Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 14 June 2006
Church Commissioners
Commissioners Chief Accounting Officer
Chris Huhne: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, (Sir Stuart Bell) representing the Church Commissioners what the (a) name, (b) professional and academic qualifications and (c) relevant experience are of the Commissioners’ chief accounting officer. [76818]
Sir Stuart Bell: The Secretary, appointed by the Church Commissioners, is the principal officer responsible to the Commissioners for the conduct of all business in their name and on their behalf. The current Secretary is Andrew Brown BSc (Hons) FRICS. He qualified as a chartered surveyor in 1982 and after 13 years in private practice, the last three as a partner, he joined the Church Commissioners as their first chief surveyor. He was appointed Secretary in 2003.
Transport
A3 Hindhead Improvement Scheme
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects a decision to be made on the A3 Hindhead improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement. [77521]
Dr. Ladyman: We are continuing to consider the inspector’s report into this scheme alongside the advice from the south east region on the priority it attaches to the improvement of the A3 at Hindhead within the indicative funding allocation for major transport schemes in the south east. We hope to make an announcement on the way forward for this scheme before the summer recess.
Criminal Offences
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by his Department since April 2005, broken down by Act. [76906]
Gillian Merron: The question is taken to refer to criminal offences created directly in primary (rather than subordinate) legislation sponsored by the Department for Transport that received Royal Assent in the period 1 May 2005 to 9 June 2006.
No criminal offences have been created directly by such legislation during this period.
Departmental Pension Liability
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the pension liability of his Department over the next 30 years. [75273]
Gillian Merron: Pension liabilities are not estimated for individual Departments. They are estimated for individual pension schemes.
HM Treasury have produced a technical note which shows the breakdown in liabilities per pension scheme. This note was placed in the Library of the House on 2 March 2006 following an oral statement in Parliament by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Government Car Service
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles in the Government car service fleet were made by (a) Peugeot and (b) Citroen. [77141]
Dr. Ladyman: The Government car service operates eight cars made by Peugeot/Citroen.
Highways Agency
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles are operated by the Highways Agency, broken down by model. [77187]
Dr. Ladyman: Vehicles operated by Highways Agency employed staff as part of the traffic officer vehicle fleet are as follows:
| Model | Number |
Motor Traders
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will issue guidance to post offices to ensure that they permit motor traders to present the different names on insurance documents and registration certificates when applying for a tax disc. [77079]
Dr. Ladyman: There is no intention to accept motor trade policies as evidence of insurance for vehicles registered in different names, unless a satisfactory link between the policy and the keeper can be established.
When a vehicle is licensed, the law requires evidence that there is insurance in force in relation to the keeper’s use of the vehicle. Motor trade policies provide cover for vehicles in the policyholder’s possession, allowing the trader to drive a vehicle in the course of business. This cover does not extend to the re-licensing of vehicles except when a vehicle is registered in the policyholder’s name.
Road Safety
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to complete his review of speed limits on roads; and if he will make a statement. [77701]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department’s revised guidance to local traffic authorities on setting local speed limits will be published in the coming weeks.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Badgers
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps he has taken to ensure that any badger cull in Shrewsbury and Atcham is not undermined by different procedures in Wales; [76185]
(2) whether he plans to start the cull of badgers on the same date in England as in Wales. [76628]
Mr. Bradshaw: No decision has yet been made on whether to cull badgers. However, given the seriousness of the disease situation. We aim to proceed as quickly as possible while giving the issue the thorough consideration it requires. The decision is not a simple one and we are taking into account all the evidence.
In considering this decision we will liaise closely with the Welsh Assembly Government.
Coastal Access
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in which locations there is no access to the UK coastline; and for what reason in each case. [76656]
Barry Gardiner: We do not hold information on the exact number of locations where the UK coastline is inaccessible, or the reasons for this. It would be at disproportionate cost to gather this information.
Commons Bill
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the judgment by the House of Lords in the Trap Grounds case; and what assessment he has made of its implications for the current drafting of the Commons Bill. [76324]
Barry Gardiner: The Trap Grounds judgment has clarified rights and protections over greens, and reversed the earlier ruling that action taken on land after a registration application can affect the determination of the application.
The judgment has no significant implications for the current drafting of the Commons Bill, but we intend to clarify the term “local inhabitants” in clause 15 in the light of relevant remarks on the judgment.
Correspondence
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he will
reply to the letter of 6 February 2006 from the hon. Member for Aylesbury on behalf of Weston Turville parish council, which was referred to his Department by the Home Office on 15 March 2006. [76341]
Barry Gardiner: I apologise for the delay in replying to the hon. Member's letter. A response was issued on 9 June 2006.
Deceased Horses
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on proposals to recover microchips from deceased horses. [76073]
Barry Gardiner: We have recently consulted on proposals to recover microchips from dead horses in line with Council Directives 90/426/EEC and 90/427/EEC. The consultation closed on 2 June and a response will be issued shortly.
Departmental Expenditure
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the 10 non-public sector entities that have received the largest total sum of payments from his Department in each of the last five years. [71794]
Barry Gardiner: The information requested is in the following tables.
| FY 2001-02 | |
| Vendor name | Total (£) |
| FY 2002-03 | |
| Vendor name | Total (£) |
| FY 2003-04 | |
| Vendor name | Total (£) |
| FY 2004-05 | |
| Vendor name | Total (£) |
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