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18 Jan 2007 : Column 1250W—continued
Tail Docking
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases of illegal tail docking have been notified to the Department in the last two years. [115592]
Mr. Bradshaw: We are not aware of any such cases.
Thames Barrier
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times the Thames Barrier has been raised in each year since its construction. [113854]
Ian Pearson: Environment Agency figures show that since its construction, the Thames Barrier has been closed to prevent flooding during the winter flood season (generally October to April) on 95 occasions as follows:
| Total | |
| (1) To date. | |
At present the Thames Barrier is closed on average three to four times a year. In extreme conditions more frequent closures have been necessary to protect London from flooding—such as during the winter of 2000-01, when the barrier was closed 24 times and January 2003, when it was closed 19 times. These unusual occurrences were generally the result of continued high freshwater flows which only required a smaller tidal surge to necessitate a closure of the barrier.
Veterinary Surgeons
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role the Department plays in the regulation of veterinary surgeons, including in suspension and removal. [115591]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 designates the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) as the body responsible for regulating the professional education and conduct of veterinary surgeons in the UK.
DEFRA is considering ways in which the current regulatory framework might be modernised.
Warm Front
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many quotations for boiler replacements under the Warm Front initiative exceeded the individual grant available in (a) 2003, (b) 2004, (c) 2005 and (d) 2006. [113699]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 10 January 2007]: As the Warm Front scheme developed, new (raised) grant levels have been introduced to keep abreast of changes in the market place and Warm Front’s evolving policy framework. In the interests of accuracy, the various grant levels have been separately identified.
The proportion of boiler replacements which exceeded the grant maxima in the relevant scheme years are:
| 2003-04 | |
| Grant limit | Boiler replacements costing above grant maxima (percentage) |
Due to the varying nature of work involved in boiler replacement jobs, it is inevitable that some cases exceed the grant maximum, and 11 per cent. for year 2003-04 is deemed a reasonable level.
| 2004-05 | |
| Grant limit | Boiler replacements costing above grant maxima (percentage) |
Small increases in labour costs and material prices resulted in a large percentage increase of boiler replacements exceeding the grant maxima. This level was not deemed acceptable and, as such, a legislative change to raise the grant level was identified as the necessary course of action.
| 2005-06 | |
| Grant limit | Boiler replacements costing above grant maxima (percentage) |
2005-06 witnessed the transition between the first phase of Warm Front, and the current phase. As part of this transition, prices for materials and labour were harmonised across regions throughout England. Warm Front policy was also developed and previous Warm Front customers (from the first phase of the scheme) found themselves able to re-apply for the scheme and qualify for a greater level of assistance. Indications are that a significant proportion of the 29 per cent. of boiler replacements exceeding the £2,700 maximum had already received a portion of their available grant under the first phase of the scheme.
| 2006-07 (current) | |
| Grant limit | Boiler replacements costing above grant maxima (percentage) |
Where heating measures alone are recommended, around 70 per cent. of cases can be fully funded by Warm Front. 40 per cent. of those cases that exceed the grant maxima have previously received assistance from the scheme—and thus are seeking grant support with less money in the household account.
Water Companies
Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on increasing the five- year periodic review cycle in respect of setting price limits for water companies; and if he will make a statement. [116445]
Ian Pearson: Ofwat's 2006 consultation ‘Setting water and sewerage prices, is five years right?’ sought views on a number of issues including the length of time between price reviews.
Over 30 responses were received from water industry stakeholders. A summary of responses is included in Ofwat's document ‘A sustainable water industry—To PR09 and beyond’. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House and is also available on Ofwat's website at:
http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/aptrix/ofwat/publish.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/SustainableWaterInd011106.pdf/$FILE/SustainableWaterInd011106.pdf.
My Department continues to work closely with Ofwat and other water industry stakeholders in preparation for the 2009 periodic review of price limits.
Transport
Advertising
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on advertising with The Guardian newspaper, including online, and on advertorials and advertising features, in the latest year for which figures are available. [113993]
Gillian Merron: The Department did not use The Guardian in fiscal year 2005-06 for advertising in support of our THINK! road safety or Continuous Registration campaigns.
The Guardian has been used for recruitment advertising. Details, however, are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Air Navigation Order
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will investigate why the consultation co-ordinator for the Department for Transport’s proposed amendment of the Air Navigation Order 2005 has not (a) acknowledged and (b) responded to correspondence from (i) a constituent of the hon. Member for Strangford and (ii) the hon. Member’s constituency office acting on his behalf; [114927]
(2) what the role is of the consultation co-ordinator for the Department for Transport dealing with the Air Navigation Order 2005; [114928]
(3) how many letters the consultation co-ordinator has received in response to the consultation on the Air Navigation Order 2005; and how many responses he has made; [114929]
(4) how many emails the consultation co-ordinator for the Department for Transport dealing with the Air Navigation Order 2005 has received from those concerned with this matter; and how many responses he has sent. [114930]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 15 January 2007]: The consultation coordinator, who monitors the Department's compliance with the Government's code of practice on consultation, has received nine letters and 22 emails about the consultation on the Air Navigation Order 2005. I will reply to the hon. Member's letter on this issue shortly, and am arranging for replies to be sent to the other correspondents.
Air Transport
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average number of flights per day was between London airports and (a) Manchester, (b) Glasgow, (c) Edinburgh, (d) Aberdeen, (e) Cardiff and (f) Newcastle in each year since 1997; what the average number of flights per day was between Cardiff and RAF Valley over the same period; and if he will make a statement. [116067]
Gillian Merron: The Department does not hold the information but it can be obtained from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Contact details for CAA are on the following web page:
http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=80&pagetype=90&pageid=74.
Aviation Emissions
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what definition he uses of attributable to the UK in the context of carbon emissions from aircraft; what other definitions he has considered; and if he will make a statement. [115621]
Gillian Merron: Forecasts set out in The Future of Air Transport White Paper assume that the UK takes responsibility for emissions from all departing flights.
Emissions from international flights do not currently count in the national inventories of greenhouse gas emissions, there being no international agreement yet on ways of allocating such emissions.
BAA
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will write to the Chairman of BAA plc requesting him to reply to the letter of 10 October 2006 from the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling. [115966]
Gillian Merron: The consideration of the right hon. Member’s letter is a matter for BAA plc. I understand that the right hon. Member will receive a reply shortly.
Departmental Annual Report
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) cost and (b) purpose is of the pump-priming support to which he refers on page 21 of his Department’s 2006 annual report. [115699]
Dr. Ladyman: £18 million has been earmarked for Transport Innovation Fund pump-priming during the period 2005-06 to 2007-08. The purpose is to support initial scheme development by local transport authorities who are actively considering innovative ways to tackle congestion.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the source is of the income provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency referred to in figure 2b of his Department's 2006 annual report. [115841]
Dr. Ladyman: The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) is an executive agency of the Department for Transport and provides two main services, Government cars and Government mail, to Government and the wider public sector. Its framework document requires the agency to recover all its costs through charges to its customers. The income referred to in the Department for Transport's annual report 2006 represents the value of those charges.
Departmental Travel
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department’s expenditure on foreign travel, including accommodation, was in (a) 1996-97 and (b) 2005-06. [113991]
Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport came into existence in May 2002 as a result of machinery of government changes.
Details of ministerial travel are contained in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 19 December 2006, Official Report, column 1808W, to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan), which refers to the published annual list of overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers and includes the overall cost of all Ministers’ overseas travel.
Three of the Department’s seven agencies (HA, VOSA, and GCDA) do not account for overseas travel by civil servants separately from other travel and associated costs. The figure for the central Department and the remaining agencies for 2005-06 is £3,429,740.
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