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19 Apr 2006 : Column 660W—continued
Climate Change
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors led her to conclude that the announcement on 28 March 2006 on the UK Climate Change Programme 2006 was best made through a written rather than an oral statement to the House. [63257]
Mr. Morley:
The written statement made by the Secretary of State on the day provided a full account of the review process and the scope of the new Climate
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Change Programme. A copy of the Programme was placed in the Library. This approach was thought to provide the House with full and speedy information about the Programme.
Farming Link
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of (a) production and (b) distribution of the latest edition of her Department's Farming Link publication; and how many copies were produced. [63259]
Jim Knight: The cost of producing the March edition of Farmer's Link was £70,505. It was circulated to 170,000 recipients, including all farmers and growers.
This means that the March edition—which included 31 different news items and articles—cost around 41 pence per copy.
Flooding
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the Government will take steps to provide insurance to householders and businesses which are repeatedly flooded where insurance indemnities exclude cover. [63773]
Mr. Morley: There are no plans for the Government to provide flood insurance cover. As I explained in my answer to the hon. Member on 16 March 2006, Official Report, column 2397W, this remains broadly available to households in areas at risk of flooding in accordance with the Association of British Insurers' Statement of Principles. In some cases property-owners in areas of higher flood risk can take additional measures to enable them to obtain insurance, for example by investing in individual protection products to reduce potential damage to their property. The Environment Agency provides advice on these.
Government Offices (Energy Consumption)
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice her Department has issued to other Government Departments on the reduction of energy consumption in offices; and whether advice has been issued on the setting of average room temperature for offices. [63607]
Mr. Morley: Defra has not issued any advice to other Departments on reduction of energy consumption in offices, or on the setting of average room temperatures for offices. The onus lies with each Department to decide how best they can make energy and carbon savings, against cross Government targets set out in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government estate. Practical advice on energy saving is available to Departments through the Carbon Trust.
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department has adopted an ambient room temperature for its offices. [63610]
Mr. Morley:
During early 2006, Defra has been running the 'BIG SWITCH' energy efficiency campaign in its' offices, with the focus on eliminating waste and reducing carbon emissions. One element of the
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campaign has involved closer monitoring and control of ambient temperatures in our buildings. This has been informed by guidance issued by the Carbon Trust, who advise that for every 1oC of over-heating, fuel consumption increases by 8 to 10 per cent.
Oilseed Rape
John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many acres were given over to the growing of oilseed rape in England in the last five years. [63370]
Jim Knight: The information is as follows:
| Winter oilseed rape | Spring oilseed rape | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 306,405 | 60,793 |
| 2002 | 305,770 | 18,733 |
| 2003 | 367,014 | 55,365 |
| 2004 | 386,515 | 68,911 |
| 2005 | 455,173 | 24,781 |
Pesticides
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to carry out further research into the possible link between cancer and pesticides use. [63336]
Mr. Morley: The Government undertake a programme of research into pesticides and the potential human health effects of exposure to them. As part of this programme, we have commissioned a specific analysis of existing epidemiological research on cohorts of workers in pesticides manufacturing plants regarding possible links to prostate cancer.
Both the Department of Health's Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COG) and the Advisory Committee on Pesticides monitor the relevant scientific literature for emergency issues. The research programme is reviewed in the light of advice from these committees.
The Government are also currently considering its response to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (RCEP) report on 'Crop Spraying and the Health of Residents and Bystanders'. The Government may commission new research as a result of this although no decisions have yet been taken.
World Cup (Complimentary Tickets)
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complimentary tickets her Department has received for games taking place at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany. [63898]
Jim Knight:
None.
19 Apr 2006 : Column 663W
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Foreign Students
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many foreign students have travelled to England for university education in each of the last 10 years. [62986]
Bill Rammell: The latest available figures are given in the table. The figures in part reflect the success of the Prime Minister's initiative to increase the number of non-EU overseas students who come to study in the UK. Between 1996/97 and 2002/03 non-EU overseas students increased by 56,000.
(1) Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5, so components may not sum to totals. Figures are based on a snapshot count of students at 1 December in each academic year. The figures include incoming and exchange students who study part, as opposed to all, of their course at an English HEI.
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
Higher Education
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in Coventry, South went on to higher education in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005; and what proportion went to university. [62687]
Bill Rammell: The latest available figures on participation in higher education by constituency were published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in January 2005 in "Young Participation in England", which is available from their website at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2005/05_03/ This report shows participation rates for young people who enter higher education aged 18 or 19, disaggregated by constituency, for the years 1997 to 2000. It does not distinguish between those who entered universities and those who entered other higher education institutions. The figures for Coventry South, and the comparable figure for England, are shown in the table. HEFCE have not produced figures beyond 2000.
(2) Participation rates for constituencies are reported to the nearest whole number.
Source:
Higher Education Funding Council for England.
19 Apr 2006 : Column 664W
The total numbers of entrants from Coventry, South for each year since 2001/02 are given in the table:
| 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 18–19 | 445 | 420 | 425 | 485 |
| Aged over 19 | 570 | 695 | 775 | 930 |
| Total entrants | 1,015 | 1,115 | 1,200 | 1,415 |
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5.
The Department uses the Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) to assess progress on increasing first-time participation of English students aged 18–30 in higher education towards 50 per cent.: the latest provisional figure for 2004/05 is 42 per cent. The HEIPR is not calculated at constituency level.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of people in Beverley and Holderness went on to higher education in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005; what proportion went to university; and if she will make a statement. [63511]
Bill Rammell: The latest available figures on participation in higher education by constituency were published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in January 2005 in "Young Participation in England", which is available from their website at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2005/05_03/. This report shows participation rates for young people who enter higher education aged 18 or 19, disaggregated by constituency, for the years 1997 to 2000. It does not distinguish between those who entered universities and those who entered other higher education institutions. The figures for Beverley and Holderness, and the comparable figure for England, are shown in the table. HEFCE have not produced figures beyond 2000.
(3) Participation rates for constituencies are reported to the nearest whole number.
Source:
Higher Education Funding Council for England.
The total numbers of entrants from Beverley and Holderness for each year since 2001/02 are given in the table:
19 Apr 2006 : Column 665W
| 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 18–19 | 420 | 445 | 410 | 440 |
| Aged over 19 | 865 | 810 | 715 | 870 |
| Total entrants | 1,290 | 1,260 | 1,125 | 1,310 |
Note:
Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5, so components may not sum to totals.
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
The Department uses the Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) to assess progress on increasing first-time participation of English students aged 18–30 in higher education towards 50 per cent.: the latest provisional figure for 2004/05 is 42 per cent. The HEIPR is not calculated at constituency level.
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