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25 Jan 2007 : Column WA245
Written Answers
Thursday 25 January 2007
Africa: NePAD
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many development projects they have supported through the New Partnership for Africa's Development in the past three years; and in which countries.[HL1453]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): The UK has been a strong supporter of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NePAD) since its creation in 2001. The principles and objectives it embodies (such as African leadership and commitment to good governance and human rights) are critical to achieving poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa. These are core themes for all DfID's work in Africa.
In addition to its advocacy role, the NePAD secretariat has also initiated a number of regional programmes. DfID has provided £500,000 towards the work of the secretariat, as well as supporting some specific programmes. This includes £6 million to the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) to increase agricultural productivity; $30 million to the Investment Climate Facility to make Africa a better place to do business; and $20 million to the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa to support project preparation and co-ordination. DfID is a major funder of the Africa Peer Review Mechanism to promote good governance, initiated by NePAD, and has contributed around £2.7 million to date (including to support the process in Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Mozambique and Uganda). DfID has also provided £325,000 to support the African Union/NePAD Consolidated Plan of Action on Science and Technology.
Air Pollution
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in light of recent analysis showing air pollution figures higher than expected, existing air pollution control procedures, which are governed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe rules on long-range transboundary air pollution and the national emissions ceiling directive, are adequate.[HL1339]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The UK remains committed to meeting its air pollution reduction obligations as specified under the protocols of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP), and the National Emission
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We continue to review our performance on improving air quality, and have recently publicly consulted on our updated national air quality strategy. We will also support and contribute to forthcoming international negotiations on the review of the UNECE protocols and the NECD.
Airports: Expansion
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the current airport and runway expansion plans for main London airports, and the forecast rise in aviation emissions by 2020, is consistent with the latest European Union plans to reduce the pollution effects of airways. [HL1531]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Department for Transport's recent publication, The Future of Air Transport Progress Report, made it clear that the Government continue to support a sustainable long-term strategy for the development of air travel. The progress report explained our strong support for including aviation in the EU emissions trading scheme as a key element of our approach.
Animal Welfare: Reptiles
Lord Bradley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many (a) wild-caught; (b) captive bred; and (c) ranched reptiles were imported into the United Kingdom in 2006 from (i) within, and (ii) outside the European Union.[HL1428]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The information requested is set out in the table below:
| Reptiles imported into the UK from within the European Union | Reptiles imported into the UK from outside the European Union | |
| Source: TRACES EU-wide system for recording imports | ||
Imports of reptiles are not recorded as “wild caught”, “captive bred” or “ranched”.
Lord Bradley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many (a) wild-caught; (b) captive bred; and (c) ranched reptiles were imported into the European Union in 2005.[HL1429]
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Lord Rooker: The information requested is set out in the table below:
| Reptiles imported into the EU from outside the European Union | |
| Source: European Community, Eurostat database system for recording imports | |
Imports of reptiles are not recorded as “wild caught”, “captive bred” or “ranched”.
Animal Welfare: Wild Birds
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
With reference to the following species of avian raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk, how many of each species have been released under licence in the past 25 years; to whom the licences were issued; whether the parties who released the birds and the organisation that bred them were under licence; and whether the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was the only department authorised to issue licences for these species. [HL1373]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): Licences would not be required for the release of red kite, common buzzard, goshawk, golden eagle, merlin and peregrine falcon as they are species that are ordinarily resident in Great Britain. The release of white tailed eagle, Harris hawk and lanner falcon would be an offence under Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 unless licensed. The white tailed eagle is native to Great Britain while the other two species are not.
Until 30 September 2006, the licensing responsibility in England was shared between Defra (and its predecessor departments) and English Nature. Since 1 October 2006 this responsibility has been shared between Defra and Natural England.
Available information indicates that no licences have been issued for the release of captive bred specimens of white tailed eagle, Harris hawk and lanner falcon into the wild in England.
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
With reference to the following species of avian raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk, how many importations of each species have taken place and from what country of origin; whether quarantine conditions were enforced and controlled by the State Veterinary Service; and whether Defra officials were kept informed during each stage of the importation process. [HL1374]
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Lord Rooker: Defra and State Veterinary Service (SVS) officials are informed when importers of avian raptors apply for licences, and Defra officials are informed when importers apply for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) permits.
Copies of any special import licences issued are sent to the Animal Health Divisional Office which covers the area where a bird will become resident. This will alert the local divisional veterinary managers of the bird's arrival and specify the necessary checks on quarantine that will need to be made, as well as any additional tests that may need to be carried out.
Birds for commercial import from other member states of the European Union do not have to go to quarantine. If birds are sent to quarantine then the SVS attends frequently to supervise and enforce rules. An SVS officer visits at least three times: at the beginning, during and at the end of the quarantine period.
The following statistics for importations recorded by year between 1998 to the present are taken from our own recording system. 1998 has been chosen as the start date as it is the first full year after the introduction of European Community Regulation 338/97 which implements CITES, and which came into force in June of 1997.
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much public money is invested in the captive breeding and release into the wild of the following species of bird—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk. [HL1375]
Lord Rooker: Natural England advises that a small amount of public money was spent on developing a captive breeding programme for red kites in 1989. The exact sum is not known, and the attempt to breed these birds in captivity was unsuccessful so no captive bred specimens were released into the wild. No programme for breeding any of the other species has been undertaken using public money by Defra, Natural England or their predecessors.
Lord Bradley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many (a) wild-caught; (b) captive bred; and (c) ranched birds were imported into the European Union in 2005.[HL1427]
Lord Rooker: The information requested is set out in the table below:
| Birds imported into the EU from outside the European Union. | |
| Source: European Community, Eurostat database system for recording imports | |
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