health (Phytophthora ramorum) (England) (No 2) Order 2002 (SI 2002 No 2573). These measures require all consignments of rhododendron and viburnum, the principal hosts in Europe, to be accompanied by a plant passport wherever they are being moved.
An intensive survey programme of retail outlets, nurseries, gardens and other established planting areas has been under way since the first UK case in February 2002. Where infection is suspected the consignment is placed under notice and may not be moved or sold until that notice is lifted. Any material found to be infected is destroyed.
However, because of our concern about the potential impact if more of our free species become infected, we are stepping up the eradication and containment action already being taken. Work is already under-way to survey at least 1,000 woodland areas, established planting areas and production nurseries. Surveillance of imported material at the main ports of entry is also being stepped up.
Although the findings on new tree species announced on 2 February are at sites in Cornwall, findings on shrubs are more widespread. A map of outbreaks is maintained on Defra's website and is available at www.defra.gov.uk/planth/graphics/sod.pdf. We are concerned about the impact this disease might have on horticulture and on the landscape, where a major epidemic in our native trees could have a significant impact. Nevertheless, we should avoid a disproportionate response to isolated findings and try to minimise the impact of our necessary actions in controlling this disease. Our inspectors will continue to work closely with individual nursery, garden centre and historic garden owners in Cornwall and elsewhere to this end.
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