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2 Mar 2009 : Column 1272W—continued
Transport: Merseyside
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken to increase the co-ordination of activity between the Highways Agency and (a) the Mersey Partnership, (b) Merseytravel and (c) local authorities in order to deliver greater integration and cost-efficiency. [259478]
Paul Clark: The Highways Agency is working closely with its partners in Merseyside, including The Mersey Partnership, Merseytravel, and the five local authorities, to produce a Multi Area Agreement. This will deliver efficiency savings and better integrate the respective transport networks within Merseyside. Sharing technologies will be a key area, as well as collaboration on schemes in the Regional Funding Allocation.
Vehicle Number Plates
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) remit and (b) timetable is for the informal consultation on regulations to legalise the display of national flags on number plates; and if he will make a statement. [258853]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency issued an informal consultation to 28 interested stakeholders on Wednesday 28 January and asked for comments to be received by Monday 2 March 2009. The consultation outlined the proposal to amend regulations to allow the display of national flags on number plates in Great Britain while excluding Northern Ireland at this time. All consultees were invited to express views on any aspect of the proposal.
Olympics
Legacy: South-west
4. Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what assessment she has made of the legacy effects of the London 2012 Olympics on the south-west. [259259]
Tessa Jowell: The south-west stands to gain from the wide range of opportunities created by the London 2012 games.
The National Sailing Academy at Weymouth and Portland will host the Olympic and Paralympic sailing events in 2012. In terms of legacy it is already providing a state-of-the-art facility for elite training, competition and local community use.
We are also seeing progress in other areas—40 businesses registered in the south west have already won work with the ODA; there are also 61 facilities from the area included in the official London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide.
Apprenticeships and Training
5. Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many (a) apprenticeships and (b) training opportunities the Olympic Delivery Authority plans to make available on the Olympic park. [259260]
Tessa Jowell: The Prime Minister announced last month that 250 additional apprenticeships would be created on the Olympic Park and Village. This is in addition to the existing commitment for 2,000 trainee, apprenticeships and work placements over the life of the project (of which 100 will be apprenticeships).
This increase will be achieved partly by requiring companies bidding for new contracts worth a total of £500 million to provide apprentices as 3 per cent. of their workforce—three times the south east regional average for the industry—to win them.
This demonstrates the extent to which Government remain committed to retaining jobs and skills in important industries, and our continued investment in training and skills so important for the future of the UK.
Ticketing Policy
6. Jo Swinson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what ticketing policy has been established for the London 2012 Olympic games; and if she will make a statement. [259261]
Tessa Jowell: The London Organising Committee is responsible for the ticketing strategy for the London 2012 games. A plan is currently being developed and information about tickets will be made public in 2010. Tickets will go on sale in 2011.
Training Facilities: Scotland
7. Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what progress has been made on the provision of training facilities in Scotland for athletes in the London 2012 Olympics; and if she will make a statement. [259262]
Tessa Jowell: Scotland has 30 designated training facilities in the London 2012 pre-games training camp guide all offering Olympic sports training, 11 of which can host Paralympic sports.
Scotland has recently appointed a training camps co-ordinator for the 2012 games to promote Scotland’s sporting offer to National Olympic Committees and National Paralympic Committees competing in London 2012.
Legacy: Equestrian Sports
8. Mr. Gray: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what plans she has for a legacy for equestrian sports from the London 2012 Olympics. [259263]
Tessa Jowell: The equestrian events at Greenwich will promote the sport to a new inner city audience, raising its profile both nationally and internationally.
The London Organising Committee also hope to relocate equipment from the competition around the UK.
Using the inspiration of the 2012 games the British Equestrian Federation launched the Hoof programme in December 2007, which aims to increase participation and awareness in equestrianism.
CLM Delivery Partners
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much was paid to CLM Delivery Partners in each of the last three years. [258343]
Tessa Jowell: Payments made by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to its Delivery Partner CLM are published in the ODA annual report. For the last two years the figures were as follows:
| £ million | |
The ODA has contracted CLM to undertake the procurement delivery and programme management of the venues, infrastructure, logistics facilities and other developments in the Olympic Park and selected non-Olympic Park venues. It also undertakes an overall programme reporting role.
Payments are linked to delivery performance against time, cost and quality. The level of payments reflects the fact that, with CLM’s help, delivery of the ODA programme is currently on time and within budget.
Figures for 2008-09 will be published in the annual report this summer.
Olympic Games 2012
Mr. Henderson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps she has taken to hold discussions with local authorities on how their areas can benefit from the London 2012 Olympics. [244176]
Tessa Jowell: I meet regularly with the Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) and my officials work closely with the LGA. In December I addressed the LGA conference on the Olympics. I regularly attend meetings with the London Councils and meet the five London host borough representatives and on regional visits I meet with local authorities. For example, I visited Norwich in December 2008 and Doncaster in January 2009.
There are also a number of London 2012 schemes that I actively encourage local authorities to get involved in, for example:
The latest round of the Beacon scheme has had an Olympic legacy theme included in it to encourage communities to be more active in promoting best practice on London 2012 themes. I will be announcing the winners at the awards ceremony on the 3 March.
The Inspire Mark was launched in June 2008 to promote non-commercial projects and programmes inspired by the Olympic and Paralympic games. The Mark has already been awarded to seven local authority projects.
I have met with leaders and chief executives of nine London boroughs over the last 12 months to discuss their plans for 2012.
The Local Government Association is represented on the Nations and Regions Group which was set up to ensure that the benefits from London 2012 are UK-wide.
Further to these discussions local authorities are engaged with the Nations and Regions Group, which was set up to ensure that the benefits from London 2012 are UK-wide.
Home Department
Anti-Terrorism Control Orders
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost of (a) the independent reviewer pursuant to section 14 (3) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005, (b) the control order review group, (c) the permanent
team dedicated to control orders, (d) the special advocates, (e) supervision arrangements made under control orders and (f) the legal proceedings relating to oversight of the control order regime in the last 12 months. [258364]
Mr. Coaker: In the last 12 months—1 February 2008 to 31 January 2009—expenditure on control orders under the requested headings has been as follows:
(a) £7,650 on the independent reviewer of the operation of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005, the Lord Carlile of Berriew, pursuant to section 14(3) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005;
(c) £681,543 on the permanent team dedicated to control orders in the Home Office. This figure includes pay, allowances, pension and national insurance contributions;
(d) £249,727 on the Special Advocates. This figure relates to charges made by the Special Advocate Support Office for their time and disbursements relating to control orders; and
(f) £2,157,230 on the legal proceedings relating to the judicial scrutiny and oversight of all control order cases.
The cost of providing a figure for the cost of supervision arrangements made under control orders and the cost of the quarterly Control Order Review Group (CORG) could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Asylum: Finance
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time an asylum seeker remained on (a) section 4 and (b) section 95 support was in the most recent period for which figures are available. [255869]
Jacqui Smith: The way that the UK Border Agency records data on support under section 95 and section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 does not enable the collation of the average length of time individuals spend on either of these forms of support without an examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.
Asylum: HIV Infection
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to ensure that mechanisms for returning failed asylum seekers to their countries, with particular reference to the facilities in immigration removal centres, take account of the needs of HIV-positive people. [256340]
Mr. Woolas: The UK Border Agency examines with great care each individual case before detention and removal. They take into account all individual circumstances including, where appropriate, any serious medical conditions or other compassionate circumstances. Consideration is given to fitness to travel and whether the necessary medical treatment is available in the country to which the individual is being returned.
All UK border agency immigration removal centres have a healthcare team and medical practitioner who are responsible for the care of the physical and mental heath of all those detained, including failed asylum seekers. Detainees who are known to be HIV positive at the point of detention or who are diagnosed as being HIV positive while in detention will receive the appropriate medical care and treatment during their detention.
Removals are then carried out in accordance with Home Office policy and guidelines, and with every care and consideration to the dignity and health of the individual. Individuals diagnosed as suffering from a particular medical condition which requires ongoing treatment, including HIV, will be accompanied by a suitable medical escort.
Crime: Prosecutions
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been for each criminal offence created by legislation since 1997. [254502]
Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
There is no central system that routinely records the number of prosecutions for new offences created across Whitehall. To obtain the requested information, an investigation will be necessary in order to separately identify and list data for all new offences.
This information is being collated and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available. A copy will be placed in the House Library.
Crime: Statistics
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what offences are included in the other miscellaneous offences category in Table 2 in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin 01/09, Crime in England and Wales: Quarterly Update to September 2008. [257045]
Jacqui Smith: The offences included within ‘other miscellaneous offences’ are as follows:
Absconding from lawful custody;
Adulteration of food;
Aiding suicide;
Bail offences;
Betting, gaming and lotteries;
Bigamy;
Blackmail;
Concealment of birth;
Customs and Revenue offences;
Dangerous driving;
Disclosure, Obstruction, False or Misleading Statements etc.;
Firearms Acts offences;
Going equipped for stealing, etc.;
Health and Safety offences;
Immigration Act offences;
Kidnapping;
Knives Act 1997 offences, relating to the unlawful marketing of knives;
Libel;
Obscene publications etc.;
Other notifiable offences;
Other offences against the State or public order;
Perjury;
Perverting the course of justice;
Planning laws;
Possession of firearms offences, relating to gun certification offences;
Protection from eviction;
Public health offences;
Riot;
Trade descriptions etc.;
Treason;
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