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26 Feb 2007 : Column 997W—continued
Departments: Freedom of Information
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of monitoring the time spent processing requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the purposes of the proposed fees regulations. [121721]
Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. and learned Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Vera Baird) on Thursday 22 February 2007, Official Report, column 1926W.
Eurostar
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission a new assessment of the (a) social, (b) economic and (c) environmental costs and benefits of running regional Eurostar rail services. [123048]
Mr. Tom Harris: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave on 30 October 2006, Official Report, column 33W, to a similar question raised by my hon. Friend Member for Burton (Mrs. Dean). Any changes to Eurostar service patterns are a matter for Eurostar. The Department for Transport has no plans to undertake any review of extending Eurostar services to regional destinations.
Railways: Milton Keynes
Mr. Lancaster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answers of (a) 30 January 2007, Official Report, column 65, on Milton Keynes station, and (b) 19 February 2007, Official Report, column 382W, on Pendolino trains, whether the platform length at Milton Keynes station is sufficient
to accommodate trains (i) in use and (ii) planned for use on the relevant lines. [123419]
Mr. Tom Harris: I can confirm that the platform lengths at Milton Keynes Central are of sufficient length for all the present trains and those planned for use on the relevant lines at this station.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2007, Official Report, column 383W, on rail services, what estimate he has made of the average daily peak time spare capacity on trains not stopping at Milton Keynes; and for what reasons such trains with spare capacity do not take on passengers at Milton Keynes Station. [123582]
Mr. Tom Harris: The present estimated daily peak time spare capacity on trains not stopping at Milton Keynes Central station is around 10 per cent. of Standard class and 40 per cent. of First class. The services are designed for long distance intercity traffic which is continuing to grow. As a result there is not the accommodation for passengers wishing to board at Milton Keynes.
Railways: Subsidies
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration his Department has given to extending the remit of Kickstart capital support to cover community rail initiatives. [123255]
Mr. Tom Harris: It would not be appropriate to extend the Kickstart scheme in this way.
The Kickstart scheme was introduced to encourage the development of new or improved bus services, providing support through DfT funding during the first two or three years of operation. The services involved have been identified as having a clear potential to become viable without special funding after this initial period.
The Community Rail strategy is to help put rural and local railways on a more sustainable financial footing. The strategy aims to increase revenue and carry more passengers through wider awareness; increase community involvement to improve the railway through locally funded investment; and reduce costs.
Community Rail is about getting better value for money for the services that currently operate on Community Rail lines and not specifically to develop new or improved services.
Toll Roads
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road tunnels there are without toll booths in the UK. [117769]
Dr. Ladyman: The road tunnels that have booths are the Mersey, Tyne and Dartford tunnels. All other tunnels do not have booths.
Electoral Commission Committee
Elections
Mr. Drew: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many separate guidance notes the Electoral Commission has sent out to local authorities on the new electoral arrangements that will come into force in 2007. [122329]
Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has sent all local authorities in Great Britain a guidance manual for Returning Officers which includes guidance on the new electoral arrangements that will come into force in 2007. It also makes available to local authorities on request a handbook for polling station staff which reflects these. In addition, it has e-mailed to electoral administrators nine circulars relating to the new arrangements.
The guidance manual and the polling station handbook are updated versions of documents made available at each election to assist electoral administrators in carrying out their duties. Electoral Commission circulars are issued either in response to queries raised by electoral administrators on the interpretation of the law, or to clarify good practice points.
Electoral Commission
Mr. MacShane: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the cost to the public purse of the Electoral Commission has been in each of the last four years. [121361]
Peter Viggers: As regards the estimated resource outturn expenditure of the Electoral Commission for 2006-07, I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mr. Purchase), on 30 January 2007, Official Report, column 151W. The audited figure for 2005-06 is given in the Commission's accounts for that year, and figures for earlier years for which information is sought in the Commission's annual report and accounts for the year concerned. Each of these documents has been laid before the House and may be viewed in the Library.
Labour Party: Donations
Mr. Hoban: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if he will make a statement on the donation made by T-Systems to the Labour Party registered 17 July 2006 as recorded by the Electoral Commission. [123097]
Peter Viggers: The Speaker's Committee has no responsibility in relation to such matters.
Duchy of Lancaster
Departments: Freedom of Information
Mr. Wills:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate she has made of the cost to
her Office of monitoring the time spent processing requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the purposes of the proposed fees regulations. [121732]
Hilary Armstrong: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 22 February 2007, Official Report, column 865W, by my hon. and Learned Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Vera Baird).
Departments: Retirement
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many employees from her Department were asked to retire upon reaching 65 years of age as a result of the Department’s mandatory retirement policy in each year since 1997. [121740]
Hilary Armstrong: Prior to 1 October 2006, Cabinet Office employees could retire at age 60. They were informed in advance of their 60(th) birthday that they were approaching the age at which they could retire, but they also had the right to request to remain past the age 60 retirement date. Since 1 October 2006, Cabinet Office has adopted a default retirement age of 65. Cabinet Office informs employees up to one year in advance of their 65(th) birthday that they are approaching age 65 retirement date. However, staff have the right to request to work beyond age 65, and are informed of the procedures for applying to do so.
Of those who have retired since 1997, we are unable to identify if retirement was the choice of the employee or following an unsuccessful request to work beyond retirement age.
Oil
Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what her policy is on the peak oil concept; and what planning the Strategy Unit has undertaken on the basis of estimates of oil reserves in (a) 25, (b) 50 and (c) 100 years time. [120524]
Hilary Armstrong: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 20 February 2007, Official Report, column 658W, by my hon. Friend, the Under-Secretary of State, Department for Trade and Industry (Jim Fitzpatrick).
Project George
Mr. Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the estimated budget is of the Cabinet Office’s Project George. [117633]
Hilary Armstrong: Any costs involved in the maintenance and improvement of the Cabinet Office estate are included in Cabinet Office accounts.
Smith Institute
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the timetable is for the Charity Commission investigation into the Smith Institute; and if she will make a statement. [120689]
Edward Miliband: This is a matter for the Charity Commission as the non-ministerial Government Department responsible for the regulation of charities in England and Wales. The chief executive of the Charity Commission will write to the hon. Gentleman and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library for the reference of Members.
Welfare Review
Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the welfare review being conducted by David Freud. [122385]
Hilary Armstrong: In the course of official business I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of issues. Information relating to internal discussion and advice is not disclosed, as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion and advice.
Education and Skills
14-19 Education
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of the actions listed in chapter 5 of the 14-19 implementation plan remain to be completed; and how many of those he expects to be delivered (a) early, (b) on time and (c) late. [112155]
Jim Knight: We have met all the major milestones for 2005 and 2006 of the 14-19 programme as set out in chapter 5 of the implementation plan. We are working closely with our key partners and are on track with the activities for 2007 and beyond.
Many of the actions listed in chapter 5 of the implementation plan do not have specific milestones identified. We have developed detailed plans for each of these activities, which we are on track to deliver. Work force support is one example of this.
We have taken the decision to move our milestones related to the apprenticeship qualification. Pilots for these will begin in March 2007 instead of September 2006, and a final decision on the future of apprenticeship qualifications will be made in light of the pilots. The deferral of these milestones will not affect overall delivery of the programme.
A summary of the major achievements of the 14-19 programme to date has been placed in the Library. This is set out according to our three key priorities: raising attainment; designing new curriculum and qualifications; and creating the local delivery infrastructure.
Adult Education
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he plans to take to encourage learning and skills councils to undertake outreach work to adults who lack skills and are not engaged in education. [123583]
Bill Rammell: The overarching objectives and priorities of the learning and skills councils are set by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. A key priority for public funding of adult learning is to help those who need it most, that is those without the employability skills represented by a literacy and numeracy and a first full level 2 qualification. Individual colleges and other providers take the action necessary, including outreach and working with local communities, to help people back into learning, to achieve and to progress. As a result the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills, my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Phil Hope) was able to announce on 20 February that we have met our interim target to help 1.5 million people improve their basic skills by 2007, measured by the number of learners achieving a first national Skills for Life qualification in literacy, language or numeracy. In addition we have made significant progress with the Adult Level 2 target and are on course to comfortably exceed the 2006 interim milestone—one million more adults in the work force between 2003 and 2006.
Children in Care: Human Trafficking
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what systems are in place to monitor trafficked children missing from the care of local authorities. [121658]
Mr. Dhanda [holding answer 19 February 2007]: In November 2002, the Department of Health published “Children Missing from Care and Home—a guide to good practice” in tandem with the Social Exclusion Units report “Young Runaways”. This was issued along with Circular LAC (2002)17 under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, making the guidance a requirement for local authorities. This guidance requires that local authorities and the police should draw up protocols about the management of “missing from care incidents”. If a looked after child, who may have been trafficked, goes missing from their care placement, then the local authority should follow the standard protocol arrangements agreed with the police for managing missing from care incidents.
Classics: Curriculum
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to promote access to the teaching of classics in state schools. [121942]
Jim Knight: While we welcome the decisions made by those schools that choose to teach the classics and any of its constituent subjects, the subject remains non-statutory. Therefore, it is for individual schools and their governing bodies to decide whether to include the classics in their curriculum.
Departments: Theft
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what items valued at above £100 were reported as stolen from his Department’s buildings or premises in the last 12 months. [121981]
Mr. Dhanda: The number of items valued at above £100 that have been reported as being stolen from the Department for Education and Skills in the last 12 months is as follows:
| Number of items | |
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