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9 Jan 2006 : Column 11W—continued
Road Traffic (Emissions)
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on the carbon dioxide emissions caused by road traffic congestion in (a) Harborough constituency and (b) the East Midlands Government office area. [38843]
Dr. Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
The Department has not received any representations in respect of carbon dioxide emissions caused by traffic congestion in Harborough or the East Midlands.
Sustainability Symposia (Harlow)
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the representatives from her Department and public bodies for which her Department is responsible who attended the Harlow North Sustainability Symposia on 6 June. [37447]
Mr. Morley: So far as I am aware, one official from Defra attended this event along with two officials fromthe Environment Agency, one from the Waste Resources Action Programme and two from the Sustainable Development Commission.
I believe this was a private event organised by Beyond Green under Chatham House rules.
Upland Farmers
Tim Farron:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate
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she has made of the optimum number of farmers in the English uplands to maintain sufficient land management capacity. [38157]
Jim Knight [holding answer 19 December 2005]: We are currently reviewing the future of upland reward in the context of the number of public benefits we wish to see delivered.
While we understand the difficulties faced by upland farm businesses in England, and acknowledge the provision of public goods they deliver any future reward structure will be based on the delivery of public benefits for the receipt of public resource.
TRANSPORT
Act of Austria
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings of the (a) Committee on implementation of Protocol 9 to the Act of Austria concerning transport by road and rail and combined transport (Ecopoints), (b) Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of roadworthiness tests of vehicles, (c) Committee for a transparent system of harmonised rules for restrictions on heavy goods vehicles involved in international transport on designated roads and (d) Advisory Committee for the harmonisation and comparability of the accounting and annual accounts of railway undertakings have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved Governments; and if he will make a statement. [38035]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is as follows.
(a) and (b) There were no meetings of these Committees during the UK presidency.
(c) As legislation on harmonised driving restrictions has yet to be adopted this Committee has not yet met.
(d) There were no meetings of this Committee during the UK presidency.
The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
A copy is available on the internet at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_ 600629.pdf
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Carbon Emissions
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which unit in his Department is responsible for reducing carbon emissions. [39901]
Ms Buck: The Department's policy is to integrate environmental thinking into policy. Responsibility for reducing carbon emissions is therefore shared among all the relevant units in the Department and all schemes are appraised for their environmental impacts, including CO 2 emissions.
Concessionary Transport
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the provision of travel concessions for pensioners on public transport; [40606]
(2) what recent discussions he has held on the provision of free off-peak bus travel for old age pensioners in England. [40608]
Ms Buck: The statutory entitlement to free off-peak local bus travel in England for people 60 and over and disabled people will come into effect on 1 April 2006. The Secretary of State has had no recent discussions on concessionary fares. The Department for Transport has issued guidance to local authorities on implementation but it is for individual concessionary travel authorities to design and operate their local concessionary fares scheme.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by (a) his Department and previous Departments with his Department's responsibilities, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) Executive agency for which his Department is responsible and (c) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department in each year since May 1997. [39112]
Ms Buck: The Department was formed in May 2002. Details of spend on external consultants and advisers by the central Department and its Executive agencies is shown in the following table. Details in respect of non-departmental public bodies and other sponsored bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
EU Transport Committees
Angus Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings of the (a) Committee on the driving licence, (b) Advisory Committee on access
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for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes, (c) Advisory Committee on the definition and use of compatible technical and operating standards andspecifications for the procurement of air-traffic-management equipment and systems and (d) Committee on the harmonisation of technical requirements and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved Governments; and if he will make a statement. [38034]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is as follows.
(a) and (b) There were no meetings of these committees during the UK presidency.
(c) There were no meetings of this Committee during the UK presidency. The Committee will not meet again as the related directives 93/65/EEC and 97/15/EC and regulations (EC) numbers 2082/2000 and 980/2002 were repealed on 20 October 2005 by the Single European Sky interoperability regulation.
(d) There have been three meetings of this Committee during the UK presidency. All of the meetings were chaired by the European Commission. DfT represented the UK. The Civil Aviation Authority also attended one of the meetings.
The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
A copy is available on the internet at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_ 600629.pdf
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings of the (a) Committee for the establishment of conditions for the interoperability of the trans-European high speed rail system, (b) Committee on the adaption to scientific and technical progress of legislation concerning the transport of dangerous goods, (c) Committee for the adaption of technical progress of recording equipment in road transport (tachographs) and (d) Community—Switzerland Transport Committee (rail and road) have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement. [38036]
Dr. Ladyman: The information is as follows.
(a) There have been three meetings of this committee during the UK presidency. DfT and the Health and Safety Executive were represented. These were chaired by the European Commission.
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(b) There has been one meeting of this Committee during the UK presidency. It was chaired by the European Commission. DfT officials represented the UK.
(c) There were no meetings of this committee during the UK presidency.
(d) There has been one meeting of this committee during the UK presidency. DfT did not attend.
The UK Government take into account the views and interests of the devolved Administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved Administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved Administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
A copy is available on the internet at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_ 600629.pdf.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings of the (a) Committee on the system of charging for the use of transport infrastructure, (b) Committee on the development of the trans-European transport networks and (c) Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European energy networks have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement. [38037]
Dr. Ladyman: The information is as follows.
(a) There have been no meetings of this committee during the UK presidency.
(b) There has been one meeting of this Committee during the UK presidency. The Committee was chaired by the Commission and the UK was represented by DfT.
(c) The policy area with which this Committee deals is not the responsibility of the Department for Transport.
The UK Government take into account the views andinterests of the devolved Administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved Administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved Administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
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A copy is available on the internet at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_ 600629.pdf.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings of the (a) Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European transport networks, (b) Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European telecommunications networks, (c) Advisory Committee on the management of the research programme for management and storage of radioactive waste and management of the Community plan of action in the field of radioactive waste and (d) Committee on application of the legislation on application of tonnage measurement of ballast spaces in segregated ballast of oil tankers have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement. [38038]
Dr. Ladyman: The information is as follows.
(a) There has been one meeting of this committee during the UK presidency. The committee was chaired by the European Commission. The purpose of the meeting was to vote on the 2005 annual bidding round.
(b) and (c) The policy areas with which these committees deal are not the responsibility of the Department for Transport.
(d) The committee referred to no longer deals with this subject area. In 2002 its responsibility was assumed by a new committee called the Committee on Safe Seas and the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (known as COSS). COSS was created by Regulation (EC) No. 2099/2002 to centralise the tasks of earlier committees that had been set up under Community maritime legislation to assist the European Commission.
During the UK presidency there has been one meeting of the full COSS and one meeting of a COSS Working Group of Experts. Neither discussed the subject area of the committee referred to at (d) in the hon. Member's question. The COSS meetings were presided over by the European Commission. The UK was represented by officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, an Executive agency of the Department for Transport.
The UK Government take into account the views and interests of the devolved Administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved Administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved Administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
A copy is available on the internet at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_ 600629.pdf.
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Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings of the (a) Implementation Committee on minimum requirements for vessels bound for or leaving Community ports carrying dangerous or polluting goods, (b) Committee on transfer of ships from one register to another within the Community, (c) Advisory Committee on aids to transport by rail, road and inland waterway, (d) Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the development of the community railways and (e) Advisory Committee for the application of uniform principles on costing for railway undertakings have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved Governments; and if he will make a statement. [38039]
Dr. Ladyman: The information is as follows.
(a) and (b) The committees referred to no longer deal with these subject areas. In 2002 their responsibilities were assumed by a new committee called the Committee on Safe Seas and the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (known as COSS). COSS was created by Regulation (EC) No 2099/2002 to centralise the tasks of earlier committees that had been set up under Community maritime legislation to assist the European Commission.
During the UK presidency there has been one meeting of the full COSS and one meeting of a COSS Working Group of Experts.
Neither discussed the subject areas of the committees referred to at (a) and (b) in the hon. Member's question. The COSS meetings were presided over by the European Commission. The UK was represented by officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Transport.
(c) There were no meetings of this Committee during the UK presidency.
(d) There has been one meeting of this committee during the UK Presidency. It was chaired by the European Commission. The UK was represented by officials from DfT and the Office of Rail Regulation.
(e) There were no meetings of this Committee during the UK presidency.
The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12 to 15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
A copy is available on the internet at:
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings the (a) Advisory Committee on transport, (b) EC-Bulgaria Joint Transport Committee, (c) EC-Romania Joint Transport Committee, (d) Consultative Committee European Energy and Transport Forum and (e) EC-Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Joint Transport Committee have taken place during the UK Presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement. [38040]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is as follows.
(a) , (b) and (c) There were no meetings of these Committees during the UK presidency.
(d) There was one meeting of this Forum during the UK presidency. It is a stakeholders' body, chaired by the Commission. DfT does not attend.
(e) There was no meeting of this Committee during the UK presidency.
The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12 to 15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
A copy is available on the internet at:
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings of the (a) Advisory Committee on measures to be taken in the event of a crisis in the market in the carriage of goods by road and for laying down the conditions under which non-resident carriers may operate national road haulage services, (b) Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the conditions under which non-resident carriers may operate national road passenger transport services within a member state and (c) Committee on the reciprocal recognition of national boatmasters' certificates of the carriage of goods and passengers by inland waterways have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement. [38041]
Dr. Ladyman: None of these committees met during the UK presidency.
The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in
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paragraphs 4.12 to 15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
A copy is available on the internet at:
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