§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what payments were made in each of the last five years broken down by(a) scheme, (b) county and (c) farm size, for (i) the countryside stewardship scheme, (ii) arable stewardship (up to 2000), (iii) the energy crops scheme, (iv) the environmentally sensitive areas, (v) the farm woodland premium scheme, (vi) the hill farm allowance scheme, (vii) the organic farming scheme, (viii) the woodland grant scheme, (ix) the processing and marketing grant, (x) the rural enterprise scheme and (xi) the vocational training scheme. [54476]
§ Alun MichaelThe following table shows expenditure on the England Rural Development Programme schemes for the last five years. A further breakdown by county or farm size is not readily available.
417W
Payments by scheme for five years—England £000 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Organic farming scheme 700 1,200 2,300 15,400 26,600 Woodland grant scheme 15,723 18,151 18,416 16,957 16,590 Processing and marketing grant — — — — 237 Rural enterprise scheme — — — — 573 Vocational training scheme — — — — 332
§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total area of genetically modified crops to be grown in the farm scale evaluations in England in 2002 is; and how many trials there are for(a) spring oilseed rape, (b) winter oilseed rape, (c) fodder beet, (d) sugar beet and (e) fodder maize. [54477]
§ Mr. MeacherThe total area to be grown with GM crops in the farm scale evaluations in England to date is approximately 400 hectares. In autumn 2001, 30 oilseed rape sites were sown. This year, there are 22 spring oilseed rape sites, 33 maize sites, six fodder beet sites and 12 sugar beet sites. The proposed site locations for the 2002 round of winter oilseed rape will be announced later this year.
§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the data from the farm-scale evaluations of GM crops will be available for the advisers in ACRE and ACP; and when she will publish the data. [54986]
§ Mr. MeacherData from the farm-scale evaluations will be available to this Department, to advisers on the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, and the wider public generally, once we have received the advice of the scientific steering committee overseeing the progress and publication of the ecological studies and the results are published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. This is anticipated to be in the summer of 2003 for {spring-sown crops (spring-sown oilseed rape, maize and beet) and in summer 2004 for winter-sown oilseed rape.
§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will announce her decision on the proposals put forward by the Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology Commission for public debate on the possible commercialisation of GM Crops. [54984]
416W
Recovery and Recycling 1998–2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Paper 1n/a 1,894,086 1,820,732 1,880,414 2,030,944 Glass — 503,800 582,577 715,037 735,594 Aluminium — 14,517 15,402 16,299 29,030 Steel — 182,409 225,216 238,668 278,079 Plastic — 125,539 198,461 204,430 269,962 Wood — 170,000(1) 94,000(1) 296,437 573,951 Alt. evidence — — — — 30,741 Total recycling — 2,890,351 3,084,296(2) 3,351,285 3,917,560 Percentage 227 28 33.5 36.5 42 EfW — 448,354 496,269 500,047 513,939 Total recovery 3,338,705 3,506,611 3,851,332 4,462,240 Percentage 230 33 38 42 48 Tonnes in waste stream — 10,240.000 9,189,981 9,179,981 9,313,900 1Breakdown by material not available for 1997 2Approximate
§ Mr. MeacherThe Government welcome the AEBC's advice on the proposal for a public debate on the possible commercialisation of GM crops. AEBC has provided an important contribution which the Government are considering. We will announce our response as soon as possible.