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6 Oct 2003 : Column 1184W—continued

Light Pollution

Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent guidance she has issued to local authorities and other relevant bodies on light pollution. [131236]

Mr. Bradshaw: In 1997 the Government issued "Lighting in the Countryside: Towards Good Practice". This document continues to be a valuable guide for local authorities, highway engineers and members of the public. It demonstrates what can be done to lessen the adverse effects of external lighting, including security lights and street lighting. The advice within it is applicable in towns as well as the countryside. Copies may be obtained from: www.odpm.gov.uk

Defra considered the control of nuisance caused by security lighting in its recent consultation, "Living Places: Powers, Rights, Responsibilities". A summary

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of the comments received to this consultation exercise has now been published. A copy of this document may be obtained from: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consult/pubspace/index.htm. Most of the respondents who mentioned the document, "Lighting in the Countryside: Towards Good Practice", considered it very useful, but felt it needed updating with more examples of good practice.

The Government will consider what additional guidance on light pollution may be needed, taking into consideration any recommendations emerging from Defra's consultation exercise and from the House of Commons Select Committee's recent inquiry into light pollution and astronomy that was recently completed.

Local Wildlife Sites

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many local wildlife sites there are. [129361]

Margaret Beckett: I understand from the Wildlife Trusts' publication "Status of UK Wildlife Site Systems 2002" that there are at least 37,045 local wildlife sites in the United Kingdom.

Loss Insurance

Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with interested parties regarding loss insurance in the event of a disease outbreak in (a) animals and (b) crops. [131325]

Mr. Bradshaw: The purpose of discussions about loss insurance for disease outbreaks is to explore ways to reduce the cost to taxpayers of such outbreaks. For animal diseases a working group which Defra set up with representatives of the insurance and livestock sectors met several times last year. The group has completed its initial task and we are now working on proposals for the livestock sector to bear a greater share of the cost of animal diseases. While there is no cost to taxpayers from crop diseases, wider discussions on crop insurance generally were held last year by a joint Defra/HM Treasury working group on farm risk management, with representatives from the finance and arable sectors.

Media Training

Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was to her Department of media and voice training for Ministers and officials in each year since 1997. [123127]

Margaret Beckett: To the best of my knowledge, none. However, officials can attend the courses run by the Corporate Development Group under its CMPS banner. Four specifically cover media and voice training. These are Top Management Programme; Creating Personal Impact; Developing Style and Presence; Media Skills. The details requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Microsoft

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid to Microsoft in licensing fees by her Department

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and its agencies in each of the last three years; and how much has been budgeted for (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05. [130678]

Alun Michael: Defra was established as a new Department in 2001. Defra and its executive agencies paid Microsoft £1,004,963 for software licences for financial year 2001–02, £913,575 for 2002–03 and £528,853 for 2003–04 to date.

Budget provision for Microsoft licensing for 2003–04 is £773,162 and for 2004–05 is £969,690.

These figures exclude the cost of licences for Windows operating systems on new personal computers and laptops, which are provided and paid for by the manufacturers under separate arrangements.

All sums are inclusive of VAT; financial years start 1 April.

Ministerial Meetings

Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how often she met her counterparts in the devolved Administrations in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [126520]

Margaret Beckett: I have met my counterparts in the devolved Administrations on 7 occasions over the past 12 months in regular arranged meetings in London. However, I have also met with them on a number of occasions whenever they have attended Agriculture Council in Brussels and Luxembourg.

Ministerial Visits

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the (a) foreign visits and (b) visits within the United Kingdom she has made since 1 April; whom she met; what the cost was to public funds of each trip; and what gifts were received. [126934]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 8 September 2003]: The Government publishes the overall costs of all ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits 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, 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 1 4 March, Official Report, column 482W.

Since 1 April, I have undertaken one visit in the UK; to the Royal Agricultural Show in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire. The cost of this visit was over £500. No gifts were received.

Mobile Phones

Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was to her Department of mobile phones supplied to Ministers and officials in each year since 1997. [123150]

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Margaret Beckett: The cost to my Department of mobile phones supplied to Ministers and officials since 8 June 2001 (when Defra was formed) were as follows:

£

Year end 31 March	Secretariat	Defra
2001–02(50)	13,311	2,517,693
2002–03	13,895	625,467
2003–04(51)	1,537	115,018

⁽⁵⁰⁾ Part year

⁽⁵¹⁾ To 31 July 2003

The Defra mobile phone expenditure includes £1,970,611 in 2002 and £148,098 incurred in respect of Foot and Mouth Disease.

Airport Development (South-East)

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what studies her Department has commissioned to assess the impact of proposed new airport developments at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick, (c) Stansted and (d) Cliffe on the extent of human exposure to nitrogen dioxide. [129400]

Margaret Beckett: We have not commissioned any air quality studies to assess the impacts of the proposed new airport developments at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted or Cliffe.

"The Future Development of Air Transport in the UK: South East" consultation document issued by DfT in February 2003, sets out the environmental impacts, including the extent of human exposure to nitrogen dioxide levels, of the proposed new airport developments at each of the airports in the south-east. My officials have been in contact with DfT officials about the results presented in the consultation document, and they have informed them about the results from our national modelling of air quality, including around airports and the current results from the local air quality management system. My officials will also be working closely with DfT and officials in other Government Departments in drawing up the Air Transport White Paper.

Peat Extraction

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the peat extraction sites in the UK (a) which are operational and (b) where active permissions remain valid. [129265]

Mr. Bradshaw: This information is not available in the format requested. However a survey of land for mineral workings in England in 2000 commissioned by the former Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions indicated that nationally, approximately 5,200 hectares is permitted for peat production at about 180 sites, of which approximately 300 hectares remains to be worked but where the permissions remain valid. The raw data came from Mineral Planning Authorities but two of the largest authorities were unable to produce accurate survey data and assumptions were made based on previous information.

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