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13 Mar 2006 : Column 1857W—continued
Rights of Way
Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claims for a right of way for mechanically propelled vehicles on byways made after 19 May 2005 have been (a) determined successfully, (b) made subject to a definitive map modification order and (c) refused. [56252]
Jim Knight: [holding answer 9 March 2006]. We do not have the data on claims broken down at this level of detail. This information is held by local highway authorities, but it could be gathered only at a disproportionate cost.
Rural Payments Agency
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Rural Payments Agency on the efficiency and accuracy of its computer systems. [56014]
Jim Knight: The responsible Minister, Lord Bach, has regular meetings with senior officials of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to review progress on making payments under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). All operational issues, for example resources, systems and business processes are discussed.
RPA successfully met its target to achieve a reduction of 10 per cent. in the unit cost of administering Common Agricultural Policy payments by 2004–05. It has modernised its systems and processes to deliver the new SPS during 2005–06 and this investment will enable the delivery of further efficiencies in the coming years.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she intends to introduce to improve the efficiency of the Rural Payments Agency. [56015]
Jim Knight:
The Rural Payments Agency successfully met its target to achieve a reduction of 10 per cent. in the unit cost of administering Common Agricultural Policy payments by 2004–05. It has modernised its systems and processes to deliver the new Single Payment Scheme during 2005–06 and this investment will enable the delivery of further efficiencies in the coming years.
13 Mar 2006 : Column 1858W
Single Farm Payments
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how allowing a portion of their land to be used for leisure activities affects single farm payments to farmers. [56956]
Jim Knight: The impact of undertaking a non-agricultural activity on an individual farmer's payment under the SPS will depend on the length and type of the activity being undertaken. Updated guidance on this issue has been incorporated into section C of the 'Single Payment Scheme Handbook and Guidance for England 2006' which will be published very shortly. I will arrange for copies to be sent to the hon. Member and placed in the Libraries of the House.
SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Crown Prosecution Service
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Solicitor-General what his policy is on declarations of interest by members of the Crown Prosecution Service; and if he will make a statement. [58045]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service's policy on declarations of interests by member of its staff is set out in the Department's Personnel Management Manual which covers conduct and staff rules. The policy requires full disclosure of all interests. There is additional guidance for specific activities and functions including guidance for Board members and members of tender evaluation panels.
Rape
Ben Chapman: To ask the Solicitor-General what research he has commissioned on the effect on the number of successful prosecutions for rape of the provisions in the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976 which granted anonymity prior to conviction for individuals who were the subject of allegations. [56383]
Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
There has been no Home Office research on this subject. The provisions in the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976 which banned media identification of sex offence defendants was repealed by the Criminal Justice Act 1988. This was based on the Criminal Law Revision Committee's argument in its 1984 Sexual Offences report which was that there was no reason in principle for defendants in rape cases to be distinguished from those charged with other offences.
HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION
Television Sets
Jo Swinson: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many television sets are operationally available on the House of Commons Estate (a) in total, (b) in hon. Members' offices and (c) in each office building on the estate. [57194]
13 Mar 2006 : Column 1859W
Nick Harvey: There are 1,515 television/annunciator sets operationally available on the House of Commons part of the parliamentary estate. Each office occupied by a Member has a TV set. The breakdown by building is as follows.
| Building | Number |
|---|---|
| Palace of Westminster | 655 |
| 1 Parliament Street | 63 |
| Derby Gate | 169 |
| 7 Millbank | 98 |
| Norman Shaw North | 146 |
| Norman Shaw South | 101 |
| 2 The Abbey Garden | 17 |
| 1 Canon Row | 22 |
| Portcullis House | 244 |
Travel Office
Mr. Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will arrange for the House of Commons Travel Office to publish the email addresses of individual travel office staff on the parliamentary intranet. [57430]
Nick Harvey: The contact details of the Houses of Parliament Travel Office are listed on the parliamentary intranet for the convenience of Members and other users of the Office. A central email address (hoptravel@carlsonwagonlit.co.uk) is provided so that any queries received are picked up and distributed around the office. This ensures that, in the event that a consultant is absent from the office, no emails are missed or responses delayed. It also allows for work to be shared out evenly between the consultants.
Travel Office staff are not on the parliamentary email system as they are not directly employed by Parliament, but by the contractor, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, which runs the Travel Office. We will look into the implications of setting up a parliamentary email address for the Travel Office.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Banding
Ms Barlow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which local education authorities use banding in allocating pupils for secondary education. [56898]
Jacqui Smith: We do not collect this information centrally. However, we know that banding is operated in:
individual schools in Ealing, Hackney, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston-upon-Hull, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and Surrey.
Bradford Cathedral Community College
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures Bradford Cathedral community college is taking to raise its standards; and if she will make a statement. [56687]
Jacqui Smith: Bradford Cathedral college currently has a tailored support package to secure further improvements in leadership and attainment. It will be replaced by Bradford academy in 2007 and this project is in the implementation stage. The academy is jointly sponsored by TOC H and the Church of England and will have a particular focus on citizenship and enterprise education. It will provide 1,150 school places including 250 for post-16 students. The academy will provide the opportunity to transform educational provision in a disadvantaged area which has suffered from low standards for too long.
Careers Advice
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department is taking to provide careers advice for older workers looking to retrain. [56276]
Phil Hope: Older workers can access an integrated information and advice service on learning and work delivered by the Learning and Skills Council through the national learndirect telephone and on-line service, and 47 local nextstep partnerships The information service is freely available to adults of all ages; the more resource intensive advice service gives priority to those aged 50 and over without a first full level 2 qualification, since they are more likely to lack the skills foundation for sustainable employment and lifelong long learning.
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