Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 18 July 2006
Scotland
Carbon Emissions
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent estimate he has made of the carbon emissions of his Department; what commitment he has made to reducing such emissions; and if he will make a statement. [81054]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office subscribes to the energy efficiency policies adopted by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs on 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1615W.
Departmental Travel
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to ensure that all flights undertaken by Ministers and officials in his Department are carbon neutral; and if he will make a statement. [81381]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office subscribes to the principles of environmental performance adopted by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs on 6 July 2006, Official Report, column 1344W.
Environmental Management
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department (a) is committed to the achievement of environmental management to ISO 14001 standard and (b) has been externally certified as in compliance with that standard; and if he will make a statement. [81189]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office subscribes to the environmental management principles adopted by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs on 13 July 2006, Official Report, column 1992W
Private Members’ Bills
Mr.
Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for
Scotland which Private Members' Bills were drafted by
his Department in each session since 1997; and which subsequently
received Royal Assent.
[78840]
David Cairns: Since the Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999, one private Member’s Bill has been drafted and has subsequently received Royal Assent—my Sunday Working (Scotland) Act 2003.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those Private Members' Bills in respect of which his Department has adopted a policy of neutrality in each session since 2001-02; and if he will make a statement. [72484]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office has not adopted a policy of neutrality on any of the private Members' Bills since session 2001-02 for which it had the lead interest.
Work and Pensions Select Committee
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action has been taken by his Department to implement Work and Pensions Select Committee recommendations since the 2001-02 session; and if he will make a statement. [78843]
David Cairns: The Government have responded to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee's recommendations in the period in question in the following published memoranda:
The Drinks Industry in Scotland: Response by the Government and the Scottish Executive (HC 696), published on 18 March 2002.
Customs Services in Scotland: Response by the Government (HC 1287), published on 5 November 2002
Employment in Shipbuilding on the Clyde: Response by the Government (HC 199), published on 19 December 2002
Homeworkers in Scotland and the Minimum Wage: Response by the Government (HC 816), published on 19 June 2003
The Coincidence of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in Scotland and the Consequences of Change: Response by the Government (HC514), published on 7 April 2004
The Proposed Whisky Strip Stamp: Response by the Government (HC 822), published on 5 July 2004
Meeting Scotland's Future Energy Needs: Government Response (HC 579), published on 24 October 2005
Each memorandum stated whether the Government accepted the recommendations in the relevant report.
Northern Ireland
Access to Work Scheme
Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many disabled staff in his Department received support through the Access to Work scheme (a) in each of the last five years and (b) in 2006-07. [82231]
Paul Goggins: The table provides information on the numbers of NIO staff with disabilities for whom NIO requested support through the Access to Work scheme. This relates to the provision of workplace assessments to identify individual needs and recommend special aids and equipment and, where applicable, the provision of assistance with the cost of providing reasonable adjustments. While the scheme also assists with the cost of travel to work, the Department has no knowledge of assistance provided for NIO staff, as individuals must apply direct to the scheme.
| Number | |
| (1
)To
date. | |
Building Regulations
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are in place to assess compliance with building regulations in Northern Ireland. [80954]
Mr. Hanson: Northern Ireland Civil Service Departments do not hold this information. Enforcement of building regulations is the responsibility of district councils. Having written to district councils I can confirm that Building Control employ professionally qualified and trained staff to carry out independent and impartial plan assessments and detailed inspection of all sites to ensure compliance. Applicants must notify Building Control at various stages of projects, and if remedial action is necessary, it is always carried out prior to the issue of the completion certificate.
Further Education
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision for those with (a) mental health difficulties and (b) learning disability is offered by further education colleges in the Province. [83728]
Maria Eagle: The Department for Employment and Learning is unable to provide the information in the format requested but can confirm that in 2004-05, the last year for which figures are available, further education colleges in Northern Ireland enrolled 14,231 students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities on a range of mainstream courses and, where more appropriate, on courses designed specifically for students with learning difficulties. FE colleges have also been provided with additional resources to make such physical adjustments as may be required to assist those with disabilities and learning difficulties.
Prisons
Mr.
Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of
State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of providing
assistance to prisoners in Northern Ireland to cease smoking in each of
the last three years.
[78738]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is not available for 2003 and 2004.
In 2005 the cost of providing nicotine replacement patches under prescription to prisoners was £12,082.09 and for the period 1 January to 31 May 2006 the cost was £4,692.45.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners have absconded from custody in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [80444]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Prison Service undertakes a thorough risk assessment prior to decisions being taken in respect of prisoner release, and has a low incidence of absconds.
The Northern Ireland Prison Service classifies absconds as prisoners released from lawful custody under Rule 27(2), who are accompanied outside the confines of the prison establishment.
| Numbers of prisoners absconding from custody - 2001 to date | |||
| Maghaberry | Magilligan | Hydebank Wood | |
Road Improvements
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what improvements are planned for the A26 road between Ballymena and Coleraine over the next two years. [85725]
David Cairns: The Acting Chief Executive of Roads Service, Mr. Geoff Allister, has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
Letter from Geoff Allister, dated 18 July 2006:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what improvements are planned for the A26 road between Ballymena and Coleraine over the next two years.
As this issue falls within my responsibility as Acting Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
I have to advise that there are no planned improvements for the A26 between Ballymena and Coleraine over the next two years.
Statutory Instruments
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005. [85180]
Mr.
Hain: Two statutory instruments sponsored by my Department
since October 2005 have been reported
by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective. Details
are as follows:
(a) The Prison and Young Offenders Centre (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2005 (S.R. 2005/153). See the Fourth Report of the Joint Committee of Statutory Instruments for session 2005-06, published on 19 October 2005; and
(b) The Pollution Prevention and Control (Amendment) and Connected Provisions (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 (S.R. 2005 No. 285). See Sixth Report of the JCSI for 2005-06, published on 26 October 2005.
Sustainable Buildings
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many homes built in the last 10 years in Northern Ireland do not comply with environmental building regulations. [80953]
Mr. Hanson: Northern Ireland civil service departments do not hold this information. Enforcement of building regulations is the responsibility of district councils. Having written to district councils I can confirm that no homes built in the last 10 years contravene the environmental building regulations.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Avian Flu
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his answer of 8 June 2006, Official Report, column 1341W, on avian influenza, when and in what manner the discussion took place between a departmental official with Mr. Steve Moon at which an offer was extended to Mr. Moon, or another representative of the Association of Local Government Ecologists, to participate in the avian influenza stakeholder group; and who the official was. [81142]
Mr. Bradshaw: There appears to have been some misunderstanding over this matter. A Defra official has written to Mr. Moon to express regret for this. I have also written to the Secretary of the Association of Local Government Ecologists inviting the association to participate in the AI Stakeholder Group.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his policy is on the vaccination of domestic birds against avian influenza; and if he will make a statement. [85232]
Mr. Bradshaw: The advice from the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) is that we should not vaccinate poultry in advance of an avian influenza outbreak, or as an immediate disease control response. Although currently available vaccines are able to reduce mortality, it is possible that some vaccinated birds would still be capable of transmitting the disease if they become infected, but might not display symptoms of disease. This would increase the time taken to detect and eradicate the virus. High standards of surveillance and biosecurity, early reporting of suspect cases and culling remain the most effective ways of preventing avian influenza and tackling an outbreak.
However, as I informed the House on 11 July, in order to be fully prepared we have invited tenders to supply us with a further 10 million doses of avian influenza vaccine for potential use in poultry and other captive birds. This is not a change in policy. The CVO has recommended this step as part of sensible contingency planning in the light of uncertainties about the future spread and nature of the virus, and the possibility of as yet unforeseen circumstances. The vaccine would only be used if a risk assessment and scientific evidence indicated it would help to prevent disease spread.
Fisheries
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the status is of the investigation into possible blackfish landings of pelagic fish. [86438]
Mr. Bradshaw: This is an issue for the Scottish Executive. As it is an ongoing investigation we are unable to comment.
Fly-tipping
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many fly-tipping incidents were recorded by Flycapture in 2004-05, broken down by local authority area. [85710]
Mr. Bradshaw: Data on fly-tipping incidents recorded by each local authority on the Flycapture database between April 2004 and March 2005 have been placed in the Library of the House.
Waste
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will estimate how many (a) mobile telephones and (b) printer cartridges were (i) recycled, (ii) reused overseas and (iii) disposed of within the waste stream in the last 12 months. [84068]
Mr. Bradshaw: This Department does not collect information on the recycling or reuse of mobile phones or printer cartridges. The mobile phone industry estimates that 18 million handsets are replaced every year and that in 2003 and 2004, about five million handsets were collected by mobile phone recycling and refurbishment companies in the UK. The industry estimates that about 60 per cent. of these were refurbished and the remaining 40 per cent. were sent for materials recycling.
Trade and Industry
Administrative Savings
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what administrative savings have been made by his Department in each of the last eight years. [34937]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department's annual reports contain information on departmental management and public service delivery, including on measures taken to improve efficiency and value for money.
For the years 1997-98 and 1998-99, value for money and efficiency savings were not reported separately in the Department's annual reports but were contained within the chapters on the management of the Department.
During the period covered by the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review (1999-2002), the Department had a strategic efficiency target to achieve savings of 2.5 per cent. of its running costs each year. In 1999-2000 DTI achieved a saving of 2.6 per cent. of running costs (£10.6 million on projected costs of £406.6 million); and in 2000-01 a saving of 4.6 per cent. (£19.3 million on projected costs of £418.8 million).
The CSR98 efficiency target was replaced for the 2000 Spending Review period (2001-04) by a Public Service Agreement Target to “achieve value for money improvements of 2.5 per cent. a year across the Department”, which was carried over into the 2002 Spending Review (2003-06). In 2001-02 value for money improvements under this target amounted to 3.79 per cent. (£16 million on projected costs of £422.3 million); and in 2002-03 amounted to 4.5 per cent. (£20.2 million on projected costs of £449.9 million).
Value for money improvements related to administration under the SR2002 PSA12 value for the money target amounted to £35.4 million in 2003-04 and £351.7 million in 2004-05. The Department's performance for 2005-06 against this PSA target will be covered in the 2006 departmental report, which is due to be published in spring 2006.
In the 2004 Spending Review the Department committed to achieve annual efficiencies of at least £380 million by 2007-08. The 2005 Autumn Performance Report, published last December, provides the most recent assessment of the Department's performance against this target £27.97 million efficiency gains related to administration spend were achieved by the end of Quarter 2.
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