House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 6 Oct 2003 (pt 17)

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1053W—continued

Microsoft

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was paid to Microsoft in licensing fees by his Department and its agencies in each of the last three years; and how much has been budgeted for (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05. [130683]

Mr. Browne: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was formed in June 2001.

Payments made to Microsoft by DWP in 2001–02 were £1,075 and 2002–03 were £282.

Payments made direct to Microsoft are very low because the majority of purchases are made by the Department's main IT Service Provider on the DWP's behalf and are therefore not recorded as a Departmental purchase from Microsoft.

Details of how much has been budgeted for in 2003–04 and 2004–05 cannot be provided since the Department do not budget for software licences by specific suppliers.

Ministerial Visits

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the (a) foreign and (b) UK

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visits he has made since 1 April; what the cost was to public funds of each trip; whom he met; and what gifts were received. [126870]

Mr. Andrew Smith: The Government publishes the overall costs of all Ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits overseas by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500 on an annual basis. The list for the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 was published by the Prime Minister on 16 July 2003, Official Report, column 482W. The next list for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 will be published at the end of the financial year.

In respect of gifts received, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, on 14 March 2003, Official Report, column 482W.

Between 1 April and 16 July, I have made a number of visits in the UK, the individual cost of each could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Pension Credit

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what circumstances and for what reason, under pension credit legislation, pensioners will receive an award of £1.20 instead of 60 pence for each extra pound of qualifying income; and whether those entitled to the £1.20 award will be informed of this. [131044]

Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 18 September 2003]: In very exceptional circumstances the effect of applying the normal formula will be that some pensioners will receive a reward of £1.20 instead of 60 pence for each extra pound of qualifying income. This may happen if the Pension Credit recipient is also receiving a working tax credit, spousal maintenance, or a social security benefit which does not count as rewardable income. It will only occur if their total income brought to account is greater than their appropriate guarantee level but the income which counts for the savings credit is less than the guarantee level. If this happens the pensioner will be able to ask the Pension Service for an explanation.

Pensions (Armed Forces)

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the implications of the Pensions Green Paper for armed forces personnel's future pensions. [131313]

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has worked closely with MoD officials to ensure that the proposals have taken full account of the changes to policy likely to emerge from the Pension's Green Paper (published in December 2002).

The proposals for the new schemes reflect recent announcements on pensions reform. For example, the replacement of the early Immediate Pension provision with an Early Departure Scheme will ensure compliance with Inland Revenue proposals to increase the earliest age from which a pension can be paid from 50 to 55.

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TRANSPORT

Motor Vehicle Pollution

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will issue a statement on his Department's plans to reduce motor vehicle pollution over the next 10 years.131278]

Mr. Jamieson: The Government's Powering Future Vehicles Strategy, published in July 2002 and available via the Department's website, sets out our plans for promoting the development, introduction and take-up of clean, low carbon vehicle technologies and fuels in the UK. We will be publishing a first progress report on the implementation of this Strategy very shortly. Emissions of key air pollutants from motor vehicles are set to fall by about 30 per cent. over the next decade as progressively tighter European regulations come into effect for new vehicles, and as older, more polluting vehicles drop out of circulation. The Government is also playing a constructive role in discussions in Europe on future vehicle emission standards for the period from 2010 onwards.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support the Department plans to give to low pollution fuel initiatives. [131279]

Mr. Jamieson: The Government is always prepared to consider supporting the introduction and use of clean fuels where these offer proven environmental benefits. We have an excellent track record of incentivising cleaner fuels by means of fuel duty incentives. Decisions on fuel duty levels are a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer. My Department also runs a number of grant programmes which can help support the introduction of clean, low-carbon vehicles and fuels. Details of these are available via the Transport Energy website at http://www.fransportenergv.org.uk .

Asbestos

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 16 June 2003, Official Report, column 17W, on asbestos, if he will list the buildings identified as containing asbestos. [130939]

Mr. McNulty: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Balloons

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether there is a standard of airworthiness in respect of tethered balloons for passenger transport; [131180]

(a)

(b)

(3) what plans he has to give the Civil Aviation Authority powers to certify the safety of airworthiness of tethered balloons for passenger transport; [131181]

(4) if he will list the (a) telephone calls, (b) meetings, (c) correspondence and (d) other communication he has had with the (i) Civil Aviation Authority, (ii) European Aviation Safety Authority, (iii) Joint

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(5) what research he has conducted on the safety regimes of (a) France and (b) Germany on tethered balloons for passenger transport; [131191]

(6) whether UK operators of tethered balloons for passenger transport will be able to operate such equipment after 28 September without (a) type certification under CS 31 TGB and (b) grandfather rights; [131182]

(7) what recent assessment he has made of the safety of tethered balloons for passenger transport; [131183]

(8) what assessment he has made of the employment prospects for the balloon industry, with particular reference to the effects of the lack of a certification standard for tethered balloons for passenger transport; [131192]

(9) what estimate he has made of sales volumes of tethered balloons for passenger transport in the next five years; [131184]

(10) what estimate he has made of the number of tethered balloons for passenger transport which have been (a) sold in and (b) imported into the UK in the past five years; [131193]

(11) how many officials at his Department have duties relating to the certification of airworthiness of tethered balloons; [131194]

(12) what his Department's responsibilities are in respect of Civil Aviation Authority certification for tethered balloons for passenger transport; [131185]

(13) what his Department's responsibilities are in respect of the airworthiness of tethered balloons for passenger transport; [131186]

(14) how many Civil Aviation Authority officials have (a) full and (b) part-time duties in relation to airworthiness certification; [131195]

(15) what advice he gives to manufacturers of tethered balloons on the (a) current and (b) proposed regulatory framework; [131196]

(16) what recent discussions he has had with (a) UK balloon manufacturers (b) the Civil Aviation Authority and (c) the European Aviation Safety Authority on the certification of airworthiness of tethered balloons for passenger transport; [131187]

(17) what plans he has to make provision for the temporary certification of airworthiness of tethered balloons for passenger transport, in advance of a European standard; [131188]

(18) how many (a) accidents, (b) injuries and (c) deaths to (i) passengers, (ii) operators and (iii) users of tethered balloons for passenger transport have been reported in the last five years; [131197]

(19) if he will list the communications he has had with ministers in other departments with regard to the certification of airworthiness of tethered balloons for passenger transport in the last 12 months; [131303]

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(20) if he will make a statement on the negotiations with EU authorities establishing grandfather rights for regulatory authorities in France and Germany in respect of tethered balloons for passenger transport. [131304]

Mr. McNulty: There are no international airworthiness standards in respect of tethered balloons for passenger transport.

In the UK, the Air Navigation Order 2000 exempts such aircraft, described as captive balloons, from the requirement to be registered and thus from any airworthiness certification requirement. Tethered balloons carrying passengers are treated as fairground rides and their safety standards have been regulated by the Health and Safety Executive, rather than the Civil Aviation Authority. The Department for Transport accordingly has had no duties relating to the airworthiness of tethered balloons.

Some other European countries have required tethered balloons to be registered and established national airworthiness certification requirements. Such requirements have been the responsibility of the states concerned and the Government has had no reason to research their safety regimes. UK produced tethered balloons sold into these countries have been required to meet national requirements which has caused some practical difficulties due to those states' unfamiliarity with UK Health and Safety Executive regulations.

EC Regulation 1592/2002 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency came into force in September 2002. Its primary objective is to establish and maintain a high uniform level of civil aviation in Europe and an additional objective is to facilitate the free movement of goods, persons and services. The regulation lays down safety essential airworthiness requirements for aircraft and aviation products within its scope, which includes tethered balloons, and empowers the agency to establish the type certification basis for each aircraft, to issue the appropriate type certificates and to conduct, either itself or through national aviation authorities, the technical inspections associated with such certification. This system will facilitate the marketing of aircraft, such as captive balloons, throughout the Community.

The agency is required to take up its certification responsibilities by 28 September. Commission Regulations detailing how these responsibilities will be implemented are being drawn up to a very tight timetable and should be finalised very shortly. The UK has been fully involved in the process of drawing up these implementing regulations. The regulations will include transitional provisions to ensure that all aircraft types currently used in member states can continue to be used after 28 September, including UK built tethered balloons.

There are also provisions to give grandfather rights to a large range of aircraft and products certified under previous regimes. Under specified conditions, the type certification basis for certain products will be deemed to be an EASA certification basis: this will apply to a number of types of tethered balloons certified in other member states. Such provisions cannot apply to UK designed balloons because there has been no UK type certification basis for them. The agency has to establish

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an EASA certification basis for these aircraft and work is in hand to draft the appropriate certification specification (Certification Specification 31 Tethered Gas Balloons, known as CS 31 TGB). The agency is using a team of national expert put together by the Joint Aviation Authorities to develop this specification, industry will be consulted and it is expected to be adopted early in 2004.

EASA arrangements for outsourcing tasks to national aviation authorities will allow the CAA to carry out a range of certification activities on behalf of the agency after 28 September and we understand that the CAA could quickly begin the necessary certification work for UK tethered balloons on the basis of the current draft of the certification specification. The authority has been in touch with the manufacturer of tethered balloons in the UK about the EASA developments and will endeavour to ensure as smooth a transition to the new system as possible.

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