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6 Jun 2005 : Column 273W—continued
Foreign Affairs Policy
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on mechanisms for co-ordinating policy on foreign affairs between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Defence. [1276]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement on Ministerial Committees of the Cabinet I made to the House on 24 May 2005, Official Report, column 12WS.
G8 Summit
Mr. Drew: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to meet representatives from churches and non-government organisations at their forthcoming lobby to Make Poverty History in advance of the Gleneagles summit of the G8. [2047]
The Prime Minister: My officials and I will have meetings and discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals, including churches and non-government organisations, in preparation for the Gleneagles summit.
Iraq
Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister whether he was given copies of internal Foreign Office briefing material on the legality of the war in Iraq before the commencement of hostilities. [1457]
The Prime Minister: The Government received advice from the Attorney-General on the legality of the conflict in Iraq. As the Government's chief legal adviser his advice is the final, authoritative decision in Government.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Prime Minister whether John Scarlett had discussions with the Iraq Survey Group on the drafting of the reports of their findings. [1780]
The Prime Minister: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on security matters. The Iraq Survey Group was responsible for the findings of its reports.
Ministerial Duties
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Prime Minister how many hours he spent performing his official duties in the week commencing 9 May. [1155]
The Prime Minister: As is normal practice, my week was spent meeting Ministerial colleagues and others and carrying out other official business.
VE Day Celebrations (Moscow)
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Prime Minister what factors he took into account in reaching his decision not to attend the VE Day celebrations in Moscow. [1377]
The Prime Minister:
The principal commemoration of the end of World War 2 will be on 10 July 2005, which falls between the anniversaries of VE and VJ days. Her Majesty The Queen will lead the celebrations and I shall also attend. The Ministry of Defence, in consultation
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with other Government Departments and veterans, made the announcement to this effect on 1 March 2004, Official Report, column 597.
The Deputy Prime Minister represented the Government at the VE day celebrations in Moscow on 9 May.
MINISTER FOR WOMEN
Living Standards
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what assessment she has made of changes in living standards for women since 1997. [545]
Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply. Table 1.2 of Individual Incomes of men and women 1996–97 to 2003–04" (Women and Equality Unit, Department of Trade and Industry) shows that the median disposable individual income of women rose by 29 per cent. in real terms from 1996–97 to 2003–04. Table D9.1 of Households Below Average Income 1994–05 to 2003–04" (Department for Work and Pensions) shows that the risk for adult women of living in households with less than 60 per cent. of 1996–97 median household income held constant in real terms fell from 18 per cent. in 1996–97 to 10 per cent. in 2003–04 before housing costs, and from 24 per cent. to 13 per cent. after housing costs. Further related information is available in both publications.
Poverty
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what plans the Government have to curb poverty among women. [544]
Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply. The sixth annual 'Opportunity for all' report (Cm 6239), published in September 2004, sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.
The Government are determined to tackle child poverty, with women disproportionately represented in households with children living in relative low-income. The Government's reforms since 1997 have reduced the number of children living in relative low-income households by over half a million.
The Government are also providing support to the poorest pensioners through the pension credit. Women pensioners, many of whom have not been able to build up an entitlement to a full basic state pension in their own right in the past, have been among those to benefit the most from pension credit.
TRANSPORT
Babergh District Council
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the transport consequences of Babergh district council's development plan. [2303]
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Ms Buck: Representations on the transport policies contained within the Babergh local plan, second deposit draft, were made to the district council during the public consultation in 2003. Assessments of the transport consequences of individual developments will be the responsibility of the district council upon receipt of planning applications.
British Summer Time
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the likely effects of continuing British summer time throughout the year on the number of road accidents in England and Wales. [1626]
Dr. Ladyman: No recent assessment of the likely effects of continuing British summer time (BST) throughout the year has been carried out.
Congestion Charge
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Mayor of London regarding the proposed extension of the congestion charging zone in London. [1147]
Ms Buck: The London congestion charging scheme is the responsibility of the Mayor, not the Government. However, Ministers have regular meetings with the Mayor at which a wide range of transport matters are discussed.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has undertaken with businesses and business groups regarding the effect of the proposed westward extension of the congestion charging zone on road routes to Heathrow airport. [1148]
Ms Buck: The London congestion charging scheme is the responsibility of the Mayor, not the Government. The Department has regular meetings with a range of businesses and business groups interested in the western extension of congestion charging. The Mayor has revised his Transport Strategy to allow for a western extension of the central London congestion charging zone. A full 12-week public consultation on the extension was launched on 6 May. Any proposal for a further extension to the scheme is a matter for the Mayor.
Container Traffic
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what his estimate is of the volume of container traffic which will enter the UK through east coast ports over the next three years; [1573]
(2) what his assessment is of the potential for container-based exports from east coast ports over the next three years. [1574]
Dr. Ladyman:
No such estimate or assessment has been made. The Transport Committee's Report on Ports in November 2003 noted that various independent studies were consistent in concluding that the volume of container traffic at UK ports as a whole could growby between 4 per cent. and 5 per cent. per annum on average to 2015. The Department has now commissioned consultants to produce national port
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traffic forecasts by region to 2030. These forecasts will be published as part of the forthcoming review of ports policy.
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of container traffic entering the UK through (a) Harwich, (b) Felixstowe and (c) London which had its final destination in the Midlands in the last period for which figures are available. [1894]
Dr. Ladyman: Separate information is not available for individual ports. However, it is estimated that in 2003 about one in six trips resulting from the collection of containers by lorry from ports in Essex, Greater London or Suffolk had a final destination in the East Midlands or West Midlands Government Office Regions. The Department does not collect similar information about the destination of containers that are moved by rail.
Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport 2003
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made for the average time taken for a fully laden container ship arriving at the coast at (a) Harwich, (b) Felixstowe, (c) London and (d) Teesport being completely unloaded in the last period for which figures are available. [1895]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not available.
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the percentage of container traffic which entered the UK through (a) Harwich, (b) Felixstowe and (c) London which had final destinations north of the M62 in the last period for which figures are available. [1896]
Dr. Ladyman: Separate information is not available for individual ports. However, it is estimated that in 2003 about one in 12 trips resulting from the collection of containers by lorry from ports in Essex, Greater London or Suffolk had a final destination north of the M62 1 . The Department does not collect similar information about the destination of containers that are moved by rail.
Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport 2003
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