§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by her Department on encouraging(a) co-operation and (b) stronger marketing for British farmers and food produce in each of the last 10 years. [128054]
§ Mr. BradshawThe Department has over the last 10 years pursued various initiatives designed to encourage and support co-operation between farmers and the better marketing of food produced by them, or which have contributed to these objectives. These include the work that the Department has undertaken to promote agricultural exports, its support for Food from Britain and regional food groups, its promotion and administration of protected food names schemes, the support that it is giving to English Farming and Food Partnerships (which has been set up by industry to promote collaboration and co-operation) and grants made available under various grant schemes such as the Agriculture Development Scheme, the schemes operating under England Rural Development programme, and those under the EU Structural Funds. Identifying all of these initiatives, and isolating or estimating the expenditure that relates directly to encouraging cooperation and marketing, could be done only at disproportionate cost.
293W
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much has been spent by her Department on progressive and appropriate science and technology in the area of food security, by type, in each of the last 10 years; [128055]
(2)how much has been spent in support of science and technology for agriculture in each of the last 10 years. [128061]
§ Mr. BradshawDetails of Defra funding of science and technology (S&T) activities are regularly published through the Government's Forward Look, the 2003 version of which has just been published (http://www.ost.gov.uk/atoz.html)
Although the Department is involved in much work relating to food security, none of this is classed as S&T and figures are not therefore available under this category.
Expenditure on S&T in support of agriculture for the last 10 years, taken from the Forward Look, is:
£million 1993–94 92.80 1994–95 93.10 1995–96 93.70 1996–97 92.00 1997–98 91.60 1998–99 91.70 1999–2000 89.30 2000–01 90.20 2001–02 92.60 2002–03 92.40
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by her Department on the protection against the importation of(a) dangerous and (b) unacceptably produced food in each of the last 10 years. [128057]
§ Mr. BradshawAll products of animal origin imported from third countries into the UK must enter at designated UK Border Inspection Posts (BIP) where they are subject to veterinary inspections. The Inspection services at the BIP are the responsibility of the local authority. UK and EC legislation requires that costs incurred by the local authority while carrying out checks are recovered from the importer. Details of costs are not held centrally.
As part of their normal duties, local and port health authorities were responsible for checks on passenger baggage and cargo at ports and airports until 11 April 2003, to prevent the illegal importation of products of animal origin. Between October 2002 and April 2003, Defra funded additional enforcement activity at the border. From 11 April 2003, HM Customs and Excise became responsible for anti-smuggling action in relation to these products. A total of £6 million additional resources is being provided this year on work to tackle illegal imports.
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by her Department on the development of294W crops which offer sustainable alternatives for (a) fuel, (b) medical and (c) plastic products in the UK in each of the last 10 years. [128058]
§ Mr. BradshawThis Department has research programmes supporting the sustainable development of arable and horticultural crops relevant to both food and non-food uses. The total research expenditure on these crops is about £16 million per year. This includes about £0.5 million on biomass energy crops, £1 million on oilseed rape and £2 million on wheat.
The research programme specific to the non-food uses of crops is market-led and aims to respond positively to all proposals for high quality pre-competitive research to support the development of non-food products. The research spending over the last 10 years specifically supporting the development and use of crops for fuel, medical and plastic products is as follows:
£ Fuel Medical Plastic products
1993–94 0 0 30,000 1994–95 323,000 0 140,000 1995–96 293,000 0 141,000 1996–97 316,000 0 247,000 1997–98 328,000 7,000 246,000 1998–99 378,000 0 160,000 1999–2000 560,000 0 59,000 2000–01 780,000 127,000 74,000 2001–02 591,000 219,000 146,000 2002–03 654,000 240,000 83,000
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place to maintain the United Kingdom market share of indigenous fruit and vegetables; and how much has been spent on these measures in each of the last five years. [128062]
§ Mr. BradshawThere are no specific measures in place to maintain the UK market share of indigenous fruit and vegetables. However, Defra funds strategic research and development, worth some £11 million pa, which helps our fruit and vegetables producers to increase their competitiveness. Growers can also take advantage of assistance available under the England Rural Development Programme and other grant schemes.