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15 Sept 2004 : Column 1570W—continued
M20
Jonathan Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the siting of noise abatement fencing along the M20 between junctions 4 and 5 takes appropriate account of the approval of additional housing in the area. [188920]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 14 September 2004]: It is the responsibility of the local planning authority, Tonbridge and Mailing borough council to consider Whether noise mitigation measures should be provided by the developer of sites in their area in line with current guidance on planning and noise.
Currently there are proposals for a noise bund within Leybourne Grange development site near the M20 at Junction 4.
In addition the Highways Agency is carrying out further studies to determine what noise mitigation measures would be appropriate at existing housing sites between Junctions 4 and 5.
Medway/London Rail Services
Jonathan Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to prevent the implementation of the reduction in the Cannon Street service from Medway to London proposed by the Strategic Rail Authority. [188882]
Mr. McNulty:
The Strategic Rail Authority is continuing to develop the train service specification for the integrated Kent franchise in the light of responses to its consultation earlier this year. When final decisions
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are made, a stakeholder briefing document will be issued giving information on consultees' comments and the final train specification.
PowerShift Grants
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications for Powershift grants for the Toyota Prius were (a) submitted and (b) approved in (i) 2002–03, (ii) 2003–04 and (iii) 2004–05 to date; and how many of the approvals were for (A) new and (B) demonstrator vehicles. [188996]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 14 September 2004]: The Toyota Prius is listed on the PowerShift Register and is eligible for a £700 grant where used in England/Wales/Northern Ireland. A separate scheme operates in Scotland. The number of applications approved and paid for PowerShift grants for Toyota Prius from year 2002 to date in England/Wales/N Ireland are as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 1 |
| 2003–04 | 412 |
| 2004–05 | 1,045 |
(1) Number of applications that have failed before reaching grant offer stage is not recorded onto the applications database.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | 146 |
| 2004–05 | (2)117 |
(2) To end August.
A grant is available to the first owner (person or organisation) to register a PowerShift approved vehicle, subject to meeting the usual eligibility criteria (i.e. must operate in England, Wales or Northern Ireland). This includes dealer demonstrator vehicles that are registered, but the number of applications in respect of demonstrator vehicles is not recorded separately.
Railways
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many dismantled railway lines in the UK have been (a) re-instated and (b) safeguarded since 1990; and what the cost of re-instated lines was in each case. [188569]
Mr. McNulty: No consolidated record is kept of the position of dismantled railway lines. The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is aware of 13 re-instated lines available for use by passenger trains. Safeguarding is a matter for local authorities and the SRA is not aware of any central register. The SRA does not maintain a central record of the costs of re-instated railway lines.
Andrew Bennett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) why the new signalling system promised for Stockport station is not yet operational; [188226]
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(2) why engineers have been brought from India to fix the old signalling system at Stockport station; [188227]
(3) when the new signalling system at Stockport station will be operational; [188228]
(4) why the crossover points between Heaton Chapel station and Stockport station have been removed. [188229]
Mr. McNulty: These are operational matters for Network Rail. Network Rail will respond directly to my hon. Friend.
Recruitment/Consultants
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent by his Department in (a) 1996–97 and (b) the last year for which figures are available on (i) headhunters, (ii) recruitment consultants and (iii) management consultants. [186403]
Charlotte Atkins: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous) on 22 July 2004, Official Report, column 650W.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Bathing Water (South-West)
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what central Government funding is available in the South West region to meet the cost of compliance with the EU Bathing Water Directive. [186966]
Mr. Morley: There is no central Government funding available to meet the cost of compliance with the EU Bathing Water Directive for the South West or any other region. It is for sewerage undertakers to comply with the Directive, and the costs are taken into account by Ofwat in setting price limits.
Departmental Costs
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on (a) head-hunters and recruitment consultants and (b) management consultants in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) the latest year for which figures are available. [185990]
Alun Michael: Defra came into being in June 2001. From information held centrally, the Department spent £520,354 in financial year 2002–03, and £619,213 in financial year 2003–04, on recruitment services.
The Department also spent £190,212 in financial year 2002–03, and £189,319 in financial year 2003–04, on recruitment advertising.
Information on management consultants is not held centrally and the information cannot be provided at proportionate cost.
Richard Ottaway:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the
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Department and its predecessors spent on recruitment consultants in (a) 1996–97 and (b) the last year for which figures are available. [184430]
Alun Michael: Defra came into being in June 2001. From information held centrally, the Department spent £520,354 in financial year 2002–03, and £619,213 in financial year 2003–04, on recruitment services.
The Department also spent £190,212 in financial year 2002–03, and £189,319 in financial year 2003–04, on recruitment advertising.
Information on management consultants is not held centrally and the information cannot be provided at proportionate cost.
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Employment Tribunals
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases against her Department, the agencies for which it is responsible and its predecessor organisations have been brought to employment tribunals in each year since 1997 in relation to (a) equal pay, (b) sex discrimination, (c) race discrimination, (d) disability discrimination and (e) unfair dismissal; how many cost awards were made against (i) respondents and (ii) applicants; and how much has been spent (A) settling and (B) contesting claims. [181460]
Alun Michael: Defra came into existence in 2001. Since then the number of cases brought against the Department and the agencies for which it is responsible is as follows:
| Equal pay | Sex discrimination | Race discrimination | Disability discrimination | Unfair dismissal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| 2002 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2003 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| Total | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 8 |
The one equal pay case is currently on-going pending appeal and no costs have been awarded as yet. One of the six unfair dismissal cases for 2004 has been settled, all other 2004 cases are continuing. For the other cases listed there were no awards made against my Department and its agencies during the years quoted but a total of £30,553 has been paid in agreed settlements.
The total amount spent on contesting these claims could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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