| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
6 Feb 2006 : Column 802W—continued
Transport Projects (Tamworth)
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department has provided for transport projects in Tamworth since 1997. [48645]
Ms Buck: Since the introduction of local transport plans in 2000, the local authorities in the Staffordshire local transport plan area have received around £96 million in funding for local transport projects and maintenance schemes. In addition Staffordshire county council has also received £18.5 million in funding for major transport schemes.
Between 1997 and 2000 the local authorities in Staffordshire county council received £27 million in funding for local transport capital investment.
The Department does not have the data to identify a figure separately for local transport investment in Tamworth.
The Highways Agency has also funded major resurfacing and repair work to improve the safety of the A5 Tamworth bypass at a cost of £1.53 million. The
6 Feb 2006 : Column 803W
work involved resurfacing both carriageways over a 5 km stretch of the A5 between the Marlborough Way junction and the A453 Mile Oak junction. They have also funded work to improve safety barriers and drainage. The work started in October 2005 and was completed in December 2005.
The Tamworth constituency will benefit from the Trent Valley four tracking scheme on the West Coast main line—19 kms of additional two tracks at a cost of £327 million. The work started in 2003 and will be complete in 2008.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the costs of redundancies arising from the reorganisation of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. [47298]
Barry Gardiner: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given in another place by my noble Friend Lord Bach of Lutterworth to the noble Baroness Byford on 18 January 2006, Official Report, column WA107.
Departmental Expenditure
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual expenditure on vehicles by (a) his Department and (b) each (i) non-departmental public body, (ii) executive agency and (iii) other public body for which he is responsible in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) each of the English regions and (D) Northern Ireland was in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06. [39991]
Alan Johnson: The following figures are those recorded for car hire and leasing over the years in question.
The Insolvency Service have not used the Department's finance system since April 2005 and we therefore have no budget information for them for this year.
The regional split of this expenditure cannot be supplied without incurring disproportionate cost. Information on the Department's other agencies, public bodies and sponsors is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
For details of expenditure on ministerial vehicles provided to the Department by the Government Car and Despatch Agency I refer the hon. Member to the letter of 20 December 2005 from the chief executive of
6 Feb 2006 : Column 804W
the Government Car and Despatch Agency to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker). Copies of this letter are available in the Libraries of the House.
Employers Liability Assurance
Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is a requirement for companies to record details of their employers' liability insurance on their annual returns to Companies House. [46346]
Barry Gardiner: It is not a requirement for companies to include details of their employers' liability insurance on their annual returns to Companies House.
Employment
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have been employed in the manufacturing sector in each year since June 2001. [48093]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The table shows the number of people employed in the manufacturing sector from summer quarters of the Labour Force Survey. These figures are from the Office for National Statistics.
(6) Employment includes: employees; self-employed; Government employment and training programs; and unpaid family workers.
(7) Summer quarters cover June, July and August.
Source:
Summer quarters(8) of Labour Force Survey
European Commissioner for Trade
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what dates he held meetings with the European Commissioner for Trade since October 2004. [47301]
Alan Johnson: My predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, and I have met the European Commissioner for Trade on the following occasions since October 2004.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what telephone conversations he has held with the European Trade Commissioner since October 2004. [47302]
6 Feb 2006 : Column 805W
Alan Johnson: My predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, and I have been in regular contact with the European Trade Commissioner by telephone during this period.
First-class Letters
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of first-class letters posted in the Peterborough city council unitary authority area met Royal Mail's online delivery target in the last year for which figures are available. [48668]
Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail Plc. The chief executive has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Flexible Working Hours
Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the likely impact on South Swindon of a 24-hour economy; and if he will make a statement. [31659]
Alun Michael: DTI has made no specific assessment of the likely impact of a 24-hour economy on South Swindon. The Department sponsors the South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA), which has a statutory purpose to further economic development in its area. The economic and physical regeneration of Swindon town centre is a key project for SWRDA.
Local authorities have an important role in assessing and responding to local economic need. I understand that Swindon borough council is considering how to take forward the findings of a recent review of the town centre night time economy, and is working to establish a new partnership which will, with SWRDA and the New Swindon Company (Swindon's urban regeneration company), take forward development of Swindon's economy.
Freepost Operators
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to make illegal the deliberate imposition of costs upon a freepost operator through campaign mail. [46736]
Barry Gardiner: Misuse of the 'Freepost' product is an operational and contractual matter for the attention of the product's owner. Royal Mail have procedures for managing potential misuse of the service and these ensure that freepost operators are not penalised by systematic abuse.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |