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21 Jul 2005 : Column 1973W—continued
Water Charges
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will update the rules which allow water companies to base charges to customers on national rateable values of their property. [14341]
Mr. Morley: Defra will be working with Ofwat to update the existing analysis of the relative distributional effects of rateable value and council tax in the light of the findings of the Lyons Inquiry into local government funding and any consequential changes to council tax, We will also consider, in the light of that work, the case for a review of the current rateable value based charging system for households paying an unmeasured charge. The Lyons Inquiry is due to report by the end of 2005,
Wild Animals
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to ban the use of wild animals in circuses. [15080]
Mr. Bradshaw:
The introduction of the welfare offences as part of the Animal Welfare Bill will raise the welfare standards for domestic and captive animals kept by man, including circus animals, We have no plans to ban the use of wild animals in circuses, but we do recognise that the issue will come under close scrutiny when the Animal Welfare Bill is considered by Parliament.
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World Trade Organisation (Environmental Incentives)
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of non-agricultural market access negotiations within the World Trade Organisation on the ability of the Government to provide environmentally beneficial fiscal incentives. [9168]
Margaret Beckett: The Government's objective in the non-agricultural market access (NAMA) negotiations is to ensure that improvements in trading conditions that benefit exporters, importers and consumers also facilitate sustainable development and good governance.
These negotiations are at an early exploratory stage. However, at this point the Government do not believe that the NAMA outcome will affect the ability of the Government to pursue environmental objectives.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Advertising
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Department spent on advertising in each of the last five years. [10233]
Mr. Hain: The total expenditure on advertising by the 11 Northern Ireland departments in the year 2003–04 was £3,729,756.
The figure for the Northern Ireland Office in the same period was £194,954.
The information requested for the other years could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Alcohol-related Crime
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been convicted of crimes in which alcohol has been a contributory factor in each of the last five years. [13913]
Mr. Woodward: Statistics relating to offences where alcohol may have been a contributory factor are not available as conviction data sources do not collate background information relating to the commission of offences.
Cancer Services
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money the Government have spent on cancer services in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years. [14514]
Mr. Woodward: We estimate that the total acute hospital expenditure on cancer services was some £62 million in the financial year 2002–03 and some £72 million in the financial year 2003–04. This figure is expected to increase still further in future years.
Further financial information could be made available only at disproportionate cost.
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CCTV
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many CCTV cameras he estimates are operating on streets in Northern Ireland; and how many towns are covered by CCTV. [12050]
Mr. Woodward: Aside from privately owned CCTV cameras upon which I cannot comment, PSNI manages CCTV systems in four locations incorporating 79 cameras as shown in the table.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| South Belfast | 29 |
| North Belfast | 30 |
| East Belfast | 11 |
| Craigavon | (5)9 |
(5)Portadown town centre scheme
In addition, town centre CCTV schemes operate in a further 17 different locations throughout Northern Ireland.
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of CCTV cameras in operation in Belfast city centre. [12075]
Mr. Woodward: While I cannot comment in respect of privately owned CCTV cameras such as those operated by traders, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has 29 CCTV cameras in operation in the city centre.
Child Protection
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will ensure (a) that the new child care protection legislation will contain the elements which were to be part of a Northern Ireland Assembly Private Member's Bill designed to strengthen the operation of area child protection committees and (b) that the new legislation will be a priority for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. [14490]
Mr. Woodward: I can confirm that, in bringing forward new Child Protection legislation, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety will consider the elements of the Northern Ireland Assembly Private Member's Bill designed to strengthen the operation of Area Child Protection Committees and that this legislation will be a priority for the Department.
Disability Living Allowance
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pensioners in East Belfast constituency are in receipt of disability living allowance, broken down by (a) care and (b) mobility components. [14532]
Mr. Hanson: The information requested is shown in the table for May 2005.
| Component | Number of pensioners |
|---|---|
| Care only | 253 |
| Mobility only | 356 |
| Care and mobility | 1,884 |
| Belfast East Total | 2,493 |
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Additional information on combined care and mobility awards is provided to avoid double counting.
Constituency is assigned using the claimant's postcode, if the postcode is missing it is not possible to assign a constituency.
Domestic Violence
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been convicted of domestic violence offences in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [13910]
Mr. Woodward: Domestic violence is not a statutory offence and therefore the information requested is not available.
Energy Suppliers (Customer Advice)
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedures are in place to monitor the quality of advice provided by energy suppliers to their domestic customers; what formal qualifications are required of persons providing such advice; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of such advice. [13408]
Angela E. Smith: The Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation (NIAER") monitors the provision by Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) and Phoenix Natural Gas of energy efficiency advice to customers through the published annual reviews of its social action plans.
Basic advice on the efficient use of electricity is provided by Northern Ireland Electricity's call handlers who attend regular training sessions provided by the Energy Saving Trust (EST") Advice Centre, and EAGA Partnership Ltd. which has been contracted by the Department for Social Development to administer the warm homes scheme. In addition, Northern Ireland Electricity's team of field service representatives provide advice to customers in their homes. The team members are required to obtain the City and Guilds 6176 Energy Awareness qualification.
Basic advice on the efficient use of gas is provided by the call handlers in Phoenix Natural Gas who are trained internally. This advice is also provided by Phoenix Natural Gas sales staff who are required to obtain the City and Guilds 6176 Energy Awareness qualification.
Calls received by Northern Ireland Electricity and Phoenix Natural Gas call handlers can also be referred to the EST advice centre. The centre has signed up to the Energy Advice Providers' Code of Practice and all EST advice centre staff are required to obtain the City and Guilds 6176 Energy Awareness qualification.
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The NIAER is satisfied that the advice provided by Northern Ireland Electricity, Phoenix Natural Gas and the EST advice centre to domestic customers is of good quality and complies with best practice in using energy more efficiently.
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