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3 July 2006 : Column 733W—continued
GovNet Expo 2006
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Prime Minister what the cost is to the Government as a whole of supporting GovNet Expo 2006. [79218]
The Prime Minister: The information requested is not held centrally.
Guantanamo Bay
Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with other heads of government at the recent European Council on the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. [80356]
The Prime Minister: There was no discussion of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility at the June European Council.
Israel
Richard Burden: To ask the Prime Minister whether he raised the cases of Tom Hurndall and James Miller with Prime Minister Olmert during his recent visit to the UK; and if he will make a statement. [82162]
The Prime Minister: I raised the cases of James Miller and Tom Hurndall with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert during his recent visit to London. The British embassy in Tel Aviv and consular officials in London continue to follow both cases closely and to offer the families of both men consular assistance.
New Aircraft
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Prime Minister what the projected total cost is of purchasing new aircraft for his use and that of members of the Royal Family; what the annual (a) running costs and (b) costs of cabin staff and pilots' salaries are expected to be; and if he will make a statement. [80113]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on 29 June 2006, Official Report, columns 19-21WS.
Special Envoy
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister for what reason he deemed it necessary to appoint a special envoy to be his representative solely to the Sultan of Brunei. [81020]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 19 June 2006, Official Report, columns 1614-15W.
United Arab Emirates
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has visited the United Arab Emirates on official business since May 1997. [81897]
The Prime Minister: Since 1999, the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Copies of these lists are available in the Library of the House. Information on the number of officials accompanying Ministers on overseas visits is included in the list. All Ministers’ travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in chapter 10 of the ministerial code, and the accompanying guidance document, “Travel by Ministers”. Information for the year 2005-06 will be published as soon as it is ready.
Constitutional Affairs
Child Access
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many parents with care have been imprisoned in the last five years for ignoring court orders and obstructing access to children by their non-resident parent. [80343]
Ms Harman: Information on how many parents with care have been imprisoned in the last five years for ignoring court orders and obstructing access to children by their non-resident parent is not recorded. However, the figures in the following table show the number of people remanded in custody. These cases include those sentenced to prison and those kept in police cells. The table also shows the number of people remanded on bail or for medical reports.
| Financial Year | Bail | Custody | Medical Reports | Total |
The figures in the table are from the county and High Courts only and relate to the breach of Family Law Act 1996 orders.
Correspondence
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average cost to her Department was of replying to a letter written (a) by an hon. Member and (b) by a member of the public in the latest period for which
figures are available; and how much of that sum is accounted for by (i) officials' time, (ii) cost of stationery and (iii) postage costs. [80475]
Vera Baird: The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members, peers' correspondence. The report for 2005 was published on 30 March 2006, Official Report, columns 76-78WS. The information requested is not recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Foreign Travel
Philip Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent on foreign travel by her Department in each of the last eight years. [76054]
Vera Baird: The costs for foreign travel (in each year since 1997) are not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts without incurring disproportionate costs.
The Department has published rules for official travel in its staff handbook, and all travel is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the “Civil Service Management Code”. In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government also published annually the cost of all Ministers visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House and they report information for the financial years 1995-96 to 2005-06. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the “Ministerial Code” and “Travel by Ministers”, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
Operation Payback
Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Operation Payback; whether it has operated in (a) Redbridge and (b) Waltham Forest; and if she will make a statement. [78556]
Ms Harman: The last Operation Payback initiative (Operation Payback 3) took place between 15 and23 October 2005. Operation Payback 3 was undertaken by all 42 HMCS areas including north-east London, which covers Redbridge and Waltham Forest.
A reduction in financial penalties outstanding of £2.09 million can be specifically attributed to Operation Payback 3. In total, the three Operation Paybacks undertaken to date have reduced court debt by over £4.5 million.
Transport
A120(T)
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the conclusions were of the stage 1 study into the improvements of the A120(T) in relation to the proposed Bathside Bay development in Harwich; when a decision will be made on formal planning permission; and if he will make a statement. [81100]
Dr. Ladyman: Planning permission for the Bathside Bay development was granted on 29 March this year—subject to final approval of an appropriate road scheme by Ministers.
The developer-funded study into options to improve the A120(T) in relation to the proposed development is still under way. It is expected to be completed in September. In the light of this, the Secretary of State will decide which, if any of the road options, should be put to public consultation, which could then take place early next year.
Aviation (Climate Change)
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the relative impact on climate change of night flights and day flights when other factors are the same. [80662]
Gillian Merron: No assessments have been made of the relative impacts of night and day flights on climate change. The Department keeps up to date with and seeks to extend its knowledge on climate change issues, including the recent study published by the University of Reading. Further work and scientific understanding of the effects of aviation contrails and particularly cirrus cloud is required to enable aviation to minimise its climate impact through technical advances and policy measures.
Bus Fares
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the practice of some bus companies which require local authorities to reimburse them under the national travel scheme on the basis of two single fares rather than a return fare where this would be applicable; what estimate he has made of the resulting cost to local authorities; and if he will make a statement. [80761]
Gillian Merron: None. The main principle which applies to reimbursement is that bus operators are ‘no better/no worse off’ as a result of taking part in concessionary fares schemes. Reimbursement for lost revenue should be based on the average amount each concessionary traveller would have paid in the absence of the scheme (the average equivalent full fare).
It is for each Concessionary Travel Authority and its bus operators to reach local agreement on the appropriate “average fare”. Reimbursement payments
are subject to audits of ticket sales data and, if the authority requires further information, on-bus surveys of patronage.
Commuter Delays
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what average delay was experienced by commuters in each of the last 12 months on overland trains into London. [78627]
Derek Twigg: This information is not held by the Department in the format requested.
Motorways
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many kilometres of motorway have been resurfaced with quiet noise surface in each year since 1997; and how many kilometres were so resurfaced before they reached the normal life requirement for renewal in each year. [81065]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of lane kilometres of motorway laid with quieter surfacing in each calendar year since 1997 is set out in the following table:
| Calendar year | Lane kilometres of motorway resurfaced |
| Source: Information taken from the Highways Agency Pavement Management System (HA-PMS) as at 27 June 2006. | |
As our priority has been to maintain a safe and serviceable network, no resurfacing works have been undertaken ahead of maintenance requirements.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the relevance to the United Kingdom of the Austrian vignette scheme for charging for motorway use. [81067]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department monitors closely the development and operation of road tolling and pricing schemes throughout the world, including the Austrian lorry charge. We recognise that the experience of running road charging schemes in other countries may provide valuable lessons for the United Kingdom as we continue to consider how a system of national road pricing might be developed. At the same time, our analysis takes into account the fact that schemes in other countries are inevitably tailored to meet local circumstances.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passenger kilometres were travelled on each motorway of the United Kingdom in each of the last five years. [81086]
Dr. Ladyman: The information is not available.
Olympics
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what undertakings were entered into with the organisers of the Olympic Games concerning the journey time between Heathrow and Weymouth; what the journey time is; and what plans there are to meet those undertakings. [81088]
Gillian Merron: In the Candidature File, submitted to the International Olympic Committee in November 2004, London 2012 estimated a journey time of 2 hours 20 minutes for the 206 km journey. It is now for the Olympic Delivery Authority, in preparing its Olympic Transport Plan, to set out the detailed transportation arrangements for each Olympic venue.
Peterborough Station
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the recent increase in car parking charges at Peterborough railway station; [81824]
(2) what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the increase in car parking charges at Peterborough railway station on the Government's (a) transport plan and (b) policy to encourage more people to use public transport; [81825]
(3) what research he has commissioned on the impact of the level of car parking charges at railway stations on rail usage; and if he will make a statement. [81826]
Derek Twigg: Car parking charges are not regulated and are a commercial matter for the train operating company concerned. The Department for Transport has not commissioned research into the level of car parking charges at railway stations.
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