House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 14 Feb 2002 (pt 39)

Secondments

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the names of staff who have been seconded to her Department

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from the private sector since May 1997, indicating (a) the names of the organisation from which each has come, (b) their responsibilities and civil service grades within her Department, (c) the organisation responsible for

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paying their salary and (d) the start and end dates of their secondment. [35838]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 12 February 2002]: Due to confidentiality I am not able to release the names of the individuals that have been seconded to the Department. Two members of staff have been seconded from the private sector, one from July to December 1999, the other from September 2001 to May 2002. Both were seconded from the BBC at approximately grade seven level and paid by the BBC.

Energy Efficiency

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to encourage energy efficiency in commercial buildings. [33813]

Mr. Meacher: We have set up the Carbon Trust to promote business and public sector energy efficiency and the take-up of low carbon technology. We will be consulting on a CHP strategy shortly to promote this highly energy efficient technology. The climate change levy, and its associated climate change agreements, are also an important spur to business energy efficiency. But there remains a great unrealised potential for energy efficiency and the Department will be considering strategies to further enhance its role in the future.

BSE

Gillian Merron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Chapman) on 5 February 2002, Official Report, column 905W, whether she can update the House on the measures her Department has taken to trace the offspring of BSE cases. [37486]

Mr. Morley: As a result of further checks, it has now become clear that two more offspring of BSE cases have been sold for human consumption, one in December and one in January. Some meat from the latter has been prevented from going into the food chain. These cases are being investigated. Measures are being taken to tighten up procedure and we are considering taking legal action.

Passports thought to have been held by officials outside animal health divisional offices were in fact returned to owners, enabling the animals to be sold despite the fact restriction notices were properly served on the owners, informing them the animals were not to be sold for human consumption. Consumer protection is provided by the over-30-month rule, the removal of specified risk material and the ban on the feeding of mammalian meat and bone meal to all farm livestock. These measures were applied in these cases.

Animal Welfare

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Government's plans for the future of the live animal export trade; and what plans she has for the banning of this trade. [32602]

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Mr. Morley: The Government have been consistent in their view that a trade in meat is preferable to the long distance transport of animals for slaughter. It is a matter that will be considered when the European Commission produces its proposals to update and improve the current EU rules on animal welfare during transport. The Government have no powers to introduce a ban on this trade. Judgments by the European Court of Justice have made it quite clear that such a ban would be illegal.

Pornography

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with newspaper and journal wholesalers who insist on individual newsagents taking pornography with their newspaper orders. [32844]

Mr. Morley: None. This is not a matter for this Department.

Horse Passports

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how she intends to implement Commission Decision 2000/68 on horse passports and to ensure that the new system meets the needs of the horse industry. [37280]

Alun Michael: We have carefully considered the responses to the consultation exercise carried out on the implementation of Commission Decision 2000/68. Taking account of these views and the need to comply with the terms of the Decision the Government have decided that by 31 December 2003 all horses and ponies must have passports. The Government also intend to introduce a unique identification number for all horses and ponies.

Owners and keepers of horses and ponies which are not currently registered will be required to register these animals with one of the appropriate approved equine organisations. The owners of these animals and the owners of registered horses and ponies which currently do not have passports, will be required to obtain passports from the approved organisations. We will require that owners of horses and ponies which currently have passports be issued with the new extended passport containing details of veterinary medicines administered.

Discussions are now taking place with industry organisations about detailed implementation arrangements.

The Government also consider that it is vital to establish a central database of basic information on horses which could be used for disease control and other purposes and will establish the necessary arrangements following discussion with the horse industry in order to achieve this end with a minimum of bureaucracy and at minimum costs.

CAP

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how CAP funding is spent in the United Kingdom broken down by (a) types of schemes and (b) nations. [31254]

Mr. Morley [pursuant to his reply, 5 February 2002, c. 896W]: My answer referred to a table entitled

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"Subsidies Paid Directly to Farmers in 2001". The last two rows of the table showed values for total other subsidies and total subsidies. Unfortunately, these totals

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included some double counting. A new table providing the correct information is annexed. The rest of the answer remains unchanged.

Subsidies paid directly to farmers in 2001£ million

England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland UK

Subsidies on product

Crop subsidies

Arable area payments on:

Wheat 330 2 16 1 349

Barley 180 5 68 7 259

Other cereal crops 22 1 5 ⁽⁴⁹⁾— 27

Oilseed rape 94 ⁽⁴⁹⁾— 9 ⁽⁴⁹⁾— 103

Linseed 10 ⁽⁴⁹⁾— ⁽⁴⁹⁾— ⁽⁴⁹⁾— 10

Peas and beans-stockfeed and human consumption 67 ⁽⁴⁹⁾— 1 ⁽⁵⁰⁾— 68

Other crops 7 1 ⁽⁴⁹⁾— ⁽⁴⁹⁾— 8

Other crop subsidies 3 ⁽⁵⁰⁾— ⁽⁴⁹⁾— ⁽⁵⁰⁾— 3

Livestock subsidies:

Beef special premium 126 24 46 46 242

Suckler cow premium 80 25 61 45 211

Slaughter premium 49 7 13 15 84

Extensification payment scheme 50 15 34 27 126

Over-30-months scheme 91 17 23 26 157

Beef national envelope 11 3 8 5 26

Sheep annual premium 74 53 42 13 182

FMD light lambs 1 2 2 ⁽⁵⁰⁾— 5

Other subsidies

Dairy agrimonetary compensation 56 8 6 9 79

Total subsidies on products 1,249 162 334 194 1,940

Other subsidies

Set-aside 162 1 20 1 184

Other animal disease compensation 11 1 ⁽⁴⁹⁾— 16 29

Less favoured areas support schemes 42 42 61 18 164

Agri-environment schemes: 145 34 34 7 220

Countryside Stewardship 49 ⁽⁵⁰⁾— ⁽⁵⁰⁾— ⁽⁵⁰⁾— 49

Countryside Premium (Scotland) ⁽⁵⁰⁾— ⁽⁵⁰⁾— 9 ⁽⁵⁰⁾— 9

Tir Cymen and Tir Gofal ⁽⁵⁰⁾— 13 ⁽⁵⁰⁾— ⁽⁵⁰⁾— 13

Organic Farming 27 3 5 ⁽⁴⁹⁾— 35

Environmentally Sensitive Areas 48 7 10 5 71

Nitrate Sensitive Areas 3 ⁽⁵⁰⁾— ⁽⁵⁰⁾— ⁽⁵⁰⁾— 3

Woodland Schemes 8 ⁽⁴⁹⁾— 5 2 14

SSSI⁽⁵¹⁾ 9 2 5 ⁽⁵⁰⁾— 16

Other 2 8 ⁽⁴⁹⁾— ⁽⁴⁹⁾— 10

Total other subsidies 360 79 115 43 596

Total subsidies 1,609 242 449 237 2,536

	England	Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland	UK
Subsidies on product
Crop subsidies
Arable area payments on:
Wheat	330	2	16	1	349
Barley	180	5	68	7	259
Other cereal crops	22	1	5	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	27
Oilseed rape	94	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	9	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	103
Linseed	10	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	10
Peas and beans-stockfeed and human consumption	67	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	1	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	68
Other crops	7	1	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	8

Other crop subsidies	3	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	3

Livestock subsidies:
Beef special premium	126	24	46	46	242
Suckler cow premium	80	25	61	45	211
Slaughter premium	49	7	13	15	84
Extensification payment scheme	50	15	34	27	126
Over-30-months scheme	91	17	23	26	157
Beef national envelope	11	3	8	5	26
Sheep annual premium	74	53	42	13	182
FMD light lambs	1	2	2	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	5

Other subsidies
Dairy agrimonetary compensation	56	8	6	9	79
Total subsidies on products	1,249	162	334	194	1,940

Other subsidies
Set-aside	162	1	20	1	184
Other animal disease compensation	11	1	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	16	29
Less favoured areas support schemes	42	42	61	18	164

Agri-environment schemes:	145	34	34	7	220
Countryside Stewardship	49	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	49
Countryside Premium (Scotland)	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	9	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	9
Tir Cymen and Tir Gofal	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	13	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	13
Organic Farming	27	3	5	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	35
Environmentally Sensitive Areas	48	7	10	5	71
Nitrate Sensitive Areas	3	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	3
Woodland Schemes	8	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	5	2	14
SSSI⁽⁵¹⁾	9	2	5	⁽⁵⁰⁾—	16
Other	2	8	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	⁽⁴⁹⁾—	10
Total other subsidies	360	79	115	43	596
Total subsidies	1,609	242	449	237	2,536

⁽⁴⁹⁾ Negligible, less than 0.5

⁽⁵⁰⁾ Not applicable

⁽⁵¹⁾ Payments for sites of special scientific interest are not part of CAP

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