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18 Oct 2006 : Column 1266W—continued
Tractors
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much in real terms was raised from vehicle excise duty on tractors in each of the last 20 years. [93792]
John Healey: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) administers the collection of vehicle excise duty. The collection totals for agricultural vehicles, which includes tractors, in each of the last 20 years in real terms is shown in the table. Providing disaggregated data on tractors would incur a disproportionate cost.
| Number of licensed agricultural vehicles | Rate of vehicle excise duty (VED) (£) | In cash terms (£ million) | In real terms (at 2005-06 prices) (£ million) | |
| (1 )Exempt from 1 April 2001. Note: An exemption was introduced for tractors from 2001. | ||||
Valuation Office Agency
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) of 3 May 2006, Official Report, column 1725W, on the Valuation Office Agency, whether the Agency has Data Strategy documents in addition to its Forward Plan and Annual Report and Accounts. [94661]
Dawn Primarolo: The Valuation Office Agency deals with a wide range of property advice and valuation work and in common with comparable organisations has a number of documents that deal with its strategy for handling the data required to support its activities.
Wales
Drug Addiction
8. John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of treatment for drug addiction in Wales. [93423]
Nick Ainger: The Welsh Assembly Government are determined to tackle the problems of drug abuse and is investing significantly in drug treatment services.
Agriculture
9. Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with Ministers of the Welsh Assembly Government on agriculture in Wales. [93424]
Nick Ainger: My right hon. Friend and I have regular meetings, with both ministerial colleagues and colleagues in the Welsh Assembly Government, on a range of topics, including agriculture.
Employment Statistics
10. Mrs. Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the latest employment figures for (a) Conwy constituency and (b) Wales. [93426]
Mr. Hain: More people in Wales are in employment than ever before.
Manufacturing
11. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent assessment he has made of trends in the Welsh manufacturing sector; and if he will make a statement. [93427]
Mr. Hain: Despite the fact that manufacturing in Wales as elsewhere continues to face huge competitive threat from low cost countries, it accounts for some 20 per cent. of total Welsh economic output and we continue to attract high level investment.
Railways
12. Albert Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the development of rail transport in Wales. [93428]
Nick Ainger: My right hon. Friend and I have regular meetings with Assembly colleagues on a variety of matters affecting Wales, including rail transport.
Ryder Cup
13. Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place for the Ryder Cup in Wales in 2010. [93429]
Nick Ainger: My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions about issues affecting Wales, including infrastructure development, with colleagues in the Welsh Assembly Government and elsewhere.
An infrastructure working group, led by the city of Newport, has been established and has been working up plans for the 2010 Ryder Cup.
Police
14. Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Welsh Assembly Government on police funding in Wales. [93430]
Mr. Hain: I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and with the Welsh Assembly Government about matters concerning Wales.
Conwy Valley Railway Line
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the First Secretary of the National Assembly of Wales to discuss the strengthening of the Conwy Valley railway line to enable it to carry heavy freight; and if he will make a statement. [94175]
Mr. Hain: I meet the First Minister regularly to discuss issues affecting Wales, including rail infrastructure projects such as the proposal to upgrade the Conwy Valley railway line to carry heavy freight.
Disabled Staff
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was paid to his Department from the Access to Work Scheme for adjustments for disabled staff in the last year for which figures are available; from what budget he plans to meet the costs of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff following withdrawal of Access to Work funding for central Government Departments; and if he will make a statement. [89010]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office forms part of the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA). It is not possible to confirm the precise contributions made to the Wales Office under the Access to Work Scheme over the last year without incurring disproportionate costs, as there is no central record held within the Wales Office or DCA.
With effect from 1 October 2006, with the withdrawal of funding by Access to Work to employees of central Government Departments, the DCA intends to continue its responsibility for financing and supporting any required reasonable adjustments for its employees from the relevant operating budgets. All Wales Office staff will continue to benefit through similar arrangements.
Health Service
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the Assembly Minister for Health to discuss the performance of the NHS in Wales. [93595]
Mr. Hain: I regularly meet the First Minister when we discuss a range of issues, including the performance of the NHS in Wales. Performance of the NHS in Wales is improving as a result of Welsh Assembly Government policies.
More than £5 billion is being spent on health in Wales this year, that’s more than £1,600 per person, and over double the figure spent in 1996-97.
There are over 450 more consultants and over 7,300 more qualified nurses in Wales than in 1997.
Waiting lists are down as follows:
At the end of August 2006 there was only one patient waiting over 12 months for in-patient or day case treatment
Over the past two years in-patient/day case waits over 18 months have been cut more than 8,500 to none
At the end of August 2006 79 per cent. of patients on the in-patient/day case waiting list had been waiting for less than six months
Out-patient waits of 18 months have been cut by over 7,200 to four
Out-patient waits over 12 months have been cut from more than 24,100 to 10
At the end of August 2006 84 per cent. of the patients on the out-patients waiting list had been waiting for less than six months.
Northern Ireland
Assaults (NHS Staff/Police)
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the maximum sentence available is in Northern Ireland for assault on (a) a police officer and (b) a nurse; and if he will make a statement. [93321]
Mr. Hanson: The maximum sentence available in Northern Ireland for the offence of assault on a police officer is two years. The maximum sentence available in Northern Ireland for assault on a nurse is one year.
Bus Lanes
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the introduction of bus lanes on Belfast’s main arterial roads in reducing the number of cars on the roads; and if he will make a statement. [94057]
David Cairns: The chief executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has written to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 17 October 2006:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the introduction of bus lanes on Belfast’s main arterial roads in reducing the number of cars; and if he will make a statement.
As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
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