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23 Feb 2005 : Column 625W—continued
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Common Agricultural Policy (Africa)
Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy on agricultural markets in Africa. [217420]
Hilary Benn: The EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), in its current form, impacts on agricultural markets in Africa by increasing world supply, thus lowering world prices; by artificially raising EU prices; by heavily subsidising exports; by undermining world price stability and by limiting access to our markets through the use of high import tariffs.
This imposes high costs on developing countries. Empirical research has shown that amongst rich countries, the EU is responsible for the biggest costs to developing country farmers. Reform of the CAP could increase developing countries' food and farming income by $7.5 billion per year, which could significantly reduce poverty for those producers in Africa.
DFID and the UK are committed to reform of the CAP in order to facilitate freer and fairer agricultural trade between developing countries, including in Africa, and the EU. This issue is being analysed in theCommission for Africa Report, expected in March2005.
DFID will continue to press for reforms on the EU side including by weakening the link between EU farm support and domestic production to discourage over production (which lowers the world market price), and providing better market access by reducing tariffs andwill also continue to build supply-side capacity of agricultural producers including infrastructure and technological development to improve quality andcompetitiveness of African products.
Targets
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many targets have been set in each year since 1997 by the Department; and, of these, which have been (a) met, (b) nearly met, (c) not met, (d) changed and (e) dropped. [215799]
Hilary Benn: I refer the member for Tatton to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Financial Secretary to HM Treasury (Mr. Timms), on Monday 21 February 2005, Official Report, column. 75W.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Pupil Referral Units
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what the average number of pupils in a pupil referral unit was in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each local education authority in the last year for which figures are available; [216865]
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(2) how many places were (a) filled and (b) available in pupil referral units in (i) England, (ii) each region and (iii) each local education authority on the latest date for which figures are available. [216867]
Derek Twigg: Information on the number of pupils in Pupil Referral Units is shown in the following table.
Information on the number of places available in Pupil Referral Units is not collected centrally.
Source:
Annual Schools Census
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Pupil:Teacher Ratios (York)
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average pupil-to-teacher ratio in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in York was in each year since 1996–97. [217624]
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Mr. Stephen Twigg: The following table provides pupil and staff information for maintained primary and secondary schools in the City of York constituency in each January from 1997 to 2004, the latest information available.
(1)Includes middle schools as deemed.
2Based on the full-time equivalent of qualified teachers.
3Based on the full-time equivalent of all teaching and support staff (excluding administration and clerical staff).
Source:
Annual School Census
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Climate Change
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to (a) encourage environmental protection and (b) reduce the UK's contribution to climate change. [216796]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 21 February 2005]: Defra's five year strategy, Delivering the Essentials of Life" was published in December 2004 and sets out the Department's approach to environmental protection and sustainable development.
The UK remains on course to achieve its Kyoto target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. below base year levels by 2008–12.
The Government recognises that measures in addition to those contained in the UK Climate Change Programme published in 2000 will be needed to achieve the domestic goal of a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions below 1990 levels by 2010.
The current review of the UK Climate Change Programme will give the opportunity for the Government to look carefully at whether to introduce new policies and measures, and/or strengthen existing ones. The review will also consider the action that the UK will need to take to ensure it is on course to makereal progress by 2020" towards the ambitious longer-term goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2050, as set out in the Energy White Paper (2003).
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was raised by the climate change levy in the last year for which figures are available; and how this income was spent. [217070]
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John Healey [holding answer 21 February 2005]: I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the Climate Change Levy Bulletin for November 2004 published by HM Customs and Excise which is available at www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=climate.
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