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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 20 December 2000
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Hatfield Derailment
Mr. Paul Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what increase in road traffic there has been since the Hatfield train derailment. [141622]
Mr. Hill: According to the Association of Train Operating Companies, there is a 13 per cent. drop in passenger revenue in the most recent statistics for December. The effect has not been uniform with some lines much more badly affected than others. If all of the people who have switched from rail had instead travelled by car this would have increased road travel overall by about 1 per cent., with some routes affected more than others. In practice, the effect will have been less as some journeys will have been abandoned and some passengers will have used alternative models of public transport. Daily monitoring of traffic levels by my Department has shown no significant increase in traffic in recent weeks, but relatively small percentage changes in road travel can easily be masked by other influences including, over recent weeks, bad weather depressing traffic levels.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages regarding energy efficiency in the rented commercial office sector where (a) tenants are given an incentive to save energy by a separate energy cost based on actual energy consumption, alongside charges for floor space rental and (b) landlords are given an incentive to save energy through building refurbishment, by charging a fixed rental price from the owners of the building being occupied, regardless of energy use by the tenant. [142256]
Mr. Meacher: My Department has made no detailed assessment of the relative advantages and disadvantages arising from the two scenarios identified.
However, my Department's Property Advisory Group drew attention to various barriers to greater energy efficiency in commercial buildings in its 1998 report, "Sustainable Development and Buildings". The report identified that in some leasing arrangements, where the tenant reimburses the landlord's energy costs, neither party has an incentive to achieve greater energy efficiency. The Group commended all-inclusive occupation agreements as a means of giving the landlord and tenant a mutual incentive to reduce energy consumption. The Group explored this further and concluded that while there was considerable and growing interest in all-inclusive leases in
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the commercial property sector, wider adoption would primarily be a matter for market evolution. I intend to give further consideration to this.
The forthcoming Climate Change Levy will provide a major incentive for greater energy efficiency in the non-domestic sector. The Government do and will continue to provide information to encourage business to become more energy efficient, through its Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme. The programme promotes strategies to motivate the different players in the rented commercial property sector through a suite of publications setting out best practice in design, construction, occupation and energy services. Good Practice Guide 258, "Looking for a new Investment Angle?" targets developers, landlords and financiers, with Good Practice Guides 285, "What will energy efficiency do for your business?", and 288, "Is poor energy efficiency in your office hitting your bottom line?" targeting tenants and occupiers. Each document spells out to the relevant audience the environmental, financial and other business benefits to be gained from investing in major energy efficiency improvements and in practising good energy management. The guide for tenants encourages businesses not only to exercise proper management over areas where they have direct control, but also to explain to current and potential landlords that they expect to be provided with environmentally smart buildings.
Departmental Advertising
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98, (c) 1998-99, (d) 1999-2000 and (e) 2000-01, (i) his Department's total spending on advertising campaigns, (ii) the cost of each individual advertising campaign and (iii) the criteria that were established to gauge the effectiveness of each campaign; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of each campaign based on these criteria. [142723]
Ms Beverley Hughes: My Department uses advertising on TV and in various other media to inform the wider public about how they are affected by departmental legislation, and also to effect attitudinal change in such fields as road safety and climate change.
Each major campaign is rigorously evaluated to ensure maximum effectiveness and value for money. Evaluation criteria are set according to the individual objectives of each campaign (for example awareness and understanding of road safety issues are tracked along with changes in public attitudes and against infringement and casualty statistics), and the results of each evaluation exercise are used to inform campaign development.
Historical data on the individual objectives and evaluation criteria for each campaign can be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
(1) Year to date
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Right to Roam (Devon)
Sir Peter Emery: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what funding
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will be made available to Devon County Council to finance the proposed right to roam network in respect of (a) the compilation of maps indicating land open to ramblers, (b) the cost of hiring extra wardens and (c) contingency funds for potential legal action involving landowners. [142692]
Mr. Meacher: The duty to draw up maps showing open country and registered common land in England falls entirely on the Countryside Agency. Local authorities will have an opportunity to comment on draft maps if they wish to do so, but this is not expected to involve significant cost. The need to appoint additional wardens, where appropriate, to help with management of the new right of access will arise when the new right comes into effect in a few years' time. A recent study for the Local Government Association suggested that the cost of managing the new right, including wardening, will be around £1.5 million per year for England and Wales. We intend to make provision for funding of wardening services through the normal revenue support system for local authorities. Taking into account the specific functions of local authorities under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, and the extensive provision for appeals by landowners to the Secretary of State, we do not consider that there is likely to be any need to make provision for costs arising from potential legal action.
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