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21 May 2003 : Column 779W—continued
GM Crops
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with (a) biotechnology companies and (b) health and environmental campaign and voluntary groups regarding the scale and scope of farm scale trials of GM crops. [114025]
Mr. Meacher: I announced the programme of farm-scale evaluations of GM herbicide tolerant crops in October 1998. In February 1999, the then Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions consulted stakeholders, including biotechnology companies and health and environmental campaign and voluntary groups, about the proposals for the evaluations, the hypothesis to be tested and scale and scope of the field trials. Following this, in May 1999 the then Secretary of State appointed an independent Scientific Steering Committee to oversee the conduct of the evaluations. This Committee provides on-going advice to Ministers on all aspects of the design and methodology. Their advice is publicly available on the farm-scale evaluations website (www.defra.gov.uk/environment/fse)
Since the evaluations were set up, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have had various meetings with representatives from biotechnology companies and health and environmental campaign and voluntary groups at which the farm-scale evaluations have been mentioned.
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 12 May 2003 to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker), Official Report, column 6W, on GM field trials, what form the forthcoming public debate on GM field trials will take. [114251]
Mr. Meacher: The Government are sponsoring a public debate on GM issues, which is being managed by an independent Steering Board at arms' length from Government. The Steering Board will be launching a series of events on 3 June 2003, through which the public will have the opportunity to debate the issues surrounding genetic modification, including those related to the GM field trials. Members of the public can get involved either by attending one of the regional or local meetings or by accessing the website.
Once the scientific papers reporting the results of the GM field trials are published and in the public domain, there will be a further opportunity to comment on the implications.
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Nappies
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the life-cycle analysis of nappies being carried out by the Environment Agency. [114263]
Mr. Meacher: The life cycle analysis will consider the environmental costs and benefits of both disposable and re-usable nappies. The work should be completed in the summer. I look forward to seeing the results of the study and hope it will provide clarity from an independent source on the environmental impacts of both types of nappy.
Organic Farming
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's budget is for research and development into organic farming; and if she will make a statement. [114852]
Mr. Meacher: The budget for research and development on organic farming was £2.029 million in 2002–03, and is £2.229 million for 2003–04. These figures include £200,000 spend via the Organic LINK programme.
The planned/target Organic LINK spend, which is dependant on successful bids being co-funded from industry, is £400,000 in 2003–04, £700,000 in 2004–05, and then £1.3 million for the next three years—a total of £5 million.
In addition, the organic farming sector also benefits from much of the other research the Department undertakes, for example, its planned spend of over £12.8 million on biological control techniques, plant health, animal welfare and wildlife conservation on farms this year.
Performance Targets
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the targets in respect of environmental matters which have been set for her Department. [114265]
Alun Michael: The Department has published its environmental Public Service Agreement targets (along with all other Public Service Agreement targets) in the Departmental Report—(ref Cm 5919).
Environmental targets are also published in Defra's departmental website, which can be viewed at the following address: www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/busplan/sda/sda0306.pdf
Recycling
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of households she estimates will have doorstep or kerbside collections of recyclable material by 2010. [114253]
Mr. Meacher: No estimate has been made of the percentage of households that will have doorstep or kerbside collections of recyclable material by 2010. The proportion of households served by some degree of
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kerbside recycling collection schemes in England in 2000–01 was estimated at 51 per cent. and I would expect this figure to rise as local authorities introduce arrangements to achieve their statutory recycling targets.
Waste
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of collection and management of (a) household and (b) municipal waste was in (i) England, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Wales in each year since 1997–98 for which figures are held by her Department. [114790]
Mr. Meacher: The following figures show net revenue expenditure on municipal waste collection and disposal in England since 1997–98 to date, and in Scotland and Wales prior to devolution. Data are not available on the separate costs of household and municipal waste. The figures include income received in respect of charges to outside organisations. Data for Northern Ireland are not held centrally.
| England(1) | Scotland(2) | Wales(3) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 1,198.9 | 149.9 | 72.8 |
| 1998–99 | 1,281.9 | 148 | 75.8 |
| 1999–2000 | 1,423.3 | — | — |
| 2000–01 | 1,521.3 | — | — |
| 2001–02 | 1,653.9 | — | — |
| 2002–03(4) | 1,818.9 | — | — |
(1) 1997–98 to 2001–02 outturn figures are taken from local authority returns on expenditure (RO6 forms) and for 2002–03 planned expenditure (RA02 form).
(2) Data provided by SERAD, reported by local authorities.
(3) Data provided by NAWAD, from archive publications.
(4) Budget.
DEFENCE
Aircraft Carriers
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when an announcement will be made on the award of the through-life maintenance contract for the two aircraft carriers to be built under the CVF programme. [114520]
Mr. Ingram: The current intention for CVF is to include an option for an Initial Support Period for the carriers, of approximately six years, as part of the main build contract, which is due to be awarded in spring 2004. This will be dependent on the development of a sufficiently mature and acceptable proposal by the CVF alliance.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the allocation of work on the CVF programme between the UK shipyards will be announced. [114521]
Mr. Ingram: An initial proposal on the allocation of work will be submitted by BAE Systems and Thales UK at the end of this year as part of their offer for the Demonstration and Manufacture (D&M) phase.
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This proposal will be subject to value for money considerations. We aim to place a D&M contract by spring 2004.
Arms Exports
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with securing a G8 commitment to implement common standards in arms export controls; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Lancaster House conference on arms export control. [113660]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
The Government are committed to raising the effectiveness of export controls internationally, and promote common standards in arms export controls in multilateral fora wherever it is possible and appropriate to do so. Discussions on arms export controls have been taking place between G8 countries in preparation for the summit meeting at Evian, France on 2 to 3 June 2003.
In response to the question on Lancaster House, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the then International Development Secretary (Clare Short) on 10 March 2003, Official Report, column 39W.
Cluster Bombs
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which countries (a) RBL 755 and (b) BL 755 cluster bombs have been exported since 1973. [112483]
Mr. Ingram: Since 1997, the Government has published details of export licensing decisions in the Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. However, as the granting of an export licence does not necessarily result in the export of the goods licensed, the information is not held in the form requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
In accordance with established practice, we do not publish information on licensing decisions of previous administrations.
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