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6 May 2008 : Column 736W—continued
Tintwistle Hollingworth and Mottram Bypass
Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for how many days the Mottram bypass public inquiry has sat since June 2007. [203526]
Mr. Tom Harris: Since June 2007, the A57/A628 Mottram Tintwistle bypass public inquiry sat for 15 days. These dates are listed as follows:
Day 1: 26 June 2007
Day 2: 3 July 2007
Day 3: 4 July 2007
Day 4: 5 July 2007
Day 5: 6 July 2007
Day 6: 10 July 2007
Day 7: 11 July 2007
Day 8: 12 July 2007
Day 9: 4 September 2007
Day 10: 5 September 2007
Day 11:6 September 2007
Day 12: 11 September 2007
Day 13: 19 September 2007
Day 14: 6 November 2007
Day 15: 18 December 2007
Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to (a) her Department and (b) the Highways Agency of the Mottram bypass public inquiry has been. [203527]
Mr. Tom Harris: All of the costs for this scheme lie with the Highways Agency. The A57/A628 Mottram Tintwistle bypass public inquiry started in June 2007. Since award of contract in August 2004 the scheme has incurred costs of £15,000,000. This includes design costs for the scheme, publication of draft orders, preparation and publication of the environmental statement, traffic modelling, legal costs, Highways Agency staff costs and the public inquiry. The specific costs for the public inquiry itself are not recorded separately.
Communities and Local Government
Allotments: Local Authorities
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she is taking to ensure that local authorities make provision for allotment sites. [203575]
Mr. Iain Wright: The provision of allotments is the responsibility of local authorities. Section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 places a duty on local authorities (except for inner London boroughs) to provide allotments where they perceive a demand for them in their area. Furthermore, ‘Planning Policy Guidance Note 17: Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation, 2002’ requires local authorities to make provision for all types of open space and requires them to undertake robust assessments of local needs and audits of existing open space, to establish standards for new provision. By implementing the guidance in PPG 17, local authorities should make adequate provision for allotments.
A revised good practice guide, “Growing in the Community,” was published by the Local Government Association in March 2008, and includes a section on allotment provision. A free copy was sent to all local authorities.
Departmental Marketing
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the advertising and marketing budget of her Department and each of its agencies is for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09. [202463]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department does not have a central advertising and marketing budget.
The final evaluation of the public information campaigns carried out by the Department in 2007-08 is currently being prepared and will be published in the Department’s annual report, which will be placed in the Library of the House.
Information on our agencies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental NDPBs
Mr. Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were serving on the boards of the non-departmental public bodies which her Department sponsors at the latest date for which figures are available. [203601]
Mr. Dhanda: The Cabinet Office publication ‘Public Bodies 2007’ lists the number of people serving on the boards of public bodies as at 31 March 2007. These figures are broken down by individual Departments. ‘Public Bodies 2007’ can be downloaded from
Copies are also available in the Library of the House.
Departmental Publications
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 21 April 2008, Official Report, column 1393-4W, on departmental publications, if she will place in the Library a copy of (a) the contents page, (b) the guidance on travel and (c) the guidance on bonuses from her Department's staff handbook. [202958]
Mr. Dhanda: A copy of the staff handbook contents page, guidance on travel and subsistence and guidance on bonuses has been deposited in the Library of the House.
Departmental Temporary Employment
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many full-time posts were filled on a temporary basis for a period in excess of six months in her Department in each of the last three years. [200657]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department makes use of temporary staff from employment agencies to fill certain posts. Often such posts require specialised skills. Our historical records of this practice are not in a format that enables us to provide the requested information.
In addition, permanent civil servants are on occasion asked to fulfil a role at a more senior level on a temporary basis. In such instances, a temporary responsibility allowance is awarded. Because of the way that data have been entered on our payroll system, the information requested in relation to periods of temporary responsibility, which subsequently last for longer than six months, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Digital Mapping
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 21 April 2008, Official Report, column 1397W, on digital mapping, who the members of the Expert Group on the Digital National Framework are. [202956]
Mr. Dhanda:
The Digital National Framework Expert Group meets three times a year to coordinate its activities. The Expert Group distribution list presently comprises over 60 representatives from 45 organisations, of which 29 are private sector or commercial organisations. Some representatives participate in a corresponding role only. Generally there are around 20 participants at an Expert
Group and members host the meetings. The agenda and minutes of the meeting are posted on the DNF website at:
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 21 April 2008, Official Report, column 1397W, on digital mapping, when the Expert Group on the Digital National Framework last met. [202967]
Mr. Dhanda: The Expert Group on the Digital National Framework last met on 5 March 2008. The meeting was hosted by Natural England in London and the minutes will appear on the DNF website
Fire Services: Insurance
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what insurance protection for injury or death is provided for firefighters in relation to (a) standard fire and rescue work and (b) terrorist incidents. [203053]
Mr. Dhanda: The Firefighters' Compensation Scheme (England) Order 2006 provides for lump sum payments to be made in respect of firefighters who die or are permanently incapacitated on duty. A fixed amount equal to five times the annual pensionable pay of a firefighter with four years' service is paid if the person leaves dependants. £950 is paid if there are no dependants.
The scheme also provides for the payment of injury awards to firefighters injured on duty who are permanently disabled in the performance of duty. The award is based upon an assessment of loss of earnings capacity.
The scheme is non-contributory.
Floods: Repairs and Maintenance
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2008, Official Report, column 1405W, on floods: repairs and maintenance, if she will break down by local government area the indicated number of households which are still displaced following the summer floods of 2007. [203525]
John Healey: The following table breaks down the number of displaced households by local authority area. The table is based on the best information available from local authorities in March 2008, which in some cases were estimates or figures provided in January. We expect figures provided in January to have decreased, and this is reflected in our estimates.
| Local authority | Households displaced |
| (1) January figures | |
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