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10 Jan 2008 : Column WA211
10 Jan 2008 : Column WA211
10 Jan 2008 : Column WA211
Thursday 10 January 2008
Agriculture: Bluetongue
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the announcement on 14 December that a new case of Blue Tongue had been confirmed in a cow near Middlesbrough, whether restrictions are now in place to stop the importation of cattle from the restricted zone in Germany into the United Kingdom; and, if not, whether they have any plans to introduce such restrictions. [HL1069]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): Under the EU bluetongue regulation, susceptible animals are permitted to move out of restricted zones into free areas provided an official veterinarian of the exporting country certifies that all the necessary conditions have been met. Importers also have a responsibility to import only animals that comply with the rules and to notify Animal Health in advance of the movement.
Investigations are currently under way to determine the precise circumstances under which these animals were exported from Germany.
Animal Welfare: African Horse Sickness
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to produce a vaccine to combat a possible outbreak of African Horse Sickness, whether within the United Kingdom or through the European Union. [HL1070]
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The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): There are nine strains of the African Horse Sickness (AHS) virus. The only vaccines currently available are live attenuated preparations manufactured in South Africa and these vaccines are not licensed for use in the European Union. EU legislation does not permit the use of vaccine in the Community except in the case of an outbreak of AHS. However, we are aware that there is some preparatory research on new strains of vaccine being carried out by commercial interests and we would therefore consider the emergency licensing and use of vaccines under emergency control procedures in the event of an outbreak.
Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage of Home Office licence applications were granted and refused under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.[HL1010]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): Details for licences granted during 2005 and 2006 under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 are shown in the attached table.
A feature of the regulatory regime under the 1986 Act is the discussion that often takes place at an early stage between applicants (or prospective applicants) for licences under the Act and the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate. When serious deficiencies are identified during these early discussions, proposals unlikely to meet the Act's stringent requirements are often revised or withdrawn before formal refusal becomes necessary.
Climate Change: Bali Conference
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which main results they expect from the Bali Climate Change Conference on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the post-Kyoto plan after 2012. [HL710]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): I refer the noble Lord to the Statement I made on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 18 December 2007. This can be found in the Official Report, col. 608.
Climate Change: Emissions Trading
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 3 December (WA 160-1), whether the electricity
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Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 3 December (WA 160-1), whether United Kingdom industry sectors outside the electricity supply industry will be provided with allocations that are less than their business-as-usual predictions in phase II of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme. [HL790]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): In phase I large electricity producers in the UK were provided with allocations below their business-as-usual projections. This meant that the sector would either have to reduce its emissions or purchase allowances from other operators. In 2005 and 2006, the large electricity producers purchased a total of 82.4 million allowances. Other UK industry sectors covered by the EU ETS surrendered 22 million allowances less than they were allocated. The net effect was that all UK installations covered by the scheme purchased 60.4 million allowances over 2005 and 2006.
These allowances represent emission reductions that were made outside the UK but were paid for by the UK, so can count towards UK domestic targets.
The annual free allocation in phase II for UK installations will be 246 million allowances. That is 29MtCO2 (approx 10 per cent) less than the business-as-usual projections for 2010.
All UK industry sectors except for the large electricity generators will be provided with allocations equal to their business-as-usual projections in phase II of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
Climate Change: Kyoto Targets
Lord Puttnam asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of the United Kingdom Kyoto targets will be met through (a) domestic action, and (b) the use of overseas credits. [HL1002]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): In 2005, the latest year for which final estimates are available, the UK's greenhouse gas emissions were 654.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), more than 15 per cent below base year emissions. These reductions are all from domestic action.
Our projections show that domestic action alone will ensure that emissions in the UK remain significantly below the level required for us to meet our Kyoto Protocol target to reduce emissions to 12.5 per cent below base year levels over the period 2008 to 2012.
In addition, any allowances and credits surrendered by UK installations through the EU Emissions Trading Scheme for the 2008-12 phase will
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In 2006, the last year for which information is available, the net purchase of allowances by UK installations within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme totalled 33.3 million tonnes of CO2, or about 4.3 per cent of our base year emissions under Kyoto of 775.2 MtCO2e.
For 2008-12, the Government have set the annual cap for UK companies within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme at 246.2 million tonnes of CO2. This is an annual reduction of 29.3 MtCO2 below projected need.
Combustion Plants
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
With reference to the Large Combustion Plants (National Emissions Reduction Plan) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/2325), why, under Regulation 5, the Secretary of State must provide information on new plants annually but only include information on plants leaving the scheme in 1 January 2016 or 1 January 2018; and what estimate they have made of the effect of this arrangement on the reporting of emissions and their reduction. [HL914]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): Operators of plants subject to the Large Combustion Plants Directive (2001/80/EC—the “LCPD” hereinafter) have the option of participating in a national emissions reduction plan in accordance with Article 4(6) of the LCPD. Because the plan is long-term in nature, it is not considered conducive to its operation to allow plants whose operators exercise that option to be withdrawn from it at any time. Furthermore, even if a participating plant closes, it is necessary for its previous participation in it to remain recorded in the plan. This is so that it can be demonstrated that the closure does not result in an increase in the total annual emissions from the remaining plants covered by the plan.
However, in the light of responses to Defra's February 2007 consultation on the operation of the plan, we decided to provide an option for plants to be withdrawn from participation with effect from 1 January 2016 or 1 January 2018. These are the dates on which some of the emission limits set in the LCPD are tightened. Respondents pointed out that this may, in some cases, make it desirable for the plant to be withdrawn from the plan.
Under the plan, each plant has an annual emission allowance for each of the three pollutants covered by the LCPD. This is calculated as prescribed in the LCPD and the operator has to manage emissions so as not to exceed that allowance or that allowance plus any unused allowance the operator has acquired from another participating plant. Withdrawal of a plant from the plan at either of those dates will not change that requirement in the years prior to withdrawal nor the attendant reporting requirements. After withdrawal, the plant would be subject to emission limit values set
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The February 2007 consultation paper provides further detail on this rather complex issue. That and other pertinent information can be found on Defra's website.
Common Land
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
With reference to the Works on Common Land, etc. (Procedure) (England) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/2588), why an applicant shall be allowed not to send a notice under Regulation 7(1)(c)(iv) to anyone the applicant believes is not exercising his rights over the common; and whether this exception covers anyone temporarily ceasing to exercise his rights over the common. [HL938]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The Works on Common Land, etc. (Procedure) (England) Regulations 2007 provide for the applicant to send notice of his application (under Regulation 7(1)(c)(iii) and (iv)) to any commoner whom the applicant believes is exercising rights of common, and to any other commoner whom he believes is likely to be affected by the application. An applicant would be well advised to send notice to any active commoner whether or not the commoner had stock on the common at the time. However, it is frequently not practicable for the applicant to identify all persons entitled to exercise rights of common, particularly those who are not active commoners, and the regulations require the applicant to exercise some judgment. Notice of the application must be posted on site, and the Secretary of State has power under Regulations 6(4)(c) and 7(3) to direct that notice must be given to specified other persons. Such a power may be employed if the Secretary of State is not satisfied that sufficient notice has been given to the local community.
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