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CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

GM Crops

Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what advice the Commissioners have received about the growing of GM crops on their land; how they intend to monitor the result of the current round of trials; and if he will make a statement. [123048]

Mr. Stuart Bell: Following extensive study and wide consultation, the Church of England's Ethical Investment Advisory group has recommended to the Commissioners that new agricultural tenancies should contain a clause restricting the use of genetically modified seeds. Therefore genetically modified seed could only be grown on church land with the express consent of the Church Commissioners. The Commissioners have considered and accepted this advice. Currently no GMO crop trials are taking place on Church land.

The Advisory Group is currently establishing a process to monitor the GMO crop trials programme in collaboration with government agencies and respected plant science organisations. The Commissioners will therefore continue to receive expert advice as the GMO testing trials proceeds.

The Ethical Investment Advisory's Group guidance is published in full and is available on request and on the Church of England's website at www.cofe.anglican.org. I am also arranging for a copy to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Laptops

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many laptop computers used by Ministers, officials and special advisers in her Department have been (a) lost and (b) stolen since May 1997. [123739]

Clare Short: (a) No laptops have been lost.

(b) Since May 1997, eight laptop computers have been stolen from DFID. Seven of these computers were stolen from DFID premises, and one from a car belonging to a member of staff.

25 May 2000 : Column: 636W

The breakdown of these thefts by year is as follows:

1997: Three unallocated laptops were stolen from Abercrombie House.

1998: Two unallocated laptops stolen from 94 Victoria Street.

1999: One laptop stolen from an adviser in 94VS.

2000: One new, but unissued laptop stolen from 94VS.

One laptop was stolen from an AH official's car.

Departmental Vehicles

Mr. Pearson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) cars and (b) commercial vehicles operated by her Department were manufactured (i) in the UK, (ii) in the EU and (iii) elsewhere. [122266]

Clare Short: My Department makes use of three official cars supplied by the Government Car and Despatch Agency. All three are manufactured in the EU.

Street Children

Ms McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what were the total UK bilateral aid contributions for street children in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999; and if she will provide a breakdown by country and region. [123290]

Clare Short: Our development support for street children includes programmes in Brazil, Ecuador, Kenya, South Africa, Russia, Bangladesh, India, Tanzania, Zambia, Uzbekistan, Kardistan. In addition to country specific initiatives, we support organisations with programmes for street children in a large number of countries. These include the Consortium for Street Children, UNICEF and the International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour of the ILO.

Much of our work in support of street children is done in the context of broader based activities, and it is therefore not possible to provide specific figures for work in this particular area.

CABINET OFFICE

COI Targets

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what performance targets she has set out for the Central Office for Information for 2000-01. [124338]

Mr. Ian McCartney: I have set the following key performance targets for the Central Office of Information for 2000-01.

Financial
1. To achieve break even on an accruals basis.
Efficiency
2. To achieve a unit cost reduction of 2 per cent.
Quality of service:
To obtain the following results from customer satisfaction feedback:
(a) an overall customer satisfaction score of at least 8.25 (out of 10);
(b) at least 96 per cent. of returns to score 6 or more;
(c) a 5 per cent. increase in the response rate (from 54 per cent. to 56.7 per cent.).

25 May 2000 : Column: 637W

Pensions (Part-timers)

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate she has made of the minimum and maximum cost to the Civil Service Pension Fund of the European Court of Justice's ruling on pensions for part-timers. [123264]

Mr. Rooker: I have been asked to reply.

I refer the hon. Member to my Written Answer on 23 May 2000, Official Report, column 484W.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill

9. Mr. Love: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill. [122409]

Mr. Morley: In excess of 2,500 representations have been received about the Bill. All but a few have been from members of the public and animal welfare organisations supporting the banning of fur farming.

Global Warming

11. Shona McIsaac: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent assessment he has made of the threat of global climate change to low-lying areas of the UK. [122412]

Mr. Morley: Low lying areas are already at risk from flooding and depend on flood and coastal defences. They could be at increased risk through climate change. We need to respond to this challenge primarily by ensuing that, where necessary and appropriate, existing defences are replaced and upgraded.

Fishing

12. Mr. Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to combat the illegal landing of fish in the UK. [122413]

Mr. Morley: As I have made clear on previous occasions, the conservation of fish stocks is essential for the long-term future of the fishing industry, and all concerned--fishermen, merchants and processors--have a key part to play in preventing the trade in blackfish. This Government have not flinched from taking tough measures to curb such activity whether at the national level or through the Community.

Pet Travel Scheme

13. Mr. McCabe: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the implementation of the pet travel scheme. [122414]

Ms Quin: The Pet Travel Scheme has been a radical and welcome change for pet owners throughout Britain and Western Europe. It allows pet cats and dogs to enter the UK without quarantine for the first time in decades without increasing the risk of importing rabies. Over the first 11 weeks of the scheme, 2,243 pets have entered the UK without having to go into quarantine.

25 May 2000 : Column: 638W

EU Enlargement

14. Mr. MacShane: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to reform the common agricultural policy with a view to EU enlargement. [122416]

Ms Quin: We are pursuing opportunities created by anticipated market pressures, the reviews contained within the Agenda 2000 agreement and the existing commitment to review the sugar regime by 2001 to push for the reform process started at Berlin to be completed. Such an outcome would facilitate enlargement.

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what estimates he has made of the cost to the existing members of the EU of accepting into the Common Agricultural Policy (a) Poland, (b) Hungary, (c) the Czech Republic, (d) Estonia, (e) Malta, (f) Cyprus, (g) Slovakia, (h) Bulgaria, (i) Romania, (j) Slovenia, (k) Latvia, (l) Lithuania and (m) Turkey; [122962]

(2) what the Government's policy is on the funding of the additional costs involved in accepting (a) Poland, (b) Hungary and (c) the Czech Republic into the Common Agricultural Policy. [122963]

Mr. Nick Brown [holding answer 22 May 2000]: The Financial Perspective for 2000-06 agreed at the Berlin Council in March 1999 set aside around 12.5 billion euro at 1999 prices to finance the CAP for up to six new member states over the period 2002-06. The Government's aim is to ensure that this ceiling is not breached.

Farming Business Advice

15. Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he is taking to provide business advice to farmers. [122417]

Mr. Nick Brown: Under the Action Plan for Farming announced on 30 March, farmers in England will benefit from business advice worth in excess of £8.5 million in the current financial year. Additional support will also be provided for farmers involved with diversification projects under the England Rural Development Plan.

21. Mrs. Dean: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps his Department is taking to help farmers in marketing and product development. [122423]

Ms Quin: We have a range of measures to help farmers improve their marketing and better meet the needs of consumers. These include the Agricultural Development Scheme, which is currently open for applications, and new schemes under the England Rural Development Plan, which will be introduced in the summer, subject to clearance by the European Commission.

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