§ Angus Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the dates of meetings of the (a) Implementation Committee for Spirit Drinks, (b) Committee on Agricultural Structures and Rural Development, (c) Standing Forestry Committee, (d) Committee on the Conservation, Characterisation, Collection and Utilisation of Genetic Resources in Agriculture and (e) European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund Committee and Working Party on Irregularities during the (i) Danish and (ii) Greek
122W
Date of Meeting Issues Discussed Number of Scottish Executive officials
attending
24 July Discussions on the rural development simplification exercise, and link with CAP MTR, Information Society and rural development, and SAPARD
1 4 September Modifications to regional rural development programmes (RDPs) for Germany, Portugal and Finland.
— 25 September Discussions on amendments to Italian and Swedish RDPs, SAPARD annual report, simplification, LFA data and EAGGF expenditure.
2 23 October Discussion and approval of modifications of German and Belgian RDP's. Discussions on SAPARD and LEADER +
1 18 November Modifications of RDPs from 5 accession countries and 2 member states (including Scotland) were presented and approved. General information on SAPARD funds was given by the
commission.
1 18 December Modifications to several member state rural development programmes (RDPs), including the England RDP. Discussion on simplification of Regulation 445/2002 (Commission Regulation
laying down detailed implementation rules for the rural development regulation), and LEADER +
1 29 January Modifications to Latvian and Polish SAPARD programmes, and Italian and Austrian rural development plans. Timetable set for simplification of Regulation 445/2002.
1 19 February Discussion on the proposed text to amend Regulation 445/2002. — of bovine tuberculosis. This work covers the cost to industry of TB breakdowns. The final report on the project is expected later this year.
(b) Expenditure by the Government on the bovine TB programme from 1998–99 to 2002–03 is given in the following table:
presidency; what issues were discussed; when the Scottish Executive was informed of each meeting; for what meetings requests for Scottish representation were made; and if she will make a statement. [131650]
§ Alun Michael:The information is as follows:
(a) Spirit Drinks Implementation Committee
During the Danish presidency the Spirit Drinks Implementation Committee (SDIC) met on 8 and 22 October, and during the Greek presidency they met on 11 March and 28 May. They discussed the proposed amendments to the base Council Regulation 1576/89, mutual recognition of Tequila, enlargement negotiations, bilateral agreements with Switzerland, South Africa and Canada, the definition of 'bierbrand', prescribed quantities, and rum and cachaca. UK representation at SDIC is determined by the agenda and can include members of the Scottish Executive. However, following consultation with devolved administrations during the above presidencies, it was agreed that Defra would represent UK interests.
(b) Committee on Agricultural Structures and Rural Development (STAR)
The dates of the STAR Committee meetings for the Danish and Greek presidencies are listed as follows. A brief outline of the issues discussed and the number of Scottish Executive officials who attended each meeting is also given.
123W
Date of Meeting Issues Discussed Number of Scottish Executive officials
attending
19 March RDR simplification discussions concluded. Consultation on the proposal to evaluate systems established by MS for the management and control of rural development programmes funded
by the EAGGF Guidance section.
1 9 April Approval of SAPARD programmes of Bulgaria, Romania and Latvia. Discussion on information of uptake of SAPARD, computer records, closure of 94–99 programmes, access to
information and CAP-IDIM.
25 June Approval to amendments to the SAPARD programmes of several accession countries the rural development programmes (RDP) of a number of member states. General uptake of SAPARD
also discussed.
I (am session) STAR meeting dates are known a year in advance and Scottish Executive officials are welcome to attend any meeting should they wish to do so. They and other interested parties are notified of each meeting as soon as the agenda is published on the commission's website which is usually between 7–10 days in advance of the meeting.
(c) Standing Forestry Committee
The Standing Forestry Committee met on 27 November and 4 December last year and 10 February, 7 April and 5 June this year. The committee covered a wide range of issues at these meetings, including forest fire protection plans, preparation of a community action plan on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade, monitoring forest health, and a proposal for a European Forest Information and Communication network. The Forestry Commission has full responsibility for representing Scotland, England and Wales, on the committee. The commission is the Government Department for forestry in Britain, and it reports direct to the Scottish, English and Welsh forestry ministers.
(d) Committee on the Conservation, Characterisation, Collections and Utilisation of Genetic Resources in Agriculture
The Committee on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture met on 24 February 2003, during the Greek presidency. There were no meetings during the Danish presidency. The issues discussed were a report on the state of projects funded under Council Regulation EC 1467/94 and an exchange of views on a commission working document on a revised proposal for a new council regulation on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture. Officials from Defra are in regular contact with officials in the Scottish Executive. UK representation varies according, to the agenda for each meeting and may include members of the Scottish Executive and other devolved administrations where they consider that there are items of sufficient interest. No requests were made by the Scottish Executive for representation at this committee meeting.
(e) European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund Committee and Working Party on Irregularities
The European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund Committee met in the Danish presidency on 18 July, 20 September, 7 October, 22 October, 8 November, 19 November and 17 December. In the Greek presidency it met on 22 January, 20 February, 20 March, 22 April, 16 May, 21 March and 18 June. Issues discussed at the committee included the payment of monthly advances from the fund, decisions on the clearance of CAP accounts, the exclusion from 124W community financing of certain expenditure as a result of disallowance decisions, and other matters relating to the control of CAP expenditure. Details of the agenda are available to the Scottish Executive before each meeting, the date of which is usually set many months in advance, and representatives are entitled to attend.
The European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, Irregularities and Mutual Assistance-Agricultural Products Working Group did not meet during the Danish presidency and met only once during the Greek presidency, on 11 March 2003. The main agenda items were: formation of a temporary task force to audit all member states' outstanding cases of financial irregularity and attempts at recovery; difficulties experienced in the operation of the so-called 'black list' legislation; presentations on a variety of technical items, including electronic reporting systems; oral presentation, by commission experts, on visits to and cooperation with a number of third countries. Irregularity reporting and mutual assistance are the responsibilities that the Rural Payments Agency undertakes on behalf of the UK. As usual, Scottish representation was not sought for this meeting, but the Scottish Executive was briefed on the outcome.
§ Angus Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the dates of meetings of the committees on (a) Geographical Indications and Protected Designations of Origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs, (b) certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs, (c) the farm accountancy data network, (d) organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs and (e) agricultural research during the (i) Danish and (ii) Greek presidency; what issues were discussed; when the Scottish Executive was informed of each meeting; for what meetings requests for Scottish representation were received; and if she will make a statement. [131769]
§ Mr. Bradshaw:The information is as follows:
(a) Committee on Geographical Indications and Protected Designations of Origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs
The Regulatory Committee on Protected Designation of Origin and Protected Geographical Indications of Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs met three times during the Danish and Greek presidencies: 22 July 2002; 5 February 2003 and 4 June 2003. The main issues discussed were: whether 'feta' cheese should be registered as a Protected Designation of Origin; the implications of WTO agreement on Trade Related Aspects of 125W Intellectual Property Rights; the EU/Swiss bilateral agreement on protected food names and the implications of the European Court of Justice Judgment relating to Parma ham. The Scottish Executive were provided with the agenda prior to each meeting and given the opportunity to comment or request attendance.
(b) Committee on the Certificates of Specific Character for Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs
The Regulatory Committee on Certificates of Specific Character for Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs met once during the Danish and Greek presidencies: 22 July 2002. The committee discussed amendments to the Commission Regulation setting out the detailed rules for the administration of the scheme. The Scottish Executive were provided with the agenda prior each meeting and given the opportunity to comment or request attendance.
(c) The Management Committee on the Farm Accountancy Data Network
Within the periods of the Danish and Greek presidency, the Management Committee of the Farm Accountancy Data Network met on 30 June 2003, 7 April 2003, 20 November 2002. The Community Committee for the Farm Accountancy Data Network was set up to support the information needs of the Common Agricultural Policy, specifically for determining farm incomes, for analysing the state of farm businesses and to contribute to the annual report on the situation of agriculture in the community. Issues discussed include selection plans for the survey; results for the 2000, 2001 and 2002 data; typology regulations; comparison of FADN results with other sources; the FADN database projects; and the situation in accession countries. The Scottish Executive is informed of all FADN meetings and papers in advance by the European Commission directly and by the Defra representative. A representative of the Scottish Executive attended the meetings of 30 June 2003 and 7 April 2003.
(d) The Standing Committee on Organic Farming
The Standing Committee on Organic Farming and its associated working groups met during the Danish presidency on 8–10 July; 5 and 30 September; 1, 7 to 9 and 15 October; 13 November and 4 to 6 and 12 December 2002; and during the Greek presidency on 21, 22, 27 and 28 January; 4 to 6 and 27 February; 14 and 26 March; 1, 2 to 3 and 29 April; 14 and 21 to 23 May and 12 and 13 June 2003.
A wide variety of issues was discussed, in particular inspection arrangements for feed for organic livestock, seeds for use in organic farming, additives permitted in organic food, imports to the EU from third countries, the use of conventional ingredients in feed for organic livestock, conversion of livestock for organic production and the proposed EU Organic Action Plan. Arrangements are in place for consulting the Scottish Executive. No requests for Scottish representation were made.
(e) The Standing Committee on Agricultural Research
The Standing Committee on Agricultural Research did not meet during the Danish or Greek presidencies. DEFRA officials keep their counterparts in the Scottish Executive informed about meetings of SCAR. There is no bar to their attending as part of the UK delegation as their needs and interests arise.