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Coastal Fishing Limits
Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 22 June 1998, Official Report, column 424, on coastal fishing, which of the definitions referred to is applied to UK coastal fisheries limits. [51551]
Mr. Morley: There is no single definition of UK coastal fisheries limits. All of the definitions contained in my answer of 22 June 1998 are relevant.
Fisheries Limits
Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the definition of the word "region" in the context of fisheries limits. [51552]
Mr. Morley: The word "region" is open to varying definitions. The appropriate one in any given case will depend on the precise circumstances in which the word is used.
Woodlands
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what acreage of new woodlands has been planted in England and Wales in each of the last five years. [51557]
23 Jul 1998 : Column: 695
Mr. Morley:
The information requested by my hon. Friend is given in the table. All areas are in hectares.
| Year ended 31 March | Area planted in England | Area planted in Wales |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 6,357 | 636 |
| 1995 | 5,375 | 566 |
| 1996 | 4,708 | 442 |
| 1997 | 4,654 | 411 |
| 1998 | 4,369 | 498 |
Meat Imports
Mr. David Davis: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce a requirement for (a) pork and (b) bacon sold in the United Kingdom to be provided on a basis that meets British welfare regulations to ensure that United Kingdom animal welfare measures are not circumvented by import of meat from stall and tether units in Europe. [50699]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 16 July 1998]: Single market rules do not allow the banning of imports of pork, bacon or other animal products on the ground that they have been produced to lower welfare standards than apply in the United Kingdom.
We have made clear our intention to work to raise EU minimum welfare requirements for pigs. That is why we have urged the Commission to follow up the report published last year by its own Scientific Veterinary Committee and bring forward early proposals to improve the standards laid down in EU law.
I also consider it important for retailers, wherever practical, to reassure their customers by applying high welfare standards to their purchases regardless of origin, as I understand some already do.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on the effect that the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review will have on the future funding of public-good research into the horticulturally related areas of (a) GMOs, (b) reduction in pesticides usage and (c) food quality; [51457]
Dr. John Cunningham:
Precise budget allocations to individual MAFF programmes have not yet been finalised. The Ministry's expenditure plans for the years 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02 will be announced as soon as possible.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received in support of an EU-wide ban on the export of live horses for slaughter. [51379]
23 Jul 1998 : Column: 696
Mr. Morley:
The Government have received representations from welfare organisations, and from a number of individuals, advocating a ban on the export of live horses from the EU for slaughter in third countries.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the current EU assistance projects to the fishing industry, indicating the amount spent on each by country in the last year for which figures are available. [51465]
Mr. Morley:
Aid is available to Member States from the EU Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) under Objectives 1 and 5a for investment in the following areas (not all applied in the UK):
Aid is also available under PESCA to assist the restructuring and diversification of the fisheries sector in fisheries dependent areas and to help it deal with problems such as overcapacity and market weakness.
(2) pursuant to the Comprehensive Spending Review of the amount of money spent on agriculture and horticulture research by his Ministry with outside bodies, if it will remain unchanged in real terms. [51486]
the permanent cessation of fishing activities, including decommissioning;
the re-orientation of fishing activities (joint ventures/enterprises with third countries);
vessel construction and modernisation;
aquaculture;
enclosed marine areas (e.g. artificial reefs);
fishing port facilities;
processing and marketing;
promotion;
early retirement; and
compensation for cessation of fishing.
| Country | FIFG objectives 1 and 5a (Mecu) | PESCA (Mecu at 1996 prices) |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | 2.00 | -- |
| Belgium | 24.87 | 2.94 |
| Denmark | 139.90 | 23.03 |
| Finland | 27.00 | 3.91 |
| France | 228.10 | 39.05 |
| Germany | 158.00 | 23.47 |
| Greece | 130.00 | 34.33 |
| Ireland | 47.00 | 8.86 |
| Italy | 367.40 | 40.13 |
| Luxembourg | 1.10 | -- |
| Netherlands | 55.10 | 14.96 |
| Portugal | 213.20 | 32.44 |
| Spain | 1,114.60 | 49.53 |
| Sweden | 44.10 | 4.55 |
| United Kingdom | 123.62 | 49.49 |
No figures are currently available on actual annual expenditure in other Member States, but EU expenditure in the UK in the latest available years was:
In addition, fisheries expenditure on grants to UK ports under the European Regional Development Fund in 1997-98 was £0.09m.
23 Jul 1998 : Column: 697
Mr. Martlew:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he is making regarding the impact of EU Commission Regulations 623/98 on the manufacture of Cumberland rum butter. [51455]
Mr. Rooker:
Rum butters with a minimum milk fat content of 34 per cent. are unaffected by the Commission Regulations. The Ministry's officials are currently working
23 Jul 1998 : Column: 698
with manufacturers of "ambient" brandy and rum butters in order to minimise any disruption to their business arising from this unnecessary Regulation. In particular, assistance and advice are being given in the preparation of an application, on behalf of a number of companies, for a derogation permitting traditional ambient alcoholic butters, including "Cumberland rum butter", to continue to be so described. The Government will be submitting this application to the European Commission under the provisions of article 4(1) of Commission Regulation 577/97.
FIFG Objectives 1 and 5a (1997-98): £17.4m
PESCA (1997): £0.92m.