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Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 9 May 2007

Transport

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 1 May 2007, Official Report, column 1527W, on aviation exhaust emissions, whether he has made any assessment of the potential effects on health of contrails from aircraft. [136145]

Gillian Merron: Contrails are ice crystal clouds that form at high altitudes under certain atmospheric conditions. They are initiated by exhaust products and the disturbance caused by aircraft. The Department has sponsored research into these emissions including a major international scientific meeting last year which presented significant new research on the subject:

Bridges: Thames Gateway

Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations of (a) support and (b) objection he has received on the pending decision on the Thames Gateway Bridge. [135999]

Gillian Merron: In the last year the Secretary of State has received (a) one letter supporting and (b) two letters opposing the Thames Gateway Bridge.

Bus Services: Concessions

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding has been allocated to the concessionary bus fare scheme for pensioners in 2007-08; what estimate he has made of the cost of administering the scheme; and if he will make a statement. [136028]

Gillian Merron: From April 2006, older and disabled people have been guaranteed free off-peak local bus travel within their local authority area. Statutory concessionary fares are one of the services supported through Formula Grant, which comprises Revenue Support Grant, Redistributed Business Rates and Principal Formula Police Grant.

Formula Grant is an unhypothecated block grant i.e. authorities are free to spend the money on any service. Because of this and the method of calculation, particularly floor damping (which guarantees local authorities at least a minimum percentage increase by scaling back increases for other authorities), it is not possible to say how much of the total Formula Grant funding is for any particular service. The Government provided an extra £350 million in 2006-07 and a further £367.5 million in 2007-08, via the Formula Grant system,
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to fund the extra costs to local authorities. The Government are confident that this should be sufficient to cover the total additional cost to local authorities of the statutory concession.

Local authorities have the discretion to offer (and fund from their own resources) enhancements to the statutory minimum, such as peak bus travel and/or concessions on other modes.

Departments: Energy

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) instructions are issued to staff in his Department and (b) technical procedures are in place to shut down computers at night. [136104]

Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport (Central) and its agencies are very conscious of the need to reduce power, thereby contributing to a common target to reduce carbon emissions by 12.5 per cent. by 2010-11. All therefore have policies of shutting down computers at night, and staff are regularly instructed to do so by means such as induction training, circulars, general guidance, notices and night security checks. In addition, departmental procurement policy states that preference should be given to energy efficient IT equipment.

Technical procedures are not used at the moment, although DfT (Central) is examining the possibilities for this, commencing in mid-June, with an automatic shutdown of computers inadvertently left powered on at close of business each Friday.

Fares: Technology

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 6 December 2006, Official Report, column 414W, on fares: technology, what progress has been made towards using smartcards as part of the national concessionary fares scheme when it is launched in April 2008. [135954]

Gillian Merron: As part of extending concessionary travel to cover journeys on all off peak local bus services anywhere in England, the Department for Transport intends to specify a standard national concessionary bus travel pass.

We are actively exploring the option of specifying that the new passes must be ITSO compliant smartcards. Our decisions about the specifications of the pass will be dependent on the outcome of a forthcoming consultation and discussions with suppliers.

ITSO based smartcards are being used by both Scotland and Wales for their national concessionary travel schemes.

Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Driving and Diabetes Mellitus

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Driving and Diabetes Mellitus has (a) lay representatives and (b) a chosen insulin-treated diabetic who can attend meetings of the panel in a non-voting capacity. [136256]


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Dr. Ladyman: Two lay members sit on the panel.

There are no health criteria for lay panel members but we do draw them from a range of sources including patient interest and support groups.

Road Traffic Control: Blackwall Tunnel

Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the decision to end the tidal flow system at the Blackwall Tunnel. [135458]

Gillian Merron: The Secretary of State has received one representation regarding the decision to end the tidal flow system at the Blackwall Tunnel. This was a letter from a Member of Parliament.

Roads: Safety

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to tackle the road safety hazard posed by the theft of drain covers from highways. [135752]

Gillian Merron: The Department endorses “Well maintained Highways” the code of practice on highway management published by the UK Roads Liaison Group. The code provides guidance on safety inspections and those defects to be inspected which include ironwork broken or missing.

The Highways Agency is responsible for the maintenance of the strategic road network. Their routine and winter service code specifies that a missing drain cover requires an immediate and temporary repair and a permanent repair within 28 days. Safety inspections are carried out every 24 hours on most motorways and every seven days on heavily trafficked all purpose trunk roads and on a 28 day cycle on all other trunk roads.

Transport: Radioactive Materials

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations exist to cover the safe transport of radioactively contaminated metals from United Kingdom nuclear plants to other member states of the European Union for decontamination treatment. [136354]

Dr. Ladyman: In the European Union the regulations to cover the safe transport of radioactive material are contained in the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) 2005 Edition and the Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID) 2005 Edition. These regulations are required to be transposed into domestic regulations by each member state.

In Great Britain the current regulations are the Radioactive Material (Road Transport) Regulations 2002, SI 2002 No. 1093 and the Radioactive Material (Road Transport) (Amendment) Regulations 2003, SI 2003 No. 1867 and, for rail transport, the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004, SI 2004 No. 568.


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The Transfrontier Shipment of Radioactive Waste Regulations 1993 SI 1993 No. 3031 may also apply in order to prevent diversion of material.

House of Commons Commission

Parliament: Parking

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2007, Official Report, column 873W, on Parliament: parking, if he will estimate the annual revenue which would be raised by the introduction of a £10 charge for the use of car parking facilities on the estate. [136264]

Nick Harvey: As I said in my earlier reply there are no plans to introduce charges for use of car parking spaces on the parliamentary estate.

Prime Minister

Early Intervention Measures

10. Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister what research he has evaluated on early intervention measures to tackle the causes of inequality, deprivation and under-attainment. [136194]

The Prime Minister: Ensuring that all children are able to read is essential to tackling inequality and under-attainment. Since 1997, 95,000 more 11-years-olds are able to read as a result of the daily literacy hour. We are also putting in place the recommendations of the review by Jim Rose for systematic phonics teaching for all children.

In addition, the Government are also supporting measures to improve children's behaviour and attitudes from an early age. The evaluation of the primary Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) programme found that it had a positive impact on children's results, behaviour and attitudes to school. Approximately 60 per cent. of primary schools are already implementing SEAL and a programme for secondary schools will start from September 2007.

Departments: Internet

Mrs. May: To ask the Prime Minister for which Government websites he is responsible; how many visitors each received in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the cost (a) was of establishing and (b) has been of maintaining each site. [135715]

The Prime Minister: My office is responsible for the No. 10 website (http: //www. number-10.gov.uk).

Information on the number of visits to the site can be found on the No 10. website (http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page1232.asp). A copy of this web page has been placed in the Library of the House.

On costs, I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Beverley and Holderness (Mr. Stuart) on 19 December 2006, Official Report, columns 1807-8W. Figures for the financial year 2006-07 are not yet available.


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Trade and Industry

Credit: EC Action

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the EU Consumer Credit Directive on UK consumer spending in the (a) year following its implementation and (b) two years following its implementation. [135972]

Mr. McCartney: The DTI published an up-dated impact assessment in 2006 on the revised proposal for a Consumer Credit Directive. Our assessment then was that it could impose potential costs on lenders and lead to a possible reduction in access to credit among consumers, both of which could have a negative impact on consumer spending. Since then the proposal has been through a number of re-drafts and we think this risk has been very much reduced. It is not practicable to make any further assessment of the impact of the proposal post-implementation at a time when the text is subject to frequent change. We will be up-dating our impact assessment in the light of the final text if and when the directive is agreed. I will write to the hon. Member as the impact assessment is updated—and place copies in the Libraries of the House.

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the EU Consumer Credit Directive on UK consumer spending, with particular reference to (a) the overall cost of credit, (b) the ability to obtain credit and (c) access for people on low incomes to legal credit. [135973]

Mr. McCartney: The DTI published an up-dated impact assessment in 2006 on the revised proposal for a Consumer Credit Directive. Our assessment then was that it did put at risk the diversity of credit products and could drive up costs and prices and lead to a reduction in the availability of credit particularly to the sub-prime market. Since then the proposal has been through a number of re-drafts and we think this risk has been very much reduced. Negotiations are ongoing and we will be up-dating our impact assessment in the light of the final text if and when the directive is agreed. I will write to the hon. Member as the impact assessment is updated and place copies in the Libraries of the House.

Overseas Trade: Canada

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives his Department is taking to increase trade with Canada; and if he will make a statement. [136227]

Mr. McCartney [holding answer 8 May 2007]: Through UK Trade and Investment, the Department supports initiatives and provides services across a range of sectors for UK companies seeking business in Canada, with a clear focus on activity that delivers maximum added value for business and the UK economy.


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Pay Television: Competition

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to promote competition in the pay television market. [134406]

Mr. McCartney: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to reply directly to my hon. Friend. Copies of the Chief Executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Northern Ireland

Departments: Renewable Energy

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much energy in kilowatt hours was purchased by his Department from renewable sources in the most recent year for which figures are available. [135001]

Mr. Hain: My Department purchased 811,107 kilowatt hours of energy from renewable sources in 2005-06. This represents 25 per cent. of the total energy used and is well ahead of the 10 per cent. target set for March 2008. This is the most recent year for which figures are available.

Equal Opportunities

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in implementing the Workplace 2010 scheme in Northern Ireland; which bidders have been short-listed during the procurement stage; and whether Ministers-designate were consulted during the short-listing process. [135937]

Mr. Hain: This matter is now the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Administration.

Health Professions: Training

Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will defer the Northern Ireland recruitment process relating to the modernising medical careers programme for 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [136358]

Mr. Hain: This matter is now the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Administration.


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