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21 Feb 2005 : Column 188W—continued

Catering Costs

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent on (a) entertainment lunches involving civil servants and guests and (b) working lunches, in each year since 1997. [215048]

Alun Michael: All expenditure of official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting.

The following table shows the expenditure in fiscal years since the Department was formed in 2001, up to 31 December 2004 in the current year. Figures for Defra's predecessor Departments could be provided only by incurring disproportionate cost. Further analysis of hospitality which includes entertainment lunches and working lunches would also incur disproportionate cost.

	£000
2001–02	239
2002–03	450
2003–04	428
2004–05 to 31 January 2004	360

Cleaning Costs

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the costs of cleaning the Department and its predecessors were in each year since 1997. [213832]

Alun Michael: Defra came into being in June 2001 and comparison with its predecessor is not possible. Since 2001, the figures for costs incurred were:

	£
2001–02	3,379,000
2002–03	3,861,000
2003–04	4,187,000
2004–05	4,161,000

Countryside Access

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much
 
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has been spent to date on implementing the right to roam as required by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. [217345]

Alun Michael: The Government have funded the Countryside Agency, National Park Authorities and the Planning Inspectorate to implement Part I of the Act throughout the whole of England by the end of 2005.

To date, the Countryside Agency has spent £38.83 million, consisting of £0.75 million in 1999–2000; £0.92 million in 2000–01; £5.17 million in 2001–02; £8.30 million in 2002–03; £13.25 million in 2003–04 and £10.44 million to date in 2004–05. National Park Authorities have been allocated an additional £4.725 million, consisting of £0.875 million in 2002–03; £2.0 million in 2003–04 and £1.85 million in 2004–05. Defra has also funded the Planning Inspectorate to deal with appeals against the inclusion of land on provisional maps and restriction appeals of £0.11 million in 2001–02; £0.84 million in 2002–03 and £1.20 million in 2003–04. The Planning Inspectorate has spent £1.23 million in the current financial year. Local authorities have been funded to establish local access forums under Part V of the Act.

Departmental Policies

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what grants her Department makes available to villages in Chorley constituency. [216198]

Alun Michael: Villagers in Chorley constituency can benefit from:

Funding under the England Rural Development Programme. Within this Programme, the Rural Enterprise Scheme in particular incorporates measures such as support for basic services for the rural community and renovation and development of villages, which might be of particular interest (further information is available at www.defra.gov.uk/erdp.default.htm).

Various measures (administered with the Countryside Agency) to support parish councils, e.g. parish plans, the Quality Parish Investment Fund, the Clerk's Training Bursary Fund, where various Parish Councils within the Chorley constituency have received funding (e.g. Ulnes Walton for an IT project and Croston, Wrightington, Heapy and Appley Bridge for parish plans).

Defra's programme with the voluntary and community sector which supports infrastructure bodies, social and community enterprise and a collaboration with the Department of Work and Pensions promoting benefits uptake among the elderly.

Support under the Rural Stress Action Plan.

Other grants supporting Defra's objectives from English Nature, the Countryside Agency, the Forestry Commission and the Regional Development Agency (inthis case the North West Regional Development Agency) may also be relevant to villagers in the Chorley constituency.

As announced in the Rural Strategy 2004, Defra is streamlining and devolving the funding support it provides.

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as
 
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possible to the Clwyd, South constituency, the effects on Clwyd, South of her Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997; [210324]

(2) if she will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Clwyd, South constituency, the effect on the constituency of policies pursued by her Department at the Council of Ministers; and if she will make a statement. [215721]

Alun Michael: The Department does not hold statistical information for Welsh constituencies. This is a matter for the devolved Administration.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State forEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Advisory Committee on the control and reduction of pollution caused by the discharge of hydrocarbons and other dangerous substances at sea met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement. [214795]

Mr. McNulty: I have been asked to reply.

The Management Committee on Marine Pollution (MCMP) has replaced the Committee referred to by the hon. Member. The MCMP met once during each of the Italian, Irish and Dutch presidencies (in September 2003, March 2004 and September 2004) in Brussels. The United Kingdom was represented at each of these meetings by the Counter Pollution Response Branch of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

I refer the hon. Member to the series of Command Papers on prospects for the EU—Cm6174 laid in April 2004, Cm6310 laid in September 2004 and Cm6450 laid in February 2005, which cover the periods of the above Presidencies and are available on the FCO website at: www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

Queen's Flight

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) on how many occasions her Department's Ministers used the Queen's Flight in each of the past five years; [213702]

(2) how much money her Department has spent on chartering aircraft in each of the past five years. [213714]

Alun Michael: Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The list published in 1999 covers the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 1999. Where RAF/Private Charter aircraft are used this is shown in the list. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. Information for 2004–05 will be published in due course. Advice on Travel by Ministers makes clear that special flights may be authorised when a scheduled service is not available, or when it is essential to travel by air, but the requirements of official or parliamentary business or security considerations or urgency preclude the journey being made by a scheduled service.
 
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Street Cleaning

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidelines she has issued on the optimum intervals for (a) street sweeping and (b) gulley emptying. [216887]

Alun Michael: The Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse, published in June 1999, sets out the recommended cleansing standards according to different categories of land. The code is currently being reviewed and we will consult on the draft code later this year.

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