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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 16 November 2005
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Aviation Emissions
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action is being taken to reduce emissions from aviation. [28596]
Mr. Morley: We are pressing for the development of an open emissions trading system for international aviation through the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly. However, we want to take advantage of the groundbreaking EU Emissions Trading Scheme and are therefore pressing for the inclusion of aviation into the EU ETS as a priority for our presidency.
The European Commission has adopted a Communication on reducing the climate change impact of aviation, favouring the inclusion of the climate impact of aviation into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). They aim to bring forward a legislative proposal by the end of 2006. Our aim is to reach a consensus on the way forward at the December Environment Council.
The Commission have set up an Aviation Working Group under the European Climate Change Programme to discuss the design criteria involved in such a scheme.
Emissions trading would give added weight to other emissions-reducing actions for which the Government will press, including:
voluntary action by airlines, airports and aerospace companies to control greenhouse gas emissions and develop sustainability strategies. Such action should include emissions reporting and targets at a company level.
We recognise that these measures may not provide a total solution, therefore we continue to explore and discuss options for the use of other economic instruments.
Climate Change
Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to co-ordinate Government work on climate change. [28533]
Mr. Morley:
The Department is currently leading the review of the UK Climate Change Programme through interdepartmental work involving Officials from across Government. The review is being taken forward within the framework of the Sustainable Energy Policy Network (SEPN), set up following the publication of the
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Energy White Paper in 2003. SEPN meets regularly at official and ministerial level to discuss progress on a range of climate change and energy policy issues.
PFI Projects
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps she is taking to ensure that private finance initiative projects for which her Department is responsible create the minimum of environmental damage; [28092]
(2) what assessment her Department has made of (a) the sustainability and environmental impacts of private finance initiative (PFI) projects and (b) the effectiveness of the PFI process to deliver environmentally sustainable projects; [28116]
(3) what role her Department (a) has and (b) plans to take to make the private finance initiative process more accountable and transparent in terms of environmental sustainability. [28117]
Mr. Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 25 May 2004, Official Report, column 1495W and 6 December 2004, Official Report, column 278W.
Since then, the business-led Sustainable Procurement Task Force has been established (in May 2005) to deliver a national action plan for Sustainable Procurement across the public sector by the end of April 2006.
The Task Force is chaired by Sir Neville Simms and will build on existing work to provide Government with further actions ensuring that sustainable development considerations are taken into account in public procurement (including PFIs/PPPs).
Warm Front Grants
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average waiting time is for a Warm Front applicant for a central heating system from assessment to installation. [28391]
Mr. Morley: The average waiting time for the installation of a central heating system under Warm Front is between 3–6 months from date of assessment until date of installation.
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors are taken into account when determining an application for a replacement heating system through the Warm Front grant; and to what extent elderly people are prioritised if their central heating system fails. [28392]
Mr. Morley:
Warm Front provides a range of specified insulation and heating measures to households in receipt of specified qualifying benefits. The measures recommended for installation will depend upon the circumstances of the household and measures already installed. The scheme does not provide additional heating, but, where central heating systems are broken down or are performing intermittently at the time of the assessment, they can be repaired. In cases where a repair is not economically viable, the system may be replaced.
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Warm Front is not intended to be an emergency repair service. All who receive assistance from the scheme are considered vulnerable and the scheme works to provide measures promptly for all households.
TRANSPORT
Air Passenger Insurance/Levy
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the additional cost per passenger of (a) passenger insurance and (b) the £1 levy per flight proposed by the Civil Aviation Authority to meet the cost of insurance against airline bankruptcy for those airlines not covered by the Association of British Travel Agents. [28290]
Ms Buck: The Civil Aviation Authority factored the cost of commercially available insurance into the analysis it carried out for the purposes of the advice it provided to Government, published in September 2005.
Air Traffic
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many aircraft flying into UK airspace the National Air Traffic Control Service computer processes in an average (a) day, (b) month and (c) year. [28865]
Ms Buck: This is an operational matter for National Air Traffic Services (NATS). I understand they are willing to assist and suggest the hon. Member directs his inquiries to the NATS chief executive.
Mr. Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the time is of the (a) first and (b) last flights from Heathrow airport over-flying Molesey each day; [27511]
(2) what the volume of air traffic over-flying Molesey was in each of the last three years; [27512]
(3) how many (a) landings and (b) take-offs there were at Heathrow airport in each of the last three years; and how many aircraft were stacked above Molesey in each year. [27513]
Ms Buck: These are operational matters for BAA. I understand they are willing to assist and suggest the hon. Member directs his inquiries to the BAA chief executive.
British Transport Police
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many members of the British Transport Police are due to retire or step down in the next (a) 12 months, (b) five years and (c) 10 years. [26534]
Derek Twigg: The British Transport Police (BTP) have provided the following information:
The number of police officers who will have completed 30 years service and be 50-years-old, and will therefore be eligible for voluntary retirement during the periods indicated are:
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| Total | |
|---|---|
| 2005–06 | 0 |
| 2005–10 | 45 |
| 2005–15 | 62 |
The number of police officers who will reach the compulsory retirement age relevant to their rank during the periods indicated are:
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 2005–06 | 9 |
| 2005–10 | 131 |
| 2005–15 | 419 |
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