EU Management Committee (Hansard, 3 July 2002)

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Management Committees of the common organisations of agricultural markets for natural fibres is next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members; and if she will make a statement. [63932]

§ Mr. Morley
The Management Committee for Natural Fibres assists the European Commission in the operation of the common organisation of the market in flax, hemp, cotton and silkworms. It has met seven times over the last 12 months. The date for the next meeting has not been fixed. UK representation depends on the agenda items under discussion. Officials from the Scottish Executive and other devolved administrations attend as necessary in accordance with their interests.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the Directive on water intended for human 367W consumption is next due to meet; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [63948]

§ Mr. Meacher
I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. John Bercow) on 10 June 2002,Official Report, column 915W–16W.
The Committee established under Article 12 of the Drinking Water Directive 1998 expects to meet again in November. During the past 12 months the Committee met in November 2001 and in April 2002.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Joint Meetings of Management and/or Regulatory Committee in the field of agriculture—agrimonetary questions is next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [64897]

§ Mr. Morley
There are no meetings scheduled for the Agrimonetary Management Committee.
UK representation on the committee is led by DEFRA although members of the devolved administrations are entitled to attend. Members of the Scottish Executive have not attended past meetings.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Management Committee of the Common Organisations of Agricultural Markets for Live Plants and Floriculture Products is next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [64896]

§ Mr. Morley
I refer the hon. Member to written answer given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 10 June 2002,Official Report, column 913W.
There is no set schedule of meetings for the Management Committee for Live Plants and Floriculture Products. UK representation on this management committee depends on the agenda items under discussion. No representative of the Scottish Executive has attended.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Committee on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora (habitat) is next due to meet; what the UK representation is on it; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [648281

§ Mr. Meacher
The Habitats Committee last met on 14 March 2002, and at that meeting it was decided the committee would next meet at a date to be arranged in November 2002. UK representation ordinarily consists of an official from my Department together with a scientific adviser from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. However, wider representation on the committee depends on the agenda items under discussion. Officials from the devolved administrations attend as necessary in accordance with their interests. Officials from the Scottish Executive have attended all recent Habitats Committee meetings.
368W

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Management Committee of the Common Organisations of Agricultural Markets for Oils and Fats is next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [64886]

§ Mr. Morley
The EU Management Committee for Oils and Fats is next due to meet on 5 July 2002. UK representation on this management committee depends on the agenda items under discussion. Officials from the Scottish Executive and other devolved administrations attend as necessary in accordance with their interests. However, no representative of the Scottish Executive has attended the Management Committee for Oils and Fats.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Committee on Certificates of Specific Character for Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs is next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [64892]

§ Mr. Morley
The date of the next EU Regulatory Committee on Certificates of Specific Character for Agricultural Produce and Foodstuffs is unknown at this stage.
UK representation varies according to the agenda for each meeting and may include members of the Scottish Executive and other devolved administrations where there are items of sufficient interest. If Scottish Executive colleagues do not attend, they work closely with DEFRA officials to ensure that Scottish interests are fully taken into account.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Committee for the Adaptation to Technical and Scientific Progress of the Directive on Conservation of Wild Birds is next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [64911]

§ Mr. Meacher
The ORNIS Committee (the Committee for the Adaptation to Technical and Scientific Progress of the Directive on Conservation of Wild Birds) last met on 14 June 2002. No date has yet been fixed for the next meeting. The committee consists of representatives of the EU member states. UK representation depends on the items under discussion, but usually includes an official from my Department together with a scientific adviser from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
Officials of my Department involve the devolved administrations as fully as possible in discussions about the formulation of the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch on devolved matters. In this respect officials from the devolved administrations attend relevant meetings of the ORNIS Committee, as necessary, to support and advance the UK negotiating line that they will have played a part in developing. Officials from the Scottish Executive attended the last two meetings of the ORNIS Committee on 15 June 2001 and 14 June 2002.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Management Committee of the Common Organisations of 369W Agricultural Markets for Seeds is next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [64895]

§ Mr. Morley
No date has been fixed for the next meeting of the EU Management Committee for Seeds. The committee consists of representatives of the member states. UK representation depends upon the agenda for each meeting and can include members of the Scottish Executive and other devolved administrations where they consider that there are items of sufficient interest. The Scottish Executive has chosen not to attend this committee in recent years.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Management Committee of the common organisations of agricultural markets for products processed from fruit and vegetables is next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [64893]

§ Mr. Morley
I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow), on 10 June,Official Report, column 911–12W.
The next meeting of the Processed Fruit and Vegetables Management Committee is scheduled for 16 July 2002. UK representation on this Committee depends on the agenda items under discussion. No representative of the Scottish Executive has attended.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Management Committee of the common organisations of agricultural markets for pigmeat is next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [64887]

§ Mr. Morley
The EU Management Committee of the common organisation of agricultural markets for pigmeat is next due to meet on the 9 July 2002.
UK representation on the EU's Pigmeat Management Committee depends on the agenda items under discussion. Officials from the Scottish Executive and other devolved administrations attend as necessary in accordance with their interests.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Management Committee of the common organisations of agricultural markets for hops is next due to meet; whether experts nominated by the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [64894]

§ Mr. Morley
I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to the hon. Member for Buckingham on 10 June 2002,Official Report, column 916W.
There is no set schedule of meetings for the Management Committee for Hops. UK representation on this Management Committee depends on the agenda items under discussion. No representative of the Scottish Executive has attended.