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21 Feb 2007 : Column 738W—continued

Energy: Conservation

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what measures are (a) being taken, (b) planned and (c) being considered to increase the energy efficiency of the House of Commons Estate. [120730]

Nick Harvey: A range of measures being taken, planned and considered to increase the energy efficiency of the House of Commons estate are as follows:

(a) Measures being taken:

(b) Measures being planned:

(c) Measures being considered:


21 Feb 2007 : Column 739W

Lifts: House of Commons

Jim Dowd: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will take steps to link the control systems of lifts Hop 15 and Hop 77. [121526]

Nick Harvey: Lifts HoP 15 and HoP 77 serve the east side of the Palace of Westminster (opposite the Members' Smoking Room on the Principal floor and Strangers Bar on the ground floor). The lifts, while adjacent, have different functions. HoP 77 in addition to being a Members only lift has been converted to be accessible by wheelchairs and serves the ground, Principal, first and second floors. HoP 15 serves the Refreshment Department basement in addition to these floors.

The controls for both lifts have been linked with an option to operate independently or together (duplex). There are advantages and disadvantages of each mode of operation. In independent mode a specific lift can be called. If, however, the user has no preference, both call buttons could be pressed causing slower service to other floors. In duplex mode the nearest lift is sent, ensuring best service to all floors. During a Division, however, the Members only lift may be called by a non-Member resulting in slower service to Members. Furthermore if the user requires the disabled lift, this may not be the one that arrives.

Switching between either operation mode is straightforward. The controls are currently set on independent mode to favour Members during a Division and disabled Members, staff and visitors.

Recycling

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what steps are being taken to increase further the amount of (a) glass, (b) metal, (c) plastic and (d) paper on the parliamentary estate which is recycled. [120546]

Nick Harvey: In 2005-06 36 per cent. of the parliamentary estate's waste collected was sent for recycling. A number of steps are being taken to increase recycling of waste such as: increasing awareness; introducing an environmental management system; separating waste; and introducing battery recycling bins. These are as follows:

Increasing awareness

An environmental awareness campaign was started in late 2005 which has included guest speaker presentations, exhibitions, a film show and articles in the inHouse staff magazine. A waste management exhibition is currently being considered for the parliamentary estate.

Environmental Management System

The House of Commons has agreed for an environmental management system to be implemented on its estate and the House of Lords will consider this in the near future. It is intended, as a first step towards implementing this, to run an environment champions programme on the parliamentary estate. This programme will be run with the purpose of reducing energy consumption and increasing waste recycling in the estate's buildings.


21 Feb 2007 : Column 740W

Separation of Waste

The waste contractor will shortly be providing a recycling operative on the estate to further separate the waste collected from inside the buildings, since some waste which has been contaminated with other waste cannot be sent for recycling and has to be incinerated instead. The employment of a recycling operative should increase the quantity of waste sent for recycling and decrease the quantity of waste sent for incineration. Any metal which has not been collected on the estate for recycling, is separated from the general waste at the incineration plant and sent for recycling from there.

Recycling bins

Bins for collecting batteries for recycling will be located in each parliamentary estate building soon and more recycling bins will be located in the Palace of Westminster and Refreshment Department outlets.

Solar Power

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what assessment has been made of the potential for the generation of energy from solar panels on the roofs of the House of Commons Estate. [120728]

Nick Harvey: No estimates have been made of the potential for the generation of energy from solar panels on the roofs of the parliamentary estate.

In late 2005, a brief study was conducted to assess the potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar hot water systems on the vast areas of pitched and flat roofs of the Palace of Westminster. The report said that large areas of the roof would be suitable for the installation of either solar PV or hot water systems, but the integration and connection of solar hot water systems to the building's existing hot water services would be "complex, expensive, aesthetically challenging and perhaps be of little benefit given the small quantity of hot water used within the Palace during the summer months". Utilising solar PV systems would provide better value for money but the simple payback period would still be far longer than the expected life of the systems.

A consultant has recently prepared a report on several renewable energy system options for the Palace of Westminster and this report is currently being considered to determine which systems should be investigated further. A proposal from another consultant to conduct feasibility studies for utilising renewable energy systems in all the parliamentary estate outbuildings has been received and considered and it is expected that these studies will start within the next few months.

International Development

Departments: Pay

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total sum of bonuses paid to civil servants in his Department was in (a) 2005 and (b) 2006. [121566]


21 Feb 2007 : Column 741W

Mr. Thomas: The following tables give the number of non-pensionable bonuses awarded to the Department for International Development staff in each of the last two financial years, together with total cost for each year.

Non-pensionable bonuses awarded to DFID senior civil servants (SCS)
Number of awards Total cost (£)

2004-05

68

266,750

2005-06

65

377,100


Non-pensionable bonuses awarded to DFID staff below the (SCS)
Number of awards Total cost (£)

2004-05

508

230,600

2005-06

1,106

515,865


Overseas Aid

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he expects to reach the 0.7 per cent. of gross national income aid target by (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14; and if he will make a statement. [119462]

Mr. Thomas [holding answer 7 February 2007]: The Government has set a clear timetable for UK official development assistance (ODA) as a proportion of gross national income (GNI) to reach the UN target of 0.7 per cent in 2013.

ODA is defined by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and is measured in calendar years. Each year we report our ODA expenditure to the OECD-DAC as a proportion of GNI. Provisional figures are published each year in April for the previous year with final figures published in October.

Education and Skills

Bishops Park College

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what assessment the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has made of the effectiveness of the approach to the curriculum at Bishops Park College; [122067]


21 Feb 2007 : Column 742W

(2) on what factors the decision of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to select Bishop’s Park College as the case study for approaches to organising the curriculum on the secondary curriculum review website were based. [122068]

Jim Knight: Bishop’s Park College’s approach to the curriculum has been shown to be effective in helping to improve staying on rates; reduce the number of exclusions and teenage pregnancies; and increase parental satisfaction. Its 2003 OFSTED inspection report stated that

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority took this into consideration when deciding to include Bishop’s Park College on its website, as an example of a school that is taking an innovative approach to curriculum thinking and planning.

Boarding Schools

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the name is of each maintained boarding school or school with boarding houses; in which local authority each school is located; how many pupils are on roll at each; and what percentage of pupils at each (a) are eligible for free school meals, (b) have special educational needs, (c) are from ethnic minorities and (d) are selected on the basis of (i) academic ability and (ii) aptitude. [120808]

Jim Knight [holding answer 19 February 2007]: The available information is shown in the following tables.

There are currently 32 state maintained mainstream boarding schools in England. The maintained boarding sector includes all ability comprehensive schools, grammar schools and one further education college. Information for the further education college is not included in the table. Some are single sex schools, others are mixed. All pupils follow the national curriculum.

The Department does not collect information on schools which are partially selective (selecting some of their pupils by academic ability or aptitude). An indicator to show which of the maintained boarding schools are grammar schools (wholly selective) has been provided.


21 Feb 2007 : Column 743W

21 Feb 2007 : Column 744W
Maintained mainstream boarding schools: number on roll, school meals, special educational needs and ethnic minority information
URN LA number Estab number School name Local authority Headcount of pupils( 1) Total boarders Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free schools means( 2) Percentage of pupils with special needs with statements( 3)

103870

332

5400

Old Swinford Hospital

Dudley

602

375

0.0

0.2

133554

420

3005

The Five Islands School

Isles of Scilly

252

17

0.0

2.0

121694

815

4215

Ripen Grammar School

North Yorkshire

813

53

1.6

0.0

110530

825

5404

The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe

Buckinghamshire

1356

68

1.5

0.3

113889

835

4511

Shaftsbury School

Dorset

955

(5)

8.4

1.8

116407

850

4012

The Westgate School

Hampshire

1138

31

3.8

0.8

116468

850

4310

Kings’ School

Hampshire

1682

22

5.2

1.8

120236

855

4002

Burleigh Community College

Leicestershire

1296

31

12.1

2.5

110097

870

5401

Reading School

Reading

866

67

0.7

0.1

113498

878

4003

Queen Elizabeth’s Community College

Devon

1538

40

5.0

4.1

115359

881

5443

Colchester Royal Grammar School

Essex

764

29

0.6

0.0

116888

886

5416

Cranbrook School

Kent

750

242

0.4

0.1

118900

866

5428

Sir Roger Manwood’s School

Kent

886

46

6.7

0.2

119810

888

5401

Lancaster Royal Grammar School

Lancashire

1003

158

1.4

0.9

123589

893

4503

The Thomas Adams School, Wem

Shropshire

1324

59

6.5

2.0

123593

894

5400

Adams’ Grammar School

Telford and Wrekin

784

92

1.1

0.0

112432

909

5405

Dallam School

Cumbria

955

54

4.9

1.7

112441

909

5414

Keswick School

Cumbria

1069

46

3.6

0.6

117556

919

4614

St George’s School

Hertfordshire

1137

115

2.2

0.4

117598

919

5427

Hockerill Anglo-European College

Hertfordshire

720

238

0.7

0.4

120663

925

4514

Market Rasen De Aston School

Lincolnshire

1244

83

6.4

4.1

120696

925

5400

The Skegness Grammar School

Lincolnshire

817

63

2.6

0.0

121208

926

5400

Wymondham College

Norfolk

1026

536

1.2

0.6

122328

929

4130

Haydon Bridge Community High School and Sports College

Northumberland

741

42

5.4

2.4

123235

931

4040

Burford School and Community College

Oxfordshire

1155

72

4.3

2.0

123902

933

5400

Sexey’s School

Somerset

538

288

0.9

0.4

123903

933

5401

Brymore School

Somerset

175

137

5.4

6.9

125279

936

4623

Royal Alexandra and Albert School

Surrey

642

356

3.0

2.8

125303

936

5403

Gordon’s School

Surrey

532

160

5.3

3.4

126092

938

4501

Steyning Grammar School

West Sussex

2102

67

4.1

2.3

120303

855

4508

Ashby School

Leicestershire

1614

34

4.7

3.6


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