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Written Answers to Questions

Friday 23 February 2007

International Development

CDC

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether there are requirements for the CDC Group companies (a) to give preference to investments in renewable energy supplies and (b) to consider the carbon footprint of any investment. [121931]

Hilary Benn: A policy framework was set for CDC in 2004 as part of its reorganisation. This requires CDC to invest responsibly, and to comply with a set of agreed Business Principles. These include meeting appropriate environmental standards. However, they do not include any requirement to give preference to investments in renewable energy supplies or to consider the carbon footprint of investments.

Through its subsidiary Globeleq, CDC supplies energy in 18 developing countries and some 12 per cent. of this is currently from renewable sources.

Convention for the Protection of All People from Enforced Disappearance

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the International Convention for the Protection of All People from Enforced Disappearance. [121928]

Mr. Thomas: Neither I nor my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development have had discussions with the Foreign Secretary regarding the International Convention for the Protection of All People from Enforced Disappearances.

Departments: Complaints

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff worked in dedicated complaints units in his Department and its Executive agencies in (a) 1997-98, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2005-06; and how many have done so in 2006-07 to date. [121700]

Mr. Thomas: There are a number of complaints procedures across DFID to handle different kinds of complaints. These include complaints from the public about procurement, overseas pensions, freedom of information and recruitment. Our public inquiry point complaints procedure covers complaints from the public that do not fall into any of the aforementioned categories. Internal staff complaints are handled by line managers and human resources division.


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None of these complaint procedures are supported by dedicated units. Staff dealing with various complaints also have other responsibilities. It is therefore not appropriate to give staff numbers involved.

Departments: Official Cars

Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many vehicles belonging to his Department were (a) lost and (b) stolen in each year since 1997; and what the (i) make and model and (ii) value was of each vehicle. [121370]

Mr. Thomas: Vehicles belonging to DFID that were either lost/written off or stolen from 1999 to date are listed in the following table. The make/models have been provided where this has been available and the net book value held for each vehicle is also shown.

Vehicle Type Make/ Model Stolen/Lost Value (£)

Motor Cycle

Not recorded

Stolen

1,260

Motor Car

Nissan

Stolen

3,385

Motor Car

Rover

Lost/Written Off

1,180

Motor Car

Toyota Land Cruiser

Stolen

21,519

Motor Car

Toyota Land Cruiser

Stolen

4,314

Motor Car

Toyota Hilux

Lost/Written Off

744

Motor Car

Land Rover Discovery

Lost/Written Off

0

Motor Car

Toyota Land Cruiser

Lost/Written Off

3,001

Motor Cycle

Not recorded

Lost/Written Off

0

Motor Car

Armoured Land Cruiser

Lost/Written Off

85,000

Project Vehicle x 2

Not recorded

Lost/Written Off

7,000

Project Vehicle

Not recorded

Lost/Written Off

243

Project Vehicle

Not recorded

Lost/Written Off

850


Transport

Official Cars

Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cars were purchased by the Government Car and Despatch Agency in each year since 1997; what the total cost was of these purchases in each year; and if he will make a statement. [122050]

Dr. Ladyman: The Government Car and Despatch Agency made the following car purchases:

Number of cars purchased Cost (£000)

2000-01

38

1,137

2001-02

27

926

2002-03

33

459

2003-04

32

512

2004-05

42

625

2005-06

64

977


Figures for earlier years could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.


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Railways: East Midlands

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department will reply to the letter dated 10 January 2007 from Mr. Terry Holt, the Secretary of the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Rail Action Committee, on the East Midlands Rail Franchise. [122701]

Mr. Tom Harris: The Department has no record of receiving a letter dated 10 January 2007 from Mr. Terry Holt.

South West Trains

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what increase in rail passenger numbers is projected for South West Trains over the next 10 years; and how much the Government are investing in related infrastructure over the same period. [122118]

Mr. Tom Harris: The Southern Regional Planning Assessment for the railway (which includes the area served by South West Trains); published January 2007, forecasted a possible increase in passenger demand in the morning peak period of 18.7 per cent. between 2002-03 and 2016.

The Department will be publishing the high level output specification in July which will outline the Government's requirements from Network Rail over the next control period.

Toll Roads

Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many public roads in England are subject to a toll the proceeds of which do not contribute to the running costs of the road. [117723]

Dr. Ladyman: None.

Tolls: Norfolk

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to introduce a pilot scheme for road charging in Norfolk; and if he will make a statement. [122694]

Dr. Ladyman: Norfolk county council is one of 10 areas to have been awarded pump priming funds from the Transport Innovation Fund. This will support the consideration development of a package of measures that address local congestion problems by combining investment in local transport with demand management measures, including road pricing.

It is for the local authority to decide whether to propose such a scheme.

Travel: Concessions

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason community transport operators are not included in the concessionary fares scheme for pensioners; and if he will revise this policy when the national scheme is introduced. [118509]


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Gillian Merron: Local authorities have the discretion to vary their local schemes to include community transport services based on their assessment of local need and their overall financial priorities. This flexibility will be preserved following the introduction of the national scheme. Any decision to extend the mandatory scheme would require careful consideration of the full impact on the community transport sector and local bus services, and it would have to be fully funded.

House of Commons Commission

Baroness Thatcher: Statue

Paul Flynn: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost is of the statue of Baroness Thatcher unveiled in the Members’ Lobby. [122722]

Nick Harvey: The bronze statue of the right hon. the Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven was commissioned by the Advisory Committee on Works of Art in 2003 from the sculptor Antony Dufort. The statue cost £80,000 and was funded by the Works of Art Committee, supported by the Speaker’s Art Fund. A small portion of the work also attracted VAT.

Trade and Industry

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his estimate is of the proportion of (a) retailers and (b) manufacturers of waste electronic and electrical equipment which are aware of the provisions of the Waste Electronic and Electrical regulations that are coming into force this year, broken down by (i) small and medium-sized enterprises and (ii) large companies; and if he will make a statement. [121997]

Jim Fitzpatrick: DTI is working closely with business representative organisations, both within the producer and retail sectors, local authorities and the waste management sector to ensure that those affected by the WEEE regulations are aware of the requirements of these regulations. This activity is ongoing and includes a series of WEEE seminars across the UK, as well as via print and electronic media.

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he expects a system for collecting and disposing of waste electrical and electronic equipment which meets the targets contained within the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive to be in operation by 1 July 2007; and if he will make a statement. [122034]

Jim Fitzpatrick: Since the introduction of the WEEE regulations we have seen a very positive response from producers, retailers, distributors, local authorities and the waste management sector. For example, 37 producer compliance schemes have registered with
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the Environment Agencies and new investments in treatment facilities have been announced. We will continue to work with all of these stakeholders to ensure an effective WEEE system in the UK.

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the cost of compliance with the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment regulations for small to medium-sized enterprises; and if he will make a statement. [121992]

Jim Fitzpatrick: A full regulatory impact assessment was published alongside the UK WEEE regulations. While there are no derogations for SMEs in the WEEE directive and hence the UK WEEE regulations, the Government have been keen to work with small businesses and their representative organisations to ensure they are not disproportionately affected. For example, we have introduced a tiered fee structure for producer registrations—a move widely welcomed and supported by the Federation of Small Businesses.

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations have taken place on the implementation of the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment regulations; what the (a) dates, (b) purpose and (c) cost was of each of these consultations; and if he will make a statement. [121993]

Jim Fitzpatrick: In preparing the UK implementing regulations for the WEEE directive, the DTI has undertaken four separate rounds of formal consultation since the text was adopted. These consultation documents were issued in March 2003, November 2003, July 2004 and July 2006. The final consultation exercise came to an end on 17 October 2006. These consultations played a vital role in ensuring that the WEEE regulations provide a framework to deliver an effective WEEE system in the UK. Cost calculations for each consultation are not available and would require a disproportionate cost to ascertain.


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