| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
5 Dec 2006 : Column 226W—continued
Warm Front
Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guarantees are offered to householders who have had new central heating systems installed by the EAGA group under the Warm Front grants scheme. [107043]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 4 December 2006]: Under the Warm Front scheme, gas central heating installations and gas replacement boilers receive two years’ breakdown cover and two annual service visits.
Gas repairs that cost more than £250 receive two years’ breakdown cover and two annual service visits. Gas repairs that cost less than £250 are subject to a one year cover from the contracted installer.
Oil central heating and electric systems are subject to a one year cover from the contracted installer.
Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average length of time was between submission of an application for a warm front grant and the relevant works being completed in the latest period for which figures are available. [107044]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 4 December 2006]: From June 2005 to October 2006, the average time across England for a warm front survey to take place, after initial contact was made by the applicant, was 14 working days.
The average time for completion of applications where heating work was required, from initial contact to all measures being installed, was 95 working days.
The average time for completion of applications where only insulation was required, from initial contact to measures being installed, was 48 working days.
Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to ensure that householders who have received warm front grants are entitled to a fully itemised list of all works completed. [107045]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 4 December 2006]: When a household is recommended for energy efficiency measures under warm front, the householder will initially receive an indication, from a scheme manager assessor, of those measures that could potentially be carried out.
The contractor appointed to undertake the work will then perform a full survey and provide the warm front scheme manager with a list of required materials, and an indication of the labour requirements to undertake the work.
Upon the householder's request, the scheme manager will provide a fully itemised list of all the works to be undertaken and the total cost of these works. For commercial confidentiality reasons, individual material prices are not shared.
Waste Management
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) waste minimisation schemes and (b) the Real Nappy Programme in encouraging people to produce less waste; [106401]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect of the Real Nappy Campaign on (a) long-term changes in consumer purchasing behaviour in relation to nappies and (b) general consumer behaviour. [106402]
Mr. Bradshaw: [holding answer 30 November 2006]: The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) recently published an Achievement Report. This included details of progress made on minimising waste through composting, reusable nappies, and in the retail sector. Progress made included:
(i) signing up 92 per cent. of UK grocery retailers to the Courtauld Commitment to reduce packaging and food waste
(ii) recruiting an additional 335,000 households as home composters
(iii) diverting 22,954 tonnes of biodegradable nappy waste from landfill.
The Report is available from the WRAP website at:
http://www.wrap.org.uk/wrap_corporate/about_wrap/wraps.html.
As WRAP’s work on reusable nappies started in 2003, it is too early to say what long-term changes there have been in consumer behaviour. The challenge in relation to reusable nappies, because of the convenience of disposable nappies, was recognised from the outset. I understand that WRAP will be preparing a report on lessons learnt from the campaign in the spring of 2007.
Each of the elements of WRAP’s work on waste minimisation has produced valuable experience of how to influence consumer behaviour in making choices which reduce the amount of waste created.
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government’s estimate is of how long existing landfill sites in England will be able to meet waste disposal needs. [107012]
Mr. Bradshaw: There is sufficient landfill capacity in England to meet current waste disposal needs. Future capacity is difficult to predict. However, a number of Government policies are designed to significantly reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.
More challenging waste targets, progressively lower landfill limits and the escalating landfill tax will all help the UK to move away from its reliance on landfill. These measures will also encourage more sustainable waste management through greater reduction, reuse and recycling.
Water Services: Kent
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what impact the decision to allow Folkestone and Dover Water Services to require households to have water meters has had on (a) the number of households with water meters installed and (b) the volume of water used; and if he will make a statement. [107426]
Ian Pearson: Following Folkestone and Dover Water Services' successful application for water scarcity status, determined on 1 March 2006, the company is able to compulsorily meter its customers for the 10-year period from 1 April 2006. The company plans to begin using these additional powers from January 2007, so there has been no impact on the number of households metered or the volume of water used, as yet.
During 2005-06, Folkestone and Dover Water Services installed 1,441 optional household meters and 2,108 selective household meters. Ofwat reported that by the end of the 2005-06 reporting year, 45.7 per cent. of the company's households were metered.
The impact of the decision to grant water scarcity status to Folkestone and Dover Water Services on the number of households with water meters will be reported to Ofwat for the first full year of reporting in June 2007. The information will be published in Ofwat's annual report “Security of supply, leakage and water efficiency” next year. The company plans to have 90 per cent. of its households metered by the end of the 10-year period.
The company estimates that metering households can reduce their water usage by up to 15 per cent.
Transport
A15
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to support the dualling of the A15 east trunk road between Glinton and Gunthorpe, east of Peterborough; and if he will make a statement. [107667]
Gillian Merron: The A15 between Glinton and Gunthorpe is not a trunk road and so is the responsibility of Peterborough city council as local highway authority. Their second Local Transport Plan, published in March 2006, currently being assessed by the Department for Transport, proposes incremental improvements beginning with dualling the section between junction 21 (Gunthorpe) and junction 20 (Werrington). The Department for Communities and Local Government announced approval on 3 August 2006 of Growth Area Funds to the sum of £5.85 million for this work. The target date for completion is March 2008.
A630: Repairs and Maintenance
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans (a) to resurface and (b) to remove the subsidence on the A630 Sheffield Parkway between the city of Sheffield and the M1 motorway. [106964]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer the right hon. Member to my answer of 16 October 2006, Official Report, column 913W.
Aviation
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many aircraft movements there have been into and out of (a) Southampton, (b) Gatwick, (c) Heathrow and (d) Farnborough airports in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [107086]
Gillian Merron:
Information on aircraft movements into and out of Southampton, Gatwick and Heathrow in each of the last ten years is published in table 3.2 of
the publication “UK Airports Statistics: 2005” which can be found on the Civil Aviation Authority's website:
www.caa.co.uk/statistics
Data for Farnborough airport are not available.
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the annual number of aircraft movements over Basingstoke has been in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [107081]
Gillian Merron: This information is not held by the Department for Transport. If the hon. Member writes to the chief executive of National Air Traffic Services Ltd., they will provide the information requested.
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at what altitude commercial aircraft are permitted to fly over Basingstoke; whether this has changed in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [107082]
Gillian Merron: The base of controlled airspace over Basingstoke is 5,500 feet. Commercial aircraft flying within controlled airspace under the control of NATS would be above this level. There have been no changes to the vertical dimensions in this portion of controlled airspace within the last 10 years.
Commercial aircraft may also operate outside controlled airspace below 5,500 feet. Such traffic may use one of the aerodromes in the vicinity of Basingstoke including Farnborough, Blackbushe and Lasham. Commercial aircraft arriving at Farnborough, for example, would be at least 1,800 feet in the vicinity of Basingstoke.
Aircraft may not fly below 1,000 feet over built up areas without written permission from the CAA. The minimum height was changed from 1,500 feet in 2005 after extensive consultation by the CAA.
Blue Badges
Mr. Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many blue badges for children under two years old have been authorised by local authorities in England in each of the last 10 years; [102014]
(2) whether local authorities have discretion in issuing blue badges to children under two years old. [102015]
Gillian Merron: Under the regulations governing the Blue Badge Scheme in England local authorities are not authorised to issue blue badges to children under the age of two. This rule was introduced in 1983 and there are no exemptions to that rule.
However, following a comprehensive review of the Blue Badge Scheme, we accepted a recommendation from our statutory advisers, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), to extend eligibility to children under two whose medical needs require the transport of bulky, essential medical equipment. This change, along with a number of others, requires amendments to secondary legislation and we are hoping to consult on draft regulations in the near future.
Drink-driving
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for a Christmas drink-driving campaign; and if he will make a statement. [106862]
Dr. Ladyman: For details of the Department’s THINK! Christmas drink-drive campaign, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to the hon. Member for Colchester (Bob Russell) on 21 November 2006, Official Report, column 38W.
Exhaust Emissions: Dartford
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department collects on pollution levels in the vicinity of the toll booths on the Dartford-Thurrock crossing, broken down by (a) hour of the day, (b) month and (c) season. [107517]
Dr. Ladyman: An annual survey of air quality in the toll booths is carried out. However the results are not broken down by (a) hour of the day, (b) month and (c) season.
The results of this annual survey are compared with the Health and Safety Executive’s Occupational Exposure Standards (OES). The most recent survey, completed in August 2006, showed that all the results achieved the OES.
Foreign Hauliers
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms are in place to ensure that foreign hauliers contribute towards the environmental costs of their work in the UK. [104570]
Dr. Ladyman: We are taking forward plans for distance-based lorry charging as part of our wider work on national road pricing. Road pricing has the potential to reflect the wider costs which lorries impose in the UK, especially congestion costs.
All EU registered lorries operating in the UK have to pay at least the EU prescribed minimum levels of fuel duty and vehicle excise duty, thus contributing towards the costs which they impose.
Heathrow Airport
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to hold a public consultation on (a) a third runway and (b) ending runway alteration at Heathrow airport; when he expects such consultations to take place; and if he will make a statement. [104799]
Gillian Merron: We plan to consult next year on possible further development of Heathrow, following completion of our assessment of the environmental impacts. The consultation will address the impacts of a third runway. In the Air Transport White Paper we supported this in principle, provided key conditions can be met. Consultation will also cover the scope for greater utilisation of the two existing runways, which would involve loss of runway alternation.
Helicopter Noise
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received on helicopter noise; and if he will make a statement; [106035]
(2) what plans he has to undertake a review of helicopter movements and noise in London in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement; [106036]
(3) what plans he has to implement those recommendations of the London Assembly’s recent Environmental Committee Report, ‘London in a Spin—A review of helicopter noise,’ which fall within his responsibilities; and if he will make a statement. [106037]
Gillian Merron: The Department receives complaints from time to time about the noise arising from helicopter operations, particularly in the summer months.
The London Assembly Environment Committee’s report “London in a spin—A review of helicopter noise” was received with interest by the Department. The Department has no immediate plans to regulate helicopters more closely. The recommendations in the report are substantial and I will be meeting with representatives of the Committee in December to discuss these further.
Lorries
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking in response to the findings of the first phase of the study it commissioned into wheel loss; and when his Department intends to commission phase 2 of the study. [107847]
Dr. Ladyman: Following the completion of phase 1 of the wheel loss study (which looked at the scale of the problem and current operator practices), we have published the report and are sharing it with the operating industry. We shall also present it to the group of international experts at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe meeting in February 2007.
A further phase of research is planned. Department for Transport officials are currently finalising the specification for this. Allowing time to complete the specification and for the tendering process, I would expect the contract to be awarded early in 2007.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |