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UN Resolutions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether the UK (a) independently and (b) as part of the EU (i)proposed and (ii) co-sponsored UN resolutions (A) A/RES/52/702, (B) A/RES/53/189 A and B, (C) A/RES/54/224, (D) A/RES/55/202, (E) A/RES/56/198, (F) A/RES/57/262, (G) A/RES/58/213 A and B, (H) A/RES/52/201, (I) A/RES/53/190, (J) A/RES/54/221, (K) A/RES/55/201, (L) A/RES/56/197, (M) A/RES/57/260, (N)A/RES/58/212, (O) A/RES/52/199, (P) A/RES/52/198, (Q) A/RES/53/191, (R) A/RES/54/223, (S) A/RES/55/204, (T) A/RES/56/196, (U) A/RES/57/259, (V) A/RES/58/242, (w) A/RES/58/211, (X) A/RES/52/29, (Y)A/RES/53/33, (Z) A/RES/55/8 and (AA) A/RES/57/142 for the consideration of the UN General Assembly; and if she will make a statement on the UK's involvement with each of these resolutions; [208132]

(2) whether the UK (a) independently and (b) as party of the EU (i) proposed and (ii) co-sponsored UN resolutions (A) A/RES/56/200, (B) A/RES/58/210, (C)A/RES/57/258, (D) A/RES/57/254, (E) A/RES/58/219, (F) A/RES/58/217 and (G) A/RES/58/216 for the consideration of the UN General Assembly; and if she will make a statement on the UK's involvement with each resolution; [208196]

(3) whether the UK (a) independently and (b) as part of the EU (i) proposed and (ii) co-sponsored UN resolutions (A) A/RES/54/217, (B) A/RES/54/216, (C)A/RES/55/200, (D) A/RES/56/193, (E) A/RES/57/251, (F) A/RES/58/209, (G) A/RES/54/214, (H) A/RES/55/196, (I) A/RES/56/192, (J) A/RES/57/252, (K) A/RES/56/226, (L) A/RES/57/253 and (M) A/RES/58/218 for the consideration of the UN General Assembly; and if she will make a statement on the UK's involvement with each of these resolutions; [208197]

(4) whether the UK (a) independently and (b) as part of the EU (i) proposed and (ii) co-sponsored UN resolutions (A) A/RES/52/28, (B) A/RES/57/143, (C) A/RES/59/25, (D) A/RES/53/77C, (E) A/RES/54/54C, (F)A/RES/53/7, (G) A/RES/54/215, (H) A/RES/55/205, (I) A/RES/54/225, (J) A/RES/55/203, (K) A/RES/57/261, (L) A/RES/54/222, (M) A/RES/56/119, (N) A/RES/57/257 and (O) A/RES/58/243 for the consideration of the UN General Assembly; and if she will make a statement on the UK's involvement with each of these resolutions. [208198]

Mr. MacShane: I have been asked to reply.
 
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These UN resolutions relate to a variety of sustainable development and environmental issues considered by the UN General Assembly over the course of the last eight years. The majority are Second Committee resolutions (relating to economic and sustainable development matters), which are traditionally proposed by the Group of 77 countries. With the exception of resolution A/RES/55/8—on which a vote was called (the UK/EU voted in favour)—all of the resolutions were adopted by consensus. So the UK supported the adoption of all of the resolutions referred to in the list.

Co-sponsorship usually reflects a degree of approval beyond mere acceptance of a consensus (the EU often, but not always, co-ordinates on which resolutions merit co-sponsorship by member states, even though co-sponsorship is recorded individually). We do not hold centrally information on those resolutions the UK/EU has co-sponsored or proposed. However, co-sponsorship details can be accessed publicly through the UN documentation centre at www.un.org.documents. Details of the individual countries or groups that proposed, or introduced", a resolution can also be obtained from this source.

Water Companies (Insurance Policies)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the effects of the practice of water companies of selling insurance to householders relating to the replacement of water main pipes, with particular reference to leakage. [211764]

Mr. Morley: The Office of Water Services have not directly assessed the impact of household insurance on supply pipe leakage. However, they have reported that leakage from householders' supply pipes accounted for about 28 per cent. of total water company leakage in 2003–04. The numbers of repairs and replacements of householders' supply pipes and the proportion of leakage attributed to households' supply pipes have been at similar levels over the last five years.

A total of 52,907 repairs and 6,472 replacements of household supply pipes were undertaken in 2003–04. Some 91 per cent. of repairs and 46 per cent. of replacements of household supply pipes were carried out by water companies free of charge. Where charges are made, these may be covered by household insurance policies such as those promoted by some water companies.

Pollution Incidents

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many incidents of pollution in the domestic and residential sector there were in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004; [211042]

(2) how many water pollution incidents in the domestic and residential sector there were in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004. [211349]

Mr. Morley [holding answers 31 January 2005 and 1 February 2005]: The number of incidents reported to the Environment Agency under this heading was 2,392 in 2003 and 1,865 in 2004.
 
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TRANSPORT

Bromsgrove Station

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive about selective door opening at Bromsgrove station. [212076]

Mr. McNulty: None. The Health and Safety Executive advises that rolling stock fitted with selective door opening is permitted to stop at stations with short platforms, provided the train operator sets out how the risks associated with selective door opening usage will be managed.

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with Network Rail about the lengthening of Bromsgrove station platforms. [212077]

Mr. McNulty: None.

Departmental Contracts

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many contracts in his Department have been granted to (a) EDS, (b) Fujitsu and (c) jointly in each of the last two years; whether they were open to competition; for what they were granted; for how much; over what period of time; and if he will make a statement. [211617]

Charlotte Atkins: The following contracts were awarded to Fujitsu during the last two years by the central department, using an Office of Government Commerce pre-competed framework contract:

Service	Date	£
Data preparation	May 2002 to March 2005	12,000
System support	April 2003 to March 2004	118,805
System support	February to June 2004	59,892
Technical support	June 2004 to March 2005	63,234

The following contracts were awarded to EDS during the last two years by DVLA following competition:

IT consultancy services	£
May to August 2004	37,800
May to June 2004	10,500

DVLA have also entered into a 10-year partnering contract with International Business Machines (IBM) on 12 September 2002. Under the terms of this contract IBM sub-contracts the ongoing provision of certain computer services for DVLA to Fujitsu.

Fujitsu has retained and extended—for six months until June 2005—a subcontract with EDS to manage certain of the DVLA's communication links with other organisations, until they can be replaced by newer technology.

Departmental Expenditure

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many overseas trips, and at what total cost, have been made by his Department in each year
 
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since 1997; and what the costs of (a) flights, (b) internal travel, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence were of each trip. [206655]

Charlotte Atkins: The Department for Transport came into existence on 29 May 2002 following machinery of Government changes. The number of overseas trips made by the central Department in 2003–04 was £3,226, and for April–November 2004 was £1,883. The travel costs for 2003–04 were £1,245,285, and for 2004 were £746,303.

Hotel costs were £30,868, and £18,891 respectively, and subsistence and other claimed costs were £453,419.15, and £331,009.64. Information for earlier years, and for any travel booked other than through the Department's central travel contract, can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Total overseas travel and subsistence costs for the Department's Agencies (excluding Highways Agency) were £1,274,317 in 2003–04, and £1,191,088. A more detailed breakdown can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

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