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Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects on carbon dioxide emissions of increased miles travelled due to closure of (a) post offices, (b) bank branches and (c) local retail shops. [55017]

Mr. Morley: Neither the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs nor the Department for Transport have made these assessments. Emissions from these journey types are part of the
 
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estimate for road transport as a whole in the UK greenhouse gas inventory, and in the UK projections of emissions.

Climate Change Communications Initiative

Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what notice was given to the National Assembly for Wales of the launch in January 2006 of the climate change communications initiative, tomorrow's climate, today's challenge; what financial input into the initiative the National Assembly was asked to provide; what percentage of that input was committed to benefit Wales; and if she will make a statement. [55518]

Mr. Morley: The climate communications initiative was launched in December 2005, and the climate challenge fund and youth competition were announced in January 2006. Officials from my Department had been in discussion in general terms with officials from the National Assembly for Wales prior to and following the announcement of the climate change communications initiative in February 2005. The indicative figure for Welsh participation in the youth competition was £5,000, equating to the inclusion of one young climate champion from Wales. Discussions on the challenge fund focused largely on the principle of participation, with an indicative contribution for the duration of the fund of the order of £300,000-£500,000 based pro-rata on population. All of the monies coming from Wales would have benefited Welsh applicants, with some allowance for administration.

Climate-proofing (Policy Delivery)

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she is holding with other Departments on climate proofing new policy delivery. [55419]

Mr. Morley: My Department has been consulting with many other Government Departments and other organisations in the development of the climate change Adaptation Policy Framework. A consultation document was issued in November 2005, and the consultation period ended on 31 January 2006. The results of this exercise will be published later this year.

The Adaptation Policy Framework is seeking to integrate adaptation to climate change into the wider policy making process so that it can be considered alongside other policy objectives and priorities.

Throughout the development of the Adaptation Policy Framework we will be seeking to continue to build on our relationships with other Departments and all regions.

Contingency Planning

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government Decontamination Service has the capacity to operate in response to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents abroad. [53358]

 
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Mr. Morley: The Government Decontamination Service is able to support operations to remediate parts of the UK contaminated as a result of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents, regardless of the origins of the contamination.

Cryosat Mission (Global Warming)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the role of the European Space Agency's Cryosat mission in assessing global warming; and if she will make a statement. [55683]

Mr. Morley: Cryosat 2 will make a unique contribution to understanding how Arctic sea ice is thinning due to global warming, and the extent to which the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets are contributing to global sea level rise.

In parallel with the space-based mission there will be extensive complementary modelling and ground-based experiments to maximise the scientific return from the mission. This will lead to improved predictions of future sea-ice extent and sea-level rise.

The lead scientist for the European Space Agency's (ESA's) Cryosat mission is Professor Duncan Wingham, Director of the Natural Environment Research Council's (NERC's) Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, based at University College, London. NERC is responsible for the UK's subscription to ESA's Earth Observation Envelope Programme, through which Cryosat is funded.

Farm Payments

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects this year's single payment will be made to farmers; and if she will make a statement. [55651]

Jim Knight [holding answer 3 March 2006]: I am pleased to report that the first 2005 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) payments were released from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on 20 February 2006. RPA is continuing in its efforts to make the bulk of payments by the end of March, and all payments are expected to be made before the 30 June regulatory deadline.

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on the administration of the Single Farm Payments Scheme in Lancashire. [55884]

Jim Knight [holding answer 3 March 2006]: The Rural Payments Agency responds to all correspondence relating to the Single Payment Scheme. As the scheme is not administered on a regional basis, it does not hold records on representations specific to Lancashire.

Farm Subsidies

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the first payments will be made under the Single Farm Payments scheme in North Yorkshire. [55374]

Jim Knight: I am pleased to report that the first Single Payment Scheme (SPS) payments were released from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on 20 February
 
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2006. RPA is continuing in its efforts to make the bulk of payments by the end of March, and all payments are expected to be made before the 30 June 2006 regulatory deadline.

Payments are made randomly as claims are validated and not on a regional basis.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the full farm payments which are due under the Single Farm Payments scheme will be made. [55375]

Jim Knight: I am pleased to report that the first Single Payment Scheme (SPS) payments were released by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on 20 February 2006. RPA is continuing in its efforts to make the bulk of payments by the end of March, and all payments are expected to be made before the 30 June regulatory deadline.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on the administration of the Single Farm Payments Scheme in North Yorkshire. [55376]

Jim Knight: The Rural Payments Agency responds to all correspondence relating to the Single Payment Scheme. As the scheme is not administered on a regional basis, it does not hold records on representations specific to North Yorkshire.

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government will reimburse farmers for financial loss caused by delays in the single farm payment. [56012]

Jim Knight: The payment window for the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) 2005 as set by EU legislation opens on 1 December 2005 and runs until 30 June 2006.

I am pleased to report that the first SPS payments were released by the Rural Payments Agency on 20 February 2006. The bulk of payments are expected to be complete by the end of March, and I expect all payments will be made within the regulatory payment window.

Under the circumstances it is not appropriate to pay interest.

Greenhouse Gases

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases was emitted from water treatment and sewerage systems in 2004–05; and what assessment she has made of the trend in emissions from such sources. [55457]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 6 March 2006]: The main greenhouse gases emitted during the handling and treatment of sewerage are methane and nitrous oxide. Total greenhouse gas emissions from this sector were 2.0 million tonnes of carbon dioxide 2004, the most recent year for which data are available. Emissions from this sector have grown by 15 per cent. since 1990, the base year for emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. However, overall emissions of methane and nitrous oxide have fallen by 50 per cent. and 40 per cent. respectively, since 1990.
 
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