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28 Feb 2003 : Column 739W—continued
Oil Recovery Rates
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she makes of (a) the potential CO2 diversion; and (b) the potential increase in oil recovery rates from the injection of CO2 into oil fields. [99790]
Mr Wilson: CO2 injection techniques have been successfully used in the United States to enhance oil recovery. If such processes can be found to be commercially viable on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) then the Government, which aims to maximise economic recovery of UK hydrocarbon resources, would be keen to see these adopted where possible. Studies are being carried out by the Department on the feasibility of CO2 capture and storage and its use for enhanced oil recovery on the UKCS and findings are due to be published this Spring.
MINISTER FOR WOMEN
Child Tax Credit
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister for Women what assessment she has made on the effectiveness of the Child Tax Credit in enabling mothers to return to work; and if she will make a statement. [99046]
Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
From April, two new tax credits—the Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit—will enhance choice for mothers.
The Child Tax Credit will provide financial support to families with children, irrespective of the parents' work status. By providing a secure stream of income direct to the main carer, usually the mother, it will assist mothers who choose to return to work.
The Working Tax Credit will support people in low-paid work. In particular it will improve work incentives for second earners compared to WFTC, make it easier for couples to share work in a way that suits them best,
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and improve the flexibility of child care support. The child care element of the WTC will also be paid to the main carer,usually the mother.
The child care element of WFTC has been a great success. It is estimated that around 85 per cent. of those families receiving WFTC and incurring eligible child care costs, claiming the child-care element of the tax credit.
Public Appointments
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister for Women what initiatives she has planned during the next year and what budget has been proposed to attract more women into public appointments; and if she will make a statement. [99044]
Ms Hewitt: We have a target that between 45 per cent. and 55 per cent. of all appointments made will be women. Advertisements for vacancies arising during the year will be disseminated widely including in the national and regional press, in professional journals, trade press and women's magazines, and on the Department's website, to ensure the widest possible audience. We will also be using the practical guide 'Get a Public Life', recently produced by the Women and Equality Unit, to develop ways of encouraging more women to apply for public appointments.
The Women's National Commission have committed £15,000 to continuing the e-network. This provided details of national appointments and a mentoring scheme aimed at encouraging more women to apply for national appointments.
The Women and Equality Unit are due to publish research that will identify the barriers and possible solutions that can be fed into future government policy in the spring of this year. The cost of this research in the next financial year will be £7,000.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Flood Management
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to amend the levels of grant to local authorities to take account of the work on flood management and flood defence that will arise from his plans for new development in (a) Ashford, (b) the Thames Gateway, (c) the M11 corridor and (d) Milton Keynes and the South Midlands. [97636]
Margaret Beckett: I have been asked to reply.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister provides significant funding for the management of flood risk through its local authority Revenue Support Grant mechanism to support local authority levies to the Environment Agency and internal drainage boards and local authorities' own spend on flood and coastal defences. However, responsibility for estimating the requirement for central Government support in this area falls to Defra. Additionally, capital investment in new or improved flood defences by the flood and coastal defence operating authorities, including local authorities, would be eligible for Defra capital grant, subject to meeting the Department's criteria.
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No specific provision has been made over the Spending Review period (to 2005–06) for investment in flood defences to protect new development in the areas mentioned. I would also refer the hon. Member to my answer to his related parliamentary question 97637 with respect to investment in capital defence works, which explains that many of these developments, for example the Thames Gateway, will be defended to a high standard by existing defences which would anyway be subject to a renewal programme.
Housing Account Surpluses
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the local authorities in housing account surplus, stating for each (a) the surplus and (b) the number of tenancies in the last year for which information is available. [98609]
Mr. McNulty: I have placed in the Library a table listing the 209 local authorities with an assumed surplus on their Housing Revenue Account (HRA). These assumed surpluses are currently offset against any subsidy due to the authority in respect of rent rebates. The information is taken from the latest HRA subsidy claim forms for 2002–03.
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Local Government
Mr. Maude: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the costs of (a) audit and (b) inspection of local government in each year since 1997. [98406]
Mr. Raynsford: The Audit Commission is responsible for the audit of local authorities. Inspection of local authority functions is undertaken both by the Commission and by other inspectorates.
The costs of financial and other forms of audit (including the audit of best value performance plans from April 2000) by Commission financial year (currently 1 November to 31 October) at constant 2001–02 prices, are as follows.
| Year | Cost (£ million) |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 80.4 |
| 1997–98 | 90.0 |
| 1998–99 | 90.1 |
| 1999–2000 | 109.0 |
| 2000–01 | 116.2 |
| 2001–02 | 133.3 |
The costs of inspection incurred by the Inspectorates that make up the Local Services Inspectorate Forum are as follows:
| Year(4) | Audit Commission | Benefit Fraud Inspectorate | HM Inspectorate of Constabulary(5) | HM Fire Services Inspectorate(6) | Ofsted(7) | Social Services Inspectorate(8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 0 | n/a | n/a | 6.7 |
| 1998–99 | 3.9 | 6.3 | 0 | n/a | n/a | 6.6 |
| 1999–2000 | 15.9 | 5.7 | 0 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 9.0 |
| 2000–01 | 41.3 | 6.0 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 9.5 |
| 2001–02 | 50.4 | 5.5 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 10.2 |
(4) April-March, except for the Audit Commission, whose financial year is currently November-October.
(5) Costs for best value inspections of police authorities. There was no duty to inspect police authorities before April 2000.
(6) Figures for 1997–99 could be given only at disproportionate cost. Figures for 1999–2002 are estimates. HMFSI carry out inspections, and other work, in addition to the inspection of local authorities, and historically the costs have not been recorded separately.
(7) The Ofsted costs include the inspection of local education authorities (LEAs), but not schools, and do not include overhead costs. Figures for 1997–99 could be given only at disproportionate cost. The Audit Commission's costs of joint inspections of LEAs (approximately £l million a year from1999–2000) are included in the Audit Commission's inspection costs.
(8) The Audit Commission's costs of joint Audit Commission / SSI reviews(approximately £2 million a year from 1999–2000) are included in the Audit Commission's inspection costs.
Both audit and inspection costs include those arising from new responsibilities acquired under the Local Government Act 1999 and other legislation.
Press Releases
Mr. Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each (a) year and (b) quarter from 1995–96 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [92422]
Mr. Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created on 29 May 2002. As at 26 February the Office has issued 192 press releases.
Quarterly information is as follows:
| Quarter | Number of releases |
|---|---|
| 29 May to 30 June 2002 | 23 |
| 1 July to 30 September 2002 | 67 |
| 1 October to 31 December 2002 | 75 |
| 1 January to 26 February 2003 | 27 |
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