§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans were made by her Department for(a) conferences and (b) seminars in conjunction with its consultations on (i) the sustainable management of wild deer in England, (ii) hazardous chemicals and (iii) dioxins and dioxin-like 18W polychlorinated biphenyls in the UK environment; what the total cost of organising each of those events was; and how many people attended in each case. [161389]
§ Alun MichaelThe public consultation exercise on the sustainable management of wild deer in England ended recently on 16 April. The consideration of written responses began on 27 April and it is too early to make decisions on how to present the outcome of this exercise. However, when the appropriate stage is reached consideration will be given to the use of conferences and/or seminars.
The Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances has held an extraordinary meeting to discuss the consultation on the UK chemicals strategy and the review of the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum. The Government invited companies in, and organisations representing, the small and medium-size business sector to a seminar on the consultation on 15 April but there was insufficient interest expressed to run this. The approximate cost of these events was £3,100. The consultation on the UK Strategy ends on 4 May.
The Government consultation on the new EU chemicals strategy (REACH) was launched on 30 March 2004. The deadline for comment is 25 June. As part of the consultation process, I chaired a stakeholder conference on 27 April in Birmingham. Approximately 150 delegates were expected to attend representing our main stakeholder groups: industry, environmental, trade unions, and animal welfare and consumer organisations. The cost of organising the conference is estimated at approximately £25,000.
The consultation on dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in the UK environment was the first step in the development of a UK action plan on dioxins and related compounds which is a requirement of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Work is still under way and the Government are seeking further views in a second round of consultation which will feed directly into the finalisation of the action plan. To date no conferences or seminars have been held in conjunction with this consultation, but we will consider the need for such events when we are closer to completion.
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans were made by her Department for(a) conferences and (b) seminars in conjunction with its consultations on (i) a strategy for fly-tipping. (ii) the definition of wild birds and (iii) a new strategy on bovine TB; what the total cost of organising each of those events was; and how many people attended in each case. [161390]
§ Alun MichaelFly-tipping
Defra has worked with ENCAMS to organise a series of nine regional seminars in conjunction with the Environment Agency, the Local Government Associations, the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Local Government Association.
The events have used the Flycapture database system but also included discussion on Defra's Fly-Tipping Strategy.
19WThe total cost of the seminars for England and Wales was £77,000 and over 400 delegates have attended the events that have been held so far. More detailed numbers of attendees will be available when the events have finished.
Wild birds
We are currently conducting a public consultation on an amendment to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in order to ensure that the definition of "wild bird" correctly transposes the EC Wild Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) by protecting all species of birds occurring in the wild state in the European territory of the member states. A short consultation document was issued on the 17 February and the consultation period concludes on 11 May 2004. The proposed amendment will not restrict trade in legally taken or captive bred specimens. The Department has no plans for conferences or seminars in conjunction with this consultation.
Bovine tuberculosis
Defra is holding workshops across England to discuss with stakeholders the issues raised in the consultation document "Preparing for a new GB strategy on bovine tuberculosis". There will be some seven regional workshops and a national meeting in London between 26 March and 5 May 2004, with some 50 delegates at each event. The estimated cost of organising these events is £60,000 to £65,000.