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15 Sept 2003 : Column 500W—continued
Recycling
Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission (1) what percentage of the paper collected for recycling was (a) recycled within the UK and (b) exported for recycling in each of the last three years; [127225]
- (2) what percentage of paper collected for recycling was recycled in each of the last three years; and what steps he takes to ensure this happens. [127226]
Sir Archy Kirkwood: The parliamentary waste management contractor mixes waste paper from all sources at his recycling plant and is not able separately to measure the weight from any one source which has gone to UK or overseas paper makers.
All the paper collected for recycling in the Palace and the northern outbuildings has been recycled, unless there were any isolated incidents where the staff of the cleaning contractor misdirected sacks intended for recycling.
Dr. Cable: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what items can be recycled by hon. and right hon. Members and their staff; and if he will make a statement. [128786]
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Sir Archy Kirkwood: Waste paper from Members' offices may be recycled by using the special bins provided and metals may be recycled by using the general office waste bins. Glass may be recycled by leaving it at the waste centres at Peers' Inner Court in the Palace and at 1 Canon Row.
CABINET OFFICE
Civil Contingencies
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans there are for civil emergency exercises (a) in London and (b) elsewhere in the next 12 months. [128657]
Mr. Alexander: In London, the London Resilience Partnership of the emergency services, health services, local authorities, utilities and transport agencies have a continuous programme of training and exercises. These comprise tabletop exercises, live exercises and training events.
Elsewhere, a nationwide rolling programme of exercises ensures that we have robust and well-practised contingency plans in place to respond to a whole range of civil emergency incidents. The main activity is carried out at the local and regional level by local authorities and the emergency services. These exercises are based on risk assessments which include natural, technological or man-made crises; for example, exercises cover key facilities such as airports, nuclear power stations and chemical complexes. It is complemented by a cross-governmental programme.
Under the broader cross-governmental programme, on the counter-terrorist side, the Home Office carries out three major exercises per annum plus a number of smaller scale exercises. Other exercises cover the health service response and consequence management of CBRN-related emergencies.
On non-terrorist disruptive challenges, future exercises include the testing of the response to oil pollution, civil nuclear emergency response, foot-and-mouth contingency testing, chemical spills, flood management and a fuel shortage and its impact on the food supply chain.
The UK also plans to participate in exercises with international partners and fora.
Government Vehicles
Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what arrangements there are for the disposal of (a) ministerial and (b) departmental vehicles; and if he will make a statement; [128796]
- (2) what the average time is that ministerial cars have been kept in operational service; and if he will make a statement. [128799]
Mr. Alexander: The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive Mr Nick Matheson to write to the hon. Member. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
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Public Appointments
Mr. Mike Hall: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what percentage of appointees to UK Government sponsored public bodies are (a) disabled people and (b) people with minority ethnic backgrounds. [128059]
Mr. Alexander: Further to my written statement on 16 July 2003, Official Report, column 49WS, I would like to correct the figure given for the percentages of disabled public appointees to public bodies and those with a minority ethnic background. As at 31 March 2003, 5.3 per cent. of public appointments are held by people with a minority ethnic background and 3.1 per cent. by disabled people. Information about the public bodies sponsored by UK Government Departments, and those appointed to serve on them, is available in Public Bodies 2003, revised copies of which have been placed in the Library.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made by the Department in increasing the number of women seeking public appointments since May 2001. [129457]
Mr. Alexander: Each Government Department handles the public appointments process for the non-departmental public bodies for which it is responsible.
I will shortly be publishing the annual report on increasing diversity in public appointments, which will contain a section for each department, on their activity, including progress to date against their individual targets for increasing diversity on the boards of the public bodies for which they are responsible. Copies of the report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Wherever possible, my Department encourages individuals from under-represented groups to apply for appointments by clear job descriptions and person specifications, which do not contain unnecessary requirements which might discourage or eliminate their applications.
In addition, my Department actively seeks to identify suitable women candidates through approaches to the Women and Equality Unit at the Department of Trade and Industry and the Women's National Commission.
The progress made by my department is shown in the table.
| Total number of appointments | Women (percentage) | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001(1),(2) | 103 | 32 |
| 2002(1),(2) | 101 | 34 |
| 2003(2) | 94 | 35 |
(1) For comparison excludes the Women's National Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission, which transferred to the Department of Trade and Industry in May 2002.
(2) Information is collected as at 31 March.
E-Envoy
Michael Fabricant: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to retain the post of e-Envoy after the termination of the contract of the present office holder. [129127]
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Mr. Alexander: The e-Envoy's contract has not been terminated. The current contract runs to April 2004, and succession planning decisions will not be made until closer to that date.
TRANSPORT
Road Haulage Industry (Compensation Claims)
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many claims for compensation were submitted to the French authorities after 1 January 1995 in respect of lorry blockades; and how many have been (a) paid in full, (b) paid in part and (c) not paid. [129259]
Mr. Jamieson: Following the lengthy disruption in France in November 1996, the Department offered hauliers assistance in submitting compensation claims to the relevant French authorities. Some 1,200 claims were handled in this way. All claims arising from these lorry blockades have been processed by the French authorities, and payment agreed in the case of all claims eligible under French law. The French authorities dealt directly with the cases and claimants were under no obligation to inform the Department of the outcome of their cases. We are, therefore, unable to provide information about amounts of compensation paid or refused.
A12
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) dates and (b) areas over the last 10 years, that roadworks have taken place for more than two weeks' duration on the A12 between the M25 turnoff and Wivenhoe, Essex. [128824]
Mr. Jamieson: I have asked the Acting Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Stephen Hickey, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Hilary Chipping to Mr. Simon Burns, dated 15 September 2003:
- I have been asked by David Jamieson, on behalf of our Acting Chief Executive Stephen Hickey, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about road works that have taken place on the A12 between the M25 turnoff and Wivenhoe, Essex.
- The table below provides information on road works since 1997 that have lasted longer than two weeks. I regret that we do not have details prior to 1997.
| A12 section | Timing |
|---|---|
| Chelmsford Bypass | October 1997 to February 1998 |
| Mountnessing Bypass | January 1999 to February 1999 |
| Boreham Bypass | December 1999 to March 2000 |
| Brentwood Bypass Phase 1 | January 2001 to May 2001 |
| Hatfteld Peverel Bypass | October 2001 to February 2002 |
| Brentwood Bypass Phase 2 | October 2002 to March 2003 |
| Witham Bypass | August 2003 to December 2003 |
I hope this is helpful.
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