| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
15 Oct 2002 : Column 615W—continued
Commissioner for Public Appointments
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answers of 24 July 2002, Official Report column 1197–99W, on the
15 Oct 2002 : Column 616W
Commissioner for Public Appointments, (a) for which panel an additional candidate was put forward and (b) which bodies only have informal performance assessment systems in place; and if he will make a statement. [74279]
15 Oct 2002 : Column 617W
Ruth Kelly: (a) An additional candidate was put forward for the post of non-executive director of the Court of the Bank of England.
(b) The Treasury is considering whether it is appropriate to introduce formal performance assessment processes for the Court of directors of the Bank of England and the Commissioners of the Statistics Commission.
Fuel Duty
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of fuel duty rebates and reduced rates of duty on (a) red diesel and (b) kerosene in the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [74774]
John Healey: The most recent estimate of loss in revenue to the Exchequer resulting from the duty rebate given to ''red diesel'' is approximately #3.3 billion in each of the past three years, based on the difference between the duty rate for rebated gas oil and that for heavy oil used as a road fuel. Such estimates for kerosene currently do not exist.
The estimates for red diesel represent the maximum cost to the Exchequer since they do not allow for a reduction in demand that might be expected if the full duty rate were levied on red diesel.
It is our policy to review rebates and reduced rates as part of the Budget process. In making his judgment, the Chancellor of the Exchequer will consider all relevant economic, social and environmental factors.
Trader Liabilities
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of outstanding trader liabilities were written off by Customs and Excise in the latest year for which data is available; and if he will make a statement. [74772]
John Healey: The latest available figure is #769.8 million, as published in Customs & Excise's annual Trust Statement for 2000–01. Figures for 2001–02 will be published in the 2001–02 Trust Statement later in the year.
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the p519 latest estimate of outstanding trader debt as defined in Spending Review 2000 PSA target one for Customs and Excise; and if he will make a statement. [74775]
John Healey: Achievement of the Spending Review (SR) 2000 PSA Targets, Objective 1, was published in H M Customs & Excise Spring Report June 2002. The third quarter outturn for trader debt to 31 December 2001 was 1.88 per cent. against the target of 1.41 per cent.
The full year results for 2001–02 will be published later this year, in H M Customs & Excise Autumn Performance Report, along with the emerging outturn for 2002–03.
15 Oct 2002 : Column 618W
Depleted Uranium
Llew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what quantities of depleted uranium have been exported to the United States in each year since 1997. [73560]
John Healey: The table below shows the quantities (in kilograms) of depleted uranium and products containing depleted uranium that were exported to the United States each year from 1997 to 2001:
| Cermets containing uranium depleted in U235 | Uranium depleted in U235; alloys, dispersions (other than cermets), ceramic products and mixtures containing uranium depleted in U235 or compounds of this product | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | nil | 41kg | 41kg |
| 1998 | 1kg | 26kg | 27kg |
| 1999 | 2kg | 14kg | 16kg |
| 2000 | nil | nil | nil |
| 2001 | nil | nil | nil |
Population Profile
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the population are over (a) 75 years and (b) 85 years in (i) Worthing, West, (ii) England and (iii) the UK. [74767]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Bottomley, dated 15 October 2002:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question concerning the proportion of the population over 75 and over 85 years in the parliamentary constituency of Worthing West. (74767)
Although the first results of the 2001 Census have just been published they are only currently available for local authorities in five year age groups.
In view of this, the attached table gives the proportion of the population 75 and over and 85 and over in Worthing local authority, England and the UK at Census day 2001.
| Area | Proportion of the total population aged 75 and over % | Proportion of the total population aged over 85 and over % |
|---|---|---|
| Worthing Local Authority | 13.5 | 4.6 |
| England | 7.5 | 1.9 |
| UK | 7.5 | 1.9 |
Service Delivery Agreements
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish updated service delivery agreements; and if he will make a statement. [74771]
Mr. Boateng: Departments will publish their service delivery agreements soon.
15 Oct 2002 : Column 619W
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Consultancies
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list external (a) public relations/communications companies, (b) advertising and marketing companies, (c) management consultancies, (d) accountancy companies, (e) banking firms, (f) individual consultants and (g) other specialist consultancies used by her Department since June 2001; what actions those consultancies/companies have performed within her Department; and what costs have been incurred through use of these consultancies/companies. [74674]
Dr. Howells: The available information requested for the Department, including the Royal Parks Agency, shows total costs incurred to be #3,394,385. Further details could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Stonehenge
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when work will commence on the construction of the Stonehenge Visitors Centre; and if she will make a statement. [72609]
Dr. Howells: The date for the start of work on the Visitor Centre is not yet known and will depend on the outcome of statutory planning procedures. However it will not open until the flyover to replace the Countess Roundabout has been completed.
Tourism
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourists visited Huntingdonshire in (a) 2001, (b) 2000 and (c) 1999. [74225]
Dr. Howells: The table below sets out figures showing numbers of overnight stays and day trips in Huntingdonshire in 1999 and 2000. * Figures for 2001 are unavailable.
| Year | Day Trips | Overnight Stays | Total Trips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 3.9 million | 378,000 | 4.278 million |
| 2000 | 4 million | 541,000 | 4.541 million |
Note:
* Data is not available by tourist numbers, but is collected in the form of day trips and overnight stays.
Physical Activity
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what studies her Department has made of the links between physical activity and improved health. [73814]
Mr. Caborn: My Department has not commissioned any studies of the links between physical activity and improved health.
I regularly have discussions with my hon. Friend the Minister for Public Health on a wide range of issues related to sport policy, including the relationship of sport and health. It is agreed that the promotion of sport
15 Oct 2002 : Column 620W
plays a valuable role and my Department has been working closely with the Department of Health to ensure co-ordination of sport and health policy.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures her Department has considered recently to increase participation in physical activity amongst adults. [73816]
Mr. Caborn: The Government's Plan for Sport sets out the importance of engaging and motivating a wide range of organisations to develop new initiatives, strategies, projects and schemes that will offer more opportunities for participation for adults and the whole community,
In addition the New Opportunities Fund PE and School Sport programme is investing #581 million in England towards school sports facilities, #25 million of which will go towards the Space for Sport and Arts initiative, a #130 million investment to create more than 300 multi-use facilities in primary schools. All facilities will be made available for use by the whole community.
DCMS has also been allocated #20 million for 2003–04 from the Capital Modernisation Fund which will be distributed to both provide new facilities and improve existing facilities.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what role her Department plans for (a) the private sector and (b) voluntary sports clubs in improving public health. [73815]
Mr. Caborn: The Department and the Department for Education and Skills, supported by the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, are working on a project to effect improvements to PE and School Sport and build stronger school/club links so young people can carry on playing sport when they leave school.
The Strategy Unit is also looking closely into this issue as part of their overall review of the structure of sport.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |