To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding has been made available under the England Rural Development Programme in 2006 specifically to promote higher standards of animal welfare; how much has been disbursed; and how much he expects to be disbursed to support this purpose in 2007. (100647)

Under the England Rural Development Programme 2000-06, the Rural Enterprise Scheme and Vocational Training Scheme could address animal health and welfare standards. There were four Rural Enterprise Scheme projects and 10 Vocational Training Scheme projects approved in 2006 providing animal welfare outputs, which totalled nearly £386,000 in grant.

It is not possible to give figures for 2007. Overall financing plans for the next Rural Development Programme cannot be agreed until a new EU voluntary modulation regulation has been finalised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely effect on animal welfare standards of the delay in implementing the England Rural Development Programme 2007 to 2013. (100648)

Animal welfare standards in England are among the highest in the world. They are regularly monitored and often exceed the required standards.

The Rural Development Programme may support animal welfare related activity, such as training and knowledge transfer, that will help to further improve standards. However, we do not envisage that the delay to the start of the next programme will have any impact on animal welfare standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been made available under the England Rural Development Programme in 2006; how much has been disbursed; and how much he expects to be disbursed to support rural development in 2007. (100649)

The cash budget for the European accounting year, which ran from 16 October 2005 and ended on 15 October 2006, was £338.5 million. This compares with the original budget of £320 million, set in the approved England Rural Development Programme document. The expenditure incurred in the 2005-06 accounting year was £326.7 million.

The budget for the 2007 accounting year has not yet been finalised. Overall financing plans for the next Rural Development Programme in England cannot be announced until a new EU voluntary modulation regulation has been finalised.