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11 Dec 2006 : Column 729W—continued
House of Commons Commission
Freedom of Information Act
Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many requests for information the House authorities have received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 from (a) hon. Members and (b) others since 1 January 2005; and how many of the requests were (i) fully met, (ii) met in part and (iii) not met in each case. [107896]
Nick Harvey: The following information relates to requests logged up to the end of November 2006:
(a) Since January 2005 the House has received six requests from hon. Members. One request was fully met, two were met in part and three were not met.
(b) Overall the House has logged 367 requests. Of the 307 cases where it was deemed that the House held the information requested, 122 were fully met, 76 were met in part and 109 were not met.
Select Committees (Public Admittance)
Kate Hoey: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission whether consideration has been given to the introduction of a numbered ticketing system for members of the public who wish to attend select committee meetings; and if he will make a statement. [105007]
Nick Harvey: Consideration has not been given to the introduction of a numbered ticketing system for members of the public who wish to attend select committee meetings. There is currently no awareness of demand for such a system.
Theft
Mr. David Jones: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many incidents of theft of the property of (a) hon. Members and (b) hon. Members’ staff have been notified to the House authorities in each of the last three years. [105016]
Nick Harvey: The following figures show the total numbers of thefts across the parliamentary estate and the number of thefts from hon. Members. Separate records of thefts from hon. Members’ staff are not kept and these are included in “other thefts”.
| Thefts from hon. Members | Other thefts | Total thefts | |
Solicitor-General
Court Cases
Margaret Moran: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases were not proceeded with at court as a result of non-appearance of Crown Prosecution Service witnesses in (a) England and Wales and (b) Luton in the last 12 months. [105344]
The Solicitor-General: The following table shows the number of defendants whose case resulted in an unsuccessful outcome because a prosecution witness failed to attend court unexpectedly in each of the last three years.
| CPS England and Wales | CPS Luton | |
| (1 )1 April to 4 December 2006. | ||
Martin Allen
Norman Baker: To ask the Solicitor-General when a decision is expected in respect of the police report submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service in the case of Martin Allen. [107894]
The Solicitor-General: An Advice file was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) inSeptember 2005. As a result an extensive and complex investigation has been conducted by the Metropolitan police. As the case is on-going I am unable to go into the details of those enquiries at this stage.
In giving a charging decision, the CPS must consider whether or not there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that it is in the public interest to commence a prosecution. The CPS has asked that they be provided with further material they consider essential prior to reaching a fully informed decision in this case. I regret that it is not possible to estimate when the CPS will be in a position to make a final charging decision, although they are fully aware of the necessity to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Animal Welfare
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who the members are of the England Implementation Group looking at the animal health and welfare strategy. [105466]
Mr. Bradshaw: The membership of the England Implementation Group looking at the animal health and welfare strategy is as follows:
Helen Browning (Chair)
Richard Bennett
Tim Brigstocke
Chris Brown
Neil Cutler
Nigel Durnford
Stewart Houston
Peter Jinman
Diane McCrea
Martin Potter
Peter Scott
Dick Sibley
Sarah Wolfensohn
Further information is available on the DEFRA website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/ahws/eig/member.htm
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors were taken into account when deciding on the length of the consultation on the draft Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations and the draft Docking of Working Dogs’ Tails (England) Regulations. [105467]
Mr. Bradshaw: The length of the consultation was influenced by the need to bring the regulations into force at the same time as the Animal Welfare Act in April 2007. As this consultation does not contain any major policy changes that have not already been made public, we consider that an eight-week period is acceptable. This complies with Cabinet Office guidance.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will estimate how many veterinary surgeons are willing to undertake tail docking. [105468]
Mr. Bradshaw: DEFRA has made no such estimate and has no plans to do so. It is up to individual veterinary surgeons to decide whether to perform this procedure.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Government has put aside to help fund insulation schemes. [107024]
Ian Pearson: The Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) requires energy suppliers to meet targets for the promotion of improvements in household energy efficiency. Under the EEC, insulation work may be installed and the first phase of the EEC (2002-05) resulted in £600 million worth of investment in energy efficiency.
During the first half of the current phase of the EEC (2005-08), which is expected to deliver twice as much activity as the first phase, 88 per cent. of energy supplier activity was through insulation measures. The 2006 climate change programme announced that the EEC target will be increased by 50-100 per cent. for EEC3 (2008-11).
The Government-funded Warm Front Scheme, which is the key programme in tackling fuel poverty in England, provides for the installation of insulation measures in qualifying households, where they are recommended. Total fuel poverty funding over the 2005-08 period will be over £800 million, with the vast majority being for the Warm Front Scheme.
The Government have also introduced a reduced rate of value added tax for professionally installed insulation measures.
Flood Prevention
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether changes have been made to his Department's 2006-07 budget for flood prevention. [105537]
Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency's total flood risk management grant in aid budget from Defra for 2006-07 will be £413 million against £428 million originally allocated. The capital budget, which delivers improved flood defences, has not been charged. Equally, the budgets for capital schemes by local authorities and internal drainage boards are not affected.
Forestry Commission
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will revise the terms of reference of the statutory consultation on the Renewables Obligation Order 2007 to take account of the Forestry Commission’s most recent figures on the peak value of softwood availability; and if he will make a statement. [107365]
Malcolm Wicks: A statutory consultation on the Renewables Obligation Order 2007 began on 9 October 2006. It is available in full through the following link:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/page34162.html
The Government will consider the Forestry Commission’s report “United Kingdom: New Forecast of Softwood Availability” as part of the statutory consultation on the Renewables Obligation Order 2007. The consultation closes on 15 December 2006. All responses and other relevant information will be considered together at that point.
GM Animals
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will issue further guidance on the breeding of genetically modified animals. [107530]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has no plans to issue further guidance. However, the production of a genetically modified animal, with the intention of substantially altering its nature, is controlled under the terms of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. This Act is widely viewed as the most rigorous piece of legislation of its type in the world. There are also provisions in the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2000 and in Northern Ireland the Welfare of Farmed Animals regulations (NI) 2000 to address the welfare concerns arising from both natural and artificial breeding procedures.
Ministerial Meetings
Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions he has met the (a) chair and (b) chief executive of (i) British Waterways, (ii) the Environment Agency and (iii) Natural England since July 2006; and where each meeting took place. [106915]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 5 December 2006]: The Secretary of State has met the chair and/or chief executive of British Waterways on 25 July, 4 September and 23 November on each occasion in London. He has met the chair and/or chief executive on the Environment Agency on 25 July, 27 July, 4 September, 6 September, 17 October, 8 November, 9 November,20 November and 23 November on each occasion in London. He has met the chair and/or chief executive of Natural England on 4 September, 11 October,7 November and 23 November on each occasion in London. He has also seen other members and practical examples of the work of these organisations while on regional visits.
National Fallen Stock Company
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the future of the National Fallen Stock Company. [105008]
Mr. Bradshaw: We intend to issue a response to the Bansback review on the future of the National Fallen Stock Company early in the new year.
Rights of Way
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure local authorities keep bridleways accessible, signposted and maintained. [105295]
Barry Gardiner: The statutory best value performance management framework requires local authorities to review their functions, publish annual performance plans and be subject to an audit and inspection regime. There is currently one performance indicator measuring the ease of use of rights of way.
In addition, under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, all highway authorities must prepare a rights of way improvement plan. This must set out how they intend to identify the changes to be made to improve their local rights of way network, including better provision for equestrians.
Woodland
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to promote sustainable and effective management of private owners' woodland; and if he will make a statement. [105243]
Barry Gardiner: In 2002 the Forestry Commission published its response to the recommendations of the Sustaining England's Woodlands Review Steering Group. This group had been asked to review the support for sustainable management of existing woodlands and forests in accordance with the priorities of the Forestry Strategy for England and taking into account the UK Forestry Standard. The Forestry Commission agreed to implement 67 actions and in April 2006 they published a progress report. I have arranged for a copy of the progress report to be placed in the Library. It is also available on the Forestry Commission's website at:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/england-sew
Underpinning our support for sustainable management and the delivery of public benefits are the six elements of the Forestry Commission's English Woodland Grant Scheme. These are:
Woodland Creation Grant to support the creation of properly designed and well located new woodlands.
Woodland Assessment Grant to support the gathering of specific information to improve management decisions.
Woodland Management Planning Grant to support the preparation of plans that meet the UK Woodland Assurance Standard.
Woodland Management Grant to support the basic management activities that underpin woodland sustainability.
Woodland Regeneration Grant to support desirable changes in the delivery of public benefits from woodland after felling.
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