§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff in her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in each of the last four years. [36216]
§ Mr. MorleyIn the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and its agencies, 378 staff have received paid leave to undertake union duties throughout 2001–02. During 1998–99, 1999–2000, and 2000–01, the figures for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food totalled 230, 364 and 389 respectively.
During each of these years, up to 25 days was available to each union representative to undertake trade union activities although the average claimed was less.
1202W
UK quota 1998–2002 by species Stock 1998 UK quota 1999 U quota 2000 UK quota 2001 UK quota 2002 UK quota Sandeel IIa North Sea 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 17,794 Herring I, II 113,000 25,190 24,210 16,460 16,460 Herring IVa,b 38,910 40,570 40,570 40,570 38,169 Herring IVc, VIId 1,700 1,693 1,693 1,693 4,094 Herring Vb, VIaN, VIb 46,360 39,240 24,990 21,570 21,571 Herring VIa (Clyde) 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 Herring VIIa 6,660 4,880 3,960 5,100 3,550 Herring VIIe,f 500 500 500 500 500 Herring VIIg-k 30 30 30 30 10 Herring IIa North Sea industrial by-catch — 550 660 660 660 Cod I, lib 2,789 2,034 1,650 — — Cod IIa, IV 58,740 56,260 34,360 18,930 19,397 Cod Vb, VI, XII, XIV 5,520 5,960 3,530 2,222 2,960 Cod VIIa 2,045 1,585 605 895 1,378 Cod VIIb-k, VIII, IX, X 1,660 1,570 1,330 870 712 Megrim IIa North Sea — 2,880 2,880 2,600 2,599 Megrim Vb, VI, XII, XIV 1,520 1,520 1,520 1,370 1,367 Megrim VII 3,210 3,210 2,570 2,150 1,874 Dab and Flounder IIa North Sea — 2,590 2,590 2,330 2,331 Anglers IIa North Sea — 17,960 14,370 11,495 8,545 Anglers Vb, VI, XII, XIV 2,650 2,650 2,460 1,975 1,513 Anglers VII 4,800 4,800 4,140 3,870 3,295 Haddock IIa, IV 66,000 57,045 53,045 41,780 59,805 Haddock Vb, CI, XII, XIV 20,710 15,110 15,110 10,820 10,992 Haddock VII, VIII, IX, X 2,000 2,200 1,320 1,200 830 Haddock VIIa (additional to haddock VII) — 2,390 1,629 1,293 622 Whiting IIa, IV 27,415 24,590 19,470 13,335 18,853 Whiting Vb, VI, XII, XIV 5,805 4,060 2,775 2,580 2,157 Whiting VIIa 1,930 1,720 1,020 685 443 Whiting VIIb-k 2,900 2,680 2,410 2,250 3,402 Hake IIa, IV 370 350 270 160 170 Hake Vb, VI, VII, XII, XIV 5,960 5,550 4,240 2,500 2,662 Blue whiting IIa, IV 1,070 1,070 1,070 1,070 592 Blue whiting Vb, VI, VII, XII, XIV — 35,000 38,030 45,350 25,032 Blue whiting VIIIabde — 7,241 7,241 7,241 4,004 Lemon sole IIa North Sea — 7,330 7,330 6,580 5,937 Nephrops IIa, IV 13,165 13,165 14,895 13,380 14,398 Nephrops Vb, VI 12,305 12,305 12,305 11,070 11,072 Nephrops VII 7,545 7,545 6,885 6,200 5,856 Northern prawn IIa, IV — 1,948 1,948 1,778 1,074 Plaice IIa, IV 23,880 28,070 26,810 21,780 20,808 Plaice Vb, VI, XII, XIV 1,450 1,450 1,450 1,170 1,050 Plaice VIIa 885 885 885 835 1,223 Plaice VIId,e 1,660 2,150 1,890 1,750 1,946 Plaice VIIf,g 250 205 185 180 119 Plaice VIIh,j,k 170 170 170 150 146 Pollack Vb, VI, XII, XIV 400 400 400 400 403 Pollack VII 2,960 2,960 2,960 2,960 2,964 Saithe IIa, III, IV 7,790 8,830 6,820 6,980 10,838 From the information received annually over the 1 April to 30 March period, the cost to public funds has been £431,990 during 1998–99; £438,753 during 1999–2000, and £439,130 during 2000–01 based on full salary cost. Figures for the 2001–02 financial year are not yet available.
In the time available and given the number of NDPBs for which DEFRA is responsible, it is not possible to confirm the position for all NDPBs at reasonable cost.