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Retail Beef Prices
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the change in retail beef prices over the period since 20 March. [2577]
Mrs. Browning: The index for the retail price of beef, as measured through the retail prices index, is given.
| Index (January 1987=100) | |
|---|---|
| February | 137.7 |
| March | 138.2 |
| April | 134.8 |
| May | 133.4 |
| June | 134.5 |
| July | 132.1 |
| August | 136.9 |
| September | 134.5 |
Source:
First Release: Retail prices index, (monthly series), Office for National Statistics.
Beef Sales
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average monthly volume of British beef sold in the 12 months to 20 March; and what has been the monthly average for the period since then. [2581]
Mr. Boswell: The average monthly volume of UK home fed production of beef and veal between April 1995 and March 1996 was 80,400 tonnes. The average monthly volume of UK home-fed production of beef and veal from April 1996 to September 1996 was 49,500 tonnes.
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Home-fed production is expressed in carcase weight equivalent, and is defined as the slaughterings of British cattle within the UK for human consumption plus live exports of British cattle. It therefore includes beef sold for export and beef sold into intervention.
From 20 March 1996 home-fed production figures have excluded animals entering the over-30-month scheme and the calf processing aid scheme as the meat is not destined for human consumption.
Ms Church:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many information technology projects have been undertaken since 1992, and are planned for the coming year, arranged in cost bands of £1,000,000. [1917]
Mr. Boswell:
In response to the above question, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have undertaken 722 information technology projects since 1992 to 1996 inclusive, and 145 are planned for 1997, subject to available funds.
On a financial year basis, all IT projects have fallen within the cost band £0 to £1,000,000 with the exception of certain major projects which are necessarily developed and implemented in "phases" across a number of years, such as those relating to common agricultural policy reform. If aggregated to the end of 1997, these projects would fall within two bands:
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what rights exist for EU countries to fish in waters controlled by non-EU countries; which countries enjoy such rights; and what sums have been paid to Governments by the EU in order to facilitate these concessions. [2487]
Mr. Baldry:
Details of the fisheries agreements between the European Community and non-EU countries, other than those on the west coast of Africa, are shown in the following table. For details of agreements with west African countries, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 28 October 1996, Official Report, column 52.
7 Nov 1996 : Column: 673
£1,000,000-£10,000,000: BSE systems, Establishment of Meat Hygiene Service;
Greater than £10,000,000: CAP Reform, Resource Management Strategy, Farm Survey System and MAFF's corporate office system.
| Country | Fishing opportunities | Main EU beneficiaries | Annual Cost of agreement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Quotas: Hubbsi hake--120,000 tonnes, Patagonian grenadier--50,000 tonnes, Illex squid--30,000 tonnes, Patagonian rockcod/rough head grenadier--50,000 tonnes | Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece, Germany, Netherlands and United Kingdom | 41,500,000 ECU |
| Estonia | Quotas: Cod--530 tonnes, Herring--10,500 tonnes, Salmon--4,500 fish, Sprat--22,500 tonnes | Denmark, Germany, Finland and Sweden | 810,000 ECU |
| Farore Islands | Quotas: Cod, haddock--500 tonnes, Saithe--2,500 tonnes, Redfish--7,000 tonnes, Blue ling, ling--3,600 tonnes, Blue whiting--25,000 tonnes, Flatfish--1,000 tonnes, Mackerel--4,910 tonnes, Others--760 tonnes | Germany, France, United Kingdom, Denmark and Netherlands | Reciprocal exchange of quotas |
| Greenland | Quotas: Cod--31,000 tonnes, Redfish--52,320 tonnes, G. Halibut--7,050 tonnes, Prawns--4,525 tonnes, Halibut--400 tonnes, Catfish--2,000 tonnes, B. Whiting--30,000 tonnes, Capelin--63,150 tonnes, Grenadier--9,000 tonnes, P.cod--2,000 tonnes | Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark and France | 38,7000,000 ECU |
| Iceland | Quotas: Refish--3,000 tonnes | Germany, and United Kingdom | Reciprocal exchange of quotas |
| Latvia | Quotas: Cod--1,420 tonnes, Herring--3,500 tonnes, Salmon--6,500 fish, Sprat--19,500 tonnes | Denmark, Germany, Finland and Sweden | 496,100 ECU |
| Lithuania | Quotas: Cod--2,125 tonnes, Herring--3,000 tonnes, Salmon--4,500 fish, Sprat--12,500 tonnes, Flatfish--25 tonnes | Denmark, Germany, Finland and Sweden | 839,300 ECU |
| Madagascar | Quota: 9,000 tonnes of tuna.Licences for 42 freezer tuna vessels and 16 surface longliners | Spain and France | 725,000 ECU |
| Mauritius | Quota: 6,000 tonnes of tuna.Licences for 20 ocean-going tuna seiners and 100 GRT(30) per month of vessels fishing by line. | Spain and France | 485,000 ECU |
| Norway | North of 62oN--Quotas: Cod--30,050 tonnes, Haddock--3,500 tonnes, Saithe--7,000 tonnes, Redfish--3,500 tonnes, Greenland halibut--100 tonnes, Blue whiting--1,000 tonnes, Others--450 tonnes, Mackerel--10,100 tonnes. | United Kingdom, Germany, France, Denmark, Spain Portugal and Ireland | Reciprocal exchange of quotas |
| South of 62oN--Quotas: Norway pout--50,000 tonnes, Sandeel--150,000 tonnes, Shrimp--1,230 tonnes, Others--11,000 tonnes, Whitefish--2,560 tonnes, Herring--840 tonnes, Mackerel--240 tonnes, Industrial species--800 tonnes. | Denmark, Sweden and United Kingdom | Reciprocal exchange of quotas | |
| Poland | Quotas: Herring--1,000 tonnes, Salmon--1,350 fish, Sprat--15,000 tonnes, Flatfish--50 tonnes. | Sweden | Reciprocal exchange of quotas |
| Republic of Comoros | Quota: 4,500 tonnes of tunaLicences for 37 ocean-going freezer tuna vessels. | Spain and France | 36,000 ECU |
| Seychelles | Quota: 46,000 tonnes of tuna.Licences for 42 ocean-going freezer tuna seiners and 15 surface longliners. | Spain and France | 3,300,000 ECU |
(30) Gross registered tonnes
7 Nov 1996 : Column: 673
Sandeels
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he has made to the recommendations from Joint Nature Conservation Committee that sandeel fisheries be restricted in the Wee Bankie, Marr bank and Scalp bank of the North sea. [2636]
Mr. Baldry: In responding to a Ministry consultation letter on technical conservation measures, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee suggested, among other things, that sandeel fisheries be restricted in an area off the east coast of Scotland. The Ministry replied, explaining the initiatives taken by the Government over the past few months on industrial fisheries. Subsequent to the JNCC letter, a major international research project has been announced to study the impact of industrial sandeel fisheries on predator species off the east coast of Scotland. The Scottish Office marine laboratory is participating in this study.
7 Nov 1996 : Column: 674
Religious Slaughtering Methods
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many (a) sheep, (b) calves, (c) adult cattle and (d) chickens were slaughtered by a method approved for religious reasons in (i) 1993, (ii) 1994 and (iii) 1995. [2688]
Mrs. Browning: This question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.
Live Animal Transport
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons his instructions to his appointed local veterinary inspectors do not require them to be present at the loading of ovine animals for export. [2689]
7 Nov 1996 : Column: 675
Mrs. Browning: The instructions to veterinary inspectors reflect the requirements of EU legislation. Sheep consigned to another member state must be inspected within the 48-hour period prior to loading. Additionally, inspections must be carried out to check compliance with EU rules, and the spot checks carried out in fulfilment of this include supervised loadings.
Cattle Cull
Mr. Steen: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he plans to pay Richard Haddock of Collaton Barton farm, Kingswear, for the 50 cattle which were culled in early October; and what factors underlie the delay in this payment. [2910]
Mr. Baldry: Payment for cattle slaughtered under the over-30-month scheme typically takes 35 to 42 days. The procedure is as follows:
- Claims for payment are submitted weekly in arrears by collection centres acting on the producer's behalf. The Intervention Board makes payment to collection centres within 14 days of receipt of a fully documented claim. Collection centres are required to pay producers within 14 days of receipt of payment by the Intervention Board.
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