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Institute for Animal Health
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she had made of the effects the restructuring at the Institute for Animal Health will have on research into (a) BSE, (b) milk quality, (c) streptococcal pathogenicity, (d) pestiviruses, (e) porcine immunology, (f) avian pox virus, (g) avian leucosis, (h) Marek's disease and (i) respiratory syncitial virus. [219738]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 3 March 2005]: In line with the evolving needs and requirements placed on such an institute the IAH management have developed a five-year strategy, within which decisions have been reached no longer to continue certain areas of work. This is to reflect changing priorities in part governed by financial constraints. Throughout the process of strategic planning the IAH management have been mindful to ensure that the Institute will be able both to maintain the depth of its research activity and to develop the financial capability to work on important new areas of science as they arise.
With respect to work on BSE and more general TSE research, this remains of critical importance to the Institute, with approximately 20 per cent. of the research capability devoted to this area. The changes being made will not have a significant impact on the Institute's ability to deliver its core science around TSEs.
In areas where it has been decided to cease or reduce work then there will inevitably be some effects but research on these subjects continues to be done by other groups in the UK or elsewhere.
Lard (North-west)
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent
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estimate she has made of shop stock levels of lard in (a) Chorley, (b) Lancashire and (c) the north-west of England. [218937]
Alun Michael: The Government does not collect any figures on shop stock levels of lard.
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contribution her Department has made to the United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and what use she expects to make of the Assessment once it is published; and if she will make a statement. [218903]
Mr. Morley: In August 2004, the Department co-ordinated views on the second review of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) to the MA Secretariat from Government Departments and agencies. Defra also submitted reviews on the final synthesis reports in December 2004. In addition, a scientific adviser from my Department was a lead author of the chapter on policy implications (Volume II, Chapter 14).
In 2001, DETR contributed £42,100 to the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) to enable the recruitment of a member of the MA technical support staff and to initiate assessment work for the MA. The MA will be published in stages. The overall findings of the report will be launched in London, and other major world cities simultaneously, on 30 March 2005. Seven synthesis reports, up to 120 pages each, will be published between April and September 2005. Four technical reports, 500–800 pages each, will be available in July 2005. An additional set of about 16 sub-global assessments will also be released separately from late 2005 to 2006. My Department will study and make use of relevant information as the different sections become available.
The Assessment is expected to contribute to the process established by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) for assessing progress towards the target set by the World Summit on Sustainable Development—to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.
Salmon Farming
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value of the farmed salmon market was in the last year for which figures are available. [218932]
Mr. Bradshaw: The data are not held by the Department. However the farmed salmon industry in the UK is estimated to have generated some £300 million of turnover at "farm gate" value in 2002.
Energy Efficiency (SMEs)
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons the interest-free loan scheme for small and medium-sized enterprises that install energy efficiency measures is cash-limited. [216475]
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Mr. Morley: The Carbon Trust offers interest-free unsecured loans of between £5,000 and £100,000 to small and medium-sized businesses who are investing in an energy-saving project. The amount of money that can be offered under the loan scheme is governed by European "de minimis" state aid exemptions which limit the amount of state aid that an organisation can receive in a three-year period. The Carbon Trust is a private company, and decisions regarding the provision of funding by the Carbon Trust is a matter for its board.
Supermarkets (Dairy Prices)
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with supermarkets on prices for dairy products paid to farmers; and if she will make a statement. [218055]
Alun Michael: Price negotiations between producers and processors, or processors and supermarkets, are a private commercial matter in which the Government cannot and should not get involved, provided competition rules are respected. However, Ministers frequently meet representatives from all parts of the dairy supply chain and are therefore aware of the issues. For example, my noble Friend Lord Whitty will chair the next Dairy Supply Chain Forum meeting on 2 March 2005. The Supermarket Code of Conduct is currently the subject of investigation by the Office of Fair Trading, which is expected to report shortly.
Warm Front (Christchurch)
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the waiting time is for Warm Front heating installations in Christchurch constituency. [218653]
Mr. Morley: The target for completion of heating installations under Warm Front is 119 working days. The average waiting time for a Warm Front heating installation in the Christchurch constituency currently stands at 82 working days.
Wine
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) for what reasons the UK is withdrawing from the International Organisation of Wine and Vine (OIV); and by what mechanisms UK wine growers will be represented on the OIV in future; [217522]
(2) what assessment has been made of the benefits to the UK wine market of membership of the International Organisation of Wine and Vine; [217523]
(3) what the cost to the UK of belonging to the International Organisation of Wine and Vine was in the last year for which figures are available. [217524]
Alun Michael:
The costs of the UK belonging to the International Organisation of Wine and Vine (OIV) have been variable and have depended on the number of proposals under consideration within the organisation, the degree of UK involvement, the resources attached to that involvement, as well as the level of annual membership fees that have been set. Where the OIV chooses to hold its meetings, for example France or
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Australia, will also affect the cost. In 2003–04, the latest year for which figures are available, the meetings attended by the UK were in Paris alone, and the costs estimated to be about £25,000. A cost-benefit analysis of UK membership of OIV is not available but the UK's ability to produce, import and trade wine is not conditional on membership. Proposals emerging from OIV need to be implemented in European Community law in order to have practical effect in the UK, so our withdrawal from OIV will continue to ensure a consequence of reprioritisation of the Department's budgetary resources to focus public spending where it is most needed to meet Government objectives. The decision will not interfere with the UK continuing to play an active role in the development of European Community policy and legislation on wine and the interests of the UK wine industry and consumers are fully represented at that level.
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