| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
18 Apr 2006 : Column 631W—continued
European Union Law
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions in each of the last five years her Department has been the cause of infringements in the implementation of European Union law; and if she will make a statement. [61587]
Jim Knight
[holding answer 28 March 2006]: Between 1 June 2001 and 31 December 2005 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was the lead Department for 109 infringement proceedings initiated by the European Commission. The following table lists these by year:
18 Apr 2006 : Column 632W
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1 June 2001 to 31 December 2001 | 10 |
| 2002 | 18 |
| 2003 | 41 |
| 2004 | 25 |
| 2005 | 15 |
A list of all infringements initiated by the European Commission against the UK can be found on the European Commission website at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/droit_com.
Harassment Complaints
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints of (a) bullying and (b) sexual harassment have been investigated in her Department in each of the last three years; and how many complaints have been upheld. [63546]
Jim Knight: The figures are collated each financial year and relate to core Defra and the following agencies: PSD, CSL, VMD, CEFAS, RDS and SVS.
Under Defra's formal equal opportunities complaints procedures between April 2003 and March 2004, six cases of bullying were investigated and one case was upheld. None of the cases related to sexual harassment.
Between April 2004 and March 2005, five cases of bullying were investigated and one case was upheld. None of the cases related to sexual harassment.
Between April 2005 and March 2006, six cases of bullying were investigated and no cases were upheld. None of the cases related to sexual harassment.
The Equal Opportunities Complaints Advisory Team provides advice and guidance on issues of bullying and sexual harassment within the Department via
A telephone advice line available within normal office hours for staff to ring and speak to a member of the Complaints Advisory Team.
In addition there is a departmental network of local Harassment, Bullying and Support Advisers and an Employee Assistance Programme providing 365 days a year, 24 hour cover for staff to access further support.
Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's employer contribution rates to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme are; what assumed rate of return underlies those contribution rates; and what the contribution rate would be if the assumed rate of return was in line with current redemption yield on index-linked gilts. [62014]
Jim Knight:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Murphy) on 29 March 2006, Official Report, columns 1030–31W.
18 Apr 2006 : Column 633W
Single Farm Payments
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will abandon the dynamic hybrid model of single farm payment in favour of full area payments as soon as possible. [63335]
Jim Knight: The decision to adopt a flat rate model of the single payment scheme in England, with transitional period to 2012, was taken after extensive analysis and consultation with a broad range of stakeholders. The redistribution in subsidy that would arise from abandoning the transitional period, and the immediate impact on some incomes which would result, would be too destabilising. Most importantly, it might act against the sort of behavioural change we want to see in helping the industry to become fit for purpose in getting closer to the market.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what percentage of recipients of single farm payment she expects will be paid (a) less than £50, (b) £51 to £100, (c) £101 to £200, (d) £201 to £300, (e) £301 to £400, (f) £401 to £500, (g) £501 to £1,000, (h) £1,001 to £2,000, (i) £2,001 to £3,000, (j) £3,001 to £4,000, (k) £4,001 to £5,000, (l) £5,001 to £10,000, (m) £10,001 to £20,000, (n) £20,001 to £30,000, (o) £30,001 to £40,000, (p) £40,001 to £50,000, (q) £50,001 to £100,000, (r) £100,001 to £500,000, (s) £500,001 to £1 million and (t) , more than £1 million in 2006. [63652]
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of (a) individuals and (b) companies which receive single farm payments of more than £100,000 a year; what the total cost is of such payments; and what proportion of the total value of single farm payments such payments represent. [63860]
Jim Knight: The Rural Payments Agency intends to follow a cycle of publishing single payment scheme payment details in the autumn and payment details of other subsidies in the spring each year.
Superannuation Liability
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total amount of employers' normal contributions accruing superannuation liability charge that have been accounted for by her Department has been in each of the last five years for which data are available. [61361]
Jim Knight: The amount of employers' accruing superannuation liability charges in respect of members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme in the last five years is:
| Consolidated | Core Department | |
|---|---|---|
| 2004–05(275) | 76,762 | 27,265 |
| 2003–04(275) | 45,309 | 26,074 |
| 2002–03(275) | (276)39,194 | (276)23,466 |
| 2001–02 | (276)36,226 | (276)22,493 |
| 2000–01 | n/a | n/a |
(275) From 1 October 2002 new entrants have been able to opt for a partnership pension partnership account, a stakeholder arrangement with an employer contribution. Employers' contributions to partnership pension accounts are not included in the above figures.
(276) Restated
Note:
There are no comparable figures available for the year 2000–01 as Defra was created as a new Government Department in June 2001.
18 Apr 2006 : Column 634W
TRANSPORT
Bridge Tolls
Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which statutory tolled bridge crossings offer concessions for public transport vehicles; and what the level of the concession is in each case. [62653]
Dr. Ladyman: Whether to offer concessions for public transport vehicles is a matter for the operators/owners of the statutory tolled bridge crossings.
Only two—the Tamar bridge and the Itchen bridge—operate concession schemes specifically for public service buses. In both cases the scheme involves exempting public service buses from toll charges.
Capita Group
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much business his Department has placed with (a) Capita Group plc and (b) its subsidiaries in each of the last five years; what the total value is of outstanding contracts placed with Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries by his Department; for which current tenders issued by his Department (i) Capita Group plc and (ii) its subsidiaries have been invited to bid; and whether (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries have seconded staff (1) temporarily and (2) on a longer-term basis to (X) his Department and (Y) its agencies. [61063]
Derek Twigg: The Department was formed in May 2002. A table showing contracts awarded since that date has been placed in the Libraries of the House. The outstanding contracts have been highlighted.
Capita Group and its subsidiaries have currently been invited to bid for one contract which has not yet been awarded—this is the Highways Agency Project Support Framework.
Capita Group and its subsidiaries have not seconded any staff on either a temporary or longer term basis to the Department or its Agencies.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have held with directors and senior executives of (i) Capita Group plc. and (ii) its subsidiaries since 1 January 2004; and whether (A) Capita Group plc. and (B) its subsidiaries have provided input (1) in writing and (2) in person to policy discussions in his Department since 1 January 2004. [61064]
Derek Twigg:
The Secretary of State and the Ministers in his Department have not held any meetings with directors or senior executives of Capita Group plc. and its subsidiaries since 1 January 2004.
18 Apr 2006 : Column 635W
Since 1 January 2004, Capita Group plc. and its subsidiaries have provided input into the Department as set out in the answers I have given to the hon. Gentleman (UIN 61063) and to the hon. Member for Hornchurch (James Brokenshire) (UIN 61453, 61454 and 61455) on 18 April 2006.
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the value of contracts held by his Department with (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries was in the last three financial years. [61453]
Derek Twigg: A table showing all the contracts awarded in the last three financial years has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many tenders (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries has submitted to his Department in each of the last three years; and how many tenders were successful. [61454]
Derek Twigg: The information requested is shown in the following table:
| Number submitted | Number successful | |
|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | 6 | 2 |
| 2004–05 | 11 | 3 |
| 2005–06 | 9 | 3 |
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many contracts his Department holds with (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries which have a potential duration of five years or more. [61455]
Derek Twigg: The Department has one contract which has a potential duration of five years or more. This is a Driving Standards Agency contract for the provision of ICT services. The contract is due to end on 31 December 2010, but has an option to extend for a further four years.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |