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9 Nov 2004 : Column 564W—continued
Ministers' Private Offices
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the running costs of Ministers' private offices in his Department have been in each year since 1997. [191380]
Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established following the Machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002.
The total running costs (Admin Pay Cost and Admin Nonpay Costs) of the Ministers' private offices for the financial year 2003–04 was £1,556,886.0.
The final outturn figures for Departmental running costs are published in Departmental appropriation and resource accounts.
Rough Sleepers
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's guidelines on the definition of rough sleepers used for surveys of their numbers. [196517]
Keith Hill: The guidance on the definition of rough sleepers for the purpose of count exercises was first published in 1996 and developed in partnership with charities and voluntary organisations helping people sleeping rough.
The definition of people who should be included in rough sleeper counts is clearly set out on page 5 in the guidance. It is:
"People sleeping, or bedded down, in the open air (such as on the streets, or in doorways, parks or bus shelters); people in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations, or "bashes")."
A copy of the guidance will be placed in the Libraries of the House. The guidance is also available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_homelessness/documents/page/odpm_home_ 024817.hcsp
WALES
Consultants
Pete Wishart:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much expenditure his Department has incurred in each year since 2002 on employing external consultants
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to deal with the press and public relations of his Department; and if he will make a statement. [195449]
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent in each year since 2002 on employing (a) external management consultants and (b) external human resources consultants; and if he will make a statement. [195764]
Mr. Touhig: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 12 May 2004, Official Report, column 183W.
The Wales Office has not incurred any cost relating to external management consultants and external human resources consultants since 1 April 2004.
Departmental Advertising Costs
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the cost of (a) creative work, (b) media spend and (c) administration for his Department's advertising activity has been in each financial year since 1997–98, broken down by contractor. [197303]
Mr. Touhig: The Wales Office runs no publicity campaigns and hence has spent nothing on advertising since its creation in July 1999.
TRANSPORT
A27
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) maximum and (b) average speeds of vehicles along the A27 Lewes bypass were in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [196832]
Mr. Jamieson: The Highways Agency does not routinely measure vehicle speeds along the A27 Lewes bypass. Exceptionally, readings were taken at the approaches to the Ashcombe roundabout in February 2002, for use in the design of a proposed speed reduction scheme, as shown in the table:
Location | Maximum speed | Average speed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 2002 | Westbound approach to Ashcombe roundabout | Not available | 61.1 |
| February 2002 | Eastbound approach to Ashcombe roundabout | Not available | 56.9 |
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what data local authorities are required to collect on carbon dioxide emissions; and whether this includes emissions from road traffic; [196806]
(2) what the level of carbon dioxide emissions from road traffic was in each local authority area in the last year for which figures are available. [196808]
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Mr. Jamieson: There is no legal requirement on local authorities to collect data on carbon dioxide emissions in their areas, and there are therefore no centrally held data on carbon dioxide emissions from road transport in each local authority area.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the processes involved in the collection of data on carbon dioxide emissions from road traffic. [196807]
Mr. Jamieson: The figures for total carbon dioxide emissions from UK road transport are compiled by the National Environmental Technology Centre (NETCEN) and published in the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI). They are based on DTI annual statistics on fuel sales and the carbon content of the fuels. The NAEI allocates this to different vehicle categories on the basis of fuel consumption rates and total kilometres travelled for each vehicle type.
EU Committees
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Advisory Committee on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes, (b) the Advisory Committee on the definition and use of compatible technical and operating standards and specifications for the procurement of air traffic management equipment and systems and (c) the Committee on the harmonisation of technical requirements and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [193389]
Mr. McNulty: A meeting of the market access advisory committee took place during 2003, to consider restrictions on the approaches to Zurich airport. The exact date of the Committee meeting is not recorded. The outcome of the meeting is referred to in Commission Decision 2004/12/EC. The UK Government were not represented. The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
There were no meetings of the other two Committees during the Greek Presidency.
Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.
Angus Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Committee on (a) application of the legislation on access to the groundhandling market at Community airports, (b) unfair pricing practices in maritime transport and (c) application of the legislation on the minimum level of training for seafarers and the recognition of certificates issued by training institute or
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administrations of third countries met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [193394]
Mr. McNulty: There were no meetings of the Committee on the application of the legislation on access to the groundhandling market at Community airports during the Greek presidency.
UK involvement in the Committee on unfair pricing is not the responsibility of the Department for Transport.
During the Greek Presidency, there were three meetings of the Committee on seafarer training, on 6 February, 12 February and 4 March 2003. All took place in Brussels. The meeting discussed the text of proposed amendments to Directive 2001/25. Department for Transport and Maritime and Coastguard Agency officials attended. The identities of the individuals concerned are withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Committee on (a) application of legislation on application of tonnage measurement of ballast spaces in segregated ballast of oil tankers, (b) minimum requirements for vessels bound for or leaving Community ports and carrying dangerous or polluting goods and (c) the transfer of ships from one register to another within the Community met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [193395]
Mr. McNulty: No meetings of these Committees took place during the Greek presidency.
Angus Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Committee for the establishment of conditions for the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system, (b) the Committee on the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of
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legislation concerning the transport of dangerous goods and (c) the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of recording equipment in road transport (tachographs) met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [193007]
Mr. McNulty: During the Greek Presidency there were two meetings of the Committee for the establishment of conditions for the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system, on 4 February 2003 and 23–24 June 2003. Both took place in Brussels. The UK was represented at these meetings by the Strategic Rail Authority. The Committee is primarily responsible for assisting and overseeing the production, adoption and revision of Technical Standards of Interoperability (TSIs). The purpose of these specifications is to technically harmonise the European railway supply market. The Committee oversees the development of these TSIs for both the High Speed (96/48/EC) and the Conventional Interoperability (2001/16/EC) Directives. During the specified period, the Committee discussed principles for the drafting groups to adhere to in writing the TSIs and monitored the progress being made on the production of these TSIs. It also considered the cost-benefit analyses that accompany the TSIs and the co-ordination of notified bodies (organisations appointed in Europe to verify compliance with TSIs.). The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
The Committee on the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of legislation concerning the transport of dangerous goods met once during the Greek Presidency, on 4 June 2003 in Brussels. It discussed derogations and modifications of the annexes to three Directives on the transport of dangerous goods. It also discussed the date of implementation of the transportable pressure equipment Directive and the work of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
The Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of recording equipment in road transport (tachographs) met once during the Greek Presidency, on 26 June 2003 in Brussels. It considered and approved amendments to the technical specification to Commission Regulation (EC) 1360/2002, adapting to technical progress Council Regulation (EEC) 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport (tachographs). These amendments were subsequently published as a corrigendum to that regulation.
Where a UK Government official attended the name is withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
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Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the (a) Advisory Committee on transport, (b) Community-Switzerland Transport Committee (rail and road) and (c) Committee on the system of charging for the use of transport infrastructure met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the committees produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [193011]
Mr. McNulty: Information in respect of the Advisory Committee on Transport is not centrally available.
The Management Committee for the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Swiss Confederation on the carriage of Goods by Road and Rail met on 19 February 2003, in Brussels.
The Committee on the system of charging for the use of transport infrastructure did not meet during the Greek Presidency.
The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
Where a UK Government official attended the name is withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the (a) Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European telecommunications networks, (b) Advisory Committee on the management of the research programme for management and storage of radioactive waste and management of the Community plan of action in the field of radioactive waste and (c) Advisory Committee on measures to be taken in the event of a crisis in the market in the carriage of goods by road and for laying down the conditions under which non-resident carriers may operate national road haulage services within a member state met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the committees produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [193012]
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Mr. McNulty: UK involvement in the Committees at (a) and (b) is not the responsibility of the Department for Transport.
There were no meetings of the Advisory Committee on crisis management in the haulage industry during the Greek Presidency.
Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Committee on implementation of Protocol 9 to the Act of Austria concerning transport by road and rail and combined transport (Ecopoints), (b) the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of roadworthiness tests of vehicles and (c) the Committee for a transparent system of harmonised rules for restrictions on heavy goods vehicles involved in international transport on designated roads met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (a) technical and (b) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each committee produced during that period; what actions were (i) proposed and (ii) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [193015]
Mr. McNulty: The Ecopoints Management Committee met twice during the Greek Presidency, on 7 May and 10 June 2003, in Brussels. The identity of the UK Government official who attended is withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
There were no meetings of the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of roadworthiness tests of vehicles during the Greek Presidency.
As the Community has yet to adopt legislation on harmonised driving restrictions no such Committee exists.
Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.
Angus Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Committee on the driving licence met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (a) technical and (b) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (i) proposed and (ii) taken by
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(1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [193019]
Mr. McNulty: The European Commission's Committee on the driving licence met three times during the Greek presidency of the EU, on 7 February 2003, 28 March 2003 and 29 April 2003, in Brussels. Officials from the Department for Transport, the Driving Standards Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency attended as necessary to cover the matters raised. Their identities are withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Items discussed at these meetings included medical standards, driving licence codes (which codify the entitlements which an individual's licence confers) and vehicle adaptation for disabled people, driving test requirements and Commission research projects. The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the development of the Community railways met, (b) the Advisory Committee for the application of uniform principles on costing for railway undertakings and (c) the Advisory Committee for the harmonisation and comparability of the accounting and annual accounts of railway undertakings met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [193020]
Mr. McNulty: The Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the development of the Community railways met once in this period, on 31 January 2003, in Brussels. The UK was represented by officials from the Department for Transport and the Office of the Rail Regulator. The identity of the individuals concerned is withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The main agenda items were a tour de table on the status of the implementation of the Infrastructure Package Directives (Directives 2001/12/EC, 2001/13/EC, 2001/14/EC), reports on managing the transition process until full implementation of the infrastructure package Directives, and an outline from the European Commission on its intentions for future legislation in the railways sector. The Commission subsequently adopted new proposals in March 2004 as the Third Rail Package.
Also during the Greek Presidency, the European Commission published a draft proposal for a recommendation on the use of a common European
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format for licences issued in accordance with Council Directive 95/18/EC on the licensing of railway undertakings. This recommendation was based on advice from the Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the development of the Community railways. The Commission adopted the recommendation on 7 April 2004 and published in the Official Journal on 20 April 2004 (L313).
Neither the Advisory Committee for the application of uniform principles on costing for railway undertakings nor the Advisory Committee for the harmonisation and comparability of the accounting and annual accounts of railway undertakings met in this period.
Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the conditions under which non-resident carriers may operate national road passenger transport services within a member state, (b) the Committee on the reciprocal recognition of national boatmasters' certificates for the carriage of goods and passengers by inland waterway and (c) the Advisory Committee on aids to transport by rail, road and inland waterway met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [193021]
Mr. McNulty: None of these Committees met during the Greek Presidency. Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Committee on the development of trans-European transport networks, (b) the Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European energy networks and (c) the Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European transport networks met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [193022]
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Mr. McNulty: The Committee on the development of trans-European transport networks met twice during the Greek Presidency, on 4 March and 3 June 2003, in Brussels. The agenda comprised items regarding progress towards completion of the TEN-T and its further development.
UK involvement in the Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European energy networks is not the responsibility of the Department for Transport.
The Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European transport networks met once during the Greek Presidency, on 30 June 2003, in Brussels. The agenda comprised issues regarding the financing of the network and the projects of common interest on it.
Where a UK Government official attended the name is withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.
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