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20 Feb 2007 : Column WA211
Written Answers
Tuesday 20 February 2007
Africa: Chinese Investment
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
What discussions they are having with the Government of China on co-operation in countering poverty, inequality, unemployment and conflict in Africa; and what progress they are making. [HL1986]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary, Ministers and officials regularly discuss African issues with the Chinese Government. We seek to increase co-operation with China within multilateral fora and initiatives relevant to Africa in areas such as transparency, aid and debt principles and arms transfers. All Africa's partners, including China, need to work in ways that reinforce Africa's own agenda of poverty reduction and sustainable development. The Department for International Development has already established regular high-level talks with China on international development issues, focusing on Africa, and China and the EU agreed at their September 2006 summit to establish a structured dialogue on Africa. The German presidency hopes to begin this dialogue soon and we look forward to contributing actively. We welcome the commitment in China's first White Paper on Africa, published in January last year, to “step up co-operation with other countries and international organisations” in support of the millennium development goals in Africa.
Agriculture: Fallen Stock
Lord Vinson asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 10 January (WA 88), whether they have considered the possibility that the collection of diseased sheep from farms may spread disease, bearing in mind the transmission of disease by vehicles and people during the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in 2001. [HL2041]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): Yes, biosecurity considerations are always at the forefront of animal health and welfare policies.
The State Veterinary Service, on behalf of the National Fallen Stock Company Limited (NFSC), is carrying out an audit function of specific National Fallen Stock Scheme (NFSS) requirements at each registered plant and with each registered collector. This is to ensure they comply both with the provisions of the regulations and supplementary provisions required by the NFSC. These provisions include requirements for robust biosecurity measures in relation to the suitability of vehicles and procedures for their cleansing and disinfection when transporting fallen stock.
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Agriculture: Sheep
Lord Vinson asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will take steps to dismantle the regulations on the identification and traceability of sheep, in view of the fact that they have acknowledged that there is no bovine spongiform encephalopathy in sheep. [HL1950]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): EU rules governing the identification of sheep and goats are laid down in EU Council Regulation 21/2004. These rules are intended to improve our ability to trace animals in the event of an animal health disease outbreak, such as foot and mouth disease. We have no plans to change the current rules.
Lord Vinson asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 10 January (WA 88), whether they have any specific evidence that the on-farm burial of sheep has caused water pollution. [HL1951]
Lord Rooker: It is difficult to demonstrate with certainty that any specific incidence of burial would lead to water pollution. However, the rules in the EU Animal By-Products Regulation 1774/2002/EC which ban on-farm burial of fallen stock were made on a precautionary basis influenced by the evidence provided in a number of scientific opinions from the EU's scientific steering committee (SSC). The evidence relating to those opinions was last considered at an SSC meeting on 16 and 17 January 2003. The following uncertainties were identified:
potential for transmission of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) from specified risk material buried near the surface was poorly characterised;extent to which infectivity would be reduced by burial;penetration of prions into leachates and groundwater; anddangers arising from “re-engineering” in areas where previous burial of TSE-contaminated material had occurred.Given these uncertainties, the committee confirmed its earlier view that the burial of animals poses a significant risk.
Lord Vinson asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 10 January (WA 88), and in view of the fact that the European Union allows the burial of sheep in certain designated areas, whether they will now consider licensing such activities in upland and less-favoured areas where hitherto the practice was widespread. [HL1952]
Lord Rooker: No. The derogation is only available under the EU Animal By-Products Regulation 1774/2002/EC in those parts of the UK which meet the regulation's remote areas criteria. These are areas
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Ambulance Service: Single-manned Paramedic Vehicles
Lord Rana asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many single-manned paramedic vehicles (rapid responders) were introduced in 2005—06; and how many will be introduced in 2006—07. [HL1914]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): This information is not held centrally.
Animal Welfare: Wild Birds
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mr Barry Gardiner, on 24 January (HC Deb, 1806W), and in the event that the current health-based ban on the importation of wild birds into the European Union is repealed or amended, whether they would press for a permanent ban to continue on the conservation and welfare grounds referred to in the Prime Minister's letter to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds of 30 November 2006. [HL1742]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): As indicated in the Prime Minister's letter, the primary reason for the ban on the trade on the importation of wild birds is concern about the potential it has to spread avian flu and other diseases. The trade can, if managed unsustainably, also damage wild populations. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, to which the UK and EU member states are parties, has arrangements that aim to regulate trade in some endangered wild birds so as not to be detrimental to their survival in the wild. Before agreeing to any ban on conservation grounds we would need to first consider the effectiveness of those controls. We could not press for a ban on welfare grounds, as this would not comply with World Trade Organisation agreements.
Avian Flu
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Following the avian flu outbreak in Suffolk, whether they will increase the number of tests carried out on wild fowl in Norfolk and Suffolk; and [HL1937]
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Whether wild bird droppings in East Anglia have been tested over the past 12 months to ascertain whether there could be a link with a possible outbreak of H5N1; and, if not, whether such research will be undertaken. [HL1939]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): Within the area around the infected premises in Suffolk there will be enhanced levels of surveillance. Defra, along with our delivery partners, will be patrolling the sites surrounding the infected premises.
Elsewhere, we will continue to pursue our wild bird surveillance programme which is targeted to those areas likely to be at greatest risk. We are aware of 30 key waterbird locations in Suffolk—estuaries, marshes and so on. Twelve of these locations are within 20 kilometres of the infected premises, of which 10 are patrolled regularly as part of the programme. Six of those sites have been patrolled over 100 times since the patrol programme began in early November 2006.
Wild bird droppings are not routinely tested and there are no plans to do so.
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many visits by Bernard Mathews's employees have been made to (a) the company in Hungary, affected by an earlier outbreak of H5N1, or (b) to England from that company in Hungary in the past six weeks. [HL1962]
Lord Rooker: A full epidemiological investigation into the source of the recent H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in Suffolk is ongoing. I will arrange for a copy of the findings to be placed in the Libraries of the House in due course.
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any lorries from the Hungarian farm which was infected with avian flu two weeks ago have entered the Bernard Matthews farm in Suffolk; and [HL1938]
Whether the shed in which avian flu broke out on the Bernard Matthews farm in Suffolk was of a similar design to the other 20 sheds on the farm; and, if so, whether the infection could have been brought in through the access of wildlife; and [HL1940]
Whether full biosecurity procedures were in place and were followed prior to the recent avian flu outbreak at the Bernard Matthews farm in Suffolk. [HL1941]
Lord Rooker: A full epidemiological investigation into the source of the recent H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in Suffolk is ongoing. I will arrange for a copy of the findings to be placed in the Libraries of the House in due course.
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Aviation: Air Quality
Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Department for Transport will participate in research on cabin air quality by the United States Federal Aviation Administration. [HL1943]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Department for Transport officials and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are discussing with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the possibility of collaborative research.
Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:
What consideration they have given to introducing regulations on the installation of contaminated air detection systems in United Kingdom registered aircraft. [HL1947]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The principle of better regulation is to legislate only where necessary. It is not clear that contaminants are present in the cabin environment in a quantity harmful to crew and passengers. That is why we asked the independent Committee on Toxicity (COT) to undertake a comprehensive review of all the evidence, and we will, of course, be guided by the COT’s conclusions and recommendations.
Aviation: CAA Funding
Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any plans to review the funding arrangements for the Civil Aviation Authority. [HL1944]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Government have no plans to review the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) funding model. The House of Commons Transport Committee reported in 2006 saying “the basic principle of the existing model, in which the CAA recovers its costs from those it regulates, is fair, and we are reassured to note that other European states are moving towards this model”. The committee did, however, recommend reviewing the level of the CAA's required rate of return on capital employed. The Government will respond to the committee's report shortly.
Aviation: Pilots
Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) what guidelines have been issued; and (b) what training has been given to pilots to ensure compliance with Directive 2003/42/EC. [HL1946]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The UK has had a civil aviation mandatory occurrence reporting scheme for over 30 years. It is established under the Air Navigation Order and administered by the Civil Aviation Authority. Information and guidance on the mandatory occurrence
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Airlines are required to included guidance and instructions to pilots on occurrence reporting in their operations manuals. However, airlines are not required to provide pilots with specific training on occurrence reporting.
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the working arrangements for pilots employed by Ryanair using United Kingdom airports are compliant with safety standards. [HL1976]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Ryanair is an Irish airline and the Irish Aviation Authority is responsible for ensuring the safety of its operations. We have discussed recent reports about Ryanair with the Irish Aviation Authority who are satisfied that Ryanair's operations continue to meet relevant safety standards. We have no reason to dispute their assessment.
BBC: Overseas Service
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the level of government financial support for the BBC overseas service in the current year; how this compares in real terms in each of the previous five years; and whether they are committed to strengthening this support in the next quinquennium. [HL1997]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): BBC World Service (BBCWS) will receive £239,543,000 of grant-in-aid funding from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 2006-07. Figures for the previous five years are given in the chart below. This sustained increase in funding demonstrates a strong record of investment in BBCWS. This has helped BBCWS meet the challenges posed by new technology, in particular allowing for the development of new media services and, from later in 2007, the launch of vernacular TV. Grant-in-aid funding for BBCWS forms part of the overall settlement allocated to the FCO by HM Treasury. Future funding will be reviewed this year in the context of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
| Year | Amount |
20 Feb 2007 : Column WA217
British Library
Lord Goodlad asked Her Majesty's Government:
What financial provision they intend to make to ensure that services and standards at the British Library are maintained and that no new charges are levied upon the public. [HL1932]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is currently in discussions with Treasury about the Comprehensive Spending Review settlement and is continuing to make a strong case for the value of its sectors. The British Library has provided detailed briefing, which will help Ministers make an informed decision on future allocations. How the British Library manages the organisation within its settlement will be a matter for the board and senior management.
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