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Refrigerants
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will issue guidance to departmental procurement officers indicating the Government's preference for using not-in-kind refrigerants where they are safe and do not entail excessive costs. [41181]
Mr. Meacher: My officials recently reminded Departments of the Government's preference for using refrigerants with the lowest global warming potential. This guidance is currently available in publications such as the "Green Guide for Buyers" which is on the Greening
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Government website. The advice is to avoid procuring products containing or manufactured with gaseous and non-gaseous substances that contribute to climate change by specifying more environmentally acceptable alternatives where it is safe, cost-effective and technically feasible to do so.
Community Service Fund
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many applications have been made for assistance from the Community Service Fund, broken down by county, for the provision of (a) village shops and (b) pubs; [41445]
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- (2) how many payments have been made from the Community Service Fund, broken down by county, for the provision of (a) village shops and (b) pubs; and what the total sum has been paid out to date. [41444]
Alun Michael: This information is not currently available in the detail requested at county level. I understand that the information should be available through the Countryside Agency's website at the end of March.
The table gives the information immediately available on the number of applications, payments and projects by region.
| Region | Number of applications | Number of projects | Number of payments | £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 22 | 13 | 20 | 66,981,77 |
| North West | 31 | 9 | 10 | 80,815.6 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 35 | 18 | 25 | 82,758.54 |
| East Midlands | 54 | 25 | 26 | 103,241.63 |
| West Midlands | 55 | 42 | 75 | 276,073.05 |
| East of England | 62 | 49 | 55 | 258,508.91 |
| South East and London | 65 | 38 | 37 | 169,159,96 |
| South West | 76 | 39 | 51 | 189,291.01 |
| Total | 400 | 233 | 299 | 1,226,830.47 |
Combined Heat and Power
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what has been the change in combined heat and power output since the introduction of the new electricity trading arrangement. [42530]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 12 March 2002]: NETA is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. However, the report by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, Report to DTI on the Review of the Initial Impact of NETA on Smaller Generators, issued in August, indicated that the export of power from CHP has reduced by around 60% compared with a year previously. The Government have consulted on their response to Ofgem's report and will publish their response shortly.
Litter and Graffiti
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statistics are collated to quantify the amount of (a) litter and (b) graffiti by local authority area. [42241]
Mr. Meacher: The Department does not collate statistics quantifying the amount of (a) litter and (b) graffiti by local authority area.
Drinking Water
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research has been undertaken in respect of access throughout the working day to drinking water. [42678]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
The Health and Safety Executive has not undertaken research in respect to the provision and access of drinking water throughout the day in the workplace.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Tourism
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated cost to the tourist industry is of (a) the events of 11 September and (b) foot and mouth; and if she will make a statement. [38835]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 28 February 2002]: It is estimated that foot and mouth disease caused direct losses to the tourism industry during the months of March–August 2001 of between £2.7 billion and £3.2 billion in terms of value added.
Visitor expenditure from overseas residents fell by £1.8 billion in 2001, compared to 2000. This downturn is mainly attributable to the impact of foot and mouth disease, the events of 11 September and current global economic conditions.
The impact across the country has been mixed and there are signs that we are now in the early stages of a recovery.
English Heritage Sites
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what her estimate is of the annual cost to English Heritage of allowing free access to English Heritage sites for (a) under 16s and students, (b) pensioners and (c) all visitors; [39698]
- (2) what her estimate is of the annual cost to (a) the Government and (b) English Heritage allowing free access to English Heritage sites for (i) under 16s and students, (ii) pensioners and (iii) all visitors. [39697]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 4 March 2002]: Some 70 per cent. of English Heritage sites are already free to all visitors. In addition, over half a million children, students and teachers enjoy free admission to English Heritage sites on education visits. English Heritage
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estimate that extending free admission to all groups of young people would cost them £650,000 a year. Following the publication of The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future, we are considering, together with all relevant bodies, how the principle of free access for children might be extended to the historic environment sector. There are no plans at this stage to extend this to other groups of visitors.
Film Production
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Government are doing to encourage film production companies in the north-east. [40631]
Dr. Howells: The Film Council has undertaken a major initiative to increase the level of film activity in England under its England-wide Strategy. The most significant development within the north-east in response has been the creation of Northern Film and Media (NFM), which has developed a strategy for film in the region for the first time. Whilst NFM is responsible for activity right across the spectrum of film—exhibition and education as well as production—it is already dedicating substantial effort to supporting production companies and film making within the region. NFM also acts as a conduit between film makers in the north-east and Film Council-run film production funds and is expected to increase the take-up of these funds by north-east companies and individuals. In the next financial year NFM will directly invest over £1.1 million in the development of people, companies and projects in the north-east.
External Contracts
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many contracts were let by her Department, and agencies for which she is responsible, with external companies and organisations in the calendar years (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 to the latest date for which figures are available, indicating the (i) names of the companies and organisations involved and (ii) remuneration made in each case. [40824]
Dr. Howells: The details listed relate to contracts arranged by the Department's procurement team. Details of contract value are not currently held on the team's database and this information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Contracts of amounts below £5,000 are usually handled by individual divisions and there is no central record kept of these contracts.
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