Results 1-20 of 6,176 for speaker:Jim Fitzpatrick

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Animal Welfare (12 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA's approach to determining the relationship between standards in welfare and farm profitability is to include cost-benefit analysis within research projects. This approach allows any cost to business resulting from a change in management to be assessed against the benefit to the business and the animals concerned. For example, a current research project aims to re-design the farrowing...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Dogs: Research (12 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not been possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Origin Marking: Israel (12 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not been possible to reply to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Agriculture: Subsidies (10 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 3 November 2009 The estimated average administrative cost of processing an individual Single Payment Scheme claim for each of the following years is as follows: £ 2006-07 713 2007-08 758 2008-09 751 These costs are the direct processing costs and exclude compliance activity and the investment in new systems and improvement projects. The NAO Value for...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Agriculture: Subsidies (10 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information is not readily accessible and I will write with the information when it is available, with a copy being placed in the House Library.

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Biochar (10 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 9 November 2009 No formal assessment has been made of the potential use of biochar as a means of promoting agricultural production. However, a short research project has been commissioned to assess the potential benefits, costs and issues surrounding the addition of biochar to soil. The research report will critically review the state of knowledge regarding biochar, identify...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Bovine Tuberculosis: Vaccination (10 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) are currently in the process of signing up landowners in the project catchment areas. Fera are inviting all registered cattle owners in the six 75,000 acre catchment areas to register their interest with the aim of identifying potential participants on up to 25,000 acres of land on which to vaccinate badgers. Therefore not all farmers within the...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Cattle: Animal Welfare (10 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: The welfare of cattle is provided for by way of the general provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007, which has specific schedules relating to cattle and calf welfare. DEFRA also has a welfare code for cattle which provides good husbandry advice, which producers have by law to be familiar with and have access to. Animal Health...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Dogs: Animal Welfare (10 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA meets regularly with canine welfare groups at both ministerial and official level to discuss a number of issues, including dangerous dogs. In the last 12 months we have specifically discussed the issue of dangerous dogs with the RSPCA on at least five occasions, the Dogs Trust at least three times and we have had two meetings that have included representatives from Battersea Dogs and...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Food Supply (10 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: Research shows that consumers increasingly want to know how the food they buy has been produced and its provenance. We have helped to facilitate this choice by providing funding for a range of measures to help regional and local food producers improve their access to market. Examples include, "meet the buyer" events; the encouragement of food hubs, farm shops, farmers' markets and shared...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Food Supply (10 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: The most recent provisional estimate for the amount of food which was produced in the UK and consumed in the UK is 53 per cent. for 2008. 47 per cent. of food consumed in the UK in 2008 was imported. This should not be confused with the measure of UK self-sufficiency in all food, which in 2008 was 60 per cent. (provisional figure), since self sufficiency shows the percentage of all UK food...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Pollution Control (10 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe introduces new requirements for assessment and regulation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in ambient air. These largely mirror those in the 2007 UK National Air Quality Strategy. The consultation published on 9 November sets out the UK Government's approach to transposing and implementing the requirements of the...

Written Answers — Energy and Climate Change: Renewable Energy (10 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply. (a) The Government have, in support of the development of the Renewable Energy Strategy (RES), carried out modelling of the effect of an increase in the use of biomass for heat and power on the emissions, ambient air concentrations and public health impacts of fine particles (PM2.5), coarser particles (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide. The key air quality results of...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Agriculture: Subsidies (9 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: A farmer facing a deduction from their Single Payment Scheme claim may appeal against the decision to apply the reductions under the Single Payment Scheme Appeal Procedure. Full details of this procedure can be found on the RPA website www.rpa.gov.uk

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Animals: Transport (9 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: At the 7 September EU Agriculture Council meeting, the Secretary of State expressed concern at the unnecessarily long journeys some animals undertake within Europe, particularly to slaughter. He urged the European Commission to give due consideration to shorter journey times and improved enforcement of welfare in transport rules when putting forward proposals to review the legislation....

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control (9 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: Gassing of badgers in setts with hydrogen cyanide gas was carried out between 1975-1982, when it was discontinued due to studies which showed it to be inhumane. Trapping and shooting has been the culling method used since, during the clean ring (1982-1986) and interim (1986-1997) control strategies and the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (1998-2005). Both tuberculosis-infected and uninfected...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (9 Nov 2009)

Jim Fitzpatrick: No assessment has been made of the effect of the measures in the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 on the prevalence of pit bull terriers and similar breeds and trends in the number of attacks on humans by dogs in the last 10 years. However, following a spate of high profile dog attacks in 2007, DEFRA consulted police forces for their views on the current dangerous dog legislation. Responses indicated...