Parliamentary search - Search results

Eating Disorders

I requested the debate because in the city of Norwich there are two eating disorders associations. There is first the Norfolk Eating Disorders Association, which spends a lot of time consulting and counselling people in its open surgeries. It is full not only of patients and people who are suffering...

Member

Ian Gibson (Labour)

Type

Proceeding contribution

Date

7 March 2007

Reference

457 c467-70WH;457 c468-71WH

House

House of Commons

House of Lords Reform

I do not accept that. Polls upon polls have shown the public to believe that the upper House is doing a far better job than this House. It has far better poll ratings than our House. If people do not want an elected senate, ““democracy for its own sake”” becomes...

Member

Bernard Jenkin (Conservative)

Type

Proceeding contribution

Date

6 March 2007

Reference

457 c1475-6

House

House of Commons

Agriculture: Dairy and Pig Farmers

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many dairy and pig farmers there were in the United Kingdom in each of the years 1997–2006.

Asked by

Baroness Byford (Conservative)

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Date

5 March 2007

Reference

2365; 690 c1-2WA

House

House of Lords

EU: Financial Management and Fraud (EUC Report)

My Lords, I thank the committee for its report and the noble Lord, Lord Radice, for the manner in which he presented it to the House. However, in spite of finding no evidence of a culture of corruption in the EU, I am afraid that the report will not dispel...

Member

Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour)

Type

Proceeding contribution

Date

5 March 2007

Reference

690 c88-90

House

House of Lords

Business of the House

The Leader of the House said that he was not sure where the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) had got her details on the health service. I suggest that one possible source that might be the basis for a debate is the survey of NHS trust chief executives...

Member

David Heath (Liberal Democrat)

Type

Business question

Date

1 March 2007

Reference

457 c1068-70

House

House of Commons

Local Government Finance (Kingston upon Thames)

Kingston council gets one of the worst grant settlements in the country. That has been the case for some time, which is why I have raised Kingston’s case many times before, perhaps most infamously when Ministers wanted to rewrite the map of Greater London and put Kingston into a group...

Member

Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat)

Type

Proceeding contribution

Date

23 February 2007

Reference

457 c592-6

House

House of Commons

Mastitis

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to consider the introduction of organic selenium into the diet of cows to reduce the impact of mastitis.

Asked by

David Drew (Labour; Cooperative Party)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Date

2 February 2007

Reference

117988; 456 c613W;456 c615W

House

House of Commons

Live Animal Exports

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many live (a) calves, (b) adult cattle, (c) sheep and (d) pigs were exported for (i) slaughter, (ii) fattening and (iii) breeding in 2006, broken down by country of destination.

Asked by

Gwyn Prosser (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

19 January 2007

For answer on

23 January 2007

Answered on

1 February 2007

The following table gives the number of live animals recorded as exported from the UK in 2006 from January to November. December figures are not currently available.Please note these figures are obtained using VAT records and will exclude some EU trade for businesses which are below the VAT threshold. As a result, actual trade levels may be higher than those given.

Short description	Description	EU/Non-EU	Country	Number of head
Live swine other than pure bred breeding animals	Live dom swine o/t pure bred breeding animals wgt 50 kg or more	EU	Irish Republic	58,117
	Live swine o/t dom spp whg 50 kg or more	EU	Irish Republic	3,667

Live swine pure bred breeding animals	Live swine pure bred breeding animals	Non-EU	Russia	27,174
			Ukraine	2,017
			China	283
			Taiwan	173
			Vietnam	231
			Japan	59
			Thailand	111
			South Korea	43
		EU	Belgium	3,040
			Netherlands	1,683
			Greece	1,137
			Germany	894
			Spain	661
			Italy	454
			Hungary	425
			Denmark	306
			Slovenia	132

Other than pure bred breeding animals bovine	Bovines of a wgt exc 80 kg but n/e 160 kg, not for slaughter	EU	Netherlands	14,165
	Of a weight not exceeding 80 kg	EU	Belgium	340
			Netherlands	167
	Live bovine animals o/t dom spp	Non-EU	Romania	39
		EU	Irish Republic	78

Sheep live	Lambs (up to a year old)	EU	France	6,992
	Sheep pure bred breeding animals	Non-EU	Romania	110
	Sheep o/t pure-bred breeding animals and lambs up to a year old	EU	Irish Republic	7
Pure bred breeding animals bovine	Heifers (female bovines that have never calved)	Non-EU	Switzerland	21
	Pure-bred breeding bovines o/t heifers and cows	Non-EU	Switzerland	3
Notes;
1. 2006 data are subject to amendments
2. EU data based on EU 25
Source:
HM Revenue and Customs
Data prepared by Trade statistics, Agricultural Statistics and Analysis Division, DEFRA

Subjects

Exports; Livestock

Date

1 February 2007

Reference

110962; 456 c452-4W;456 c454-6W

House

House of Commons

Rail Franchise Agreements

Could my right hon. Friend use some of those returns to deal with the situation in relation to First Great Western? It is not just that people cannot get access to a seat; the space that they are expected to stand in is insufficient for a human being. As one of my constituents pointed out to me, under regulation 1/2005 and directive 91/628/EEC, there is a minimum amount of space specified for a pig, a cow or a sheep, but at no point is there a minimum amount of space specified for a person on a train.

Asked by

Fiona Mactaggart (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Transport

Oral question - Supplementary

Status

Answered

Date

30 January 2007

Reference

456 c66-7

House

House of Commons

Hertfordshire Housing Target

I completely share my hon. Friend’s concern. What is more, developers use some of the Government’s press releases on their websites to encourage people to have hope value in particular parcels of land. Unfortunately, that makes it look as though the Government are hand in glove with developers, although the...

Member

Anne Main (Conservative)

Type

Proceeding contribution

Date

30 January 2007

Reference

456 c7-8WH

House

House of Commons

Methane and Carbon Dioxide Emissions

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) supported into measures to reduce (i) methane and (ii) carbon dioxide caused by farm animals.

Asked by

David Drew (Labour; Cooperative Party)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

16 January 2007

For answer on

18 January 2007

Answered on

26 January 2007

Agriculture as a whole contributes 7 per cent. of all UK greenhouse gas emissions and 14 per cent. globally, but less than 1 per cent. of carbon dioxide. Emissions of carbon dioxide attributed to agriculture arise from direct energy use such as the use of diesel in tractors, gas in heating greenhouses, and electricity used in livestock buildings. The bigger challenge is on two other gases; methane and nitrous oxide, of which some 36 per cent. and 67 per cent. respectively comes from agriculture, from livestock, manures, and artificial fertiliser. About 86 per cent. of this methane comes from enteric fermentation in the digestive system of animals (sheep, pigs and bovines), and about 14 per cent. from animal waste. Methane emissions from agriculture have declined by 12 per cent. since 1990.In December 2006, Defra announced a £750,000 investment in research on ruminant nutrition regimes to reduce enteric methane and nitrogen emissions from livestock. This research project will build on our knowledge-base and take an integrated approach to the development of ruminant nutrition regimes to deliver reductions in total greenhouse gas emissions (particularly methane) per animal and per unit of meat and milk output. Approaches for consideration include the modification of forage based diets, alterations to concentrate feed formulation and ingredients, and feed supplements. All options and solutions will be looked at.This research builds on a wealth of past work where Defra and its predecessor have invested in research to improve the productivity of dairy cattle. The resulting increases in individual cow milk yields can reduce methane emissions per unit of milk produced. The Defra research has included, for example, developing grass varieties that are high in sugar and lead indirectly to a reduction in methane emissions.The Government are also reviewing its approach to anaerobic digestion (AD); a system which, when used in agriculture, processes animal manures and food wastes, generates methane (biogas) which can be captured and used as a renewable energy source. This technology reduces methane emissions from manures when the methane is captured effectively. Defra is investing in research at the Institute for Grassland and Environment Research looking at how AD technology can be embedded into farming and agricultural systems to deliver a wide range of benefits, including methane mitigation. This research is being done in conjunction with a large EU-funded project looking at the optimisation of AD technology.

Subjects

Air pollution; Livestock

Date

26 January 2007

Reference

117135; 455 c2120-1W

House

House of Commons

Agriculture: Organic Farming

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Taverne, for securing this debate on organic farming. It is disappointing that there is an unusually low turnout of speakers, especially as the topic touches on several important matters of public debate, such as the relative merits of organic versus conventional produce,...

Member

Lord Grantchester (Labour)

Type

Proceeding contribution

Date

25 January 2007

Reference

688 c1306-9

House

House of Lords

Bangladesh

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding and resources his Department has (a) provided in each of the last three financial years and (b) committed in each of the next three financial years for communities living on the chars of Bangladesh; what proportion of the funding...

Asked by

Mark Simmonds (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for International Development

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Date

25 January 2007

Reference

455 c2001W;455 c2003W; 117020

House

House of Commons

Energy Saving (Daylight) Bill (Bill 18 2006-07)

The Energy Saving (Daylight) Bill (Bill 18 2006-07). House of Commons Library Research Paper 07/09

Type

Commons Briefing paper

Date

22 January 2007

Reference

RP07-09

Train Services (Maidenhead and Twyford)

I do share that concern and I know that the hon. Lady has been fighting on behalf of her constituents in Slough who suffer from the same problems as my constituents. It is appalling that if our constituents were chickens, cows or pigs, there would be rules about how many...

Member

Baroness May of Maidenhead (Conservative)

Type

Proceeding contribution

Date

18 January 2007

Reference

455 c1028-30

House

House of Commons

Train Services (Maidenhead and Twyford)

The complaints of the hon. Lady’s constituents are similar to those of my constituents about the appalling service on the same line. Does she find it shocking that European Union regulations provide for a minimum amount of space for a cow, sheep or pig, but none prevent the grotesque overcrowding...

Member

Fiona Mactaggart (Labour)

Type

Proceeding contribution

Date

18 January 2007

Reference

455 c1028

House

House of Commons

Common Agricultural Policy

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid in sterling to British farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy in each of the last three years.

Asked by

Denis MacShane (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

18 December 2006

For answer on

8 January 2007

Answered on

17 January 2007

The following table shows payments made through CAP schemes and rural development programmes to farmers in the United Kingdom for the period 2003 to 2005 as recorded in the production and income account of the economic account for agriculture. They exclude payments made through the over thirty month scheme, compensation for losses due to animal disease and capital transfers.

Direct payments made through CAP schemes and rural development programmes to farmers in the United Kingdom—shows payments after deduction for modulation where appropriate
£ million
	Calendar years
	2003	2004	2005 (provisional)
Crop subsidies
Arable area payments (except set- aside)	924	901	0
Arable Area Payments on set-aside	177	129	—
Other crop subsidies¹	3	12	11

Livestock subsidies:
Beef Special Premium²	238	266	—
Suckler Cow Premium³	208	230	—
Slaughter Premium	136	156	—
Extensification Payment Scheme	145	154	—
Beef National Envelope	34	36	—
Scottish Beef Calf Scheme	—	—	20
Sheep Annual Premium	276	300	—
Sheep National Envelope	10	17	—
Dairy subsidies4	—	108	—
Single Payment Scheme	—	—	2,375

Rural Development Programmes:
Less favoured areas support schemes5	163	153	144

Agri-environment schemes:
Countryside Stewardship and Arable Stewardship Schemes	71	104	114
Countryside Premium and Rural Stewardship Schemes	13	11	10
Stewardship Schemes	13	11	10
Tir Cymen and Tir Gofal	17	21	24
Countryside Management Scheme	3	6	3
Organic Aid and Organic Farming Schemes	21	14	10
Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme	81	82	79
Nitrate Sensitive Areas Scheme	—	—	—
Other (e)	4	3	3
¹ CAP hops and herbage seeds support; hemp and flax aid; oilseed rape and linseed support; protein crop premium; area aid for nuts; energy crops aid ² Includes extensification premium and deseasonalisation premium (where applicable). ³ Includes agri-monetary compensation; dairy premium and additional dairy premium. 4 Tir Mynydd in Wales, less favoured area compensatory allowance scheme in Northern Ireland, less favoured areas support scheme in Scotland and hill farm allowance in England. 5 Includes Moorland, habitat and countryside access farming schemes; entry level pilot scheme.

Subjects

Agriculture; Subsidies; Common agricultural policy

Date

17 January 2007

Reference

112785; 455 c1123-4W

House

House of Commons

Bus Industry

rose to ask Her Majesty’s Government how they propose to address the present problems facing the bus industry. The noble Lord said: My Lords, in considering the present situation in the bus industry, I will attempt to cover the way in which the industry is at present organised and run,...

Member

Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat)

Type

Proceeding contribution

Date

17 January 2007

Reference

688 c713-5

House

House of Lords

Paratuberculosis

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to fight paratuberculosis (Johere’s Disease) in livestock; and what research his Department has (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned into the disease.

Asked by

Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

18 December 2006

For answer on

8 January 2007

Answered on

11 January 2007

Johne’s Disease is caused by Mycobacterium Avium subspecies paratuberculosis, often known as MAP. DEFRA is responsible for undertaking measures to reduce the prevalence of MAP in dairy herds, while the Food Standards Agency (FSA) lead on the aspects which relate to consumer health protection. The Government’s strategy to control MAP in cows’ milk is available on the FSA website at:"http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/map_strategy.pdf"In 2001, DEFRA funded a comprehensive review by the Scottish Agricultural college which assessed the surveillance and control of Johne’s Disease in farm animals. The review recommended appropriate systems of surveillance and control for Great Britain. This is available on the DEFRA website at:"http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/zoonoses/zoonoses_reports/sac2.PDF"In 2004, DEFRA published guidance for dairy farmers on the control of Johne’s Disease in dairy herds. This was done in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture Rural Development (DARDNI), the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) and the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and is available on the DEFRA website at:"http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/pdf/johnesguidance.pdf"DEFRA is also working in partnership with the beef industry to reduce the spread of Johne’s Disease in the cattle sector. This will help to raise production efficiency and allow for high value cattle to be sold on the export market.In 2005, a statistically-based surveillance survey was commissioned to look at the prevalence of Johne’s Disease in the UK dairy herd. The survey aimed to:"i. determine herd-level prevalence of the disease;""ii. determine the effect of management practices and herd location on disease prevalence;""iii. establish the genetic diversity of MAP in the UK to help understand its spread and provide a baseline for comparison with human isolates;""iv. assess methodologies for future monitoring of the disease."The study began in the autumn of 2006 and will involve 150 randomly selected commercial dairy herds. The final report is expected by the summer of 2008¹."¹ The study is a collaboration between the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), the Scottish Agricultural college (SAC), Moredun Research Institute, the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Northern Ireland. The study is funded by DEFRA, SEERAD and DARDNI."

Subjects

Disease control; Bovine tuberculosis

Date

11 January 2007

Reference

112791; 455 c677-8W;455 c675-6W

House

House of Commons

Mental Health Bill [HL]

Will the Minister address two questions which arise from what he has just stated? He spoke about patients seeking to evade treatment by claiming that their conditions were not treatable. The noble Lord, Lord Warner, too, mentioned that in his speech. Can noble Lords opposite give evidence of the nature...

Member

Baroness Barker (Liberal Democrat)

Type

Proceeding contribution

Date

10 January 2007

Reference

688 c320-1

House

House of Lords

	Pigs and no Dairy	Dairy and no Pigs	Dairy and Pigs
	Holdings	Farmers	Holdings	Farmers	Holdings	Farmers
1997	8,530	14,273	21,216	41,233	1,716	3,478
1998	8,517	14,393	20,626	41,459	1,690	3,439
1999	7,979	13,281	19,852	39,935	1,474	2,945
2000	7,998	13,584	18,753	38,362	1,341	2,652
2001	7,936	13,834	17,260	35,994	1,254	2,531
2002	8,130	13,525	17,536	36,237	1,141	2,219
2003	7,972	12,914	16,623	34,545	1,035	1,953
2004	8,305	13,648	16,128	33,727	1,072	1,975
2005	8,653	13,938	15,491	31,094	1,014	1,863
2006	8,260	13,643	15,009	30,396	985	1,873
Source: June Agricultural Survey
Notes:
1. Data prior to 2000 are for main holding only. From 2000 onwards, all holdings are included.
2. Estimates have been made for holdings not responding or not selected for the survey.
3. Farmers include full- and part-time farmers, partners, directors and spouses, if working on the holding.
4. Due to the introduction of new labour questions in 1998, figures prior to this year are not directly comparable with earlier years’ results.
5. Due to a register improvement exercise in 2001, labour figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results.