| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
14 Feb 2006 : Column 1884W—continued
Vehicle Air Conditioning Systems
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had, and with whom, on the draft regulations on emissions from air conditioning systems in motor vehicles; if he will ensure that changes to such regulations are not retrospective; and if he will make a statement. [51218]
Dr. Ladyman:
I refer the right hon. Member to my answer given today [UIN 51284].
14 Feb 2006 : Column 1885W
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Business Rates (Gloucestershire)
Steve Webb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was paid in business rates in South Gloucestershire in each year since 1996–97; and how much was received by South Gloucestershire council from the central rate pool. [51854]
Mr. Woolas: The amounts South Gloucestershire collected in business rates and the amounts they received back from the central pool from 1997–98 to 2004–05 are tabled as follows. Unfortunately this information is not readily available for 1996–97.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to enable low-income households to purchase carbon monoxide alarms. [51451]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Home Fire Risk Check Initiative established in October 2004, enables all English fire and rescue services to work up a dedicated programme of home fire risk checks combined with the installation of free 10-year battery operated smoke alarms in vulnerable homes. The funding may be used to install other protective devices such as specialist deaf smoke alarms, community link fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
Carbon monoxide detectors are a useful back-up precaution, but they must not be regarded as a substitute for proper installation and maintenance of
14 Feb 2006 : Column 1886W
gas equipment. All householders are encouraged to install at least one smoke alarm and regularly maintain existing devices.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the percentage of households equipped with (a) carbon monoxide alarms and (b) fire alarms. [51450]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Information on the percentage of households equipped with carbon monoxide detectors is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Latest figures released on 31 January 2006, show that an estimated 80 per cent. of households in England are equipped with at least one working smoke alarm.
Departmental Information
Mr. Gale: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was spent on his Department's public relations and information services in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [48954]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime minister was created on 29 May 2002 The spend on public relations and information services is tabled as follows:
| Public relations | Information services | |
|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 247,000 | 30,000 |
| 2003–04 | 99,000 | 30,000 |
| 2004–05 | 160,000 | 55,000 |
| 2005–06 | 112,000 | 41,000 |
The majority of this spend has been through the Central Office of Information to help promote fire safety in the home.
Firefighters
Keith Vaz: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many firefighters have been employed in (a) Leicester and (b) England in each year between 1997 and 2005. [51502]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of firefighters that have been employed in Leicester is not held centrally. However, the number of firefighters employed in Leicestershire fire and rescue service and England in each year between 1997 and 2005 is tabled as follows:
(14) Figures for 2005 are provisional
The figures provided are a snapshot at 31 March each year
Source:
ODPM annual Returns
Keith Vaz: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many firefighters in (a) Leicester and (b) England retired on the grounds of ill-health in each of the last five years. [51501]
14 Feb 2006 : Column 1888W
Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of firefighters retiring on the grounds of ill-health in Leicester is not held centrally. However, the number of firefighters that retired on the grounds of ill-health in the Leicestershire fire and rescue service and England in each year is tabled as follows:
(15) 2000–01 figures for West Sussex are not available
Source:
ODPM annual returns
Leisure Facilities
Keith Vaz: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the provision of leisure facilities by local authorities in (a) Leicester and (b) England. [50446]
Mr. Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
Specific information on the delivery of leisure services by local authorities is not centrally collated. However, information from the Leisure Data Base Company suggests that some 60 per cent. of public leisure facilities in England are managed in-house, 22 per cent. are provided through trusts and 18 per cent. by private contractors.
The Audit Commission is currently undertaking a study into the different types of management arrangements available to local authorities for running their leisure services and how they approach the task of choosing the option best suited to local needs. This is expected to include a consideration of the potential implications of each of the options available.
I will ensure a copy of the study is placed in the House Libraries once it is published.
University Students (Council Tax)
Mr. McGovern: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what estimate he has made of the effect on revenue in each of the last three years of allowing students an exemption from council tax; [51667]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of university students who lived in households that were not their family home and who paid council tax in 2004–05. [51666]
Mr. Woolas: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Vandalism
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the acts of vandalism which have been perpetrated (a) inside and (b) on the outside of his Office's buildings in the last 12 months. [49496]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has had no recorded incidents of vandalism in the last 12 months.
This answer does not include buildings occupied by Government offices, who carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |