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17 Jun 2009 : Column 306W—continued
Further information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Procurement
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much expenditure was incurred by his Department in respect of (a) Marten Walsh Cherer Ltd, (b) Nicholls Investigation Services, (c) Shell UK Ltd, (d) the Royal Yachting Association, (e) The Focus Group Ltd, (f) the Trades Union Congress, (g) Way Out Creations Sdn Bhd, (h) Charles Matts, (i) Nia Wyn Jones, (j) Inova Furniture Contracts, (k) Gavin Scott, (l) Advance Seating Designs and (m) Dunster House in 2007-08; and what the purpose of the expenditure was in each case. [278992]
Dan Norris: The core Department's financial system records the following expenditure for the entities listed:
| Organisation | Purpose | Value (£) |
Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 22 April 2009, Official Report, column 701W, on domestic waste: waste disposal, for what reasons the Waste and Resources Action Programme has ceased subsidising compost bins. [279849]
Dan Norris: The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) stopped subsidising compost bins in England in April 2009 and will cease selling compost bins completely there at the end of September 2009. Notice has been given to all stakeholders of this change.
Since its inception in 2004, the programme has sold and distributed 1.8 million compost bins in England which are estimated to divert 250,000 tonnes of organic waste each year. The programme has therefore met its original objectives and demonstrated the value of home composting as part of a local waste strategy. It was appropriate at this stage for the issue of future subsidies to become one for local authorities rather than central Government to decide.
Flood Control
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the number and proportion of buildings in high flood-risk areas which are not flood-resistant or resilient. [277401]
Huw Irranca-Davies: No estimate has been made of the number of properties in high flood-risk areas that are not flood resistant or resilient. Investment by the Government over the last decade has led to a reduced risk of flooding for over 250,000 households in England.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects the national flood emergency framework to be published. [280482]
Huw Irranca-Davies: A fully developed National Flood Emergency Framework will be in place by June 2010, in line with the commitment given in response to Sir Michael Pitt's review on the 2007 floods. The framework will provide the basis for exercise watermark—our planned national exercise in March 2011.
Plants
Mrs. Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the role of ornamental plants in mitigating the effects of climate change. [279479]
Dan Norris: The Government have done no specific work to assess the role of ornamental plants in mitigating the effects of climate change. However, the growth of plants captures carbon dioxide (carbon sequestration), so giving some mitigation for other emissions. Assessments of carbon capture have been made for forestry and non-ornamental crops in the UK, since they represent the majority of the land use. The data available would allow a crude assessment of the potential for carbon sequestration by ornamentals.
More generally, ornamentals are a significant component of green infrastructure, which can reduce air temperatures in built up areas by up to 2° C. Some studies suggest that surface temperatures can be reduced to a much greater extent. Incorporating deciduous trees, including ornamental trees, into building design can also help to reduce solar gain in summer reducing energy usage associated with air conditioning, while maintaining solar gain in winter. Apart from the role of green infrastructure in reducing the urban heat island effect, the shade provided by ornamental trees will also play a role in reducing the incidence of skin cancers that is otherwise likely to increase as a result of projected reductions in cloud cover. Green infrastructure also has a role to play in sustainable urban drainage systems, helping to alleviate the projected increase in flood risk.
Rural Areas: Broadband
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the provision of high-speed broadband access in rural areas. [279830]
Dan Norris: Broadband availability is vitally important for rural areas. DEFRA Ministers have been in contact with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to ensure that rural areas are taken into account in the development of the Digital Britain initiative which includes proposals for high speed next generation networks. DEFRA officials will continue to work closely with BIS on this matter.
School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in the preparation of detailed implementing rules for an EU scheme for free fruit provision in schools; and if he will make a statement. [279748]
Jim Fitzpatrick: EC Commission Regulation No. 288/2009, published on 7 April 2009, lays down implementing rules for the EU scheme for free fruit provision in schools.
Total Horsemanship
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what purpose expenditure was incurred by his Department in respect of Total Horsemanship Ltd in 2007-08. [278990]
Dan Norris: The core Department's financial system records expenditure of £240 on a two-day horsemanship clinic under the expenditure category of ‘Learning and Development: Health and Safety Training’ in 2007-08.
Waste Management
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to Baroness Warsi of 11 May 2009, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA177, on waste management, for what reasons a clarification of published policy was undertaken; and what account he took of rulings of the Local Government Ombudsman in his decision to amend section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. [279942]
Dan Norris: The reason for amending section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 was to provide a single point of reference in legislation for local authorities. As part of any decision-making process, the Secretary of State always takes account of relevant rulings of the Ombudsman.
Water Companies: Renewable Energy
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment Ofwat has made of the level of investment in renewable energy infrastructure by water companies. [280365]
Huw Irranca-Davies: In water companies' draft business plan submissions to Ofwat there were significant investments related to renewable energy. Ofwat assessed the draft business plans and allowed a significant amount of renewable energy-related investment. This would lead to a 40 per cent. increase in the amount of renewable energy generated by the companies. Most of this increase comes from additional production of biogas from sludge treatment and a growth in combined heat and power (CHP) capacity.
Ofwat are currently reviewing the final business plan submissions from water companies. The outcome of their review will be made available on 23 July.
Whales: Conservation
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government is taking to secure a comprehensive ban on whaling by the Japanese Government; and if he will make a statement. [279085]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The UK Government will continue to make their opposition to whaling known to Japan at every appropriate opportunity and argue that they undermine the credibility of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) as an effective organisation for the conservation of whale stocks world-wide.
Unfortunately the right of any Contracting Government to the IWC to issue ‘Special permits’ and to conduct lethal research into whaling is enshrined in Article VIII of the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW).
At the next annual meeting of the IWC in June, 2009 (IWC61) the UK will once again call on Japan to cease its lethal whaling operations and engage in the non-lethal research of whales.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to answer Question 270193, tabled on 17 April 2009, on domestic waste recycling. [280337]
Dan Norris: The answer to Question 270193 appeared on 15 June 2009, Official Report, column 89W. I apologise for the delay in replying.
Cabinet Office
Departmental Press
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what (a) newspapers and (b) periodicals are delivered to the Prime Minister’s private office; and at what cost in the latest period for which figures are available. [279429]
Angela E. Smith: The Prime Minister’s Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office and therefore the answer provided is for the whole of the Cabinet Office including the Prime Minister and his office.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 9 October 2007, Official Report, column 530W.
Departmental Travel
Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much her Department spent on tickets for (a) air and (b) rail travel for (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in her Department which were not used in each of the last three years. [280011]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested for the Cabinet Office is not readily available and may not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.
Olympics
Olympic Games 2012: Facilities
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what her most recent estimate is of the cost of having the Olympic grandstand in Hyde Park. [278773]
Tessa Jowell: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has responsibility for staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games at existing venues. The direct costs associated with staging the events at existing venues come from LOCOG's revenues which are primarily derived from commercial sponsorship, broadcast rights, ticket sales and merchandising/licensing—not from the public purse.
There will be attributable costs to the public purse, for example in respect of the security and transport functions associated with the venue. However these costs have not yet been identified separately for individual venues, but they will form part of the overall security and transport budgets.
House of Commons Commission
Members Staff: Contracts
Tony Lloyd: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many hon. Members have not lodged the contracts of all their staff with the Department of Resources. [280459]
Nick Harvey: At the present time 256 individual contracts have yet to be lodged with the Department of Resources for staff working for 164 hon. Members.
Home Department
Antisocial Behaviour
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a summary of representations received by his Department from the public on measures to tackle anti-social behaviour in the last five years. [280260]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Between 1 May 2004 and 30 April 2009, we received over 3,000 letters and e-mails regarding antisocial behaviour. Representations that the Department has received on antisocial behaviour cover a wide range of nuisances and to provide a summary of these would entail disproportionate costs.
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