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24 Nov 2008 : Column 838W—continued
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's expenditure was on (a) hospitality and entertainment, (b) advertising and promotion, (c) consultants, (d) photography, (e) media training, (f) media monitoring, (g) foreign language services, (h) hotel accommodation, (i) external legal advice, (j) recruitment and (k) public affairs in each year since 2001. [233592]
Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA came into being in June 2001. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The departmental report, published annually, contains much helpful information on DEFRA's expenditure and I refer the hon. Member in particular to Chapter 9: Better Regulation and Corporate Services and Chapter 10: Defra's Delivery Partners, of the 2008 report. Copies of previous departmental reports are held in the Library of the House.
Departmental Internet
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on maintaining his Departmental website in the latest year for which figures are available. [231941]
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of maintaining his Department's website was in 2007-08; and what the forecast costs for maintaining his Department's websites are in 2008-09. [233249]
Huw Irranca-Davies:
Direct operating costs—the staff costs for the central team with lead
responsibility for updating and maintaining websites—are estimated to be
around £330,000 for the financial year 2007-08 and about £340,000 for
the current financial year. Additional costs arise from the activities
of staff in business units across the Department, contributing to the
content of websites, but the cost for this could not be readily
calculated. Website hosting services—as well as a range
of IT applications—are provided as part of DEFRA's overall IT service
provision and the costs could not be readily disaggregated.
Departmental Lost Property
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) equipment and (b) data was lost by his Department in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [231444]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs has recorded 15 personal data related incidents in its 2007-08 Departmental Report published on 19 May 2008. All involved the loss of laptop computers.
Since then, a number of initiatives have been—and will continue to be—introduced, aimed at improving the safety of data assets and raise security awareness. This includes encryption rolled out as part of an IT Renew programme, guidance about protecting data (in on-line and paper form) and a project to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Review of Data Handling Procedures in Government.
Departmental Offices
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent by his Department on office removal contracts in each of the last three years. [236747]
Huw Irranca-Davies [holding answer 17 November 2008]: DEFRA office removal contract expenditure covering the last three financial years:
| £ | |
| 2008-09 | 299,000 |
| 2007-08 | 613,000 |
| 2006-07 | 237,000 |
Departmental Older Workers
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people recruited by his Department in 2007-08 were aged over (a) 55 years and (b) 60 years; and what percentage this represented of the number of new recruits in each case. [235246]
Huw Irranca-Davies: In 2007-08, DEFRA (excluding the Executive Agencies) recruited eight staff who were over 55 years of age and fewer than five staff who were over 60 years of age, which represented 2.8 per cent. and 0. per cent. respectively of all new recruits in the period.
Departmental Public Participation
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Devizes of 21 October 2008, Official Report, column 162W, on departmental public participation, what outcomes resulted from the citizens' jury meeting held with 15 people from Devon in November 2007; and if he will make a statement on the Department's plans for citizens' juries. [231323]
Huw Irranca-Davies [holding answer 28 October 2008]: A Citizen's jury was formed as part of a three-year research and development project funded under the Rural Economy and Land Use Programme, lead by the research councils and with supporting funds from DEFRA.
The project was aimed at determining risks associated with pollution of water courses in the Taw river catchment, Devon, from microbes arising from livestock farming.
With the specific scientific aim of gaining insight into the public's attitudes and responses to the risks posed to water quality by these microbes, the jury was made up of 15 people from Devon. It was constituted to address:
defining and attributing responsibilities for water course pollution from the livestock farming sector;
assigning responsibilities to specific stakeholders on reducing the risk of microbial pollution from livestock farming; and
the efficacy of specific policy measures to reduce the risk of pollution from livestock farming.
Within the context of a much wider programme of research, the jury's findings contributed to informing scientific recommendations supporting potential policy options in reducing water course pollution, compatible with current farming practices.
Citizen juries are one of the research tools available to scientists seeking to gain further insight into the behavioural responses to proposed policy measures, in this instance into potential options to reduce water course pollution. They provide valuable scientific information into the efficacy of proposed options in advance of formulation and implementation. As such they provide an option, of many, for engaging public perceptions of science across research and development programmes. Within the framework of well-defined scientific programmes, they will continue to be convened on a specific needs basis only.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 17 September 2008, Official Report, column 2231W, on departmental public participation, what the timetable is for the Navigator study to be completed. [235047]
Jane Kennedy: It is anticipated that the executive summary of the Navigator study will be completed early next year.
Departmental Public Relations
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of (a) entertainment, (b) advertising and promotion and (c) public relations consultancy to his Department in 2007-08. [228152]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The core Department holds no information centrally on the expenditure categories of (a) entertainment (b) advertising and promotion and (c) public relations consultancy. It could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Surveillance
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent inspection report of his Department by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner. [234988]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The last report on DEFRA by the Office of Surveillance Commissioner (OSC) was in May 2008. As the report includes sensitive information on the areas and use of covert investigation techniques under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), including the resources available, it would be inappropriate to place the report in the Library.
The Interception of Communications Commissioner, the Chief Surveillance Commissioner and the Intelligence Service Commissioner, who each have particular inspection and oversight responsibilities under RIPA, publish annual reports. The latest reports were laid before Parliament and copies placed in the House Library on 22 July. The figures provided in the reports for use of specific covert techniques are not broken down by individual public authority. The question of further disclosure for any particular public authority is a matter for the relevant Commissioner.
Departmental Television
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the television licence fee in his official Ministerial residence is paid for from public funds. [233243]
Huw Irranca-Davies: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Hilary Benn) does not have an official ministerial residence.
Departmental Temporary Employment
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which companies were used by his Department for providing temporary staff in each of the last five years; and what the value of contracts with each such company was in each of those years. [229085]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The totality of this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Department publishes in its annual departmental report information on its expenditure for consultancy and professional services, which includes temporary staff. I refer the hon. Member to Chapter 9 of the 2008 Report: ‘Better Regulation and Corporate Services’.
Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which local authorities have introduced weekly organic waste collections for households (a) across their locality and (b) as pilot schemes. [235061]
Jane Kennedy: This information is not collected centrally.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the average cost per household to local waste collection authorities of domestic waste collection with (a) a weekly and (b) an alternate weekly frequency. [235091]
Jane Kennedy: No such estimate has been made.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 6 November 2008, Official Report, columns 654-56W, on domestic waste, what (a) financial incentives will be available to and (b) financial penalties will be imposed on local authorities if they meet or fail to meet the targets for reducing residual household waste. [236036]
Jane Kennedy: There are no financial incentives available to, or financial penalties imposed on, local authorities if they meet or fail to meet their agreed targets for reducing residual household waste.
Many local areas have adopted their own targets around waste management, recycling and street cleanliness. Details of individual agreements are available publicly from the CLG website, IDeA website or from local authorities.
Domestic Wastes
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Beckenham of 9 October 2008, Official Report, columns 743-45, on the Waste and Resources Action Programme, which of the authorities and partnerships listed in the Answer have been allocated funding to assist with the introduction or implementation of alternate weekly collections. [232588]
Jane Kennedy: None of the authorities and partnerships listed have been allocated funding specifically for the introduction or implementation of alternate weekly collections. The Waste and Resources Action Programme's funding for local authorities was designed to help them improve the performance of, and increase levels of public participation in, their recycling and composting services. Funding has been awarded to a large number of local authorities, running a variety of waste collection schemes. In each case, the purpose was to support the local authority's delivery and communication of its strategy for improving recycling rates. What this strategy was in each case, and whether or not it involved the introduction of alternate weekly collection of residual waste, was a matter for the local authority to decide.
Domestic Wastes: Contracts
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 1 September 2008, Official Report, column 1487W, on domestic wastes: contracts, what the timetable is for the peer review of WR0106 and for the completion of WR0506. [235005]
Jane Kennedy: The peer review for WR0106: Achieving Household Waste Prevention Through Service Systems, is now complete. The final report for WR0506: Benefits of Third Sector Involvement in Waste Management, is due to be submitted to DEFRA by the end of November 2008.
Dorneywood
James Duddridge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
pursuant to the
Answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 19 June 2008, Official
Report, column 1187W, on Dorneywood: official hospitality, what use
his Department has made of Dorneywood for official engagements in the
last 12 months. [221931]
Huw Irranca-Davies: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 October 2008, Official Report, columns 90-91W, by my hon. Friend the Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Watson).
Fishing Catches
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the fish catch in EU waters was discarded in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [234367]
Huw Irranca-Davies: Information on the scale of such discards is not currently available.
Since 2002 all EU countries have been required to collect data on discarding under Council Regulation 1543/2000, but the information is not yet compiled systematically. Quantities of discards are estimated quarterly using data collected by scientific observers aboard commercial fishing vessels. They are required to record the quantity landed and discarded, and the species and size composition of the discards each time the fishing gear is hauled. Deploying scientific observers in this manner is expensive and time consuming, with the result that it is usually only possible to sample a small proportion of the overall fishing trips in a given area. As a result, it is necessary to extrapolate from the limited sampling to provide estimates for the entire fleet. Although the sampling is intended to cover a representative sample of the fleet, this does mean that the estimates of total discards are subject to uncertainty.
However, it is clear that in order to more effectively manage discard activity, it is essential that full and accurate data is available for all fisheries, and we continue to press the Commission to ensure this is delivered by member states.
Flood Control
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many miles of flood defences will be abandoned if the proposed catchment management plans proceed. [235104]
Jane Kennedy: The Environment Agency have now completed 55 out of 68 Catchment Flood Management Plans (CFMPs) for England. Within each CFMP, long term flood risk policies have been assigned to geographical areas.
Each geographical area is referred to as a policy unit and across England and Wales there are approximately 860. In 38 of these, the flood risk management policy option will be to provide no active intervention. In practice this means that the Environment Agency will continue to monitor flood risk, but will not carry out maintenance on watercourses and defences. Flood risk in these areas is relatively low and the policy reflects the current practice of low intervention to manage risk.
This policy option will be progressively managed in the long term. Therefore at this stage CFMPs do not identify the length of flood defence where no active intervention will take place.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on the proposed catchment flood management plans. [235105]
Jane Kennedy: The Environment Agency is responsible for preparing catchment flood management plans in accordance with agreed guidance and they are signed off by the regional director. DEFRA reviews a sample of the plans through its post-approval evaluation process. DEFRA has received a number of representations on this issue from members of the public and MPs over the last six months.
Flowers: Conservation
Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding has been provided by his Department for the protection of native species of wild flowering vegetation in each region in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [238204]
Huw Irranca-Davies: This information is not held centrally and could be gathered only at a disproportionate cost.
Fly Tipping
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many incidents of fly-tipping in (a) Ashford constituency and (b) Kent were reported in the last five years; and how many people were prosecuted for such offences in each year. [236875]
Jane Kennedy: The number of fly-tipping incidents and enforcement actions taken are recorded by local authorities. Data are available for the last four years. Ashford borough council recorded the following figures:
| Incidents | Prosecutions | |
| 2004-05 | 950 | 0 |
| 2005-06 | 1,177 | 2 |
| 2006-07 | 1,450 | 0 |
| 2007-08 | 1,177 | 0 |
The total figures recorded by the 12 district and borough councils and one unitary council within Kent are as follows:
| Incidents | Prosecutions | |
| 2004-05 | 29,210 | 8 |
| 2005-06 | 33,774 | 22 |
| 2006-07 | 32,778 | 29 |
| 2007-08 | 22,588 | 23 |
Prosecution is just one of a range of enforcement actions which may be taken by a local authority. Other actions for which separate figures are recorded include warning letters, serving of statutory notices, fixed penalty notices and formal cautions.
Fly Tipping: Rural Areas
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to reduce fly-tipping in rural areas. [236306]
Jane Kennedy: Fly-tipping occurs in both urban and rural areas. The Government, working with local authorities and the Environment Agency, aim to reduce fly-tipping through better prevention, detection and risk-based enforcement. As members of the National Fly-tipping Prevention Group, DEFRA works closely on this issue with large, private landowner organisations, many of whom have strong rural interests. We are funding the Environment Agency to undertake some specific work this year with these organisations, including the National Farmers Union and Country Land and Business Association, to quantify the extent of fly-tipping on private land and identify best practice to tackle the illegal dumping of waste in these areas.
Food Supply: Competition
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of the Competition Commission’s proposed establishment of a new grocery supply code of practice, with particular reference to whether it will provide (a) clarity and (b) protection for primary food producers. [238501]
Jane Kennedy: The Competition Commission recommended that DEFRA and BERR should consider the introduction of appropriate measures, including the extension of the Grocery Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) and the role of the ombudsman or the introduction of a similar, complementary code and arrangements to cover the intermediaries and primary producers. The Government response to chapter 11 was clear in that they would want to see how any change impacts on the operation of the supply chain before considering whether any further action might be necessary.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has assessed the merits of the proposal in chapter 11 of the Competition Commission’s supply of groceries in the UK report in respect of giving primary food producers the right to initiate complaints about the conduct of grocery retailers. [238502]
Jane Kennedy: The Government response to the chapter 11 proposals noted that the Competition Commission would engage with large grocery retailers to implement an ombudsman that could, among other things, consider complaints from primary food producers. If it cannot get agreement the Government will consider establishing the ombudsman itself. The Government would make any assessment based primarily on what would be in consumers’ best interests.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on the Competition Commission’s proposed remedies for primary producers following its report into the grocery sector. [238503]
Jane Kennedy: There have been no such discussions.
Forestry Commission: Property
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Forestry Commission has spent on maintaining its domestic properties in each of the last five years. [238734]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The estimated costs of maintaining the Forestry Commission’s domestic properties over the last five years are:
| £000 | |
| 2003-04 | 289 |
| 2004-05 | 202 |
| 2005-06 | 237 |
| 2006-07 | 299 |
| 2007-08 | 247 |
Growing Sector Investigation
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the Competition Commission’s Growing Sector Investigation report published in April. [237793]
Jane Kennedy: The Government response to the Competition Commission’s inquiry into the UK grocery market was published on 29 July by BERR.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of Chapter 11 of the Competition Commission’s Growing Sector Inquiry report in respect of primary producers. [237863]
Jane Kennedy: With respect to primary producers, the CC recommended that DEFRA and BERR should consider the introduction of appropriate measures, including the extension of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) and the role of the ombudsman or the introduction of a similar, complementary code and arrangements to cover the intermediaries and primary producers. The Government response was clear in that it would want to see how any change impacts on the operation of the supply chain before considering whether any further action might be necessary.
Gypsum
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential risk to (a) human health and (b) the environment from hydrogen sulphide gases created when gypsum is mixed with biodegradable wastes in landfills. [236590]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 20 November 2008]: The risk to health and the environment from the mixing of gypsum waste in landfills containing biodegradable landfill is well known and should be avoided to minimise the production of hydrogen sulphide gas which is toxic and odorous. The Landfill Directive implemented in 2005 requires gypsum to be landfilled in separate areas from biodegradable waste.
The Environment Agency is currently undertaking projects looking at the health effects of landfilling and the quantities of hydrogen sulphide produced at landfills.
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he will publish new guidance on the acceptance of waste gypsum to landfill; and when he expects the new guidance to come into force. [236591]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 20 November 2008]: The Environment Agency is due to publish revised guidance by the end of November 2008.
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how new guidance on the acceptance of waste gypsum to landfill will be disseminated to private sector operators within the waste sector; and by what means he will ensure that the new guidance will be enforced. [236592]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 20 November 2008]: The Environment Agency will issue a press release to accompany its revised regulatory position statement. This will be available to industry (including the construction and demolition industry) and waste managers, through their trade associations, and published in the relevant journals. The position statement will be placed on the Environment Agency website.
The Environment Agency will e-mail approximately 7,000 businesses, academic institutions and other interested parties advising them of the revised position.
The Environment Agency will also develop guidance for its staff describing how they should approach compliance assessment over the next few months. This will include awareness raising at relevant sites (landfill and waste transfer stations) leading up to the adoption of its tougher enforcement position from 1 April 2009.
Horses: Conservation
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2008, Official Report, column 1293W, on horses: conservation, for what reason the Dartmoor Pony Society has temporarily suspended the issuing of Heritage Trust passports; and what advice the Society has sought from his Department. [237790]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Dartmoor Pony Society (DPS) informed DEFRA that they had ceased to produce Heritage Trust passports as of 19 October 2008, as they believed that a number of applications they had received were for ponies that had been presented for sale at the Dartmoor sale in Chagford, Devon and for which passports had already been applied for from a different organisation.
DEFRA have been in contact with the DPS to help resolve this issue and the Society have informed us that they are now issuing Heritage Trust Passports again.
Incinerators
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what methodology his Department uses to assess the environmental impacts of proposed incineration facilities. [237749]
Jane Kennedy: Under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007, operators of proposed incineration installations are required to apply for an operating permit from the regulator (the Environment Agency or, for smaller installations, the local authority). The application must include information relating to the impact of the proposed installation upon the environment, and the regulator will determine the application on that basis using its own methodology.
Inspections
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department and its predecessor has spent on inspections in each of the last 10 years. [237193]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 18 November 2008]: DEFRA, through agencies such as Animal Health, the Marine and Fisheries Agency, the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate and the Rural Payments Agency carries out a wide range of inspections throughout the course of a year.
These range from the inspection of fishing vessels at sea, to cattle identification, the inspection of animal by-product sites and horticultural marketing standards. The information you request could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Littering: Young Offenders
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance provided by (a) his Department and (b) the Environment Agency on the issuing of fixed penalty notices for waste offences to juveniles. [235068]
Jane Kennedy: DEFRA published general guidance on issuing fixed penalty notices to juveniles in 2006. This document, ‘Fixed Penalty Notices to Juveniles’ is available on the DEFRA website.
The Environment Agency have not issued any specific guidance on this issue. However, the Environment Agency's enforcement and prosecution policy and functional guidance provide general guidance on the enforcement of environmental offences, including enforcement in respect of juveniles and the elderly.
National Farmers Retail and Markets Association
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the National Farmers Retail and Markets Association. [236220]
Jane Kennedy: I have not had any discussions with the National Farmers' Retail and Markets Association (FARMA). However, in recent years both DEFRA Ministers and officials have met with representatives of FARMA to explore how we can work together on our common goals of reconnecting farmers to their markets and helping them to add value. FARMA have also previously presented to our Regional Food Cross-Cutting Group which includes representatives from all the regional development agencies.
This year, DEFRA officials have been in regular contact with FARMA to ensure they are aware of the documentation required to enable draw down of the first instalment of their Agriculture Development Scheme grant award.
I attended the Parliamentary All Party Markets Group meeting on 20 November 2008, at which the FARMA were present.
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