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26 Jan 2006 : Column 2299W—continued
Climate Change
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms are in place to ensure regular review of climate change indicators and policy to ensure that the necessary steps are being taken on emissions reductions. [45837]
Mr. Morley: Overall progress on climate change indicators is publicly reported annually, as described on the sustainable development website, and reviewed by the inter-departmental Sustainable Development Programme Board.
The current review of the UK Climate Change Programme is looking at how existing climate change policies are performing, and the range of policies that might be put in place in future to put the UK back on track to achieving our domestic carbon dioxide goals.
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Additionally, the Sustainable Energy Policy Network (SEPN), set up following the publication of the Energy White Paper in 2003, meets regularly at official and ministerial level to discuss progress on a range of climate change and energy policy issues.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the climate change programme. [45838]
Mr. Morley: I and my officials have regular discussions with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the Climate Change Programme both as part of the review process, and our involvement in the Sustainable Energy Policy Network.
Illegal Timber
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the amount of illegal timber imported into Europe from (a) China, (b) Indonesia and (c) Brazil in each of month of the last three years. [44797]
Mr. Morley: The UK is the world's fourth largest importer of wood products. However, with the exception of species included on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) we are unable to estimate how much illegally logged timber is coming into the UK as timber is not identified as legal or illegal at ports of entry.
Once the recently adopted EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation comes into force it will enable member states to prohibit the entry into the EU of illegal timber products from countries that enter into Partnership Agreements with the European Union.
Warm Front Scheme
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many households in (a) West Lancashire constituency and (b) North West region received assistance under the Warm Front scheme in each year since the scheme began; [45022]
(2) what steps the Government are taking to identify older people in fuel poverty who are not in receipt of benefits in West Lancashire. [45035]
Mr. Morley: Between the launch of the Warm Front scheme in June 2000 and the 31 December 2005, the number of households assisted in West Lancashire constituency each year are:
| Number of households assisted | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 364 |
| 2001–02 | 1,023 |
| 2002–03 | 465 |
| 2003–04 | 534 |
| 2004–05 | 1,048 |
| 2005–06 (to 31 December 2005) | 537 |
| Total | 3,971 |
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The number of households assisted in the North West region each year are:
| Number of households assisted | |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | 23,372 |
| Year 2 | 74,134 |
| Year 3 | 55,669 |
| Year 4 | 48,729 |
| Year 5 | 47,246 |
| Year 6 (to 31 December 2005) | 27,815 |
| Total | 276,965 |
The Warm Front scheme is the Government's main tool for tackling fuel poverty in the private sector. Eligibility for the scheme is via the receipt of one of a number of qualifying benefits.
Eaga Partnership, in their role as Warm Front scheme manager, carry out a range of activities at a national and local level to encourage those households at risk from fuel poverty to apply to the scheme for assistance. Those not in receipt of a qualifying benefit at the time of application are offered a benefit entitlement check, which is designed to provide both the potential of increasing household income and to establish eligibility of households to benefit from measures under Warm Front.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many central heating systems have been fitted for people over 65 years under the Warm Front scheme in each year since the scheme started; and what percentage this represents of the total systems fitted in West Lancashire. [45036]
Mr. Morley: During the first phase of the Warm Front scheme new gas central heating was available, as part of Warm Front plus, for those households over 60.
Between the launch of the Warm Front scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2005, the following table indicates:
The number of gas central heating systems installed by Warm Front across England. The number of gas central heating systems installed by Warm Front in West Lancashire
The number of gas central heating systems installed by Warm Front in households over 65 in West Lancashire.
The percentage of those gas central heating systems installed by Warm Front in West Lancashire for households over 65.
Water/Sewerage Services (Aylesbury Vale)
John Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on (a) the
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scale and (b) the cost of water supply and sewage treatment requirements arising from planned expansion of housing in Aylesbury Vale. [45340]
Mr. Morley: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State and the Deputy Prime Minister have not held discussions on these particular issues.
Aylesbury is served by Thames Water Utilities. Along with the other water supply companies, Thames Water produces a water resources plan, which looks forward 25 years. The plan is updated annually by the company, and is reviewed by the Environment Agency for consistency with the national and regional water resources strategies. Any planned residential developments in the area will be factored into this process.
An integrated study of the whole water cycle at Aylesbury has been commissioned jointly by the Environment Agency, Aylesbury Vale district council, Aylesbury Vale Advantage Ltd (the local delivery vehicle for housing growth) and Thames Water. The study is intended to examine the consequences of the additional housing for water supply, flood risk, sewer capacity, sewage treatment and for the ecology of the River Thames downstream of Aylesbury. The costs and timing of providing the necessary water and sewerage infrastructure and services will be a part of the study.
The first phase is expected to start shortly and to be completed in six to nine months.
DEFENCE
Administrative Costs
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which functions of his core Department are carried out in (a) England and (b) London; and whatadministrative costs were associated with these functions for each area in the last year. [39822]
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which functions of his core Department are carried out in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Wales; and what administrative costs were associated with these functions for each area in the last year. [39946]
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what functions in his Department are carried out in Scotland; and what the administrative costs of these functions were in the last year for which figures are available. [40013]
Mr. Touhig: Defence is a national capability and is funded accordingly. The wide variety of activities that support the Defence Mission are provided by the Department's 11 Top Level Budget Holders (TLBs) who are responsible for their own element of the Defence Budget. These activities are diverse and widely distributed throughout the UK and as a consequence we cannot answer the question without committing to disproportionate cost.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Stewart Hosie) on 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 215W.
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