Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 9 December 2008
Electoral Commission Committee
Liberal Democrats: Finance
Mr. Maude: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission with reference to the answer of 4 March 2008, Official Report, column 2242W, on Liberal Democrats: finance, what the (a) status and (b) timetable is of the Electoral Commission's investigation into the permissibility of the donations by Mr. Michael Brown to the Liberal Democrat Party. [241769]
Sir Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that following the recent conclusion of criminal proceedings against Mr. Michael Brown, it has now resumed its investigation into the permissibility of donations made to the Liberal Democrat Party by Mr. Brown in 2005.
The Commission further informs me that it will now aim to conclude the investigation as quickly as possible, but that its priority must be to ensure that the process is fair and thorough.
Political Parties: Finance
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission with reference to the memorandum submitted by the Electoral Commission to the Public Bill Committee of Session 2007-08 on the Political Parties and Elections Bill, in relation to the proposed new trigger rules, whether spending by an individual in relation to a campaign on local issues, but not in relation to their candidacy in a future election, would count as a trigger. [241815]
Sir Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that in the memorandum it submitted to the Public Bill Committee (PPE 04), which is available on the committee's webpage, it cited the issue of spending in relation to a campaign on local issues as one of the complex questions likely to arise under the proposed new trigger rules.
The Commission informs me that, if the triggering proposal is implemented, it will prepare and consult on guidance on the practical effect of the rules. However, as the Commission noted in its memorandum, the question of when the regulated period is triggered will depend on the specific facts in each particular case.
Mr. Maude: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what guidance the Electoral Commission has given on whether the underwriting of a political party and providing guarantees to auditors should be registered as a donation or a loan. [241848]
Sir Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has not issued guidance on the regulated status of general undertakings that do not amount to or relate to a specific transaction. However, the Commission informs me that its view is that such undertakings are not regulated transactions.
The Commission further informs me that it has published guidance for political parties on the types of donations and regulated transactions that must be reported to the Commission under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. That guidance explains that regulated transactions include guarantees given in respect of a loan, credit facility or other transaction involving the provision of property, services or facilities to a registered party.
Northern Ireland
Prostitution
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many brothels have been raided in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years. [240575]
Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Culture, Media and Sport
Sport England: Public Participation
Mr. Caborn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which (a) individuals and (b) organisations responded to Sport England’s consultation on distribution of Lottery funding; which responded (i) positively and (ii) negatively; and if he will make a statement. [241668]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Sport England has advised that it recently published the results of a public consultation into the way it distributes around £45 million a year of National Lottery funding. 536 individuals and organisations took part in the consultation and more than 90 per cent. of them responded positively to the plans.
Sport England advised that they cannot identify the respondents by name without compromising anonymity. Respondents agreed for personal information to be used as part of the analysis of findings only. However, Sport England can provide information on the mix of respondent types.
Community and voluntary organisations (including community sports clubs) comprised the largest proportion of respondents (31 per cent.) followed by local authorities (18 per cent.). Private sector organisations constituted 8 per cent. of respondents and NGBs 7 per cent. This constitutes 33 per cent. of all National Governing Bodies who have applied for Whole Sport Plan Funding over the period 2009-13.
91 per cent. of respondents believed that the Sport England funding proposals were likely to meet the needs of organisations involved in community sport.
6 per cent. of respondents did not believe that the Sport England funding proposals were likely to meet the needs of organisations involved in community sport.
Transport
Aviation: Exhaust Emissions
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of radiative multiplier was incorporated in the calculations of the carbon emissions data shown in the Adding Capacity at Heathrow airport public consultation document; and if he will make a statement. [241995]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport consultation document, page 138, explains that the relevant assumptions are set out in the UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts report, available at:
The radiative forcing factor is set out on page 74 of that report. This factor is used by the Department for Transport to uplift the value of climate change impacts to account for the warming effects of non-carbon dioxide emissions released at altitude, and is equal to 1.9.
Driving Offences: Insurance
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of motorcycles which were being driven on the road without insurance in (a) 2006, (b) 2007 and (c) 2008. [241653]
Jim Fitzpatrick: There are no figures available for the number of motorcycles driven without insurance. Our latest estimate for uninsured driving is that in 2005 there were about 2.1 million licensed vehicles being driven uninsured (about 6.5 per cent. of the UK vehicle fleet). Information is not held by vehicle type.
Higher Civil Servants
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people his Department employs who have an annual salary of over (a) £150,000 and (b) £200,000. [241213]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport employs fewer than five people who have an annual salary of (a) over £150,000 and therefore these details have been repressed on the grounds of confidentiality. There are no employees who have a salary of (b) over £200,000.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Finance
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2008, Official Report, column 482W, if he will list the reasons why the Maritime and Coastguard Agency was given a spring supplementary estimate of £13,310,000 for financial year 2007-08. [241985]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency was given a spring supplementary of £13,310,000 in financial year 2007-08 to cover the additional costs of:
the construction of their new search and rescue helicopter hanger at Lee-on-Solent; higher than expected fuel costs;
additional regulatory and enforcement work; and
additional support for the training of seafarers under the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) Scheme.
Motorways: Accidents
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has carried out into the causes of road deaths on motorways; and if he will make a statement. [241211]
Jim Fitzpatrick: All road deaths on motorways are investigated by the police authorities. Information on the deaths is summarised on a stats 19 form that contains detailed information on the contributing factors that led to the incident.
The data can then be disaggregated to allow analysis of specific factors influencing road user groups or causation trends and thus enrich research into ways that road death and serious injury can be reduced, not only on motorways but on all roads.
The Highways Agency also utilises road traffic accident statistics to provide the basis for assessing the effectiveness of road safety policies and the development of engineering design standards.
Home Department
Asylum: Interpreters
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many interpreters her Department employs for assistance with asylum claims. [241020]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 8 December 2008]: The United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) has a panel of freelance interpreters to assist with asylum claims. As at 4 December 2008, the number of interpreters registered with the UKBA Panel was 2,378.
Brussels
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on visits by its staff to Brussels in 2007-08; and how many such visits were made by (a) air and (b) rail. [241256]
Mr. Woolas: All travel by civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Civil Service Management Code and departmental staff handbooks.
The Department’s accounting system does not separate expenditure on travel, by destination. An answer could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
Departmental Mass Media
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which organisations provided media monitoring services to (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies in each of the last three years; and what the cost of each such contract was over that period. [240955]
Mr. Woolas: Media monitoring services have been provided to the Department and its agencies by five companies in the past three years. The following table includes the names of the companies contracted and the total cost incurred in each financial year. The information on contracts held by non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
| £ | |||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |
Departmental Official Hospitality
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what records her Department maintains of its expenditure on (a) official hospitality and (b) alcohol for official hospitality. [240469]
Mr. Woolas: Home Office expenditure on official hospitality, including alcohol, conforms to departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which complies with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Identity Cards: Finance
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department expects will be spent on the national identity card scheme in its (a) first and (b) second year of operation. [240926]
Meg Hillier: The National Identity Scheme Cost Report gives a breakdown of the estimated cost of implementing the scheme over the next 10 years. The latest report was published on 6 November 2008.
An electronic copy of the report may be found at:
I would refer the hon. Member to that report.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a reply will be sent to the hon. Member for Walsall North's letter of 4 November 2008, regarding a constituent; (HO ref: P1120638). [240352]
Mr. Woolas: The deputy chief executive of the UK Border Agency, Jonathan Sedgwick, wrote to my hon. Friend on 5 December.
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letters dated 9 October and 7 November 2008 from the hon. Member for Billericay regarding a constituent, Mr I Adewunmi. [240684]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 8 December 2008]: The UK Border Agency replied to the first letter on 27 October 2008 and Jonathan Sedgwick, deputy chief executive replied to the hon. Member on 3 December 2008 in answer to the second letter.
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