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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has communicated the shortcomings of the farm scale evaluation maize trials to the lead competent authority in France in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC; and whether she has requested a variation in the conditions attached to the...

Asked by

Jackie Lawrence (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

17 March 2004

For answer on

26 March 2004

Answered on

26 March 2004

Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether she has communicated the shortcomings of the farm scale evaluation maize trials to the lead competent authority in France in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC; and whether she has requested a variation in the conditions attached to the Part C consent for Chardon LL fodder maize; [162923] (2) when she was informed that cattle feeding studies involving Chardon LL fodder maize had been requested by the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and the Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding Stuffs; [162979] (3) whether (a) meat and (b) milk from the cattle involved in the Chardon LL feeding studies at Reading University has entered the food chain; [162982] Mrs. Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she gave consent for harvested Chardon LL forage maize from farm-scale evaluation sites to be taken off-site and used in cattle feeding studies at the Reading University Centre for Dairy Research. [163076] Mr. Morley :[holding answer 23 March 2004]: I am not aware of any shortcomings of the farm-scale evaluation (FSE) maize trials, the results have been endorsed by both the Scientific Steering Committee overseeing the evaluations and the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE). Officials sent the results of the Farm Scale Evaluations, together with the non-specialist and scientific summaries, to the European Commission and the Competent Authorities of the Member States for their information on 20 and 21 October 2003. ACRE published its advice on the FSE results on 13 January 2004, and this advice was also sent to the Commission and the Competent Authorities on that date. On 9 March 2004 officials wrote to the French Competent Authority, which issued the relevant consent on behalf of all EU Member States, seeking amendments to the consent for Bayer T25 GM maize (Chardon LL) to limit herbicide use with the crop in line with ACRE'S advice. Neither the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment nor the Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding stuffs (ACAF) has requested cattle feeding studies involving Chardon LL fodder maize. ACAF has advised, on the basis of the data already submitted, that it is content that the T25 maize grain and its products pose no more risk as animal feed than non-GM maize varieties. The GM maize used in the farm scale evaluations has Europe wide marketing consent for use in animal feed so no consent was required to use the harvested crop in the cattle feeding study carried out at the University of Reading. Although there is no legal requirement to withhold the milk or meat from the food chain the protocol for the Reading University study required that the milk from the dairy cows did not enter the food chain during the period of the study.

Subjects

Crops; Animal feed; Animal product; Genetically modified organism; Research; Maize

Date

26 March 2004

Reference

419 c1093-4W;419 c1095-6W; 162923;162979;162982

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she gave consent for harvested Chardon LL forage maize from farm-scale evaluation sites to be taken off-site and used in cattle feeding studies at the Reading University Centre for Dairy Research. (Holding answer 23 March 2004).

Asked by

Jackie Lawrence (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

17 March 2004

For answer on

26 March 2004

Answered on

26 March 2004

Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether she has communicated the shortcomings of the farm scale evaluation maize trials to the lead competent authority in France in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC; and whether she has requested a variation in the conditions attached to the Part C consent for Chardon LL fodder maize; [162923] (2) when she was informed that cattle feeding studies involving Chardon LL fodder maize had been requested by the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and the Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding Stuffs; [162979] (3) whether (a) meat and (b) milk from the cattle involved in the Chardon LL feeding studies at Reading University has entered the food chain; [162982] Mrs. Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she gave consent for harvested Chardon LL forage maize from farm-scale evaluation sites to be taken off-site and used in cattle feeding studies at the Reading University Centre for Dairy Research. [163076] Mr. Morley :[holding answer 23 March 2004]: I am not aware of any shortcomings of the farm-scale evaluation (FSE) maize trials, the results have been endorsed by both the Scientific Steering Committee overseeing the evaluations and the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE). Officials sent the results of the Farm Scale Evaluations, together with the non-specialist and scientific summaries, to the European Commission and the Competent Authorities of the Member States for their information on 20 and 21 October 2003. ACRE published its advice on the FSE results on 13 January 2004, and this advice was also sent to the Commission and the Competent Authorities on that date. On 9 March 2004 officials wrote to the French Competent Authority, which issued the relevant consent on behalf of all EU Member States, seeking amendments to the consent for Bayer T25 GM maize (Chardon LL) to limit herbicide use with the crop in line with ACRE'S advice. Neither the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment nor the Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding stuffs (ACAF) has requested cattle feeding studies involving Chardon LL fodder maize. ACAF has advised, on the basis of the data already submitted, that it is content that the T25 maize grain and its products pose no more risk as animal feed than non-GM maize varieties. The GM maize used in the farm scale evaluations has Europe wide marketing consent for use in animal feed so no consent was required to use the harvested crop in the cattle feeding study carried out at the University of Reading. Although there is no legal requirement to withhold the milk or meat from the food chain the protocol for the Reading University study required that the milk from the dairy cows did not enter the food chain during the period of the study.

Subjects

Crops; Animal feed; Animal product; Genetically modified organism; Research; Maize

Date

26 March 2004

Reference

419 c1093-4W;419 c1096W; 163076

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what subsidy will be given to farms on the Somerset levels in the financial years (a) before and (b) after the mid-term Common Agricultural Policy reform. - Inc figure.

Asked by

Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Date

26 March 2004

Reference

419 c1082W;419 c1084W; 161883

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures her Department has put in place to contain the recent outbreak of brucellosis in Cornwall. (Holding answer 23 March 2004).

Asked by

Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Date

26 March 2004

Reference

419 c1089-90W;419 c1092W; 163150

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much money her Department makes available to promote Lancashire (a) lamb and (b) beef farming. - Inc table.

Asked by

Lindsay Hoyle (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

1 March 2004

For answer on

23 March 2004

Answered on

23 March 2004

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money her Department makes available to promote Lancashire (a) lamb and (b) beef farming. [158583] Alun Michael: Lancashire beef and lamb producers are eligible to receive subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy Beef and Sheep meat Regimes (there are currently no schemes specifically for lambs). The table below shows the amount under these schemes that was paid to farmers in Lancashire in the 2003 European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund Year (15 October 2002 to 16 October 2003). Any additional direct subsidy intervention by UK Government in favour of specific geographical regions is prohibited by State Aids and competition rules. £000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Payments Sheep1 6,494,223.40 Beef2 18,110,610.02 Total 24,604,833.42 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 Sheep Annual Premium Scheme. 2 Beef Farming includes the following schemes: Beef Special Premium Extensification Payment Slaughter Premium Suckler Cow Premium Over Thirty Month Compensation Payments

Subjects

Agriculture; Payment; Livestock; Livestock industry; Subsidy; Beef; Common agricultural policy; Lancashire; Sheep meat

Date

23 March 2004

Reference

419 c701-2W;419 c703-4W; 158583

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has given consent for harvested Chardon LL forage maize from farm-scale evaluation sites to be taken-off site and used in cattle-feeding studies at the Reading University Centre for Dairy Research; whether the Government's policy on harvested...

Asked by

Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

8 March 2004

For answer on

23 March 2004

Answered on

23 March 2004

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether she has given consent for harvested Chardon LL fodder maize from farm-scale evaluation sites to be taken-off site and used in cattle-feeding studies at the Reading University Centre for Dairy Research; [160575] (2) whether the Government's policy on harvested material from GM crops involved in the farm-scale evaluation programme being fed to animals or otherwise entering the food chain has changed; [160576] (3) what steps she has taken to ensure that no milk or meat from the cattle involved in the Chardon LL feeding studies at Reading University has entered the food chain. [160577] Mr. Morley: The GM maize used in the farm scale evaluations has Europe wide marketing consent for use in animal feed so no consent was required to use the harvested crop in the cattle feeding study carried out at the University of Reading. The agreement made with the Supply Chain Initiative on Modified Agricultural Crops (SCIMAC) in November 1999 requires that none of the produce from GM crop plantings in the UK will be used in a way which is of direct commercial benefit to the consent- holders during the farm scale evaluation period. The policy on use of harvested material, as outlined in the SCIMAC agreement, has not changed. Although there is no legal requirement to withhold the milk or meat from the food chain and there is no discernable difference between meat and milk from animals fed GM feed and those not, the protocol for the Reading University study required that the milk from the dairy cows did not enter the food chain during the period of the study.

Subjects

Crops; Animal feed; Genetically modified organism; Research; Maize; University of Reading

Date

23 March 2004

Reference

419 c697-8W;419 c699-700W; 160575;160576;160577

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the 20 largest payments made under the (a) Arable Area Payments Scheme, (b) Beef Special Premium Scheme, (c) Suckler Cow Premium Scheme, (d) Sheep Annual Premium Scheme, (e) Hill Farm Allowance Scheme, (f) Slaughter Premium Scheme, (g)...

Asked by

Lord Wills (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

20 February 2004

For answer on

23 March 2004

Answered on

23 March 2004

Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the 20 largest payments made under the (a) Arable Area Payments Scheme, (b) Beef Special Premium Scheme, (c) Suckler Cow Premium Scheme, (d) Sheep Annual Premium Scheme, (e) Hill Farm Allowance Scheme, (f) Slaughter Premium Scheme, (g) Integrated Administration and Control System, (h) Dairy Premium Scheme, (i) Dairy Additional Payments Scheme and (j) Extensification Payment Scheme were in the most recent EU budget year for which figures are available. [156141] Alun Michael: The figures in the following table represent the total of the 20 largest payments made under the listed schemes. These are based on the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) Year which runs from 16 October 2002 to 15 October 2003. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Scheme Value (£) Arable Area Payments 10,067,954.47 Beef Special Premium 819,631.12 Suckler Cow Premium 1,721,515.19 Sheep Annual Premium 1,438,796.95 Hill Farming Allowance 310,191.42 Slaughter Premium 600,375.50 Extensification Payment 915,768.43 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Figures have not been provided for (g) Integrated Administration and Control System as this is an umbrella scheme which encompasses the individual schemes listed in the table; (h) Dairy Premium Scheme and (i) Dairy Additional Payments Scheme which are new schemes being introduced with effect from 2004. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is bound by commercial confidentiality in its dealings with its customers, whether sole traders or farmers or corporations, breach of which by disclosing information relating to the affairs of individual traders or farmers or corporations would expose the RPA to the liability of legal proceedings in tort. In relation to individual farmers or traders, information which is of a personal nature, such as individual payments to such persons, is personal data which is protected from voluntary disclosure under the Data Protection Act 1998. While the RPA can release global figures relating to payments, which do not identify individual persons, including corporations, it is unable to release individual figures without incurring the liabilities under the two principles

Subjects

Agriculture; Payment; Subsidy; Hill farming; Suckler cow premium; Beef premium; Arable area payments scheme; Sheep premiums; Extensification schemes

Date

23 March 2004

Reference

419 c693-4W;419 c696W; 156141

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications of the recently reported deaths of 12 cattle in Hesse, Germany, in a dairy herd fed on GM fodder maize. (Holding answer 1 March 2004).

Asked by

Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Date

18 March 2004

Reference

419 c435W;419 c437W; 157753

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the farm-gate value of cows' milk produced by the dairy herd in England was in the last year for which figures are available. - Inc figure.

Asked by

Owen Paterson (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Date

8 March 2004

Reference

157936; 418 c1248W;418 c1250W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon land values (a) before and (b) after 2012; what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for...

Asked by

Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

24 February 2004

For answer on

5 March 2004

Answered on

5 March 2004

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon land values (a) before and (b) after 2012; [157102] (2) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) intensive dairy, (b) extensive dairy, (c) intensive beef, (d) extensive beef, (e) intensive suckler cow, (f) extensive suckler cow, (g) intensive sheep and (h) extensive sheep farming systems (i) before and (ii) after the end of the transitional period in 2012; [157127] (3) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) intensive mixed and (b) extensive mixed holdings (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157129] (4) what assessment she has made of the anticipated per hectare payments to farmers in England under her proposals for single farm payments after 2012 for farms (a) within and (b) outside severely disadvantaged areas; [157103] (5) if she will publish each of the assessments her Department made of the anticipated impact of her preferred option for the further payment of single farm payments (a) during and (b) after the transitional period; [157104] (6) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon farms of (a) supported crops and arable and (b) unsupported crops and arable (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157130] (7) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon farm gate prices across each sector (a) before and (b) after 2012; [157131] (8) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) the future structure of farming, (b) farm and farmland ownership, (c) agricultural productivity, (d) agricultural profitability, (e) farm gate prices across all main sectors, (f) the viability of the present farm structure, (g) the future number of farms and (h) the future number of agriculture and agriculture-related jobs; [157123] (9) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) farm tenancies and (b) farm rents (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157124] (10) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) traditional, (b) small, (c) part-time and (d) family farms in England (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157132] (11) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) new entrants and (b) farmers seeking to retire during the period (i) up to and (ii) beyond 2012; [157133] (12) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon the preponderance of tenanted (a) farms and (b) farmland (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157125] (13) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon the (a) viability and (b) number of farms in (i) upland and (ii) severely disadvantaged areas. [157126] Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the impact of single farm payments on (a) farms that are rented, (b) owner farms, (c) upland farms, (d) middlehill farms, (e) lowland farms, (f) dairy farms, (g) beef farms, (h) sheep farms, (i) arable farms and (j) mixed farms, in Chorley. [157704] Alun Michael: Defra will publish shortly an analysis of the economic impact on the English farming industry of the decoupling of CAP direct payment and the decision to allocate entitlement on the basis set out in the Secretary of State's Statement to the House on 12 February.

Subjects

Agriculture; Reform; Subsidies; Common agricultural policy

Date

5 March 2004

Reference

418 c1149-51W;418 c1165-7W; 157102;157127;157129;157103;157104;157130;157131;157123;157124;157132;157133;157125;157126

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the impact of single farm payments on (a) farms that are rented, (b) owner farms, (c) upland farms, (d) middlehill farms, (e) lowland farms, (f) dairy farms, (g) beef farms, (h)...

Asked by

Lindsay Hoyle (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

25 February 2004

For answer on

5 March 2004

Answered on

5 March 2004

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon land values (a) before and (b) after 2012; [157102] (2) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) intensive dairy, (b) extensive dairy, (c) intensive beef, (d) extensive beef, (e) intensive suckler cow, (f) extensive suckler cow, (g) intensive sheep and (h) extensive sheep farming systems (i) before and (ii) after the end of the transitional period in 2012; [157127] (3) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) intensive mixed and (b) extensive mixed holdings (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157129] (4) what assessment she has made of the anticipated per hectare payments to farmers in England under her proposals for single farm payments after 2012 for farms (a) within and (b) outside severely disadvantaged areas; [157103] (5) if she will publish each of the assessments her Department made of the anticipated impact of her preferred option for the further payment of single farm payments (a) during and (b) after the transitional period; [157104] (6) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon farms of (a) supported crops and arable and (b) unsupported crops and arable (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157130] (7) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon farm gate prices across each sector (a) before and (b) after 2012; [157131] (8) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) the future structure of farming, (b) farm and farmland ownership, (c) agricultural productivity, (d) agricultural profitability, (e) farm gate prices across all main sectors, (f) the viability of the present farm structure, (g) the future number of farms and (h) the future number of agriculture and agriculture-related jobs; [157123] (9) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) farm tenancies and (b) farm rents (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157124] (10) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) traditional, (b) small, (c) part-time and (d) family farms in England (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157132] (11) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) new entrants and (b) farmers seeking to retire during the period (i) up to and (ii) beyond 2012; [157133] (12) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon the preponderance of tenanted (a) farms and (b) farmland (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157125] (13) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon the (a) viability and (b) number of farms in (i) upland and (ii) severely disadvantaged areas. [157126] Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the impact of single farm payments on (a) farms that are rented, (b) owner farms, (c) upland farms, (d) middlehill farms, (e) lowland farms, (f) dairy farms, (g) beef farms, (h) sheep farms, (i) arable farms and (j) mixed farms, in Chorley. [157704] Alun Michael: Defra will publish shortly an analysis of the economic impact on the English farming industry of the decoupling of CAP direct payment and the decision to allocate entitlement on the basis set out in the Secretary of State's Statement to the House on 12 February.

Subjects

Agriculture; Reform; Subsidies; Common agricultural policy

Date

5 March 2004

Reference

418 c1150-1W;418 c1166-7W; 157704

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for funding under the Market Towns Initiative her Department has received; and what proportion has been successful; which towns have been awarded grant funding under the Market Towns Initiative; and how much has been spent...

Asked by

Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

12 February 2004

For answer on

1 March 2004

Answered on

1 March 2004

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many applications for funding under the Market Towns Initiative her Department has received; and what proportion has been successful; [155946] (2) which towns have been awarded grant funding under the Market Towns Initiative; and how much has been spent through the scheme, broken down by (a) town and (b) region in each year for which records are available. [155950] Alun Michael: The £37 million funding identified in the Rural White Paper was to enable the Regional Development Agencies and the Countryside Agency to support market town regeneration in the regions. The initiative was therefore not established as a national funding programme, but as a means of enabling regional partnerships to target towns in their region according to regionally agreed selection criteria. When the announcement of the funding was made, it was envisaged that 100 towns would benefit from this funding. I am pleased to report that, through the innovative methods used in each of the regions, currently 227 towns are receiving support. As the Initiative is being delivered through regional partnerships in different ways and we need to collate the data, I will be writing to you with more detailed information in due course. In the meantime, set out as follows is a list of the market towns in each of the regions. Market towns chosen in the Regions North East Northumberland Alnwick Berwick-upon Tweed Haltwhistle Hexham Morpeth Seahouses Wooler Rothbury Amble Prudhoe Co. Durham Barnard Castle Crook Middleton-in-Teesdale Stanhope Redcar and Cleveland Guisborough (pilot) North West Cumbria Cockermouth Egremont Keswick Longtown Millom Penrith Ulverston Wigton with Silloth and Aspitria (pilot) Windermere, Ambleside and Bowness Lancashire Barnoldswick Carnforth Clitheroe Garstang Padiham Cheshire Sandbach (pilot) Neston Frodsham Yorkshire and Humber North Yorkshire Malton/Norton (pilot) Pateley Bridge High Bentham (pilot) Pateley Bridge Thirsk Whitby Richmond Calderdale Todmorton (pilot) Doncaster Thorne (pilot) North Lincs Brigg (pilot) East Riding Hornsea (pilot) Market Weighton Leeds Otley Barnsley Penistone Wakefield Hemsworth North East Lincs Immingham West Midlands Shropshire Craven Arms Oswestry Wem Bridgnorth, Highley and Alveley Market Drayton Whitchurch Herefordshire Kington Ledbury Bromyard Staffordshire Leek and Cheadle Uttoxeter Warwickshire Alcester Atherstone and Polesworth Worcestershire Pershore Evesham Bewdley East Midlands Derbyshire Belper Bolsover Chapel-en-le-Frith Clowne Glossop Heanor Killamarsh S Normanton New Mills Lincolnshire Louth Spalding Market Rasen Mablethorpe Alford Spilsby Wainfleet Horncastle Leicestershire Market Harborough Melton Mowbray Thurmaston Broughton Astley Earl Shilton Bottesford Ibstock Lutterworth Market Deepening Northants Rothwell Thrapston Desborough (pilot) Brackley Towcester Heathfield (funded by RDA) Rutland Oakham Nottinghamshire Ollerton Retford Harworth Bircotes Bingham Eastwood East of England Cambridgeshire Wisbech March Chatteris Ely Littleport Whittlesey Essex Walton on the Naze Manningtree Brightlingsea Burnham on Crouch Saffron Walden Norfolk Dereham Walton Downham Market Diss Aylsham Harleston Wymondham Suffolk Beccles Brandon Wickham Market Debenham Woodbridge Newmarket Mildenhall Haverhill Hertfordshire Tring Berhamsted South East Kent Aylesham Minster New Romney Cranbrook (funded by RDA) Hythe (funded by RDA) Sheerness Lenham (funded by RDA) Edenbridge Oxfordshire Faringdon Carterton Thame Hampshire (co-ordinator to work with 11 towns within the county) Yatley Odiham New Milton Botley Hythe Alton Petersfield Whitchurch Whitehill Wickham Bishop's Waltham Fordingbridge Dibden East Sussex Battle (funded by RDA) Hailsham (funded by RDA) Rye (funded by RDA) Isle of Wight (island wide partnership and Co-ordinator) Sandown Shaklin Wooton Bridge Brading Cowes/East Cowes Ventnor (separate health check funded by RDA) West Sussex Pullborough Steynning Storrington Billinghurst Surrey Haslemere Cranleigh Buckinghamshire Princes Risborough Buckingham Milton Keynes Wolverton Stoney Stratford South West Devon Hatherleigh Okehampton Holsworthy South Molton Crediton Great Torrington Tavistock Tamar Valley (pilot) (including Tavistock) Collumpton Dartmouth Ilfracombe Ivybridge Kingsbridge Somerset Totnes Minehead (pilot) (funded by RDA) Cornwall Launceston Helstone (pilot) Camelford and Delabole Mevagissey Bodmin Hayle Lostwithiel Saltash Tamar Valley Torpoint Westward Ho! Gloucestershire Lydney (pilot) Cinderford Newent Coleford Stroud Cam Dursley Tewkesbury Wotton Under Edge Somerset Minehead (pilot) (funded by RDA) Langford (pilot) (funded by RDA) Wiveliscombe Burnham on Sea and Highbridge Chard Shepton Malet Sturminster Newton BANES (Bath and North East Somerset) Midsomer Norton and Radstock (pilot) (funded by RDA) Wiltshire Melksham (pilot) Tidworth Devizes (pilot) Calne Corsham Trowbridge Warminster Westbury Wilton Dorset Bridport (pilot) Sturminster Newton Shaftsbury

Subjects

Applications; Finance; Regeneration; Market towns

Date

1 March 2004

Reference

418 c639-45W;418 c659-65W; 155946;155950

House

House of Commons

ELEPHANTS FOR ANGOLA

That this House welcomes the reintroduction of elephants to Angola; notes the devastation caused to wildlife in Angola by the civil war which started after independence from Portugal in 1975; applauds the generosity of Botswana in donating 300 animals to re-establish a viable elephant population in Angola; commends the Kissama...

Primary sponsor

Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat)

Type

Early day motion

Date

4 February 2004

Reference

555

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the schemes under which payments are made to farmers in England; and what the total amounts paid under each scheme to (a) limited companies and (b) individuals were in the most recent year for...

Asked by

Lord Wills (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

12 December 2003

For answer on

3 February 2004

Answered on

3 February 2004

Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the schemes under which payments are made to farmers in England; and what the total amounts paid under each scheme to (a) limited companies and (b) individuals were in the most recent year for which figures are available. [144458] Alun Michael: Providing this information in the form requested has involved considerable work to interrogate the computer records in order to produce the required figures for England. In order to do so it has been necessary to include all businesses that do not incorporate the term "limited" in their title in the trading name under the heading "individuals". The following figures represent payments made in the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund Year 2003--16 October 2002 to 15 October 2003--and do not include Common Agricultural Policy market support schemes. £ _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Scheme Limited companies value Individuals value Arable Area Payments 186,582,223.13 682,615,833.19 Arable Agrimonetary Aid 105,596.05 69,870.01 Beef Agrimonetary Aid 29,533.43 473,716.88 Beef National Envelope 991,509.93 13,630,439.57 Beef Special Premium 7,348,365.73 109,024,177.25 Extensification 3,338,151.33 51,927,956.37 Hill Farming Allowance 947,164.39 38,212,678.88 Milk -- 263,043.48 Sheep Annual Premium 4,437,189.52 100,437,173.61 Suckler Cow Premium 5,236,163.74 71,972,974.84 Sheep Agrimonetary Aid 89.70 7,809.36 Slaughter Premium 5,375,867.10 61,472,846.45 Rural Development Service Operated Schemes Arable Stewardship 4,047,399.33 1,313,793.43 Countryside Access 2,417,329.19 16,643,660.50 Countryside Stewardship -- 31,451,770.61 Energy Crops 75,096.40 66,693.60 Environmentally Sensitive Areas 4,430,669.21 57,170,574.76 Farm Woodland Premium 1,518,910.06 6,809,501.96 Habitat 223,389.40 1,622,720.89 Moorland -- 25,350.00 Nitrate Sensitive Areas 333,897.80 1,304,479.48 Nitrate Vulnerable Zones 55,680.09 396,565.20 Organic Farming 1,855,784.37 7,833,778.95 Processing and Marketing Grant 5,558,457.51 1,664,423.52 Rural Enterprise 3,285,539.56 14,709,634.85 Vocational Training 601,553.90 1,296,838.65 Structural Funds 13,474,107.46 8,505,521.90 Total 252,269,668.33 1,280,923,828.19 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Subjects

Agriculture; Expenditure; Farmers; Subsidies

Date

3 February 2004

Reference

144458; 417 c766-7W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the risk of vaccines sourced from bovine products in the USA being an agent for transmitting BSE.

Asked by

Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Date

12 January 2004

Reference

146344; 416 c595W;416 c593W

House

House of Commons

Whitty, Lord

In the light of the second brucellosis case in Britain this year, what new measures they will be implementing; and whether, in the light of the second brucellosis case in Britain this year, they will require all animals under 12 months-old to be blood-tested before importation; and whether, in the...

Asked by

Lord Rotherwick (Conservative)

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Date

8 January 2004

Reference

HL 563; 656 c60WA

House

House of Lords

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how long mycobacterium bovis bacilli can survive on open pasture; and under what conditions.

Asked by

Owen Paterson (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Date

6 January 2004

Reference

141395; 416 c246-7W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of TB lesions found in cows subject to post-mortem examination for TB were considered to be of a type which would have rendered the cattle in which they were found capable of transmitting bovine TB to...

Asked by

Owen Paterson (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

26 November 2003

For answer on

16 December 2003

Answered on

16 December 2003

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what proportion of TB lesions found in cows subject to post- mortem examination for TB were considered to be of a type which would have rendered the cattle in which they were found capable of transmitting bovine TB to another bovine animal in England in the past 10 years; [141089] (2) where the main TB lesions have been found on those cows which have been subject to post-mortem examinations for TB by or on behalf of her Department, in England in the past 10 years; [141389] (3) what inferences have been drawn from the sites of TB lesions found on those cows which have been subject to post-mortem examination for TB by or on behalf of her Department, in England, in the past 10 years, as to the routes of transmission. [141392] Mr. Bradshaw: The vast majority of lesions found in reactors to the TB skin test and in cases disclosed in the slaughterhouse are found in the lymph nodes of the throat and lungs (i.e. retropharyngeal, bronchial and mediastinal nodes). Any bovine animals infected with the causative agent for bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) becomes potentially infectious for other animals after a period of latency. By the time shedding begins, the animal may or may not have developed visible lesions. The routes of transmission in field conditions are not fully understood but the distribution of the lesions strongly suggest that the respiratory and oro- pharyngeal routes are the most common. Reactors to the tuberculin test and confirmed slaughterhouse cases are considered to be infected and infectious. The testing regime applied to the remainder of the herd after removal of the reactors takes account of this.

Subjects

Cattle; Disease control; Infectious diseases; Bovine tuberculosis

Date

16 December 2003

Reference

415 c821W; 141089;141389;141392

House

House of Commons

FARM TAX

That this House regrets that the average UK family pays ??16 per week in farm tax on subsidies and support; welcomes the news that British farm incomes have soared from 2001-02 to 2002-03 in horticulture by 7 per cent. cattle and sheep, by 120 per cent. pigs and poultry, by...

Primary sponsor

Paul Flynn (Labour)

Type

Early day motion

Date

16 December 2003

Reference

295

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dairy cows there were in England in each of the past five years; and what the average size of dairy herds was in each year in (a) Cornwall and (b) Devon. - Including table.

Asked by

Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written question

Status

Answered

Tabled on

26 November 2003

For answer on

10 December 2003

Answered on

10 December 2003

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many dairy cows there were in England in each of the past five years; and what the average size of dairy herds was in each year in (a) Cornwall and (b) Devon. [140715] Mr. Bradshaw: The information is in the table. Dairy Cows in Cornwall and Devon 1998--2002 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Dairy Cows Holdings Average Herd Size Devon CC 1998 160,039 2,396 67 1999 163,242 2,278 72 2000 154,707 2,151 73 2001 138,789 1,843 75 2002 144,148 1,798 80 Plymouth 1998 659 6 110 1999 664 6 111 2000 --1 --1 --1 2001 --1 --1 --1 2002 --1 --1 --1 Torbay 1998 351 1999 368 2000 262 2001 268 2002 --1 --1 --1 Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly 1998 87,936 1,381 64 1999 89,747 1,310 69 2000 85,882 1,281 67 2001 87,513 1,222 72 2002 82,549 1,101 75 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 Denotes that the data have been treated to avoid disclosure of information relating to individual holdings. Note: Figures for 1998 and 1999 show main holdings only, from 2000 onwards minor holdings are also included. Source: June Agricultural Census

Subjects

Cattle; Devon; Dairy farming; Cornwall

Date

10 December 2003

Reference

415 c528-9W; 140715

House

House of Commons