Written Answers to Questions
Monday 18 May 2009
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Sequestration: Finance
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change from which budgets the £90 million allocated in Budget 2009 for research into carbon capture and storage will be drawn. [276151]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: £60 million is transferred from the Department of Transport and £30 million from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Departmental Billing
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has paid in interest to suppliers under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 since its creation. [275204]
Departmental Contracts
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what services his Department has outsourced since its establishment; and if he will make a statement. [275635]
Departmental Correspondence
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what procedure his Department follows for dealing with complaints received (a) by e-mail, (b) by post, (c) by telephone and (d) via his Department's website. [274526]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Complaints to DECC, received by whatever means, i.e. by (a) e-mail, (b) by post, (c) by telephone or (d) via the Department's website, should be dealt with within 15 working days of receipt.
Where possible, complaints should be resolved at the point of receipt. Where this is not possible, the complaint is passed to the unit within the department responsible for the area of work complained about, to be dealt with there. If a complainant is not satisfied with the outcome, the complainant is given the option to escalate the complaint to DECC's impartial Service Standards Adjudicator if it's about standards of service; or to DECC's Secretary of State or a DECC Minister via a Member of Parliament for complaints about DECC policy or legal issues.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent on (a) conference services and (b) banqueting services since its creation. [274507]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Since its creation on 3 October 2008 the Department has spent (a) £64,800 on conference services and (b) nothing on banqueting services.
Departmental Stationery
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of office supplies purchased by his Department were recycled products in the latest period for which figures are available. [275347]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: DECC does not separately account for purchases of office supplies made from recycled products.
Mineral Resources: International Cooperation
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the Government's strategy for preservation of global mineral resources. [264697]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has not had any discussions with his right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on the Government's strategy for preservation of global mineral resources.
Natural Gas: Waste Disposal
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what percentage of mains gas supply is accounted for by production from anaerobic digester plants. [275790]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Currently no gas in the mains system is provided by anaerobic digester plants.
Culture, Media and Sport
Copyright: Internet
Dr. Howells: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will bring forward legislative proposals to replace self-regulation in respect of digital content and copyright into a statutory system; [275928]
(2) what recent discussions he has had with internet service providers on measures to reduce levels of copyright theft and infringement; [275929]
(3) what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on proposals to vest in Ofcom a statutory power to create a code of practice on terms for transfer of shares of revenues generated by the use of copyrighted material; [275930]
(4) what steps he is taking to investigate the effects of copyright piracy on the economic viability of the digital content business sector; [275931]
(5) what discussions he has had with (a) Ministerial colleagues and (b) the UK Film Council on the Council’s proposal for a legislative structure to support a graduated response approach to online copyright theft and infringement; [275932]
(6) what steps he plans to take to maintain the economic viability of the UK’s digital content business sector; [275933]
(7) what discussions he has had with (a) the Digital Rights Agency and (b) other digital rights representatives on amendments to the present regulatory regime on infringements of copyright in respect of digital rights; [275934]
(8) if he will assess the merits of a deterrence scheme to ensure that higher broadband speeds do not lead to an increase in illegal file sharing and copyright theft. [275935]
Andy Burnham: The Government recognise the damaging economic impact of copyright theft and infringement, and unlawful peer-to-peer file-sharing in particular, on the creative sector. Although the music industry is currently affected most by this, other industries—such as film, computer games and publishing—will be increasingly affected as higher broadband speeds are introduced. Last year we set up a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Government, internet service providers (ISPs) and rights holders, as a first step to finding agreement on a way forward. Outcomes from the MOU informed the proposals set out in the Digital Britain Interim Report (DBIR) in January. The DBIR proposed a requirement for ISPs to notify their customers when rights holders identified them as engaging in unlawful file sharing. Information on the most serious infringers would then be made available to rights holders (based on the collection of data on the notification requests from rights holders, and subject to a court order) to help them prioritise legal action against those infringers. This would provide a form of graduated response up to prosecution for the most serious infringers. Other forms of graduated response have been suggested to us in response to consultations on this issue, and we are considering the merits of these. We have also consulted on the idea of creating a rights agency, the establishment of a code of practice and Ofcom’s possible involvement in this. We have discussed these issues and ideas at ministerial and official level both between Departments and with many interested parties, including ISPs, the UK Film Council and other rights holders’ representatives. We will issue a further consultation on the legislative proposals shortly.
More generally, the DBIR acknowledged the structural and cyclical pressures on the UK’s media industry and the threats to continued investment in UK-originated content in the digital world. We recognise the challenges and opportunities presented by the transition to digital, and the DBIR made a commitment to investigate ways to address these issues further. Our conclusions will be published in the final Digital Britain report.
Digital Broadcasting: Scotland
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that residents of Scotland are prepared for the digital switchover. [275697]
Andy Burnham: Digital UK and the Switchover Help Scheme are the organisations responsible for implementing the digital switchover and providing assistance to those who may need it.
The Scottish information campaign began in October 2007. Since then leaflets have been sent to every Scottish home and TV, radio and press campaigns have been running at intervals to inform viewers about their options for switchover. Over the past two years, Digital UK’s Scotland team has carried out a number of public and stakeholder meetings and events to ensure that residents and key stakeholders in Scotland are prepared for the switchover.
The Switchover Help Scheme will begin operating in each transmitter group area up to eight months prior to switchover to offer practical help to those who are eligible. Additionally, national, regional and local charities will begin a programme of community outreach across Scotland to support individuals through the switchover process. Project management, materials and grants are funded through Digital UK. Digital UK also runs a website providing information on switchover at:
Future Jobs Fund
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding his Department has available as part of the Future Jobs Fund. [276171]
Andy Burnham: The Future Jobs Fund is held by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and I announced in May, plans to create 5-10,000 jobs in the cultural and creative sector. Sports organisations have already pledged to bid for at least 5,000 jobs.
Tourism Advisory Council
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representation from local authorities there is on the Tourism Advisory Council. [274683]
Barbara Follett [holding answer 12 May 2009]: There is currently no representation from local authorities on the Tourism Advisory Council (TAC). The first meeting of the council took place on 30 April 2009 and was established to draw together senior practitioners primarily from the tourism industry to engage with the Government Departments whose policies impact on tourism.
However, after consultation with Visit England’s chair, we are currently reviewing the local authority representation on the TAC.
Olympics
Olympic Games 2012: Caravans
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what discussions she has had with (a) the Mayor of London and (b) Transport for London on the provision of caravan sites for those attending the Olympic games in 2012 since December 2008; and if she will make a statement. [275611]
Tessa Jowell: There are no plans for spaces for recreational caravans in the Olympic Park. However, we recognise that motor home and caravan users may wish to attend the 2012 games and we expect that, closer to the time, the Olympic Delivery Authority will wish to follow up initial discussions it has had with the Caravan Club to explore the potential for games-time integration of public transport provision and licensed caravan sites.
Olympic Games 2012: Southend on Sea
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what discussions her Office has had since January 2008 with Southend borough council to enable it to (a) participate fully in and (b) receive a legacy from the London 2012 Olympic games; and if she will make a statement. [275615]
Tessa Jowell: Although the Government Olympic Executive has had no direct discussions with Southend borough council about the legacy of London 2012 in Southend, I meet regularly with the chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) and my officials work closely with their LGA counterparts.
We are fully committed to ensuring that everyone in the UK can be part of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. The Legacy Action Plan which I published in June last year sets out more details on how we propose to deliver this vision. I am especially keen for regions to identify what is important to them. At a regional level this work is being taken forward by the Nations and Regions Group (NRG) who are working hard to optimise local benefits of the games.
In December 2008 I addressed the LGA conference which had an Olympic focus. I regularly attend meetings with the London councils and meet the five London host borough representatives. I also undertake a programme of regional visits where I meet with local representatives and businesses to highlight the potential benefits and opportunities of London 2012.
We are already seeing great progress in a lot of these areas, for example 23 of the Olympic Delivery Authority's suppliers are businesses registered in Essex. 66 facilities from the region, including Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre in Essex are included in the official London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide. Additionally, I am delighted that Southend Unitary Authority is offering free swimming to the over 60s and under 16s.
House of Commons Commission
Catering
Mr. Burstow: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what estimate the House of Commons Commission has made of the number of meals purchased in House of Commons cafeterias in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available. [275499]
Nick Harvey:
The House of Commons catering service does not record the number of meals purchased in its cafeterias but instead records the number of sales transactions. A transaction is defined as a customer sale and may be for one meal, several meals, or merely a drink or snack. The number of cafeteria transactions is set out below for the 12 months from April 2008 to
March 2009, although the hon. Member should note that the figures are recorded on the basis of 12 financial periods, not calendar months.
| Cafeterias | Café/snack venues | Total cafeterias, café/snack bars | |
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