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21 Nov 2007 : Column 852W—continued
| Table 2: funding for local safety schemes | ||
| £ million | ||
| Cornwall | England | |
In addition local authorities receive revenue support for road safety services via formula grants such as revenue support grant, which they may use at their discretion on initiatives such as the promotion of road safety awareness, education or publicity in schools. The Department for Transport also supplies publicity and education materials to local authorities and schools on request, free of charge.
The Government have also provided some smaller grants to local authorities, for example for road safety demonstration projects, although none in Cornwall.
The Government directly fund road safety measures on trunk roads, although this funding cannot be disaggregated to county level.
Wales
Housing
11. Mrs. Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on available and affordable housing in Wales. [164987]
Huw Irranca-Davies: I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues in the Welsh Assembly Government, including on housing issues.
Domestic and Work-place Abuse
12. Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meetings he has had with Ministers in (a) the Welsh Assembly Government and (b) the UK Government to discuss domestic abuse and abuse in the workplace. [164988]
Huw Irranca-Davies: My right hon. Friend and I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues in the Welsh Assembly Government and the UK Government, on a wide range of subjects, including domestic abuse and abuse in the workplace.
Economy: North-east Wales
13. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the contribution of North East Wales to the UK economy. [164989]
Huw Irranca-Davies: North-east Wales has the fastest growing economic area in the UK. It has seen faster growth in the economy than south-east England over the past 20 years
Comprehensive Spending Review
14. Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on the Comprehensive Spending Review settlements for the Welsh Assembly Government and Wales Office. [165102]
Mr. Hain: I had constructive discussions with the Chief Secretary during the Comprehensive Spending Review process, which delivered a positive package for Wales giving both the Welsh Assembly Government and the Wales Office the resources to deliver on policy priorities.
Tidal Energy
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on the development of electricity generated from tidal energy in Wales. [164985]
Mr. Hain: I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend. I look forward to meeting him, and other ministerial colleagues, to discuss the exciting proposals for a Severn barrage.
Defence Training Programme: RAF St. Athan
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Ministry of Defence over the time taken to implement the defence training programme at RAF St. Athan. [164986]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Secretary of State and I have regular discussions on a range of defence issues.
I welcome the progress made so far on delivering an excellent package that meets our defence training needs. Work is expected to begin at St. Athan as early as 2009.
Departmental Correspondence
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of inquiries received by his Department from the public were responded to within (a) one week, (b) 14 days, (c) 28 days, (d) two months and (e) three months in the last period for which figures are available; and in what percentage of cases it took (i) over three months and (ii) over one year to respond. [167376]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office does not record information in this format, this could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
Performance information can be found in the Wales Office 2007 Annual Report.
Departmental Flexible Working
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff (a) have applied to work flexible hours and (b) work flexible hours (i) in the Department and (ii) the executive agencies for which the Department is responsible. [164328]
Mr. Hain: The vast majority of Wales Office staff work on a flexi-time basis, and do not have to apply to work on this basis. Furthermore, several staff work on a compressed hours or part-time basis.
The Wales Office does not have any executive agencies.
Departmental Food
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of (a) beef, (b) lamb, (c) pork and (d) dairy products used in his departmental headquarters were imported products in the most recent period for which figures are available. [166645]
The Wales Office does not have catering facilities.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisors
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the office costs for his Department's special advisers for 2007-08 are expected to be, including costs of support staff; and how many full-time equivalent civil servants work in support of such special advisers. [164918]
Mr. Hain: Salary details for the Wales Office's special advisers were published in my answer of Monday, 19 November 2007, Official Report, column 451W.
Other office costs are not available by individual staff member, and obtaining this information could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
Wales Office special advisers do not have any support staff, and no civil servants work in support of them.
Departmental Official Hospitality
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what entertainment or hospitality members of his Department’s management board have received in each of the last three financial years; and if he will make a statement. [164737]
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the increase in the Wales Office budget is intended to meet (a) administrative costs arising from the new arrangements for liaising with the Welsh Assembly Government to draft legislation relevant to Wales and (b) refurbishment of Gwydyr House in Whitehall. [166332]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office's settlement provides £18.8 million over three years, which amounts to just over £6 million per year to meet the increased demands on the Office. This is around £1 million a year more than the expected out-turn for 2007-08.
It is not possible to detail precisely what proportion of this relates to liaison with the Welsh Assembly Government on legislation. The settlement does not include any planned expenditure on the possible refurbishment of Gwydyr House.
Departmental Publicity
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department and its agencies spent on managing their corporate identities in the last 12 month period for which figures are available. [167338]
Departmental Repairs and Maintenance
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent by his Department on renovation and refurbishment of its properties in each of the last five years. [164376]
Mr. Hain: In the last five years the Wales Office has not undertaken any renovation or refurbishment projects, only necessary maintenance and office upkeep as a result of recommendations from external accommodation reports.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of expenditure on renovation and refurbishment of his Department's properties in the next 12 months. [164380]
Mr. Hain: None. There are no plans for the Wales Office to undertake any renovation or refurbishment in the next 12 months.
Departmental Standards
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish his Department's autumn performance report. [164864]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office does not publish an autumn performance report.
My Department publishes a Departmental Annual Report each year, as per HM Treasury timetable. The 2008 report will be published around May 2008.
Opinion Leader Research
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many contracts were awarded by his Department to Opinion Leader Research in each year since 1997; and what was (a) the title and purpose, (b) the cost to the public purse and (c) the dates of (i) tender, (ii) award, (iii) operation and (iv) completion and report to the Department in each case. [165264]
Public Expenditure
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he had with ministerial colleagues in HM Treasury on the Comprehensive Spending Review settlements for the (a) Welsh Assembly Government and (b) Wales Office. [165215]
Mr. Hain: I had constructive discussions with the chief secretary during the Comprehensive Spending Review process, which delivered a positive package for Wales giving both the Welsh Assembly Government and the Wales Office the resources to deliver on policy priorities.
Remploy
Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with Remploy on the future of its factories in Wales. [164979]
Mr. Hain: I have regular discussions with Remploy on its modernisation proposals.
We received the company’s final modernisation proposals on 12 November.
Fewer factories are proposed for closure than in the company’s original plan. The plants in Aberdare, Bridgend, Abertillery and Wrexham are now proposed to remain open while Brynamman and Ystradgynlais plants remain proposed to merge at new site in Neath.
I am currently considering the company’s proposals, and I will make a statement to the House in due course. As I pledged in September, there will be no factory closures without ministerial agreement.
Olympics
Olympic Games 2012: Cambridgeshire
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what support is available for (a) Peterborough City Council and (b) other local authorities in Cambridgeshire to develop their strategies and policies in relation to the hosting of the London 2012 Olympics. [163177]
Tessa Jowell: The Local Government Association is supporting local authorities across the UK in the lead up to the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. In addition the Nations and Regions Group, chaired by Charles Allen, coordinates legacy benefits planning across the UK, including in the East of England.
The East of England regional structure has also been reorganised to support the 2012 regional business plan more effectively. The Nations and Regions East (NRE) board has representation from each of the six county areas, which includes councils and the four unitary authorities. NRE is chaired by Cllr Stephen Castle, who is the regional representative on the Nations and Regions Group. Below the Nations and Regions East board is a partnership executive group which includes representation from Peterborough city council and Cambridge county council. Its role is to provide additional support to county level working groups to take forward relevant and appropriate activity to maximise the benefits from 2012.
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