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18 Mar 2008 : Column 946W—continued
Further information can be found in the British Geological Survey Report entitled ‘The strategic importance of the marine aggregate industry to the UK’ at:
or from the Crown Estate website at:
Foot and Mouth Disease: Disease Control
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations of the independent review of the safety of UK facilities handling the foot and mouth disease virus; and if he will make a statement. [188726]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 25 February 2008]: Professor Brian Spratt’s Independent Review of the safety of UK facilities handling foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus made 14 recommendations, all of which the Government accepted, agreed to or agreed to in principle.
The recommendations in relation to immediate action on containment have all been addressed. Progress in implementing them is kept under close review through regular inspections by DEFRA and the Health and Safety Executive. In relation to the recommendations on further action on biosecurity and biosafety, the chief veterinary officer recently wrote to Merial and the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) to remind them of the importance of clarity of roles, responsibilities and effective communications. Once we received assurances that sufficient mechanisms were in place, and following progress in relation to the immediate actions on containment, Merial’s licence to handle specified animal pathogens was restored on 25 February 2008. DEFRA officials continue to work closely with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate about inspections at Merial.
In relation to the recommendations on funding, design and governance, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council established the Beringer Review to seek to improve the funding, risk management and governance of the IAH. I understand that the review is expected to report in April. At present, we do not believe that further work on identifying the source of the virus would add to our understanding of the measures that need to be put in place, but we will keep that assessment under review.
In relation to the recommendation on the regulatory and inspection framework, Sir Bill Callaghan was requested to lead a review examining ways of simplifying and strengthening the regulatory framework for animal pathogens. The review reported on 13 December. In the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the House in December, he accepted all the recommendations in this review and progress is being made in implementing these.
Further detail on progress being made on each of the recommendations of the investigations into the biosecurity at Pirbright is available on the DEFRA website.
Pollution Control: Fees and Charges
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his written ministerial statement of 11 March 2008, Official Report, column 8WS, on local authorities fees and charges 2008-09, what revenue was raised from fees and charges by local authorities for local air pollution prevention and control and local authority-integrated pollution and control in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07; and what estimate he has made of revenues for (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09. [195186]
Jonathan Shaw: According to the returns made by local authorities, the revenue from these fees and charges were £8,901,846 in 2005-06, and £8,324,448 in 2006-07.
Future revenue will be dependent on any changes to the level of fees and charges, the number of regulated installations, and the number of permit applications made. DEFRA will continue to review the charging levels annually in consultation with key stakeholders, and those for 2008-09 have just been published on the Department's website at:
We are currently working on a better regulation review of certain sectors; a possible outcome is that some sectors could be removed from regulation or subject to lighter-touch regulation with lower charges.
Rights of Way
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many rights of way have been restored by local authorities under Discovering Lost Ways since the scheme's inception. [194402]
Jonathan Shaw: At present, no rights of way have been added to the definitive map as a result of the Discovering Lost Ways project.
Five claims have been submitted in Cheshire and are currently being processed. A further 21 case-files have been passed to Shropshire county council for its consideration.
Transport
A30: Bodmin
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department and its agencies propose to grant route protection status to the A30 Temple to Bodmin Improvement Scheme. [193989]
Mr. Tom Harris: Route protection status was granted in April 2005 and remains in place.
Birmingham New Street Station
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the maximum number of train services able to call at Birmingham New Street Station per day (a) at present and (b) on completion of its redevelopment. [194391]
Mr. Tom Harris [holding answer 17 March 2008]: The redevelopment of New Street station will improve passenger handling capacity and facilities within the station itself. Growth will be achieved primarily via longer trains, as set out in the Rail White Paper published in July 2007. After the station project is completed, the station will not constrain such passenger growth over the West Midlands network.
Calculation of the maximum number of trains on the network is the responsibility of Network Rail and depends on timetable, operational and infrastructure considerations.
Bus Services: Concessions
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will set the funding allocation to local authorities for concessionary bus passes based on a calculation of the number of pensioners that are eligible for it in each local authority. [194176]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 14 March 2008]: The funding will be distributed by a special grant, in line with the wishes of local government, using a formula to direct funding to areas likely to experience increased costs such as urban and tourist centres and coastal towns. The formula used is based on the most popular option with local authorities from our recent consultation on the issue. The formula takes into account the eligible population in each area, bus patronage, overnight visitors and retail space. We are confident that sufficient funding in total will be distributed to cover the additional cost of the new England-wide concession.
Bus Services: Pensioners
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make an estimate of the annual cost of a free national bus pass for pensioners. [193797]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Government paid a grant of £31 million in total to travel concession authorities (TCAs) in England outside London in this financial year (2007-08) to cover the cost of issuing a new concessionary travel pass to every eligible person who applied for one. The passes grant is based on £4 for each pass in circulation at October 2007, uplifted by 20 per cent. to recognise that the new England-wide concession is likely to be more attractive than the existing one. £31 million is not an annual cost as passes can remain in use for up to five years. As TCAs may choose to replace them at more frequent intervals, it is not possible to calculate the exact annual cost.
Bus Services: Peterborough
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the likely take-up of the national concessionary bus fare scheme by individuals in the Peterborough city council area from 1st April 2008; and if she will make a statement. [193680]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Funding for the England-wide statutory minimum will be distributed by a special grant, in line with the wishes of local government, using a formula to direct funding to areas likely to experience increased costs such as urban and tourist centres. The formula used is based on the most popular option with local authorities from our recent consultation on the issue.
Local authorities are responsible for forecasting likely future take-up in their area based on local knowledge. In estimating the likely cost impact of the new concession, an assumption of 85 per cent. pass take-up across England was used. In October 2007, Peterborough city council had 20,500 pass holders who were entitled to free local concessionary bus travel.
Approximately 30,000 older people resident in Peterborough will be eligible, from 1 April, for the new England-wide concession.
Departmental Equality
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent meetings she has held with the recognised unions to discuss equality matters in her Department; and when she next plans to meet them. [190271]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 28 February 2008]: The Secretary of State for Transport takes an active interest in equality and diversity matters in her department. However, she has not met with the recognised unions to discuss these as Ministers would not normally be involved in discussions about staffing, this would be a matter for the Permanent Secretary.
Departmental Freedom of Information
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of Freedom of Information requests received by her Department have given rise to responses that have been published by her Department. [180213]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Information released under the FOI Act and the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) has been published in almost 37 per cent. of cases. Of the 1,362 entries in the DfT disclosure log, some indicate that information released may only be viewed physically due to the format or volume of the material.
DfT has adopted a selective disclosure log whereby only the most interesting and high profile pieces of information are published.
The DfT disclosure log can be accessed under the Freedom of Information section at:
Driving: Sleep Apnoea
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of licensed drivers with sleep apnoea; what steps she plans to take to take account of this issue in proposals on road safety; and if she will make a statement. [194785]
Jim Fitzpatrick: No statistics are available on the precise number of licence holders with obstructive sleep apnoea. The condition must be notified to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency so fitness to drive can be assessed. In 2006, the Agency processed approximately 7,000 cases. At present there is no evidence for additional measures.
Great Western Trains
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to her Written Ministerial Statement of 26 February 2008, Official Report, columns 73-4WS, on First Great Western franchise, how often she will assess First Great Western’s Remedial Plan once it is agreed. [191741]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Department for Transport will assess progress on the First Great Western Remedial Plan every four weeks. Material non-compliance with the Remedial Agreement would be a default of the franchise agreement, which could lead to the Government terminating First Great Western’s franchise.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which parliamentary constituencies contain stations through which First Great Western provide services. [191743]
Mr. Tom Harris: The following constituencies contain stations through which First Great Western currently provide services:
Aberavon
Aldershot
Arundel and South Downs
Banbury
Basingstoke
Bath
Bracknell
Brentford and Isleworth
Bridgend
Bridgwater
Brighton, Kemptown
Bristol, East
Bristol, North-West
Bristol, West
Cardiff, Central
Carmarthen, East and Dinefwr
Carmarthen, West and South Pembrokeshire
Cheltenham
Chichester
Cities of London and Westminster
Cotswold
Crawley
Daventry
Devizes
East Devon
Dorset East
South Dorset
Ealing, Acton and Shepherd’s Bush
Ealing, Southall
Exeter
Falmouth and Camborne
Fareham
Gloucester
Guildford
Havant
Hayes and Harlington
Henley
Hereford
Leominster
Llanelli
Maidenhead
Mid-Worcestershire
Mole Valley
Monmouth
Neath
Newbury
New Forest, East
Newport, East
Newport, West
Northavon
North Cornwall
North Devon
North Swindon
North Wiltshire
Oxford, West and Abingdon
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