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19 Feb 2008 : Column 548W—continued
We remain on track to reach our target of 30 per cent. Catholic composition within PSNI regulars by March 2011.
Prisoners: Contraceptives
Mr. Borrow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will ensure that condoms are
made available in prisons in Northern Ireland to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. [185860]
Paul Goggins: I reviewed this matter very recently. The incidence of HIV and hepatitis infection in Northern Ireland is low and a survey published by the Northern Ireland Prison Service in 2005 showed that the incidence of blood borne infections in its establishments was very low indeed. Therefore, although the issue will be kept under review, there are no current plans to make condoms freely available to prisoners.
Real IRA
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what estimate he has made of the number of members of the command structures of the (a) Real IRA and (b) Continuity IRA; [185726]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of former Provisional IRA members who are now members of the (a) Real IRA and (b) Continuity IRA. [185727]
Paul Goggins: As I am sure the hon. Gentleman is aware it is the longstanding policy of the Government not to comment on matters of intelligence. No matter how many individuals are involved in terrorist activity in Northern Ireland the Government have every confidence in the Police Service Northern Ireland to combat the threat they pose.
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reports he has received of Real IRA and Continuity IRA involvement with organised crime and criminal gangs (a) inside and (b) outside Northern Ireland. [185966]
Paul Goggins: The International Monitoring Commission regularly reports on the activities of paramilitary groups’ involvement in organised crime, including the Continuity IRA and the Real IRA. The Organised Crime Task Force has had significant success in disrupting organised criminal gangs and we are determined to tackle organised crime from whatever source it comes.
Leader of the House
Departmental ICT
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Leader of the House how many of her Department's personal digital assistants have been (a) lost and (b) stolen in each of the last five years; and what the value of those items was. [185270]
Helen Goodman: The Leader of the House of Commons Office forms part of the Cabinet Office. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will be answering this question shortly on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
Government Bills
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Leader of the House how many (a) amendments and (b) Government amendments were made to Government Bills by end of the Report Stage in the House in each Session since 1997-98. [185236]
Helen Goodman: There is no single source of all such amendments. Therefore it is not possible to answer the question, especially over such a time period, without incurring disproportionate cost.
Legislation
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Leader of the House how many powers to enable primary legislation to be amended or repealed by secondary legislation have been enacted in each of the last 30 years. [185516]
Helen Goodman: The Government accept that powers to amend primary legislation by secondary legislation should only be created where circumstances make it necessary or appropriate to do so.
However, there is no single source of all such provisions. It is therefore not possible to answer the question, especially over such a lengthy time period, without incurring disproportionate cost.
Innovation, Universities and Skills
Apprentices: West Midlands
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps the Government plan to take to increase the number of apprenticeships in the west midlands. [183841]
Mr. Lammy: West Midlands Learning and Skills Council plan to increase apprenticeships by around 4 per cent. in 2008-09. Projections are for 12,550 apprenticeship starts with 8,415 completions and a further 5,620 advanced apprenticeship starts with 3,385 completions in 2008-09. The overall completion rate will be 65 per cent. which represents a rise of 3 per cent. on the projected 2007-08 level The plans to increase apprenticeship numbers reflect our ambitions for growth outlined in the recent report of the ‘Apprenticeship Review—World-class Apprenticeships: Unlocking Talent, Building Skills for All’, published on 28 January 2008.
The increase in apprenticeships in the west midlands will be achieved by re-directing funding to high performing providers, introducing the apprenticeship matching service, developing closer employer engagement, removing support for poorly performing provision and introducing new opportunities for young people to prepare to undertake an apprenticeship.
Higher Education: VAT
Mr. Willetts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the total Value Added Tax (VAT) paid by higher education institutions in each of the past five
years; and what forecasts he has made of such VAT receipts expected in each of the next five years. [185693]
Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
HM Revenue and Customs does not collect data on the amount of VAT paid on individual goods and services.
Ministerial Science Group
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the membership of the Ministerial Science Group is; how frequently the group has met in the last 12 months; and what subjects it has considered. [181724]
Mr. Watson: I have been asked to reply.
The Ministerial Sub Committee on Productivity, Skills and Employment, which superseded the Sub Committee on Science and Innovation, has responsibility for issues relating to science. Details of the Committee’s membership and terms of reference can be viewed at:
or in the Library of the House.
Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet committees, including the number of meetings held and topics discussed is generally not disclosed.
Transport
A628
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent by the Highways Agency on preparation for the A628 Mottram to Tintwistle bypass public inquiry to date. [180962]
Mr. Tom Harris: The A57/A628 Mottram Tintwistle Bypass Public Inquiry started in June 2007 but took a number of years of preparation to get to this stage. Approximately £11.8 million has been spent by the Highways Agency on preparation for the A628 Mottram Tintwistle Bypass scheme.
Dartford Tunnel: Tolls
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what revenues have been received from the Dartford Crossing tolls for the period during which this programme object has had a comparability factor of 100 per cent. for the purpose of the application of the Barnett Formula. [186865]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The annual provision for the Dartford crossing toll receipts on which the Barnett formula comparability factor is based is £67 million as set out in the October 2007 Statement of Funding Policy. Previous years' revenues, since the regulatory charge was introduced for the Dartford Crossing in 2003, were:
| £ million | |
Railways: Bicycles
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bicycles were carried by train by each train operating company in each year since 1997; how many bicycle spaces were provided on the railways (a) at the latest available date and (b) in 1997; and which train operating companies have increased the number of bicycle spaces on board their rolling stock since 1997. [181619]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
We continue to encourage train operators to carry bikes on trains where possible. The Department's Cycling Policy document and the White Paper published last year set out our policy: train operators should facilitate the carriage of cycles on off-peak services and accept the folding cycles at all times. However, during the peak hours, where capacity is under pressure, it can be in the interests of the majority of passengers not to permit non-folding cycles on board. It is for individual train operators to determine which services cannot accommodate non-folding bicycles and of course to determine the number of bikes which can be carried at other times.
We want all Train Operating Companies to take into account the wider benefits of cycling when considering both investments in cycle facilities and their own rules for carrying cycles. This is particularly important when procuring new rolling stock where Space for bicycles must be considered.
The White Paper also announced the setting up of a task force to look into how bike and rail journeys can be better integrated. The task force includes the Association of Train Operating Companies, Network Rail, Passenger Focus and Cycling England. I look forward to hearing about their progress.
Railways: Swindon
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will ensure that the doubling of the Swindon to Kemble railway line takes place in 2009. [186273]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Government are supportive of rail growth to meet the needs of our growing economy and we have specified and funded the high level improvements in capacity, safety and reliability required by 2014. It is for the industry to determine the enhancement schemes required to deliver this specification, subject to independent evaluation by the Office of Rail Regulation.
Roads: Tolls
Stephen Hesford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in respect of which tolled road crossings in
England (a) tolls have ceased to be levied in the last five years and (b) there are proposals to cease to levy tolls. [184961]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The only tolled undertaking in England where a toll has been removed in the last five years is the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing, where tolls ceased in April 2003 after the construction costs of the QE2 bridge had been paid for and a maintenance fund built up. The toll was succeeded by a regulatory charge under the Transport Act 2000, at the same level as the previous toll.
I am not aware of any formal proposals from concessionaires to cease the levying of tolls prior to the end of any concession agreement.
Shropshire
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the value was of each grant provided by her Department, its associated agencies and non-departmental public bodies to (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council, (b) Shropshire county council and (c) Telford and the Wrekin borough council in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08; and what grants have been planned for 2008-09. [184098]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department has provided grants and funding allocations for Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council, Shropshire county council and Telford and Wrekin borough council and has announced funding for 2008/09 as shown in the following table.
| £000 | |||
| DfT Funding | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
| (1) Most funding for the Shrewsbury and Atcham area is allocated to Shropshire county council, which then determines its distribution. (2) Provisional amounts. (3) To date only part of this payment has been paid, outstanding payment still to be made. | |||
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