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21 Dec 2004 : Column 1517W—continued
Pollution
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contribution motor vehicles have made to carbon dioxide emissions in each decade since 1974; and what her estimates are for the next three decades. [204895]
Mr. Morley: The table below shows total CO 2 emissions from road transport for each decade since 1974. The estimates are calculated from annual road transport CO 2 emission totals, as reported under the UN Framework Convention for Climate Change (1990–2002) and the UN Economic Commission for Europe (1974–1989). The data are presented as annual averages over each decade to facilitate comparison with the projections data as follows:
| Decade average road transport emissions over each decade (Mt CO 2 )/yr) | |
|---|---|
| 1974–83 | 73.90 |
| 1984–93 | 100.20 |
| 1994–2002(2) | 114.94 |
(2) Averaged over nine years. The UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory covering 2003 emissions has not yet been finalised, but will be published in April 2005.
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The second table shows the most recent projected emissions from road transport to 2020, made by the Department of Trade and Industry. These projections include the estimated impact of climate change policy measures, and are subject to the uncertainty inevitably associated with projected data. Comparable projections are not currently available for the period beyond 2020.
| Projected annual road transport emissions (Mt CO 2 )/yr1 | |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 118.80 |
| 2010 | 126.50 |
| 2015(4) | 133.83 |
| 2020(4) | 140.06 |
(3) These figures include emissions from commercial vehicles, and are "measured at source", so do not include the emissions from the refineries associated with the fuel used.
(4) Projections beyond 2010 are more uncertain than pre-2010.
Radioactive Waste Management
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what reports she has received from the Chair of the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management on the likelihood of the Committee meeting its reporting deadline. [205514]
Mr. Morley: The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management's programme of work including its final report scheduled for June 2006 was agreed with Ministers in April 2004. The Chair of the Committee, regularly meets with Ministers to discuss progress and presents reports at the end of each phase of its programme. The Committee's Phase 1 report, submitted to Ministers in October 2004, confirmed progress towards this and interim milestones and deliverables set out in its programme. The Chair presented the Committee's first Annual Report to Ministers at the end of November 2004 and offered to appear before any of the UK's Parliaments or Assemblies to explain the Report or the work of the Committee.
Recycling
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many community recycling organisations are registered in the West Midlands. [206086]
Mr. Morley: This information is not held centrally because not all community recycling organisations are required to be registered with the Environment Agency.
Renewable Transport
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has made to (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Department of Transport on the renewable transport fuel obligation. [205501]
Mr. Morley:
The Department has had a number of discussions with the Treasury and the Department for Transport, both at ministerial and official level, about a renewable transport fuel obligation. Defra will continue
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to be involved with these Departments and others, such as the Department of Trade and Industry, as the Government takes forward the consultative process and feasibility study on an obligation that was announced in the recent pre-Budget Report.
Road Fuel Storage Regulations
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the regulatory system applying to wetstock controls and underground storage tanks for road fuel has been changed since 1996. [204665]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 14 December 2004]: The Health and Safety Executive introduced the new the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations in 2002 under which employers are required to reduce the risks from dangerous substances (including petrol) as far as is reasonably practicable. Approved Codes of Practice supporting this new legislation require underground storage tanks to be provided with secondary containment or a leak detection system capable of identifying leaks before a hazardous situation can arise.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how regulators assess the effectiveness of the wetstock controls of road fuel to demonstrate the minimum detectable leak in litres per day; and if she will make a statement. [204666]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 14 December 2004]: The Health and Safety Executive, together with the local authority coordinators for regulatory services, has issued guidance to Petroleum Licensing Authorities on wetstock management, titled "Leak Detection in Tanks and Pipework." which sets out an approach to assessing controls and is available on the HSE website. The Environment Agency has also produced guidance on wetstock reconciliation, "Wetstock Management for fuel storage sites—an operators guide", which is used by its staff when inspecting filling stations.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment have been undertaken to evaluate the wetstock controls or the underground storage systems for road fuel at petrol stations. [204667]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 14 December 2004]: Although no formal nationwide assessment of wetstock controls has been undertaken, they will be taken into account in a study which Defra has recently commissioned into the risks to groundwater posed by petrol stations. In addition, regular meetings take place of the Petrol Enforcement Liaison Group to consider safety issues within the industry. The group includes representatives of the Health and Safety Executive, the local authority coordinators for regulatory services, the Petroleum Licensing Authorities and petrol station owners and operators, and has recently been extended to include a representative from the Environment Agency.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Environment Agency maintains a national database to quantify the size and number of leaks from petrol filling stations and their impact on the environment. [204668]
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Mr. Morley [holding answer 14 December 2004]: The Environment Agency maintains a national database which records the number of pollution incidents occurring at petrol stations by region. It further distinguishes incidents relating to the spillage or loss of petrol, and between major, significant and minor incidents. Such data includes leaks and spills from underground tanks and other sources of fuel loss.
Single Farm Payments
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the (a) role and (b) impact of the profit pasturage agreements between landlords and users in respect of Single Farm Payment entitlements. [204579]
Alun Michael: Discussions with stakeholders have confirmed the wide range of different types of tenure agreement that operate in the industry. Whereas we are happy to discuss in broad terms where we see each fitting in to the Single Payment Scheme operational requirements, we have not sought to determine in detail the impact of each commercial arrangement.
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997; [203911]
(2) whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997. [203970]
Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office on 16 December 2004, Official Report, column 1258W.
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