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24 Nov 2008 : Column 1106W—continued
Transport: Schools
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much each local authority has received as part of the Walking to School initiative in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement; [236318]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Walking to School initiative; and if he will make a statement; [236319]
(3) how much he expects his Department to spend on Walking to School initiatives in each of the next five years. [236320]
Paul Clark: The first year for which Walking to School Initiatives Grant was payable was 2007-08 and each local authority received the amounts set out in the Walking to School Initiatives Grant Determination 2007: No. 31/590 and Walking to School Initiatives No. 2 Grant Determination 2007: No 31/992, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House. Local authorities did not receive any funding between 2001 and 2007-08.
We have not yet carried out a full evaluation of the Walking to School Initiatives Grant scheme but 72 per cent. of the schools awarded funding for 2007-08 have set up a ‘walking bus’ or alternative walking initiative and will continue to receive funding in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
We expect to spend £1.78 million on Walking to School Initiatives Grant funding in 2008-09 and up to £1.78 million in 2009-10, in respect of the schools that continue to qualify. Other than this, we have not yet decided what additional funding will be spent on walking to school initiatives in each of the next five years.
Transport: West Yorkshire
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what transport information projects in West Yorkshire have been undertaken under funding schemes sponsored by his Department in each year since its creation. [238536]
Paul Clark: Capital investment in local transport information projects is largely supported through the integrated transport block, which the Department for Transport allocates to support local transport plans. The funding is not ring-fenced to specific types of project, and the Department no longer monitors detailed implementation of information projects which are the responsibility of local authorities.
West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority have nevertheless reported the following examples of travel information schemes funded over the 2006-08 period:
Real-time passenger information text messaging;
£3.3 million funding for Disability Discrimination Act compliant rail passenger information screens;
A website for Leeds cyclists providing information, maps and an interactive discussion forum;
A Leeds travel information website providing information ranging from details of road works to CCTV images;
In Wakefield development is under way of a travel information website with details of the Street Works Register, which will include highway authority works, events, road closures, skips etc. plus Highway Agency information on the motorway network.
West Yorkshire also benefits from a number of centrally funded travel information projects, such as Transport Direct, which went live in 2004.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Alcoholic Drinks: Prices
Tim Farron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what research has been conducted by his Department on the comparative pricing of alcoholic drinks in supermarkets and licensed premises. [236796]
Mr. Thomas: None. The prices an enterprise charges for its products is a commercial matter for the enterprise concerned. Enterprises such as restaurants, pubs and clubs selling alcohol for consumption on their premises are likely to have different cost bases and business models to off licences, shops and supermarkets that sell alcohol for home consumption. Such differences are likely to be reflected in the prices charged to customers.
Competition: Food Supply
Andrew George: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the Competition Commission's proposed remedies set out in Chapter 11 of its report into the grocery sector. [238500]
Mr. Thomas: There have been no such meetings. The Competition Commission recommended that DEFRA and BERR should consider the introduction of appropriate measures, including the extension of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) and the role of the ombudsman or the introduction of a similar, complementary code and arrangements to cover the intermediaries and primary producers. The Government response to chapter 11 was clear in that they would want to see how any change impacts on the operation of the supply chain before considering whether any further action might be necessary.
Corruption
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what contribution his Department is making to cross-departmental anti-corruption initiatives. [235161]
Mr. Thomas: The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform provide the Secretariat to Anti-Corruption Champion, Jack Straw. The Secretariat co-ordinate cross-departmental anti-corruption work and provide the UK delegation to the OECD Bribery Working Group.
BERR provides funding support for the City of London Police’s Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit. The Department is also responsible for Global Compact in the UK and has lead responsibility for the UK National Contact Point which implements and promotes the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
BERR also have responsibility for raising business awareness and training of Government officials here and abroad. UKTI Defence and Security Organisation continues to encourage the adoption of Common Industry Standards by defence manufacturers and aerospace companies.
Departmental Catering
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether food and drink on sale to staff of (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies at official premises is subsidised from public funds. [237411]
Mr. McFadden: This Departments catering contract is let on a commercial basis. The kitchen area is provided at no charge under the terms of the contract.
I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service and Companies House and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.
Departmental Land
Sarah Teather: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much surplus land (a) his Department and (b) its agencies own; and what the (i) area and (ii) estimated monetary value of each site is. [236435]
Mr. McFadden: No surplus land is owned by BERR.
I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service and Companies House and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.
Departmental Official Visits
David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much was spent on overnight accommodation by his Department’s civil servants in the last 12 months. [228788]
Mr. McFadden: £1,142,183 was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants within this Department’s areas of responsibilities in the last 12 months (October 2007-September 2008). This includes both UK and overseas accommodation.
These data are obtained from the Department’s hotel booking agent and its travel agent. The figures will not include any accommodation bookings made outside of these arrangements as this information is not centrally captured.
Departmental Procurement
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what proportion of invoices for goods and services procured from small- and medium-sized businesses were paid within 30 days of receipt by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which his Department is responsible in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement. [226496]
Mr. McFadden: BERR's payment performance for 2007-08 is reported in the Department's Annual Report and Resource Accounts:
(May 2008). Our agencies have their own finance systems and BERR therefore does not have information on their performance.
BERR does not currently publish information about size of suppliers as this does not fully reflect the number and size of businesses engaged in supplying to Government. We do not discriminate by size of business because many SMEs can be found within larger supply chains.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced during Prime Minister's questions on 8 October 2008 Government are moving to make payment of invoices as soon as possible and within 10 days. In 2007-08 BERR (excluding its agencies, who report separately) paid 58 per cent. of invoices (by volume) within 10 days and the Department is working to improve this as soon as possible. We also currently encourage our leading suppliers to pass on our credit terms and will be working with them to reduce payment times along the entire supply chain.
Departmental Security
Chris Huhne: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many security passes have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in (i) his Department and (ii) agencies sponsored by his Department in each year since 2001. [228895]
Mr. McFadden: The number of lost BERR identity passes and those of its predecessor each year since 2001 are set out in the following table. There is nothing on a pass which indicates which buildings or organisations it gives access to.
Specific guidance on safeguarding passes is issued to the individual pass holder with each pass. Lost passes are often found and returned to the Department via an anonymous PO Box number, through an arrangement we have with the Royal Mail.
Lost passes are recorded as a breach of security against the pass holder.
I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service and Companies House agencies and we will place copies of their letters in the Libraries of the House.
| March to February | Passes—lost and stolen |
Fuel Poverty
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what criteria will be used to select fuel-poor areas under the Home Energy Saving Programme; and what the average size of such areas will be. [236757]
Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
The policy detail of the Community Energy Savings Programme is currently under discussion with stakeholders. The Government will undertake a formal consultation and will seek views on these issues. It would therefore be inappropriate to pre-empt the outcome of this consultation.
Grocery Trade
Andrew George: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what meetings he has had since 1 May 2008 at which the Competition Commission market investigation into the supply of groceries in the UK was discussed. [238156]
Mr. Thomas: BERR Ministers and officials frequently have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery on a range of issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Home Energy Saving Programme
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what arrangements are in place to fund measures to be introduced under the Home Energy Saving Programme. [236758]
Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
The increase to the Carbon Emission Reduction Target and the Community Energy Saving Programme will be funded by a proposed obligation on energy suppliers and a new obligation on electricity generators.
Further investment in Warm Front and the increase in cold weather payments are being funded by an additional £90 million of Government expenditure.
Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what representations his Department has received from urban regeneration companies on the effect of changes in empty property business rates. [236520]
John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has received one written representation, dated 10 October, from the Urban Regeneration Companies on the impact of empty property rates.
Performance Appraisal
David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many staff in his Department did not achieve an acceptable assessment grade in their annual report in the latest reporting year for which figures are available. [235232]
Mr. McFadden: For the reporting year 2007-08, the latest year for which figures are available, two staff in the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform did not achieve an acceptable assessment grade in their annual report.
Post Offices
Andrew George: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what procedures his Department has put in place to enable people in a local community to apply for the opening of a new post office. [237792]
Mr. McFadden: The Government have encouraged Post Office Ltd. to talk to any local authority or community organisation who may wish to fund a local operator to provide Post Office services. Post Office Ltd. has put in place a process for responding to any serious expressions of interest in maintaining post office service provision received.
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