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27 Jan 2009 : Column 334W—continued
Rights Of Way
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 18 March 2008, Official Report, column 948W, on rights of way, how many further rights of way have been restored by local authorities since March 2008; and what the cost to the public purse of the Discovering Lost Ways programme has been to date. [250542]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Discovering Lost Ways Project has now closed. The total cost incurred by the Countryside Agency and latterly Natural England in preparing for, establishing, running and ending the project was £5.2 million. The 26 cases referred to in the answer on 18 March 2008 continue to be considered by the local authorities concerned. Details of a further 201 cases were passed to relevant authorities at the time of project closure.
The project was closed because Natural England formed the view that constraints on the ability of highways authorities to process claims and place newly identified historic rights of way on the definitive map within a reasonable timeframe would render the effort and expense of identifying such rights nugatory.
Accordingly Natural England has now formed a Stakeholder Working Group to bring together key interests nationally to agree a package of strategic reforms, including any it considers would improve the system for processing claims and reduce unnecessary delay and bureaucracy. The Group is expected to report by the end of the year.
South Downs National Park
David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many postcards his Department has received since 1 December 2008 in support of a South Downs National Park as proposed by the Countryside Agency in 2002. [250311]
Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA has received around 16,000 postcards supporting the proposed South Downs National Park since 1 December 2008.
United Utilities
Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will meet representatives of United Utilities to discuss the effects of their pricing policies on voluntary sports clubs; and if he will make a statement. [250553]
Huw Irranca-Davies: It is for Ofwat as independent economic regulator of the water industry to approve water company charges schemes. The Government are aware of the problem of affordability faced by some customers as a result of the switch to site area charging for surface water drainage and are looking at what can be done.
Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many councils have bid to participate in pilots for charges for the collection of household waste; what plans he has to invite further bids for pilots; and if he will make a statement. [251620]
Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member for Meriden to the written statement on Household Waste Incentives on 22 January 2009, Official Report, column 40WS.
Mrs. Spelman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will bring forward legislative proposals to repeal the provisions in
the Climate Change Act 2008 for charges for the collection of household waste. [251621]
Jane Kennedy: The provisions in the Climate Change Act 2008 were made following requests from local government for these powers to enable incentive schemes to be developed that would improve recycling.
There are currently no plans to repeal the provisions so recently provided, although no local authority has brought forward a proposal to use the powers.
Water Charges
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the effect on community sports clubs of increased costs arising from the new system of surface water charges. [250154]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Government are aware of the problem of affordability faced by some customers as a result of the switch to site area charging for surface water drainage and is looking at what can be done.
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department or its agencies have carried out an assessment of the effect of the new system of water rates on (a) churches, (b) scout huts and girl guide huts and (c) sports clubs. [250505]
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what economic and financial impact assessments on the effects of the increase in charges for surface water management on (a) churches and (b) community sports clubs have been undertaken; and what conclusions such assessments reached; [250909]
(2) what consideration was given to alternative forms of charging for surface water management in respect of (a) churches, (b) voluntary groups and (c) charities; and what criteria were taken into account in determining the form of charges; [250910]
(3) if he will delay the introduction of amended charges for surface water management in order to assess the financial and economic effect of the charges on those less able to pay. [250911]
Huw Irranca-Davies: One of Ofwat's duties, as the economic regulator of the water and sewerage sector in England and Wales, is to approve water and sewerage company charging schemes. It is for the individual companies, as private bodies, to set their own charging policy. But these must adhere to company licensing agreements, which Ofwat checks and monitors.
In September 2003, Ofwat provided guidance (RD35/03) to companies on charging non-households for surface water drainage by site-based area. It said that companies which are thinking of introducing site-area charging need to assess possible impacts on all customers' bills. In particular, companies will need to take into account the scale and speed of any bill changes to see if they are reasonable and acceptable to customers.
Water Supply: South East
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the availability of water supplies for (a) Essex and (b) the south-east during the next 20 years; and if he will make a statement. [249891]
Huw Irranca-Davies: Water companies have statutory duties to maintain adequate supplies of water.
In April 2007, it became a statutory requirement for water companies to prepare and maintain water resources management plans. These plans look 25 years ahead and include projections of current and future demands for water, and describe how the companies will meet this demand, in order to meet their water supply obligations.
These plans are regularly updated, and must take account of relevant factors, such as the most up-to-date information available on housing numbers, population forecasts and climate change.
Last summer, companies' water resources management plans were subject to public consultation for the first time. Water companies, including those in Essex and the south-east, are now considering the comments received and will shortly prepare statements of response. Finalised plans will come into effect on 1 April 2010.
Northern Ireland
Arrest Warrants
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many outstanding warrants have been received from the (a) Garda Siochana and (b) Ministry of Justice of the Irish Republic in respect of persons in Northern Ireland; to what alleged offence or offences each warrant relates; and if he will make a statement. [251204]
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.
Departmental Buildings
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. [248060]
Mr. Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office is responsible for the repair, maintenance and improvement of a number of sites in various locations across both Northern Ireland and Great Britain. All costs covering the categories requested would be met under the budget for maintenance and minor works. Identifying costs for each of the categories mentioned would be possible only at disproportionate cost.
The following table shows the NIO’s expenditure, excluding Agencies and Executive NDPBs, on maintenance and minor works in the last five years:
| Expenditure (£000) | |
These figures include expenditure such as furniture, professional fees, labour and material costs. There is no departmental budget allocation specifically for decoration.
Departmental Manpower
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of staff are employed in his Department’s media and communications team; when each member of staff was recruited; what the responsibilities of each member of staff are; and what the salary of each member of staff is. [248517]
Mr. Woodward: There are currently nine members of staff employed as press officers in the Northern Ireland Information Service. Based on monthly salaries, the total amount for 2008 was £314,684.88. The recruitment of staff is based on an assessment of business needs. The responsibility of each member of staff is to communicate Government information and policy on all issues relating to non-devolved matters.
Departmental Pay
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many bonuses were awarded to senior civil servants working at his Department and its agencies in (a) 2007 and (b) 2008; and how much was spent on such bonuses in each of those years. [249859]
Mr. Woodward: Bonuses for senior civil service (SCS) staff are calculated on the basis of the Government’s response to the recommendations of the Senior Salaries Review Body. Individual bonus recommendations are made by line managers and these are moderated by a number of remuneration committees with the involvement of a non-executive Director.
In 2007, 40 members of the SCS received an end year non-consolidated bonus totalling £298,650. In 2008, 42 SCS staff received an end year non-consolidated bonus totalling £317,200.
Human Rights: Cross Border Co-operation
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will hold discussions with the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Ireland on initiatives for co-operation between the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Republic of Ireland Human Rights Commission. [248488]
Mr. Woodward: Joint Committee meetings are held quarterly between the two Commissions. As the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission remains independent of Government, my hon. Friend may wish to write to them directly should he wish to explore this matter further.
Communities and Local Government
Community Relations: Islam
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what meetings Ministers in her Department have had with groups of British Muslims on the possible effects of events in Gaza since 27 December 2008 on community cohesion; and what the names were of the individuals who attended each meeting. [252095]
Mr. Khan: Since 27 December the following meetings have been held:
On 6 January I and Bill Rammell, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met a range of representatives and individuals from a number of organisations including but not limited to the Quilliam Foundation, Muslim Council of Britain, British Muslim Forum, the Sufi Muslim Council, the Al Khoei Foundation, the UK Ismaili Council and the Ithna Asheri Khoja Shia World Federation.
On 8 January I and Bill Rammell, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, met members of the National Muslim Women's Advisory Group (NMWAG).
On 10 January I met the Young Muslims Advisory Group (YMAG) at their YMAG residential meeting.
On 12 January the Communities Secretary, the Foreign Secretary and I met representatives and individuals from a number of organisations including but not limited to the Quilliam Foundation, Muslim Council of Britain, British Muslim Forum, City Circle, the YMAG, British Muslims for a Secular Democracy, the Sufi Muslim Council, the Al Khoei Foundation, the UK Ismaili Council and the Ithna Asheri Khoja Shia World Federation.
On 13 January I and Bill Rammell, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, met members of the YMAG.
On 15 January the Communities Secretary and the Home Secretary met representatives and individuals from a number of organisations, including the Sufi Muslim Council, Al Khoei Foundation, the NMWAG, the Ithna Asheri Khoja Shia World Federation, Association of Muslim Social Scientists, the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, Active Change Foundation, and Quilliam Foundation.
On 15 January I met members of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board.
On 15 January I also met front line providers and deliverers to hear their concerns.
Council Housing: East of England
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were on local authority housing waiting lists in the East of England in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority area. [250816]
Mr. Iain Wright:
Information on local authority housing waiting lists is collected in respect of households rather than individuals. The number of households on the
local authority housing waiting lists in the East of England in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority area is given in the following table.
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