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11 Feb 2009 : Column 2032W—continued
Waste Disposal
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what responsibilities for (a) street cleaning, (b) abandoned cars, (c) fly-posting removal and enforcement and (d) public conveniences the joint waste authorities will have; and what powers they will have in respect of those responsibilities. [252383]
Jane Kennedy: Section 205(8) of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 sets out the waste functions which may be transferred from the relevant authorities to a joint waste authority. These are functions conferred on a local authority by or under:
(a) Part 2 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c.43) (waste on land)—includes waste disposal and/or waste collection functions;
(b) Part 4 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c.43) (litter etc)—includes street cleansing;
(c) Section 32 of the Waste and Emissions Trading Act 2003 (c.33) (joint municipal waste management strategies)—duty to produce a joint municipal waste management strategy.
Some or all of these individual waste functions may be transferred to a joint waste authority. However, once determined by the partners involved, the whole of each waste function must be transferred to the joint waste authority, so that the new joint waste authority will be an operational body. The relevant enforcement functions will also transfer.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) effect of producer responsibility packaging regulations on methods of collection of glass from commercial premises and (b) adequacy of the compliance schemes established under the regulations; and how many such schemes (i) are operational and (ii) have been discontinued. [254988]
Jane Kennedy: The information is as follows:
(a) DEFRA has made no assessment of the impact of the packaging regulations on methods of glass collection from commercial premises.
(b) The compliance scheme system established under the packaging regulations has allowed the UK, and UK businesses, to achieve compliance with EU recovery and recycling targets.
(i) There were 36 packaging compliance schemes registered in the UK in 2008.
(ii) Since 1998 the Environment Agencies have de-registered two compliance schemes for non-compliance with the regulations. However non-compliance was the result of administrative failures and not owing to the schemes failing to satisfy their members’ legal obligations.
Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department’s National Fly-tipping Prevention Group has made of the effects on the incidence of fly-tipping of charges for the collection of household waste. [252321]
Jane Kennedy: Members of the National Fly-tipping Prevention Group attend meetings on a quarterly basis. Issues relating to charging for collection of household waste have not been formally raised as an agenda item and therefore have not been discussed.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which local authorities have expressed an interest in levying charges for the collection of household waste; and how many such expressions were made by (a) elected councillors and (b) council staff. [252641]
Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I made on Household Waste Incentives on 22 January 2009, Official Report, column 40WS.
Property Development: Rural Areas
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps the Government has taken to address the over-development of rural communities. [253827]
Mr. Iain Wright: I have been asked to reply.
The Government are committed to addressing the housing, employment and social needs of rural communities in ways that are sustainable and compatible with the protection of the countryside. Our advice to local planning authorities about development in rural areas is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 2, “Green Belts” (PPG2), Planning Policy Statement 3, “Housing” (PPS3) and Planning Policy Statement 7, “Sustainable Development in Rural Areas” (PPS7). For example, a key principle of PPS7 is that new building development in the open countryside away from existing settlements, or outside areas allocated for development in the local plan, should be strictly controlled.
We set up the Affordable Rural Housing Commission in summer 2005 to look into the availability of affordable housing in rural areas. Following publication of the Commission’s report in May 2006, we have responded positively to the majority of their (over 100) recommendations where they were directed at Communities and Local Government. Many of the recommendations are embodied in Planning Policy Statement 3, “Housing” (PPS3).
Published in November 2006, PPS3 highlights the need to provide market and affordable housing in all areas, including rural areas. The delivery of housing in rural areas should respect the key principles underpinning PPS3 of providing high quality housing that contributes to the creation and maintenance of sustainable rural communities in market towns and villages. New housing, particularly in the examples of very small villages and hamlets, would need to be carefully considered and managed so as not to have adverse impacts on those areas which would actually undermine sustainable development objectives.
We also invited the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) to carry out an independent review of economics and affordable housing provision in the countryside. His report, Living Working Countryside, came out in July 2008, and its recommendations are being given thorough consideration: we will publish our response shortly.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Sport England: Sports Council Trust
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the monetary value of Sport England's share in the Sports Council Trust Company. [254787]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
The accounts of the Sports Council Trust Company are consolidated within those for Sport England and I am content with the auditor's assessment for 2007-08.
House of Commons Commission
Disabled Staff
Lembit Öpik: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many people the House of Commons employs who are registered disabled; what proportion of all staff in the House of Commons Service they represent; and if he will make a statement. [256230]
Nick Harvey: The introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act in 1995 meant that most organisations ceased to automatically request staff to register any disabilities they might have and the House Service adopted this as best practice.
However, following information-gathering exercises carried out since December 2007, 78 employees have declared that they have a disability. This amounts to 3.9 per cent. of all employees.
The Equality Scheme for the House will be presented to the Commission in March and, if approved, will then be put onto the parliamentary website for public consultation. Specific training on disability awareness and etiquette is now available for all staff and a booklet on managing staff with a disability is being issued to all line managers.
Parking
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2008, Official Report, columns 1343-4W, on parking, whether the rate of air change in the underground car park was changed to its original level by 21 April 2008; whether the rate of air change is currently at its planned level; and whether a major refurbishment of the ventilation system is planned for 2010-11. [255018]
Nick Harvey: The rate of air change in the underground car park was changed to its original level by 21 April 2008. The rate of air change is currently at its planned level. Major refurbishment of the ventilation system is included in the works programme for 2010-12.
Work Experience
Dr. Kumar: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what arrangements there are for people to undertake internships in the House service. [254902]
Nick Harvey: The House service currently provides a number of opportunities for people to undertake internships.
The Scrutiny Unit, in the Department of Chamber and Committee Services, has three Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) interns a year, each spending three months with the unit. It has also for the first time this year taken on two interns from the London School of Economics who will be with the unit for six months. For the last two years the Joint Committee on Human Rights has had a scholar (effectively an intern) who has come on recommendation from the Hansard Society. Each placement lasts approximately three months.
The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology runs formal fellowship schemes with scientific societies and research councils, whereby students registered for a PhD in UK universities can spend three months working at POST through an extension of their maintenance grants. The number of students taken varies year on year between 12 and 16. POST has started placing some of these students with select committees.
The Department of Information Services takes on PhD students, funded by the ESRC, to work as interns in the International Affairs and Defence Section (IADS) and the Parliament and Constitution Centre. Two students per year have been taken, each for three-month placements.
In addition to internships, the House service also provides opportunities for sandwich students, apprenticeships, work experience placements and placements for people with learning difficulties.
Scotland
Departmental Buildings
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) display energy certificates and (b) advisory reports for public buildings issued in respect of each property occupied by his Department. [256055]
Ann McKechin: I have placed in the Library a copy of the display energy certificate and associated advisory report in respect of the only property occupied by my Department in England and Wales.
Departmental Foreign Workers
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) EU foreign nationals and (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed by his Department. [256201]
Ann McKechin: All staff in the Scotland Office are on secondment from the Scottish Executive or the Ministry of Justice; who remain their employers. It is the responsibility of these Departments to provide details of EU foreign nationals and non EU foreign nationals employed.
Departmental Impact Assessments
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many equalities impact assessments his Department has undertaken in the last 12 month period for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of such assessments. [255066]
Ann McKechin: No equality impact assessments have been undertaken in the last 12 months.
Departmental Lobbying
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether Ministers in his Department received representations from (a) Lord Moonie, (b) Lord Taylor of Blackburn, (c) Lord Snape and (d) Lord Truscott in the last seven months. [255239]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office has not received any representations as described in the question.
Departmental Pensions
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department is taking to advise staff of pension options available to them in relation to added years or additional voluntary contributions. [253257]
Ann McKechin: Members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme receive an annual benefit statement showing the pension built up to date, and also a projection of their pension on retirement if they continue in service to scheme pension age. The benefit statement prompts the member to consider boosting their pension and provides details of the Civil Service pensions website where staff can obtain further information, including options for making additional voluntary contributions and a calculator to work out costs for added pension (previously added years).
New entrants are informed of pension options in the employment offer and are provided with a pension information pack.
Cabinet Office provides leaflets that explain added pension and additional voluntary contributions for members. The information is also available in scheme booklets. These are available on the Civil Service Pensions website or on request from the member's pensions administrator.
All staff in the Scotland Office are on secondment from the Scottish Executive or the Ministry of Justice and remain on the payroll of their parent Department. Information on pension options available to staff, including added pension and additional voluntary contributions, are available on the parent Department’s Intranet sites, to which all staff have access.
Iceland
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the purpose of his visit to Iceland in November 2008 was; how much the visit cost in each category of expenditure; what meetings he attended; what matters were discussed; and how many officials from (a) the Scotland Office and (b) other Government departments accompanied him. [251291]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The purpose of the visit was to discuss the impact of the failure of Icelandic banks on individuals, local authorities and other bodies in Scotland. The cost of travel and accommodation was £3,997.16. I met with the Prime Minister and with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Iceland, and with the Norwegian Foreign Minister. I also visited a geothermal power station. I was accompanied by three departmental staff. All ministerial travel was undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
Home Department
Apprentices
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 11 June 2008, Official Report, column 332W, on apprentices, what progress her Department has made towards meeting its share of the Government’s commitment to employ over 1,000 apprentices in central Government Departments and agencies in 2008-09. [256281]
Mr. Woolas: Government Skills are preparing a response which will include data for a number of Departments, including the Home Office.
Asylum
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made in clearing the backlog of undetermined immigration legacy cases; by what date she expects all such cases to have been determined; and if she will make a statement. [254676]
Mr. Woolas: As of 9 January the UK Border Agency concluded 155,500 legacy cases. The Agency is aiming to conclude these cases by summer 2011.
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance the UK Border Agency has issued to the police on reporting requirements for unsuccessful asylum seekers and their dependent children. [255610]
Mr. Woolas: Instructions to the police on reporting requirements for unsuccessful asylum claimants are the same as for asylum seekers whose claims are still being considered and for all of those who are liable to detention and who are subject to temporary admission.
For all individuals who are required to report to police stations, UKBA issues a form instructing the police that the individual will start reporting, and to inform the UKBA office commissioning the reporting events if the individual fails to report. UKBA also prescribes the frequency with which each individual should report.
Children under the age of 17 are not normally required to report on a regular basis, but may be required to attend on some occasions, as part of the strategy for keeping in touch.
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