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24 May 2006 : Column 1816W—continued
Solicitor-General
Crown Prosecution Service
Mr. Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General who in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is responsible for progress on each of the targets set out on page 7 of its Business Plan 2006-07; to whom each person reports; what discussions he has had with stakeholders about implementation of each target; and if he will make a statement. [66858]
The Solicitor-General: The CPS headquarters directors responsible for delivering the targets set out on page 7 of the CPS Business Plan 2006-07 are given in the section of the Plan entitled “Delivering the CPS Priorities for 2006-07.” They all report to the Chief Executive and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Regular consultation on the Public Service Agreement and other CPS and Criminal Justice System (CJS) targets is conducted with CJS colleagues, including the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, and with other stakeholders through the work of the National Criminal Justice Board. The Attorney-General, the Director of Public Prosecutions and Chief Executive of the CPS and I are members of, and play a full part in, the National Criminal Justice Board.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how many copies of the Crown Prosecution Service Business Plan
2006-07 were produced; at what cost; to whom copies were disseminated; who was consulted prior to publication; how (a) hon. Members, (b) Members of the House of Lords and (c) members of the public can obtain copies; at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [66859]
The Solicitor-General: 2,000 copies of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Business Plan 2006-07 were produced at a cost of £13,452.15. The copies are available to staff, circulated to criminal justice partners, via Chief Crown Prosecutors to local stakeholders and to other Government Departments. The Plan is not formally laid before Parliament but is available electronically on the CPS website (www.cps.gov.uk) or can be obtained, without charge, by contacting the CPS at 50 Ludgate Hill London EC4M 7EX.
The plan is prepared from contributions across the CPS and, where cross-cutting CJS initiatives are described, CJS partners including the Office for Criminal Justice Reform are consulted.
House of Commons Commission
Dining Room Bookings
John Mann: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission which hon. Members have booked one of the dining rooms A, B, C and D for lunch or dinner in the last 12 months; and on behalf of which organisations in each case. [73173]
Nick Harvey: It is not the practice of the House to release details of bookings made by individual hon. Members of catering facilities, whether made for private functions or on behalf of internal or external organisations. Any Member sponsoring a function in the House’s banqueting facilities is obliged to declare any relevant interest, and the rules do not allow use of the private dining rooms for direct financial or material gain by a sponsoring Member or any other person or outside organisation.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Biofuels
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with their counterparts in the German Government on ways of expanding the biofuel industry. [70805]
Ian Pearson: No specific bilateral discussions have taken place with Germany. However, the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) and officials were involved in EU discussions on the biomass action plan, which was published in December
2005. The plan outlines how energy from crops, trees and waste can make a strong contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Consultants
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the companies which were paid consultancy fees by his Department in 2005-06; how much each was paid; and what each of the companies was used to accomplish. [69696]
Barry Gardiner: The Department does not hold a central list of what every consultancy and professional services provider was used to accomplish and such a list could be provided only at disproportionate cost. As part of the preparation of its annual value for money return to the Office of Government Commerce the core-department is analysing its expenditure on consultancy and professional services for the financial year 2005-06. A list of the companies which were paid consultancy and professional fees by the Department in 2005-06 and how much each was paid will be placed in the Library of the House by no later than the week commencing 24 July 2006.
Departmental Budget
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on advertising by his Department in each of the last three years. [70544]
Barry Gardiner: The centralised departmental expenditure on advertising in the last three financial years was as follows:
| £ | |
Information on advertising spend by non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies and independent statutory bodies is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Staff
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what facility is available for senior civil servants in his Department to use credit cards supplied by the Department. [70548]
Barry Gardiner: The Government Procurement Card (GPC), which is a bespoke commercial Visa Purchasing Card, is available currently to all Departments. The GPC is generally used for the prompt and efficient payment of goods and services across the UK public sector and is also widely used by Government officials including Senior Civil Servants for payment of travel and subsistence.
There are currently in excess of 73,000 GPC's issued across the UK public sector. Additionally, there are currently in excess of 130,000 Government Fuel Cards (GFC's) issued across the UK public sector.
Defra has 1326 GPC's and 135 GFC's.
Fishing (Cornwall)
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many fishermen operate from Cornwall’s four biggest ports. [72778]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department does not hold this specific information. However, data are available on the number of fishermen operating in the Western District in 2004 following a survey carried out by the Marine Fisheries Agency. 801 fishermen were operating at the time, 729 of whom were full-time while 72 were part-time. The Marine Fisheries Agency also holds information relating to the number of vessels whose home ports are respectively Newlyn, Falmouth, Looe and Padstow—the four biggest ports in Cornwall based on the amount of landings in the period 2003 to 2005. Currently, there are 99 vessels over 10 m in length and 211 vessels of length 10 m and under.
Lord Rooker
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of Lord Rooker's time is expected to be spent on the affairs of his Department. [72371]
Barry Gardiner: My noble Friend will spend all the time that is necessary to fulfil his responsibility as Minister for Sustainable Farming and Food.
Ministerial Visits
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discounts are available in relation to hotel accommodation used by (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department. [69094]
Barry Gardiner: From information held centrally, civil servants and special advisers travelling on official business have through DEFRA's hotel booking agent taken 5,494 room nights during the financial year 2005-06 and which have attracted an average discount of 31.8 per cent. off published tariffs.
Modulation
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has for funding the voluntary modulation measure to reward farmers for making a contribution to his Department's environmental targets. [72524]
Barry Gardiner: In England, we have been using voluntary modulation since 2001. This has enabled us to reward farmers for protecting and enhancing the environment. In 2006, agri-environment payments from voluntary modulation receipts will continue to be match-funded with exchequer money.
Discussions are continuing within Government about how to fund the new Rural Development Programme for England 2007-13. These discussions are subject to European Commission proposals about how the voluntary modulation mechanism will operate from 2007 onwards. No decisions have yet been taken about the application of voluntary modulation and any match-funding in this period.
Nuclear Waste Storage
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the storage options for nuclear waste; and if he will make a statement. [72628]
Ian Pearson: Storage options for nuclear waste are being assessed by the independent Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM), which was appointed by the Government in November 2003.
The short list of options that CoRWM is currently assessing are: long-term interim storage; deep geological disposal, phased deep geological disposal and near surface disposal of short-lived decommissioning waste.
CoRWM have published draft recommendations which are open to public consultation until May26 2006. They are available at:
http://www.corwm.org.uk/pdf/None%20-%20CoRWMs%20Draft%20Recommendations%2027%20April.pdf
Storage of nuclear waste is the responsibility of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, who will review their strategy in light of CoRWM's recommendations.
Portland PR
Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what meetings officials in his Department have had with representatives of the public relations company Portland PR; what contracts Portland PR has withhis Department and agencies for which he has responsibility; and what the nature of the contract is in each case. [70052]
Barry Gardiner: The Department does not maintain a central list of such meetings. Civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and business delivery. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the civil service code and guidance for civil servantson contacts with lobbyists and people outside Government.
Rural Development Programmes
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the impact on farmers in border areas of having different provisions for animal welfare in the rural development programmes in England, Wales and Scotland between 2007 and 2013. [72346]
Barry Gardiner: There will continue to be separate rural development programmes for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for the new programming period, 2007-13. This is necessary to reflect the different priorities and needs identified within each part of the UK. There will be some differences in the application of measures provided for by the Rural Development Regulation in different parts of the UK, and farmers in border areas will only be eligible for rural development support under the programme covering the area in which their land is located.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the devolved administrations about the rural development programmes for England, Wales and Scotland between 2007 and 2013. [72347]
Barry Gardiner: Since taking up my post on May 5, I have not yet met with colleagues in the devolved administrations to discuss rural development. However, our officials meet regularly to co-ordinate the approach within the UK to the EU Rural Development Regulation.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to publish the outcome of the consultation on the England rural development programme 2007 to 2013; and if he will make a statement. [72348]
Barry Gardiner: The consultation on the rural development programme for England 2007-13 closed on Monday 22 May. We are now analysing the responses and will publish a report on the results as soon as possible.
Sewage
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the potential risks to health arising from the spreading of sewage sludge on fields near homes. [72439]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 22 May 2006]: A study carried out in the USA has examined the evidence for Staphylococcus aureus (SA) in sewage sludge applied to land and whether a route existed by which populations living in proximity to sludge spreading could be infected. The result of this work was that no SA were detected in any background aerosol or sludge aerosol sample.
The producers of sewage sludge (the water companies) work closely with farmers to ensure that
recycling to agricultural land is carried out in accordance with: (i) The Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 as amended, enforced by the Environment Agency, (ii) the Safe Sludge Matrix, under which they have agreed to ban the use of untreated sludge, and (iii) the non-statutory code of practice, which includes recommendations on environmental protection relating to odour control and proximity to properties.
Sustainable Development
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how his Department has sought to influence consumption patterns since the publication of “Securing the Future”, the UK Government’s Sustainable Development Strategy. [72310]
Ian Pearson: Following the publication of “Securing the Future” on 7 March 2005, we have collated evidence on the environmental impacts arising from households and how to influence patterns of use. A new information service, will offer advice to the public on how to make the most sustainable consumption choices. Our Environmental Action Fund initiative provides support to voluntary projects to influence consumer behaviour.
The new Round Table on Sustainable Consumption provides advice to Government for actions and policies to create a shift to more sustainable lifestyles. These measures will help the Government to continue to develop sustainable consumption policies. A report on progress will be published in late 2006.
Tallow
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) under what terms renderers are permitted to burn tallow; [72400]
(2) what assessment he has made of the (a) environmental and (b) economic consequences of the incentive scheme for the burning of tallow. [72401]
Ian Pearson: The EU Animal By-Products Regulation (ABPR) requires a range of animal by-products and substances derived from them (including tallow), to be disposed of as waste. Where the method of disposal is incineration or co-incineration (i.e. use as a fuel), the ABPR requires it to be carried out in compliance with the waste incineration directive (WID). Installations may burn tallow provided they comply with these requirements.
There is no specific incentive scheme for the burning of tallow although, as a form of biomass, tallow burning may qualify for renewables obligation certificates (ROCs). Since the WID came fully into force however, the Government are not aware of any significant burning of tallow which is eligible for ROCs.
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