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12 Mar 2004 : Column 1756W—continued
Correspondence
Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 4 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. D. McDowell. [159988]
Mr. Darling: I replied to my right hon. Friend yesterday.
Procurement Policy
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. [159147]
Mr. McNulty: Environmentally sustainable procurement strategies have driven innovation in this Department in the following areas:
It is Government policy to use recycled paper and this Department has developed a Recycled Printing Papers Framework to meet the requirements of the Waste Strategy Initiative. Since the Framework started in August 2000, the success can be measured in terms of awareness, quality, availability and price advantage, demonstrated in savings to Government of £1.8 million, growth in the market place and improvements in supply and quality. There are now more than 25 Government Departments and agencies using the Framework.
It is now a contractual provision within the Department to use legal and sustainable timber for all central furniture and property management contracts. Certification to this effect is required for all furniture supplied. A decision has also been taken to discontinue use of natural wood veneers on ranges of furniture where alternative finishes are available.
The Department's catalogue of core stationery items clearly identifies "green" products. All toner cartridges are recycled.
The Department's IT disposal contract offers surplus equipment to schools under a Home Office scheme. Any equipment where this is not appropriate is disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.
All the Department's personal and laptop computers have power saving software which puts the hardware into power saving mode after approximately 20 minutes of inactivity. In addition, a rolling program is in place to refresh hardware: this has recently included the replacement of monitors with flat screen technology which has a much lower power consumption and heat output. All PC, laptop and network printer hardware also complies with EU energy saving and electrical regulation.
The Department has encouraged its main suppliers of furniture, stationery and office machinery to aim for ISO 14001 certification. Most have now received accreditation with the remainder expected to achieve it in 2004.
The Department carries out an annual environmental audit of suppliers of goods, irrespective of whether they have an ISO 14001 accreditation. The audits are carried out internally by trained staff. Examples of good practice are shared with other suppliers where possible.
The Department (in collaboration with ODPM) has awarded a contract for an electronic environmental management system (EMS) which is now being rolled out to other Government Departments.
Railway Investment
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effect of investment in railway improvements over the next 10 years upon residents of Crosby. [160548]
Mr. McNulty: Merseytravel Passenger Transport Executive (PTE) is responsible for improving services and facilities for passengers on the Merseyrail network. Network Rail is responsible for maintaining and renewing the infrastructure and will be renewing one mile of track at Blundellsands and Crosby in 2005–06.
The PTE has plans for a number of improvements over the next 10 years. These include upgrading the car park at Blundellsands and Crosby and making the station fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; investigating the provision of a dedicated car park at Hall Road station; providing a lift at Waterloo station to improve accessibility; and upgrading the car park, improving access to the ticket office and improving bus turnaround at Formby station. The waiting room at Formby is being refurbished through the Strategic Rail Authority's Modern Facilities at Stations Programme. In addition, Merseyrail rolling stock will be fully refurbished by the end of 2004. The refurbishment includes the provision of CCTV, dedicated wheelchair spaces and cycle racks.
Rural Bus Services
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rural bus services in Crosby are supported by rural bus grants. [160546]
Mr. McNulty: Rural bus subsidy grant (RBSG) is paid to local transport authorities; in the case of Crosby this is the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive (PTE). It is for the authority to decide which services should be supported with the grant. We understand from the PTE that no rural bus services in Crosby are provided by RBSG. The Merseyside PTE provide support for certain rural bus services in Crosby through their main revenue support funding.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Environmental Sustainability
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with local authorities regarding local authority charging for waste collection and disposal. [159037]
Mr. Morley: In its response to the Strategy Unit report, the Government undertook to carry out further work before making a decision on whether to enable local authorities to implement direct or variable charging for waste collection and disposal. Officials have met representatives of local authorities and the Local Government Association as part of this work.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to demonstrate to local authorities the potential benefits of (a) increasing recycling and (b) reducing waste. [159004]
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Mr. Morley: The Government's Waste Strategy 2000 set out a vision of sustainable waste management incorporating a shift away from reliance on landfill and towards waste reduction, re-use and recycling. In doing so, it explored the environmental, economic and social benefits arising from such a shift. The Strategy Unit's 2001 report, Waste not, want not, reiterated these arguments.
Part of the role of Defra's Waste Implementation Programme is to ensure that local authorities understand the benefits of more sustainable waste management. This is being pursued on an individual basis with local authorities, through regional conferences, and via the programme's national messages.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department disseminates best practice in sustainable waste management to local authorities. [159005]
Mr. Morley: The Defra Waste Implementation Programme's Local Authority Support Unit has been established to provide advice and a range of tools to enable local authorities to meet and, where possible, exceed their statutory targets.
The Unit has already identified a number of areas where local authorities need additional support. In response the Unit is producing a range of tools, case studies and best practice.
These will cover such areas as contract development and service procurement, strategy development, collection of bulky goods, estates recycling, kerbside capture rates and best recycling and re-use practice at civic amenity sites.
These and other tools and services developed in response to local authority needs will be disseminated through a dedicated local authority support website for waste recycling activities, to be launched in May 2004.
Tools and support will also be targeted specifically to individual local authorities which will most benefit from assistance.
Action Energy Programme
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what fees were paid in the last year to WS Atkins for the management of the Action Energy programme; and whether the fees paid covered work done to improve the energy efficiency of (a) UK buildings and (b) industrial processes. [155047]
Mr. Morley: In July 2002 Defra transferred the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme to the Carbon Trust who relaunched it as their own Action Energy programme. Action Energy is the UK's main energy efficiency information, advice and research programme for organisations in the business and public sectors.
The Carbon Trust is a private company grant funded by Defra to lead on energy efficiency for the business and public sector and support the development of a low carbon economy in the UK. Contracts held by the Carbon Trust are a matter for the Carbon Trust Board.
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