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10 Oct 2005 : Column 390W—continued
Tees Valley Coastal Arc
Vera Baird: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what kinds of development the designation of Redcar as part of the Tees Valley Coastal Arc is intended to (a) encourage and (b) discourage. [15641]
Yvette Cooper:
The Government welcomes the leadership that the Tees Valley Partnership have shown in setting out an ambitious investment programme, including areas in my hon. Friend's constituency through the Coastal Arc proposals. The Government, and the Regional Development Agency ONE North East, will be studying these proposals carefully, with a view to supporting priority projects that deliver sustainable economic development.
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Telecommunications Masts
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Government expects to publish its review of planning regulations for mobile phone masts. [15204]
Yvette Cooper: We are currently commissioning research on the future of telecommunications masts.
We also commissioned a review of the code of best practice on mobile phone network development which will be published shortly. As part of the GPDO review we have also been looking at permitted development rights for mobile phone masts.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations the Government have received from companies holding 3G telecommunications licences relating to planning regulations for mobile phone masts. [15206]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister receives many representations on matters relating to the telecommunications industry. The information about such representations is not readily available in the breakdown requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Telephone Inquiries
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone inquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic. [14706]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no formal requirement for its switchboard staff to be able to converse with callers in any language other than English. However, Welsh is spoken, amongst other languages, by a member of the switchboard team. This is in line with the ODPM Welsh language scheme. There is no provision for Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic currently amongst switchboard staff.
The ODPM has a contract in place for interpretation and translation services and should the need arise regularly this contract could be used to provide support to particular ODPM staff in their handling of calls, or the requirement could be added to the contract for switchboard services.
Thurrock Urban Development Corporation
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will ensure that notice is given to the hon. Member for Thurrock of the day that the Order making the Thurrock Urban Development Corporation the local planning authority for strategic development is to be laid before Parliament should this occur during the summer adjournment. [15392]
Yvette Cooper:
I wrote to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock on 21 September to inform him that we have laid in the House an Order making the Thurrock Development Corporation the local planning authority for applications relevant to its purpose from 12 October 2005.
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Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2005 to questions 12498–501 and 12507, what office space area has been sought to accommodate the Thurrock Development Corporation Offices; if he will list vacant offices that were investigated as possible accommodation prior to the selection of Gateway House, Purfleet; and if he will make a statement. [15700]
Yvette Cooper: The Corporation has leased 9,745 sq ft (gross) floor space at Gateway House, Purfleet, Essex.
The Corporation appointed professional consultants to undertake an extensive property search of the Thurrock area in order to identify and secure suitable office accommodation. They undertook a comprehensive value for money business appraisal as part of the process, prior to Gateway House being signed-off by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2005 to questions 12498, 12499, 12500, 12501 and 12507, where the strategic plans referred to in the reply are available for inspection; when they were made available; and if he will make a statement. [15701]
Yvette Cooper: The Corporation is currently in the process of finalising their Regeneration Framework for Thurrock. As part of the Framework's preparation they, together with their consultants EDAW, held two major stakeholder events in October and November 2004. In addition to these events, they have spent considerable time discussing options/regeneration themes with key partners.
The Spatial Plan for Thurrock is currently in the making. This will involve extensive consultation (and a rigorous Strategic Environmental Assessment) the timetable for which is currently being prepared.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2005 to questions 12498–501 and 12507, on what date the interviewing and selection procedure for the appointment of the Corporation's chief executive was completed; on what date the offer of appointment was made to the chief executive; and if he will make a statement. [15702]
Yvette Cooper: Short list interviews for the selection of the chief executive took place on Wednesday 4 August 2004. Niall Lindsay's appointment was approved by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on 31 August 2004, formal offer of appointment was despatched on 23 September 2004. He took up his post on 18 October 2004.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2005 to questions 12498–501 and 12507, which (a) local and (b) regional partners have been involved in the preparation of a broad programme of capital interventions; what is meant by this term; and if he will make a statement. [15703]
Yvette Cooper:
This term is used to describe the corporation's evolving capital programme for 2005–06. Projects under development relate to the corporation's strategic aims and objectives and the themes identified
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within the regeneration framework. In future years, projects will also link to the corporation's spatial plan and area master plans.
2005–06 projects are being developed in partnership with Thurrock borough council, Thurrock primary care trust, local community and voluntary groups and the East of England development agency.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2005 to questions 12498–501 and 12507, when he expects the Corporation's second capital project to be announced; and if he will make a statement. [15704]
Yvette Cooper: The timing of future investment in projects is dependent upon the successful value for money evaluation and appraisal of projects as these come forward.
Timber
David Howarth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department's procurement policy includes timber used on and in the construction of departmental building projects; and if he will make a statement. [15950]
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Jim Fitzpatrick: Contracts where the use of timber and timber based products is anticipated, contain clauses that require the supplier to actively seek legally sourced and sustainable timber and to supply physical evidence that supports this. Furthermore the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister currently has the use of framework contracts for the purchase of furniture, which are subject to supply chain audits by officials.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is presently co-operating with the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs and other Government Departments in the creation of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET), and has agreed to provide funding to support the initiative.
David Howarth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the refurbishment projects in his Department that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months; what action is being taken to ensure that timber for these projects is procured from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment also comes from legal and sustainable sources. [15951]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister presently has the following refurbishment projects:
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has defined refurbishment projects to be upgrading and efficiency projects exceeding £100,000.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and its agencies are committed to the Government Policy on the purchase of Legal and Sustainable forested wood and this is fully supported in our Greening Operations Policy Statement.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has reviewed its procurement terms and conditions in line with recent guidance concerning environmental and sustainability issues and is providing awareness and training for staff. Contracts where the use of timber and timber based products is anticipated, contain clauses that require the supplier to actively seek legally sourced and sustainable timber and to supply physical evidence that supports this.
Procurement of timber and timber based products has been included within the certificated and independently audited ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems which the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has developed to manage our response to the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate".
This answer does not include the buildings occupied by Government offices, who carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.
David Howarth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans his Department has to fund the maintenance of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [15952]
Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer by my hon. Friend the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment on 10 October 2005 (15728).
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