| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
15 Jun 2007 : Column 1416W—continued
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent on administering the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in the 2006-07 financial year. [142452]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 12 June 2007]: For the 2006-07 financial year, the total administration costs for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 1 was £509,044.54. This included set up costs for Phase 1, which started in April 06. Phase 2 started in December 2006 and the total administration costs for 2006-07 financial year was £130,625, including set up costs.
These costs do not include work undertaken by civil servants in supporting delivery of the programme.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent on the recent restructuring of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme. [142453]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 12 June 2007]: The overall costs are forecast to be in the region of £90,000.
Maternity Leave: Paternity Leave
Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent estimate he has made of the take-up rates of (a) paid maternity leave, (b) unpaid maternity leave, (c) paid paternity leave and (d) unpaid paternity leave in the latest period for which figures are available. [136543]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 9 May 2007]: The most recent estimates are based on the Maternity and Paternity rights and benefits in Britain: Survey of Parents, conducted in 2005. The survey is based on a random sample of mothers who had a baby in December 2003 and their partners. Of mothers in paid work, all took at least some of their entitlement to maternity leave, and 98 per cent. received some form of maternity pay; approximately 2 per cent. of mothers in paid work did not receive maternity pay.
Of fathers in paid work, 93 per cent. said they had taken some leave around the time of the birth. Of these, around 80 per cent. said they had used at least some of their statutory paid paternity leave entitlement which was brought in 2003. The remainder took other forms of leave. No estimate has been made of the take-up of unpaid paternity, although almost all fathers who qualify for paternity leave will also qualify for Statutory Paternity leave.
The report findings from this survey is available in the Members’ library, on the DTI website at http;//www.dti.gov.uk/files/file27446.pgf and from the DTI Publications Order-line 08701 502500, quoting URN 06/836.
Nuclear Power Stations
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what consideration his Department makes of population density when considering potential locations for new power stations; [142552]
(2) whether his Department has identified any sites for potential new nuclear power stations to be built in Sussex; [142550]
(3) what criteria his Department uses to determine the location of new nuclear power stations. [142554]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer s 14 June 2007]: DTI has not identified any locations for new nuclear power stations. Any new nuclear power stations would be built by the private sector but no decisions would be taken on any potential location for a new nuclear power station pending the carrying out of a full strategic siting assessment (SSA).
DTI is consulting on a proposed process for carrying out an SSA. If the Government confirms its preliminary view that it is in the public interest to allow energy companies the option of investing in new nuclear power stations, DTI would consult separately on the siting criteria that would underpin such an assessment. Such criteria would include demographic considerations, including with regard to population density and distribution. In addition to the SSA, any proposed new nuclear sites would need to comply with the rigorous site-specific safety and environmental requirements of the independent regulators.
Post Offices
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the performance of Crown Post Offices transferred to the private sector in (a) England and (b) Worcestershire; and if he will make a statement. [138700]
Jim Fitzpatrick: None. Operational matters are the direct responsibility of the company’s management.
However, results of Post Office Ltd’s customer surveys from the six pilot franchises to WH Smith last year are overwhelmingly positive. The majority of customers welcome the pleasant environment, excellent levels of customer service, convenient locations and extended opening hours.
Post Offices: Somerset
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to publish his proposals on post office closures in Somerset; and if he will make a statement. [143128]
Jim Fitzpatrick: On 17 May my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the Government’s response to public consultation on the Post Office network.
Now that the Government have announced their decisions it will be for Post Office Ltd. to strategically develop the network through 50 to 60 local area implementation plans over the next 18 months.
Following initial input from sub-postmasters, Postwatch and local authorities, these plans will include closure proposals which will then be put to local consultation ahead of final decisions.
Radioactive Materials
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the total amount of radioactive material unaccounted for from nuclear power stations since their establishment. [141854]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 11 June 2007]: Following consultation with the hon. Member, the question will be answered with respect to nuclear material unaccounted for (MUF). MUF is the inventory difference that occurs when the result of a physical inventory of nuclear material is compared with the book inventory. The difference may be negative (an apparent loss) or positive (an apparent gain). MUF is a recognised feature of accounting for nuclear material at processing plants and is caused primarily by the uncertainties inherent in the techniques used to measure nuclear material. An explanation of MUF is available at:
There should be no such MUF for nuclear power stations. Nuclear material in the form of discrete items (fuel elements) is added to the inventory on receipt at the power station site and subtracted from that inventory when fuel is shipped from the site.
Nuclear materials balance figures for UK sites where nuclear material is processed, and hence MUF arises, are published annually. For figures since 1974, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 15 June 2004, Official Report, column 820W. More recent figures are available at the UK Safeguards Office website at:
There is no evidence to suggest that there have been any real losses or gains of nuclear material.
Royal Mail: Government Assistance
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment was made of compliance with EU rules on state aid before each of the four instances of Government assistance to Royal Mail being investigated by the European Commission was announced. [140113]
Mr. Darling [holding answer 4 June 2007]: The support that the Government have given to the Royal Mail mails business has been provided on a commercial basis. This has been verified by independent sources.
Turbines: Health Hazards
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2007, Official Report, column 1003W, on turbines: health hazards, what qualifications Hayes McKenzie possessed in relation to infrasound emitted by wind turbines; and what role medical experts played in the production of the report. [142509]
Malcolm Wicks: The Hayes McKenzie report for DTI “The measurement of Low Frequency Noise at three UK wind farms” investigated the levels of low frequency noise and infrasound emitted by wind turbines, it was not within the remit of the study to undertake new medical analysis.
However, the study did refer to the document prepared for the World Health Organization “Community Noise” which states that
“there is no reliable evidence that infrasounds below the hearing threshold produce physiological or psychological effects”.
It also referenced work undertaken for DEFRA on low frequency noise and its effects.
Dr. Andrew McKenzie and Malcolm Hayes are acoustic experts with between them over 45 years experience. They have conducted work in relation to wind turbines at over 400 proposed, consented or completed sites in the UK and overseas.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research his Department has carried out on the numbers of individuals and households adversely affected by infrasound emitted by wind turbines. [142510]
Malcolm Wicks: DTI and DEFRA have recently commissioned a report by Salford university one of the objectives of which is
“to establish the levels and nature of the noise complaints received across the UK relating to noise issues from wind farms, both historic and current, and determine whether Aerodynamic Modulation (AM) is a significant effect”.
This report will be published later this summer.
Transport
Cycle to Work Scheme
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many institutions are participating in the Cycle to Work scheme in (a) the UK and (b) Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland. [143423]
Mr. Tom Harris: This information is not centrally collected as the scheme is not run by central Government.
Employers are responsible for implementing the scheme where they can take advantage of the tax exemption provided in the Finance Act 1999 and the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 to provide cycles for their employees to commute to work.
Freight: Blaenau Ffestiniog
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to protect the Blaenau Ffestiniog goods yard for future freight use. [141018]
Mr. Tom Harris: Blaenau Ffestiniog goods yard was marketed extensively—over and above the normal consultation process that the company undertakes prior to putting a property up for sale—to the rail freight community during 2006. No interest in purchasing the site for rail freight use was received. In addition, no objections to the sale were received from the rail industry or from the Welsh Assembly Government who stated that there was no public or private interest in the site. As such, following the formal consultation process that BRB (Residuary) Ltd. are required to undertake prior to releasing properties for sale, the site was sold at auction on 6 June 2007.
Railways: Portsmouth
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that passengers receive compensation following the conclusions of the Office of Rail Regulation Report on the Portsmouth re-signalling project by Network Rail; and if he will make a statement. [143164]
Mr. Tom Harris: Stagecoach South Western Trains is obligated to compensate passengers where disruption to services meets its compensation obligations under the National Rail Conditions of Carriage and in particular under its Passengers Charter.
The Department has ensured that where necessary that Stagecoach South Western Trains has plans to meet its obligations to passengers.
Treasury
Capital Gains Tax
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has conducted on the effect of removing exemption from capital gains tax in relation to primary residences. [142354]
Ed Balls: Primary residences are exempt from capital gains tax. Figures relating to the cost of exempting gains on primary residences from capital gains tax are published in Table 1.5 on the HMRC website.
Capital Gains Tax: Tax Allowances
Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the annual value of capital gains tax taper relief on carried interest in each of the last three financial years. [141157]
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual revenue yield from treating as income for tax purposes the capital gains received by private equity funds on disposals of assets held by the funds they manage; and if he will make a statement. [141427]
Ed Balls: Information is not collected in such a way as to enable these stimates to be made.
Child Tax Credit
Ms Buck: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many parents of children aged 11 years and over were in receipt of the child care element of children’s tax credit in each of the last three years. [142429]
Mr. Timms: The following table shows the number of in-work families with a child aged 11 years or over who were benefiting from the child care element of working tax credits at selected snapshot dates in the last three years.
| Snapshot date | |||
| April 2005 | April 2006 | April 2007 | |
The bottom row of figures in the table shows families where all child care costs can be attributed to children aged 11 or over. For families with two or more children, it is not possible to say which child the family are claiming child care costs for. It is likely that most families with children under and over the age of 11 are claiming child care costs for younger siblings, as opposed to any child aged 11 or over.
Council Tax: Valuation
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Valuation Office Agency has the (a) authority and (b) ability to conduct a council tax rebanding exercise without a formal council tax revaluation. [142352]
Mr. Timms: Listing officers of the Valuation Office Agency have a duty, under the Local Government Finance Act 1992, to compile and maintain council tax valuation lists. Maintaining valuation lists can include work to re-band properties individually, in relation to their market value as at 1 April 1991, where the existing entries are found to be incorrect, but does not extend to a partial or full revaluation which requires express statutory authority by secondary legislation.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |