Written Answers to Questions
Monday 12 January 2009
Wales
Departmental Assets
My Department has no plans to sell assets, our main asset is Gwydyr House, which we occupy.
Departmental Correspondence
The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members/Peers correspondence. Information relating to 2008 will be published as soon as it has been collated. The report for 2007 was published on 20 March 2008, Official Report, columns 71-74WS. Reports for earlier years are available in the Library of the House. When responding to all correspondence, the Wales Office abides by the guidance set out in ‘Handling correspondence from MPs, Lords, MEPs and Members of Devolved Assemblies’ which was published by the Cabinet Office in July 2005.
In respect of emails, the information is only available at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Data Protection
The Wales Office does not directly use external suppliers or contractors to carry out its responsibilities. The Wales Office is provided with its IT and support services by the Ministry of Justice, who place an obligation on all of their contractors to provide IT and data management systems that meet Government security standards.
The Wales Office does not store or process personal data overseas.
The responsibility of Senior Information Risk Owner was transferred to the newly-created post of Head of Corporate Services in November. The postholder is a member of the Department's Management Board.
The Wales Office's IT services are provided by the Ministry of Justice. These IT systems are fully accredited to Government standards.
Departmental ICT
The Wales Office is provided with its IT services by the Ministry of Justice. Consequently, the Department does not directly undertake IT projects.
Departmental Information Officers
The Wales Office has three press and communications officers.
Departmental Internet
My Department has spent the following on maintaining our website.
£ 2003-04 1,600 2004-05 1,600 2005-06 1,600 2006-07 1,600 2007-08 6,936
The 2007-08 figure includes the cost of designing and establishing the new Wales Office website.
The Wales Office installed two broadband lines in January 2008, prior to this, we did not have any broadband. The cost of each line is £111 per quarter.
My Department funds two departmental websites:
www.walesoffice.gov.uk
and
www.swyddfa.cymru.gov.uk
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
The Wales Office has no full-time support staff for special advisers.
Departmental Pensions
It is not appropriate to disclose pension information for civil servants other than board members, whose details are shown in the remuneration report in annual resource accounts for the Ministry of Justice.
A copy of the resource accounts for financial year 2007-08 can be found in the Library, or accessed electronically using the following link:
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc0708/hc08/0869/0869.asp
Departmental Sick Leave
The Wales Office does not record the sickness absence of its staff in terms of hours, but in terms of days and half days.
In the year to March 2008, 505.5 days were lost to sickness absence.
Departmental Written Questions
The Wales Office have not received any named day questions in the current parliamentary Session.
Plain English
No expenditure was incurred, but through staff development and coaching, my Department encourages all its staff to use Plain English.
Northern Ireland
Climate Change
The Adapting to Climate Change programme is responsible for the co-ordination of the Government's work on adaptation in England. In Northern Ireland—as in Scotland and Wales—the devolved Administration is responsible for considering how climate change will affect issues such as health, education and planning. However, it is recognised that there is a need to ensure coherence across the Administrations, and take a UK-wide approach on issues.
Therefore the UK Administrations are committed to working closely together to share best practice and develop initiatives.
My Department is working in conjunction with the NI Departments in responding to the challenges of climate change. In January 2007 the Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research published a report entitled “Preparing for a changing climate in Northern Ireland”. The report examined the ways in which Northern Ireland must prepare to meet both the opportunities and threats presented by the impacts of a changing climate. It focuses specifically on the impacts on, and the need for adaptation by, the public sector in Northern Ireland.
Under the Climate Change Act 2008 Northern Ireland will participate in the development of a UK-wide risk assessment which will help inform the development of a Northern Ireland Adaptation Strategy.
Departmental Correspondence
The information is as follows.
(a) The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members/peers correspondence. Information relating to 2008 will be published as soon as it has been collated. The report for 2007 was published on 20 March 2008, Official Report, columns 71-74WS. Reports for earlier years are available in the Library of the House. When responding to all correspondence the NIO abides by the guidance as set out in “Handling correspondence from MPs, Lords, MEPs and Members of Devolved Assemblies” which was published by the Cabinet office in July 2005.
(b) In respect of e-mails, the NIO is unable to provide the information within the disproportionate cost limit as to do so would require gathering information from every official in the Department.
Departmental Data Protection
There have been three such cases in the Northern Ireland Office and its agencies and legal offices since 1997. As there are fewer than five cases, details about the cases cannot be released for reasons of confidentiality. The Northern Ireland Office has clear policies and processes in place to ensure that staff understand the importance of data security and data confidentiality and to ensure that any cases of potential data loss can be properly dealt with.
The Northern Ireland Office breakdown percentage of contractors and suppliers that have reported compliance to Government requirements is: (a) the core Department—80 per cent.; and (b) our agencies—60 per cent. My departmental officials are working with our contractors and suppliers to ensure they maintain and improve compliance.
There are no contracts in the Northern Ireland Office and its agencies that allow contractors to store personal data of UK citizens overseas.
The percentage of IT systems holding protectively marked data accredited in my Department is as follows: (a) the core Department 100 per cent.; and (b) the agencies—75 per cent. The remaining systems that hold protectively marked data are in the accreditation process.
Departmental Drinking Water
My Department's general policy is to use tap water where it is available. It currently has 16 coolers in six buildings and further reductions are planned.
Departmental Equality
The civil service diversity strategy, ‘Promoting Equality, Valuing Diversity’, published in July, sets civil service wide targets in relation to gender, ethnicity and disability for the next three to five years.
The Department retains Human Resource information on staff including details of (a) sex and (c) age. Human resource information may also include voluntary monitoring declarations on (b) ethnicity and (d) disability, and (d) disability data are also held following the provision of reasonable adjustments and for emergency evacuation purposes.
In Northern Ireland, (where (f) religion and belief legislation does not apply) Northern Ireland legislation requires statutory monitoring of Northern Ireland community background to be undertaken for the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
At present, the Department is examining ways to sensitively monitor (e) sexual orientation.
The Department regularly assesses the diversity of its work force against its targets. In addition, Cabinet Office peer assessment of the Department's Diversity delivery plan for 2008-10 will take place in early 2009.
Departmental Furniture
Information on furniture spend by country of manufacture is not held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. No goods have been purchased by my Department from Remploy.
Departmental Marketing
The information requested is contained in the following table.
Type of Advertisement Number Advertisement referred to Cost (£) Newspaper 2 Understanding corporate manslaughter and Homicide Act 2007 2,447.00 Newspaper 1 Public consultation on a proposed Draft Criminal Justice (NI) Order 2007 2,252.53 Newspaper 1 Public consultation on Sexual Offences Order 2,474.43 Newspaper 1 Public consultation on Fine Default 1,691.70 Newspaper 1 Consultation on Proposals for Reform of the Law on Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide 1,810.00 Newspaper 2 Implementation of Electronic Monitoring in NI advert for Contracts and Tenders 402.29 Newspaper 1 Competition to recruit a new Prisoner Ombudsman 22,316.00 Newspaper 1 Consultation to the Proposed amendment to the Criminal Damage Order 1,649.46 Newspaper 1 Notice of Closure of Belfast City Mortuary, Forster Green and opening of a new NI Regional Forensic Mortuary in the Royal Hospitals complex 925.90 Newspaper 1 Consultation on the Proposed Northern Ireland Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2009 2,107.91 Newspaper 4 Invitations for tenders for the NI Appropriate Adult Scheme 788.69 Newspaper 5 Theft from Vehicles campaign 4,563.50 Newspaper 7 Recruitment 6,064.93 Newspaper 5 Recruitment 5,092.59 Newspaper 5 BT Phone Book advertising 8,062.60 Newspaper 1 Yellow Pages advertising 1,463.00 Newspaper 1 'Criminal Justice' advertising 2,295.00 Newspaper 3 Invitations for tenders for provision of a graphic design and print service 548.27 Television 1 Unknown Callers campaign 50,199.50
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
The Government are committed to publishing an annual list detailing the number and costs of special advisers. Information for 2007-08 was published by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 July 2008, Official Report, columns 99-102WS.
Departmental Official Hospitality
The Northern Ireland Office does not allocate official funds for departmental Christmas parties.
Information on departmental expenditure specifically on staff entertainment could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Expenditure on entertainment is set out in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
My Department's agencies spent £24,238 on hosting events in the last 12 months.
Information for the Northern Ireland Office's executive non-departmental bodies is an operational matter for each of the bodies, who operate independently of Government. I would encourage the hon. Member to write to the respective chief executives. Details of the NIO's non-departmental public bodies can be found in the NIO 2008 Departmental Report:
http://www.nio.gov.uk/northem_ireland_office_departmental_report_2008.pdf.
All expenditure has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
For the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) and its agencies, it would only be possible to impart a full listing of all suppliers who provided goods and services in connection with hosting events, at disproportionate cost.
Information for the NIO's executive non-departmental bodies is an operational matter for each of the bodies, who operate independently of Government. I would encourage the hon. Member to write to the respective chief executives.
Details of the NIO's non-departmental public bodies can be found in the NIO 2008 Departmental Report:
http://www.nio.gov.uk/northern_ireland_office_departmental_report_2008.pdf.
Departmental Official Visits
Information on travel by the Secretary of State on official visits is not recorded separately from travel for normal ministerial duties, and to provide this breakdown could only be done so at disproportionate cost.
All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
Departmental Pay
All Northern Ireland Office (NIO) employees are paid on NIO pay scales in accordance with NIO terms and conditions, regardless of whether they are temporarily or permanently employed.
Departmental Television
All television purchases in the last 12 months were made from suppliers on approved contracts for electrical supplies in line with procurement guidelines.
Departmental Temporary Employment
Information on the number of temporary agency staff recruited through each company and the average length of time of employment for each person is not centrally held by the department.
These details could be ascertained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Vehicles
The Northern Ireland Office excluding its agencies and executive non-departmental bodies owned six vehicles in each of the years 2003-04 to 2006-07 and three vehicles in 2007-08.
Inquiries
I am advised by the Robert Hamill Inquiry that the following legal firms have worked on it.
Legal firm Period of engagement Representation P. J. McGrory July 2004 to date Hamill family (Interested Party) Eliott Duffy Garrett June 2008 Legal services to the inquiry in relation to litigation conducted in Northern Ireland only
In accordance with the Robert Hamill Inquiry’s published funding protocol, witnesses to the inquiry are also entitled to reasonable legal advice at the inquiry’s expense and a number of firms have represented witnesses.
Legal firm Period of engagement Arthur J. Downey February 2006 to date Edwards and Co. June 2006 to date Emmet J. Kelly Solicitors March 2006 to date Gerard Maguire Solicitors May 2006 to date Gus Campbell Solicitors February 2006 to date John P. Hagan Solicitors January 2008 to date Richard Monteith January 2006 to date O’Connor and Moriarty Solicitors November 2006 to date Russell Jones Walker Solicitors January 2007 to date Hewitt and Gilpin March 2006 Madden and Finucane March to May 2006 G. R. Ingram April 2006 to June 2008 Holmes and Moffitt May 2006 to November 2008 Rafferty and Co. June to November 2006 Kevin R. Winters June to October 2006 Bogue and McNulty March to July 2006 MSC Daly (formerly Brangham Bagnall and Co.) November 2006 John J. Rice and Co. January to August 2008
Regarding the naming of the participants in the inquiry who these firms represent, the inquiry has not yet concluded the anonymity process. The inquiry is still receiving fresh and renewed applications on article 2 and medical grounds. It has an ongoing duty of care to all witnesses and cannot therefore give the names out at present. Once a witness has given their evidence or had their statement read out at the oral hearings, their name will be in the public domain. This is not the current position.
This schedule excludes witnesses who, subject to the inquiry’s prior approval, will be granted two hours of legal advice and assistance prior to them giving oral evidence but no legal representation at the oral hearings. These costs have not yet been incurred.
The total cost incurred by the Robert Hamill Inquiry for legal fees is £7.57 million.
The monthly spend of the inquiry is as follows:
£000 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 April 462 290 137 109 — May 565 327 245 103 — June 622 187 466 343 — July 657 244 147 96 — August 493 450 805 565 — September 338 203 -48 188 — October 524 238 1,791 353 1 November 810 340 684 246 38 December — 345 510 178 30 January — 329 1,094 206 83 February — 362 -132 274 75 March — 1,131 489 747 182 Total 4,471 4,446 6,187 3,408 410
£000 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 April 0 0 0 1 — May 7 0 0 10 — June 3 0 5 9 — July 31 0 0 -4 — August 3 0 0 59 — September 1 12 0 0 — October 0 0 0 0 0 November 1 0 0 0 0 December — 31 1 0 0 January — 1 0 3 0 February — 0 0 0 31 March — 0 0 0 2 Total 47 44 6 77 33
The inquiry is expected to report by 31 August 2010.
I am advised by the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry that the following legal firms have worked on it:
Legal firm Period of engagement Representation Eversheds LLP May 2005 to date Witness statement takers to the Inquiry Cleaver Fulton Rankin, Solicitors March 2006 to date Legal advice and services Treasury Solicitors March 2005 to date Legal advice and services P J McGrory and Co, Solicitors and Advocates September 2005 to date Paul Nelson (Full Participant) O'Hare Solicitors December 2005 to date Mrs Sheila Magee and family (Full Participant)
In accordance with the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry's published funding protocol, witnesses to the inquiry are also entitled to legal advice at the inquiry's expense and the following of firms have represented witnesses:
Legal firm Period of engagement Anderson Kill and Ohck PC Mar 2007 to July 2007 Bindman and Partners June 2006 to date MSC Daly Solicitors August 2008 to date Conor Downey and Co, Solicitors August 2008 to date P Drinan, Solicitor March 2008 to date Edwards and Co, Solicitors October 2006 to date Greg O'Neill, Solicitors December 2007 G R Ingram and Co, Solicitors August 2006 to date McBurney and Company, Solicitors October 2006 to date McCartan Turkington Breen, Solicitors November 2007 to date MacDermott and McGurk, Solicitors June 2007 to October 2007 McElhone and Co Solicitors April 2007 to date Madden and Finucane, Solicitors January 2008 Millar McCall Wylie, Solicitors May 2008 to date Kevin R Winters and Co, Solicitors June 2006 to date
Some of these firms have represented only anonymous witnesses, some have represented only witnesses seen in public, and some have represented both. For security (to preserve anonymity) and public interest reasons (not all the witnesses of either type have yet been called to give evidence) it is not felt appropriate to release even the names of the 'public' witnesses before the end of the hearings.
The total cost incurred by the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry for legal fees is £12.57 million.
The monthly spend of the inquiry is as follows:
2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 April 348 751 -114 48 — May 2,349 596 346 152 — June 1,127 622 1,325 443 — July 1,271 1,480 470 4 — August 863 686 1,337 314 — September 1,042 412 669 166 — October 1,709 1,085 -180 318 — November 1,334 1,238 673 447 38 December — 53 399 69 30 January — 1,158 1,731 484 46 February — 789 2,357 234 121 March — 1,308 414 743 283 Total 10,043 10,178 9,427 3,424 518
2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 April -2 4 -2 - — May 9 6 1 0 — June 0 12 0 80 — July 0 -5 0 -80 — August 0 10 199 76 — September 5 -1 5 0 — October 13 19 0 21 0 November -13 7 204 1 0 December — 12 440 0 0 January — -19 0 0 0 February — 16 145 1 31 March — 33 -83 2 3 Total 12 94 909 102 34
The inquiry is expected to report by March 2010.
Mental Health
The Northern Ireland Office welcomes the Foresight report and will be considering it with a view to taking up any relevant findings.
Part of that process will involve an assessment of what the report might mean for the Department’s policies on absence management, flexible working and learning and development.
Reoffenders
Of the 450 persons released ‘early’ on their sentences under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998, available information indicates that 13 persons are currently in prison following re-arrest and conviction. Of the 13, one is in prison in England and another is in prison in the Republic of Ireland. In addition a further person is in prison in Northern Ireland for breach of licence without having been convicted of a further offence and another is in prison in Northern Ireland on remand for alleged further offending.
Sexual Offences: Registration
The number of sex offenders in Northern Ireland subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 was as follows:
As at 31 March each year Number 2008 774 2007 670 2006 620 2005 544
The majority of persons who come under the notification requirements are subject to a notification period of five years or more and the annual increase largely reflects the number of new convictions.
A breakdown of figures for sex offenders subject to the notification requirements was not recorded on an annual basis until 2005. I am not, therefore, able to provide the information requested for 2004.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
African Horse Sickness
In the event of an outbreak of African horse sickness, the Animal Health Act 1981 provides for compensation to be paid for equines slaughtered under the Act where they are infected or suspected of being infected with the disease. DEFRA is committed to discussing with the equine industry the issue of compensation, including the appropriate level.
Where the affected equine has been imported and slaughtered under the Animals and Animals Products (Import and Export) (England) Regulations 2006, there is no duty under the regulations to pay compensation.
Agriculture: Animal Welfare
Support aimed at improving the competitiveness of the livestock industry is available under Axis 1 of Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). Some £249 million will be spent in total on Axis 1 over the period 2007-13, and a minimum of £107 million out of that total will be specifically devoted to the sustainable livestock industry. In 2008-09 the minimum allocated to the livestock sector is £23 million.
Livestock producers also will benefit from both a proportion of the £1.5 billion that is paid annually to English farmers under the Single Payment Scheme and the £3.2 billion that has been allocated for agri-environmental schemes which operate under Axis 2 of the RDPE over the period 2007-13.
Agriculture: Subsidies
(2) what plans his Department has to allocate funding under Article 68 measures under the Common Agricultural Policy.
The difference between payments to date under the 2007 Single Payment Scheme and the theoretical maximum is in the region of £50 million, largely as a result of farmers not claiming against all of their entitlements. No decisions have been made to date on the use of ‘Article 68’ measures.
I refer to the written statement made to Parliament on 25 November by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State (Hilary Benn) about the outcome of the CAP health check negotiations. We believe that the health check will take the level of decoupled farm payments from 89 per cent. to 96 per cent. by 2013, although we estimate that the use of “national envelopes” could reduce that amount by up to 2.7 per cent., depending on how member states choose to implement them. The Government will continue to press in the EU for full decoupling of all farm payments.
(2) what percentage of farmers in England have received their single farm payments for 2008.
[holding answer 16 December 2008]: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement that I made on 17 December 2008, Official Report, column 120WS.
[holding answer 16 December 2008]: The percentage of the 2007-08 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget allocated to the 10 recipients in England who received the most in payments under the policy was 1.1 per cent.
[holding answer 18 December 2008]: Of the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) claims examined by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to date 6,557 overpayments invoices have been issued against SPS claimants broken down as follows for each of the last three years.
SPS scheme year Invoices issued 2005 3,893 2006 2,248 2007 416
RPA has received repayments from 1,610 customers either in full, as part of a repayment agreement or as a partial interception of a claim.
[holding answer 18 December 2008]: Of the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) claims examined to date the average, median, highest and lowest demand to repay overpayments made against SPS claimants in each of the last three scheme years are:
2005 2006 2007 Average 4,292.46 4,339.64 2,804.88 Median 802.74 1,040.43 922.21 Highest 738,198.25 649,138.33 117,493.20 Lowest 68.21 67.95 252.29
[holding answer 18 December 2008]: To date we have received the following amounts as a result of overpayment claims, for each of the last three years:
SPS scheme year Value (£) 2005 9,372,627.72 2006 4,046,321.80 2007 158,718.75 Total 13,577,668.27
[holding answer 18 December 2008]: The Rural Payments Agency is obliged to recover overpayments. The reasons for these Single Payment Scheme (SPS) overpayments include entitlement correction work—some of which claimants asked us to carry out, partial payments—which were made in the 2005 and 2006 SPS scheme years and where the final claim value once validation is completed is now less than the amount paid and penalties.
Penalties can be applied to SPS applications for several reasons; submission of an application after the deadline, inaccuracies in an application, if a farmer does not meet cross compliance standards, or if they apply, set aside management rules. The size of the penalty will depend on the problem found. For example the size of a land penalty will depend on the amount of invalid land claimed. The size of a late submission penalty will depend on the number of days after the deadline on which an application was received.
Detailed analysis of Single Payment Scheme (SPS) payments by constituency is not available.
From April 2009, in accordance with EC Commission Regulation 259/2008, SPS payment details will be available on the UK CAP payments website for payments made between 16 October 2007 and 15 October 2008, which is the EU financial year. Subsequent scheme payments will be published on this website each April, together with all other common agricultural policy payments made.
Animal Welfare: Codes of Practice
DEFRA is currently consulting on three draft codes of practice to be made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006—cats, dogs and equines. We are also proposing to draft codes on the private keeping of primates and on the rearing of gamebirds for sporting purposes.
DEFRA has had the assistance and co-operation of the following stakeholders in the preparation of these codes:
Cat: British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Companion Animal Welfare Council, Feline Advisory Bureau, Pet Care Trust, Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals, Pet Food Manufacturers Association, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and an independent veterinary adviser. Representatives from the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly Government acted as observers.
Dog: Companion Animal Welfare Council, Blue Cross, Dogs Trust, Kennel Club, Pet Care Trust, Pet Food Manufacturers Association, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and an independent veterinary adviser. Representatives from the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales acted as observers.
Equine: DEFRA is consulting on a similar code of practice prepared by the Welsh Assembly Government. This code was prepared by Welsh Assembly Government in consultation with a number of horse interest bodies.
Primates: Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and a combination of animal keepers, dealers, with an interest in primates. Representatives from the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly Government will act as observers.
Gamebirds: Animal Health, British Association for Sport Shooting, Countryside Alliance, Country Landowners Association, Game Conservancy Trust, Game Farmers Association, League Against Cruel Sports, National Gamekeepers Association, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and two independent advisers. Representatives from the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly Government will act as observers.
Bluetongue Disease
DEFRA has funded research on bluetongue which includes:
Studies on midge vectors, including surveys of abundance and seasonality, and biting rates.
Studies on use of insecticides to control vectors during transport, and the usefulness of housing in protecting livestock.
This research was used to define vector-free periods, and to provide advice about the conditions of movement licences regarding timing of movements and vector control.
This work was also used to contribute to the development of a model of bluetongue disease spread within and between farms. Collaborative work between the Meteorological Office and the Institute for Animal Health has resulted in tools to predict vector-borne disease incursions into the UK. This is currently being developed further.
The default control measures set out in legislation to combat bluetongue are aimed at preventing disease spread (through for example restriction of animal movement and through vector mitigation measures). Broadly, the controls can be summarised as follows:
Veterinary investigation on suspect premises, and restrictions which includes a ban on movement of susceptible animals on and off the premises.
On confirmation that bluetongue virus is circulating, restrictions remain in place and are extended to a zone of 20 km radius around the infected premises (IP).
Wider zone(s) must also be declared setting a protection zone and a surveillance zone (of at least 150 km radius around an IP).
Movement of susceptible animals out of these zones are banned except under licence (although animals can move freely within those zones) and we must implement surveillance programmes.
There is some flexibility in demarcating the zones (with Commission agreement), but various factors such as local geography must be taken into account.
We have an agreed policy for controlling incursions of any new serotypes under the existing UK Bluetongue Control Strategy. This strategy was reviewed recently in light of this year’s experience and to address risk from other serotypes, and was published on the DEFRA website on 1 December.
Details of the Control Strategy are currently available on the DEFRA website. Copies will also be placed in the House Library.
DEFRA continues to urge industry to consider the risks and check the health and vaccination status of animals when sourcing any animals, from within the UK or abroad.
Compensation is payable for all animals which are compulsorily slaughtered for the purposes of disease control under the powers provided for in the Animal Health Act 1981 and the Bluetongue Regulations 2008. Compensation is paid under the Bluetongue (Compensation) Order 2007, at the market value of animals immediately before they are slaughtered.
However, compensation is not payable when imported animals are slaughtered under the powers provided for in the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) (England) Regulations 2006.
Imported animals have been culled under these powers on a number of occasions where the veterinary risk assessment warranted this, most recently with BTV1 infected animals in Lancashire. Compensation is not payable under these circumstances.
Bluetongue Disease: Vaccination
No vaccines against Bluetongue serotypes 1 or 6 are currently authorised for use in the UK.
DEFRA is in discussion with existing manufacturers of BTV1 vaccine, and companies with BTV1 vaccine in development, to encourage applications to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for provisional marketing authorisations (PMAs). If vaccine should be required, the early granting of PMAs will help supply to the market to be achieved more quickly. DEFRA has not placed orders for vaccine against serotypes 1 or 6. To our knowledge, there are no BTV-6 vaccines yet in development.
We have an agreed policy for controlling incursions of any new serotypes under the existing UK Bluetongue Control Strategy. This strategy was reviewed recently in light of this year's experience and to address risk from other serotypes, and was published on the DEFRA website on 1 December.
DEFRA also continues to urge industry to consider the risks and check the health and vaccination status of animals when sourcing any animals, from within the UK or abroad.
Bluetongue is caused by a virus within the Orbivirus genus of the family Reorvirades. At present 24 distinct serotypes have been identified as a result of serum neutralisation tests.
Bluetongue was first described in South Africa but has since been recognised in most countries in the tropics and sub-tropics. Since 1999 there have been widespread outbreaks of Bluetongue in Greece, Italy, Corsica (France) and the Balearic Islands (Spain). Cases also occurred in Europe in Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo and Yugoslavia. These cases have been well north and west of the disease's previous normal distribution. It appears that the virus has spread from both Turkey and North Africa.
Bluetongue serotype 8 (BTV-8) was first found in Western Europe when it was detected in the Netherlands in summer 2006, after which it spread to Belgium, Luxembourg, Western Germany and parts of North East France in the same year. In 2007, Northern Europe experienced a dramatic increase of new cases in all existing infected areas, and cases numbered into the many tens of thousands as disease steadily spread across Europe.
Uptake of vaccine has varied by region in England and Wales and over time. Sales data from the supply chain suggests that enough vaccine has been sold across the whole of England in 2008 to vaccinate around 60 per cent. of susceptible animals. However, we cannot give accurate county specific data.
Bovine Tuberculosis
The information is shown in the following table.
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Avon 523 567 591 325 436 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 2 0 Berkshire 4 3 2 1 7 Buckinghamshire 43 1 11 21 100 Cambridgeshire 2 0 0 2 0 Cheshire 874 425 248 149 247 Cleveland 2 1 0 4 1 Cornwall 2,494 2,415 3,490 1,697 2,394 Cumbria 275 510 168 114 29 Derbyshire 356 321 608 463 427 Devon 2,767 4,758 6,660 4,471 5,388 Dorset 408 413 450 336 657 Durham 5 3 3 0 11 East Sussex 31 48 58 125 43 Essex 1 0 0 1 0 Gloucestershire 1,926 1,287 2,426 1,506 1,666 Greater London—East 0 0 0 0 0 Greater London—South East 0 2 0 0 0 Greater Manchester 2 13 3 3 14 Hampshire 13 17 21 30 94 Hereford and Worcestershire 2,680 2,686 3,698 2,823 2,674 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 Humberside 1 9 5 27 32 Isle of Wight 1 6 0 0 0 Isles of Scilly 0 0 0 0 0 Kent 4 1 3 10 90 Lancashire 9 4 45 19 44 Leicestershire 82 104 44 90 179 Lincolnshire 4 11 66 23 34 Merseyside 0 0 20 3 0 Norfolk 1 2 0 1 53 North Yorkshire (48) 22 168 69 8 90 North Yorkshire (50) 1 1 2 3 4 Northamptonshire 19 18 26 45 88 Northumberland 27 11 31 28 12 Nottinghamshire 1 17 1 5 4 Oxfordshire 11 15 16 20 149 Shropshire 473 757 856 877 1,128 Somerset 1,051 932 965 915 1,314 South Yorkshire 1 1 0 1 1 Staffordshire 1,205 626 1,297 1,051 1,201 Suffolk 0 2 0 13 14 Surrey 2 10 1 0 5 Tyne & Wear 0 0 0 0 0 Warwickshire 34 47 129 89 154 West Midlands 1 0 1 2 34 West Sussex 15 10 3 11 12 West Yorkshire 0 4 5 3 129 Wiltshire 1,180 1,080 1,113 660 835 Total 17,551 17,306 23,135 16,007 19,794
Data are available from 2003 to 2007. There is no full county breakdown available for this year.
The TB Eradication Group for England has met twice since the Secretary of State announced the establishment of the group on 3 November. The Group has discussed its work programme and priorities; the scientific evidence provided to the Secretary of State which formed part of the basis for his decision on badger culling; and the possible content of an eradication plan (including a discussion with the European Commission). The Group has also considered proposals for a revised policy on inconclusive reactors.
The TB Eradication Group's remit includes reviewing the current TB strategy and control measures and developing a plan for reducing the incidence of bovine TB in cattle in England. It will make recommendations to the Secretary of State on the disease and its eradication.
Cereals
Grain stocks can be held at various points of the supply chain including farm stores, at ports, various processing facilities and at merchant and distribution stores.
Data on stocks held by the main processors, flour millers and maltsters, brewers and distillers are collected and published each month and can be accessed via the following link:
https://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/statnot/statnot.htm.
Compost
[holding answer 18 December 2008]: The Environment Agency published a policy statement on composting and the potential health effects from bioaerosols produced as a result of the composting process in 2001. This set out its requirement for site specific bioaerosol risk assessments (for proposed composting facilities within 250 metres of dwellings or workplaces). The figure represents a precautionary measure and the point at which a site specific bio-aerosol risk assessment is required. The policy applies to all composting activities irrespective of waste type. Kitchen food waste cannot be composted in open windrows.
Since then, further work in this area has been undertaken by various parties. This has reiterated that there is insufficient information to determine the risk to human health from bioaerosols from composting. It has recommended that the trigger distance remain in place. This is a precautionary approach, based on research which has shown that bioaerosols should reduce to background levels within 250m. In 2007 the Environment Agency issued a revised policy statement which re-affirmed the need for site specific bioaerosol risk assessments to be carried out.
[holding answer 18 December 2008]: The Environment Agency continues to work closely with the Health and Safety Executive on bioaerosols from composting sites. For example, the Environment Agency has recently published a science report based on work carried out by the Health and Safety Laboratory, "Bioaerosols in waste composting: deriving source terms and characterising profiles" (HSL labs). Published December 2008 as Science report SC040021/SR2.
[holding answer 18 December 2008]: Following a further review of available research the Environment Agency maintained its precautionary approach in its policy statement published in October 2007.
This requires bioaerosol risk assessments to take place if a proposed composting site is within 250 metres of dwellings or workplaces. Wind turbulence modelling has limited value for modelling dispersion of bioaerosols and was not used to formulate the position.
However in addition to conducting its own further research with the Health and Safety Laboratory, the Environment Agency recognises the value that might be added by work carried out by others and has arranged for this work to be peer reviewed.
[holding answer 18 December 2008]: This information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991: Prosecutions
The number of people proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, in England and Wales, during 2007 was 1,193.
Departmental Public Consultation
DEFRA consults on a wide range of issues which are varied in nature. The Department does not record centrally the estimated costs for each consultation it launches, therefore to attach a value would involve disproportionate cost.
Dolphins: Denmark
Under international law, it is primarily for individual countries to regulate the management and killing of small cetaceans (dolphins and porpoises) in their own waters. The British Government do, however, feel very strongly about the welfare issues raised through the hunting of small cetaceans. Furthermore, it recognises that the protection and conservation of such species is very limited, and that they continue to be hunted in many parts of the world, often at unsustainable levels.
On 10 March 2008, my predecessor my hon. Friend for Chatham and Aylesford (Jonathan Shaw), was the keynote speaker at a seminar on commercial whaling held at the Danish Parliament buildings. The aim of the event—which was co-hosted by the British embassy and the Society for the Conservation of Marine Mammals—was to raise awareness among the Danish public of the cruel and unsustainable nature of the killing of cetaceans.
DEFRA works within the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to sponsor resolutions that raise the profile of this issue, and to encourage the IWC to adopt a strong position in favour of the protection of small cetaceans.
Please be assured that we will continue to raise these issues with Denmark directly, and in the IWC, at every appropriate opportunity.
Domestic: Waste Disposal
In response to a previous question from the hon. Gentleman, the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Joan Ruddock) arranged for a list of local authorities awarded funding to be placed in the House Library on 14 January 2008, as the list was quite lengthy. The position is unchanged as the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has not made any further payments since January 2008 from the Behaviour Change Local Fund.
In respect of the timing of such payments, the requested data concerns the detailed operational activities of WRAP and is not therefore held by DEFRA. I understand that the chief executive of WRAP has offered to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss any issues of concern to him and I would encourage him to take up that offer.
No monies from the Behaviour Change Local Fund have been used for this purpose.
The titles and publication dates of the items of guidance requested are as follows:
“Fixed Penalty Notices—Guidance on the Fixed Penalty Notice Provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 and other legislation” published in November 2006:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/legislation/cnea/fixedpenaltynotices.pdf
“Local environmental enforcement—Guidance on the use of fixed penalty notices” published in March 2007:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/legislation/cnea/fixed-penalty-guidance.pdf
Environment Protection
Information on sites which qualify as “contaminated land” under part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is held locally rather than nationally. This would include sites contaminated by activities during the second world war.
Responsibility for identifying and dealing with contaminated land under part 2A lies with local authorities. All local authorities are required to have strategies in place detailing how they plan to investigate their areas to identify and deal with contaminated sites.
Farmers: Transport
This summer saw unusually wet conditions and as a result DEFRA received requests from farmers for derogations to the cross compliance Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) standard prohibiting use of agricultural machinery on water logged soil. A derogation was granted which covered the period 10 September to 25 October 2008.
As part of a wider review of GAEC standards which is being conducted in response to the CAP Health Check, and to improve the standards where possible, we are considering how we can give greater responsibility and flexibility to farmers to manage the risks to their soil, including from the use of machinery on water logged land. We expect to consult on any proposed changes in 2009.
Farms: Local Authorities
The Government have long made clear their support for the continuation of the county farm system. I therefore welcome the recent paper by Sir Don Curry on “The Importance of the County Farms Service to the Rural Economy” and fully support Sir Don's views and his recommendations for preserving the future of local authority estates. Local authorities should be free to manage their smallholdings estates as they see fit because they are in the best position to make decisions in their areas in the interests of the communities they serve. Nevertheless, we recognise the important role of county farms and would urge local authorities to act on Sir Don's recommendations.
The following table shows the distribution and size of smallholding estates held by local authorities in England as at 31 March 2007 which is the latest readily available information.
Local authorities should be free to manage their smallholdings estates as they see fit because they are in the best position to make decisions in the interests of the communities they serve. We therefore do not make assessments of each local authority's plans for its smallholdings.
Land let as smallholdings Land held but not let as smallholdings Total small- holdings land County/Unitary Authority Hectares Hectares Hectares Bedfordshire 2,641 371 3,012 Berkshire West 117 — 117 Bournemouth 100 3 103 Brighton and Hove 4,263 26 4,289 Buckinghamshire 1,467 109 1,576 Cambridgeshire 12,275 1,632 13,907 Cheshire 3,920 212 4,132 City of York 103 31 134 Cornwall 4,461 109 4,570 Cumbria 261 98 359 Devon 4,146 — 4,146 Dorset 2,792 54 2,846 Durham 897 204 1,101 East Riding of Yorkshire 2,826 7 2,833 East Sussex 43 21 64 Essex 102 9 111 Gloucestershire 3,491 9 3,500 Hampshire 1,806 132 1,938 Hartlepool 88 — 88 Herefordshire 2,029 96 2,125 Hertfordshire 1,944 93 2,037 Lancashire 27 77 104 Leicestershire 2,909 67 2,976 Lincolnshire 8,156 21 8,177 Medway 82 — 82 Milton Keynes 447 — 447 Norfolk 6,710 233 6,943 Northamptonshire 335 1 336 North Lincolnshire 424 — 424 North Somerset 333 — 333 Northumberland 337 7 344 North Yorkshire 2,228 111 2,339 Nottinghamshire 270 534 804 Oxfordshire 381 19 400 Peterborough 1,242 1 1,243 Shropshire 714 25 739 Slough 3 — 3 Somerset 2,863 383 3,246 South Gloucestershire 491 3 494 Staffordshire 3,474 48 3,522 Suffolk 5,157 286 5,443 Surrey 854 157 1,011 Swindon 828 — 828 Thurrock 202 — 202 Torbay 25 1— 25 Warrington 28 35 63 Warwickshire 2,001 21 2,022 West Sussex 304 59 363 Wiltshire 2,404 27 2,431 Worcestershire 1,602 54 1,656 Total 94,603 5,385 99,988 1 The above information is taken from a table included in the 57 draft annual report to Parliament on statutory smallholdings.
Farms: Waste Disposal
A farmer has a range of options for removing waste dumped illegally on his farmland. If the waste is posing an immediate threat to human health or the environment, he should contact the Environment Agency for advice. If the waste is of a non-hazardous nature, he must either remove the waste himself to a registered disposal site or contract a registered waste carrier to remove it for him. In both instances he should contact his local authority who may be able to offer support and advice. The exact cost of removal would depend on the nature and volume of waste deposited.
I have recently corresponded or discussed this issue with a number of farming and other landowner organisations.
Flood Control
(2) what the evidential basis was for the statement in the pre-budget report that 27,000 homes will be protected from flooding with the help of the £20 million funding announced; and where those homes are located.
Following the Government's announcement that £20 million will be brought forward for flood defence schemes from 2010-11 to 2009-10, an estimated 27,405 households will benefit from new or improved flood risk protection a year earlier than planned.
Funding will be allocated by the Environment Agency. The exact location of households benefiting will be dependent upon schemes passing the necessary feasibility studies and planning applications, as well as final approval for projects, which will be determined in February 2009. The Environment Agency has issued a list of schemes expected to be brought forward as a result. Copies of the list have been placed in the Library of the House.
Food Supply
Agricultural production is affected by a large number of factors and no specific assessment has been made of the impact of the changes in nitrogen prices and levels of supply.
In October DEFRA published its first forecast of total income from farming for the UK for 2008. This took into account the impact on input costs of changes in nitrogen prices and usage. A revised forecast will be published at the end of January together with forecasts of farm incomes in England by farm type for 2008-09. These will also take into account the change in nitrogen prices between 2007-08 and 2008-09.
A fuller economic analysis of the agriculture industry and of commodity production and supply, reflecting the full range of factors impacting on the sector, will be published in “Agriculture in the United Kingdom” in March 2009.
Food: Contamination
DEFRA has not commissioned/funded any work specifically into the effect of animal disease on food security. However, we continue to fund research, to the value of £1.6 million annually, on a number of major endemic diseases of livestock, including cattle, sheep, pig and poultry, which seriously affect or are a serious potential threat to livestock production and thus food security. In addition, there is a programme of research, costing in the region of £8 million annually, on exotic diseases aimed at protecting UK livestock from exotic disease incursions.
One of the ways in which we are able to minimise the effects of animal disease on UK food security is by having a supply of livestock products from a wide range of countries, including the UK, which effectively spreads the risk. Disease outbreaks in the UK or elsewhere in the world affecting our trading partners should prompt a swift response in trade flows as the market seeks to offset the impacts of any supply disruption.
Food: Labelling
The “Red Tractor” scheme is operated by Assured Food Standards, a company that is owned by representatives of the entire food chain from farmers to retailers. As a privately owned scheme it is the responsibility of Assured Food Standards to satisfy itself that it complies with food law, which makes it an offence to mislead the consumer as to the origin of food.
Game: Birds
DEFRA is in the process of setting up a working group to draft a code of practice on the rearing of game birds for sport shooting.
The Farm Animal Welfare Council recently published its opinion on the welfare of farmed game birds containing their recommendations on certain management practices. The opinion will guide the working group in the drafting of a code of practice.
Game: Gun Sports
The Government's policies towards the game bird industry are consistent with the 2005 rural manifesto which stated that
“We will work with the relevant bodies to ensure that country sports are protected while ensuring high standards of environment protection, animal welfare and safety”.
We have no plans to restrict the sport of shooting.
Horse Racing
We have no plans to gather such statistics.
We have no plans to make such an assessment.
We have made no such assessment. However, any veterinary surgeon registered by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is obliged to follow a guide to professional conduct. This includes the requirement that they (i) keep their skills and knowledge up to date (ii) keep within their own areas of competence save for the requirement to provide emergency first aid and (iii) continue their professional education by keeping up to date with the general developments in veterinary science, particularly in their area of professional activity.
Horses: Electronic Tagging
DEFRA is currently consulting on the implementation of Commission Regulation (EC) 504/2008 of 6 June 2008. The consultation document includes a draft Impact Assessment (IA) which estimates the costs and benefits of the new legislation.
The consultation document and draft IA can be found on the DEFRA website.
Incinerators
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with the Local Government Association on incineration. Private finance initiative waste infrastructure projects are initiated by the local authorities and are therefore always tailored to local circumstances.
On 26 November, I met Paul Bettison, Chairman of the LGA environment board to discuss a number of issues concerned with waste and flood management.
Joint Waste Authorities
There is no target or average for the number of local authorities expected to comprise each joint waste authority. The joint waste authority model is a voluntary option for local authorities who will need to decide whether or not such a model is appropriate for them.
Litter: Fixed Penalties
We have no plans to increase the penalties for littering and fly-tipping on industrial and retail parks.
Livestock: Electronic Tagging
(2) what assessment he has made of the likely effects of electronic identification of sheep on (a) hill farmers’ incomes and (b) management of upland ecosystems; and if he will make a statement.
A regulatory impact assessment has been produced for England, a copy of which is available on the DEFRA website. An updated version to take account of changes to Council Regulation 21/2004 that were negotiated over the summer and more detailed implementation options will accompany the consultation that is planned for the spring.
Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee Conference
DEFRA does not hold a copy of the presentation made by the Environment Agency at the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee Conference.
Members: Correspondence
The matter is still under review and I will respond in full as soon as a final decision is taken.
Packaging
There are no plans to bring producers of chewing gum and cigarettes within the remit of regulations on producer responsibility.
Pet Travel Scheme
Animal Health have issued 60,000 blank certificates to veterinary practices in each of the last three years. We do not keep records of how many passports are issued by veterinary practices.
Poultry: Exports
The UK was able to resume trade in live poultry and poultry products with its European Union partners on 8 July last year. Subsequently, the UK achieved official international recognition of avian influenza freedom by the World Organisation for Animal Health on 20 November. We are currently working with our industry stakeholders to identify the key third country markets which need to be reopened and the best way to take negotiations forward in each case.
Recycling
DEFRA has maintained close contact with a wide range of stakeholders to discuss the situation with regards to the markets for recyclable materials.
Based on these discussions, our priorities are:
to further promote waste minimisation;
to maintain public confidence that recycling is worthwhile to ensure continuity of collection systems for recyclables;
to focus on producing high quality marketable recyclables;
to ensure any storage of recyclables do not undermine the environment or public health or the recyclability of those materials;
where the traditional markets for recyclables have contracted, to encourage the most sustainable recovery and disposal options—i.e. landfill as a last resort; and
to avoid actions which exacerbate the situation while markets stabilise.
Officials continue to work with the Environment Agency, the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee and the Local Government Association in order to monitor market developments.
On 17 December I met representatives of the packaging industry.
Recycling: Exports
The following table details the proportion of recovered ferrous metal, paper and board, and glass cullet that was exported from the UK in 2007. Figures for non-ferrous metal, plastic and wood are not currently available.
Percentage Ferrous metal 50 Paper and board 54 Glass cullet 18
Recycling: Tyres
The Government have fully implemented the EU landfill directive which bans the disposal of whole and shredded used tyres in landfills and is therefore an important driver for tyre recycling.
The Government working closely with industry have ensured that there is sufficient recycling and recovery capacity to handle the 48 million tyres produced annually. Recycling and recovery includes the use of baled tyres in certain construction projects and the use of tyre crumb in the manufacture of sports and safety surfaces. Used tyres are also utilised as a substitute fuel in cement kilns and pyrolysis plants.
The DEFRA-funded Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) ran a successful tyre programme from 2005 to 2008. This led to the development of two publicly available standards for tyre shred and crumb and for tyre bales and the development of markets for their use.
In addition the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) leads a Used Tyre Working Group which focuses on the re-use, recycling and recovery of used tyres. The group has a wide-ranging membership drawn from the tyre industry, the Government and WRAP.
Rural Payments Agency: ICT
The Epsilon IT changes were delivered at a cost of £8.56 million. This reflects costs over a 12-month lifecycle from design through to implementation.
The core components in scope included:
mandatory policy changes to allow accurate Single Payment Scheme 2008 payments;
automated management of customer land transfer details;
simplified management of customer entitlements;
providing a unique point of access for customer documents.
The cost includes design, build and delivery of a functional system but excludes wider business change costs.
Slaughterhouses
The European Commission published proposals for a regulation on the protection of animals at the time of killing on 22 September 2008. This includes proposals to require the appointment of an Animal Welfare Officer in every abattoir over a minimum size. An EU impact assessment was published alongside the proposal and this is available on the European Commission website.
A UK impact assessment is currently being prepared. This will consider the costs and benefits of the proposed regulation including the cost to farmers and abattoirs. The impact assessment will be included with the consultation document on the proposed regulation which will be published in early 2009. This will provide an opportunity for those affected by the proposed regulation to give their views and to comment on the assumptions used to assess its impact.
Sustainable Development Commission: Public Appointments
In July 2009, Sir Jonathon Porritt will complete his third term as chair of the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC). Under the Code of Practice published by the Commissioner for Public Appointments this is the maximum number of terms allowed for one individual in a body such as the SDC.
As the sponsoring department for the SDC, DEFRA has begun the process of appointment of a new chair. This process is being managed in line with the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments guidelines in order to have a new chair appointed before the end of July 2009.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Hilary Benn) and I are grateful for the service that Sir Jonathan Porritt has given to the Commission since his appointment in 2000.
Tidal Power: River Severn
I have been asked to reply.
The Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study is considering a number of proposed electricity generation schemes, not barrages exclusively.
Full consideration is being given to potential impacts of a tidal power scheme on migratory and estuarine fish. A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is being undertaken, together with a strategic level habitats regulations assessment (HRA), the preliminary stage of which has already commenced. The HRA is being conducted under the terms of the habitats regulations, the instrument by which the habitats directive is translated into UK law. These assessments include all designated migratory fish species of the Severn estuary and relevant tributaries including the rivers Usk and Wye.
Subject to internal review, preliminary studies on fish impacts and the preliminary HRA screening will be published in the new year, alongside public consultation on the scope of the strategic environmental assessment. Further studies are planned during 2009 and will be published later.
Veterinary Medicine
DEFRA has no plans to ensure the competence of veterinary surgeons attending racecourses. Both the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Horseracing Authority have rules in place which address this concern.
DEFRA has no plans to introduce such a requirement. However, the British Horseracing Authority require that when racehorses need to be humanely destroyed, that the horse is either shot with a silenced weapon or that chemical means are used. The choice of which method should be used is a matter of professional judgment for the veterinary surgeon.
Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966
There are currently no plans to update or replace the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA).
Waste Disposal
With the aim of helping local authorities, DEFRA is taking the following steps:
(i) supporting the Environment Agency in relaxing the rules on storage of recyclable wastes;
(ii) encouraging the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), and other bodies to help identify alternative market outlets for recyclable wastes, both domestic and international.
Waste Disposal: Greater London
Section 45 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 places the duty to collect commercial and household waste in England on waste collection authorities. These authorities are better placed than central Government to make decisions on the best sustainable waste management strategy for their area and consequently DEFRA does not interfere in these decisions.
It would be a matter for the local authority planning to use a particular vehicle or collection methodology to assess all aspects of its suitability.
Waste Disposal: Hazardous Substances
DEFRA officials have received regular correspondence from representatives of the oil recycling sector about the issues relating to the recovery of waste oil and have also held meetings with the oil recycling sector to discuss these issues.
Waste Management
[holding answer 18 December 2008]: While general guidance has been provided by both bodies, it is not within the remit either of the Health and Safety Executive or the Environment Agency to provide guidance to individual local authorities on what is the suitable type of waste management treatment facility for their area.
Specific guidance for local authorities through Planning Policy Statement 10 (PPS10) is also to be taken into account by waste planning authorities and forms part of the national waste management plan for the UK.
Solicitor-General
Gambling: Young People
I have been asked to reply.
The number of persons proceeded against in magistrates courts for certain offences for gambling in England and Wales, 2003 to 2007 can be viewed in the following table.
The relevant sections of the Gambling Act 2005 Sections 46, 47, 56 and 57 came into force on 1 September 2007.
Data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, is unable to separately identify Sections 46 and 47 as they are grouped together.
These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
Court proceedings data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
Proceeded against 2003 2 2004 0 2005 0 2006 0 2007 3 1 These data are on the principal offence basis. 2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 3 Includes the following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions: Gambling Act 2005 SS.46, 47, 48 & 62(1)(a)-(c ) & (2) Inviting children and young persons to gamble; participation by young persons in gambling. (People under 18 are not allowed to gamble) Gambling Act 2005 SS.47 & 49 & 62(1)(b)&(2) Invitation to enter premises; young persons entering premises. (Child and young person may not enter gambling premises) Gambling Act 2005 S.56 & 62(1)(a)-( c) & 2, 62(1)(b)&(2) Invitation to participate in lottery: inviting, causing or permitting a child to take part in a lottery Gambling Act 2005 S.57 & 62(1)(a)-( c) & 2, 62(1)(b)&(2) Invitation to participate in football pools: inviting, causing or permitting a child to take part in football pools Betting Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963, sec 21(a). Betting with young person. Betting Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963, sec 21 (b) and (c). Employing young persons. Betting Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963, sec 21 (b) and (c). Employing young persons. Gaming Act, 1968 Sec 23 -6. False statement for purpose of obtaining a certificate of approval under Section 19 of this Act or reinstatement of same after revocation by the board. Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976 Sec 13. and Schedules 1 and 2, Secs 14, 2, 3, 4. Contravening lotteries Regs 1977. Local and Societies' lotteries contravene requirements of Secs 5 - 12. Prize competitions. General lottery offences. Small lotteries incidental to exempt entertainments. Private lotteries. 4 The relevant sections of the Gambling Act 2005 Sections 46, 47, 56 and 57 came into force on 1 September 2007. Source: OCJR - E & A: Office for Criminal Justice Reform - Evidence & Analysis Unit
Communities and Local Government
British Library: Exhibitions
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has visited the exhibition and said:
“The Sacred exhibition is a wonderful, tangible example of how to promote mutual understanding of Christianity, Judaism and Islam.”
However, Communities and Local Government does not have responsibility for the British Library’s ‘Sacred’ exhibition. Information about the touring exhibition is available on the British Library’s website, which states that the exhibition will visit Manchester, Leicester, Bradford, Leeds and Liverpool.