§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made with setting up and activating the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme in response to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease; and if he will make a statement. [157025]
§ Ms QuinThe Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme as announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture in his statement to the House on 27 March 2001,Official Report, columns 827–31, has already opened to applications. First payments are due to be made before Easter.
Parliamentary approval for additional resources for this new service will be sought in the 2001–02 Summer Supplementary Estimate for the Intervention Board Executive Agency. Pending that approval urgent expenditure estimated at £240 million will be met by a repayable cash advance from the Contingencies Fund.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide a breakdown of sheep journeys in February by(a) movements direct to aggregation facilities prior to export, (b) live exports, (c) movements from farm direct to slaughter, (d) movements from farm to livestock markets, (e) movements from livestock markets direct to abattoirs, (f) movements from livestock markets to farms, (g) movements between farms arising from private sales, (h) movements between parcels of land in same ownership, (i) movements from winter keep to the home farm and (j) other movements. [156660]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 2 April 2001]The full information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. But 118 consignments of sheep were exported to other member states during February.