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25 Jun 2009 : Column 1077W—continued
NHS Facilities: Transport Requirements
18. Mr. Bone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether his Department has issued any recent guidance on transport requirements in relation to new NHS facilities. [282116]
Mr. Khan: This summer we plan to publish Local Transport Plan guidance, which will encourage good integration between local transport authorities and NHS agencies. Relevant guidance has also been published by a local government led group on “Providing Transport in Partnership—a guide for health agencies and local authorities”.
London City Airport
19. James Brokenshire: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent discussions the Secretary of State has had with the National Air Traffic Service on the effect on congestion of the recent increase in traffic capacity at London City airport. [282117]
Paul Clark: None. The air traffic management aspects of implementing the increase in the number of annual flights at London City Airport approved last October by the London borough of Newham are an operational matter for NATS, regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Departmental Internet
Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2009, Official Report, column 1124W, on departmental internet, how many (a) unique visitors and (b) page impressions were received by each website operated by his Department in each of the last 12 months. [280719]
Chris Mole: Tables have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses showing websites currently maintained by the Department for Transport and the unique visitors and page impressions received by each website in each of the last 12 months.
Data are unavailable in some instances, either for technical reasons or because the website was not live at the time.
Since April 2009 the Department has been measuring website usage in line with the guidance issued by the Central Office of Information, ‘Measuring website usage (TG116)’.
Ports: Non-domestic Rates
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent discussions the Secretary of State has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the effect on businesses in and around ports of changes to port rating. [282111]
Paul Clark: Following representations received on behalf of businesses in ports, my predecessor, the hon. Member for Poplar and Canning Town (Jim Fitzpatrick), held discussions earlier this year with the Minister for Local Government, and with representatives of the ports. Department for Transport officials have discussed the matter with Department for Communities and Local Government officials.
Railways: Franchises
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which train operator franchises include revenue support clauses. [279632]
Chris Mole: A revenue share/support mechanism means that where a train operating company generates revenue in excess of those agreed in their winning bid, the Government are entitled to a share, and similarly where revenue is lower, the Government supports the train operating company. The following train operating companies have a revenue share/support mechanism in their franchise agreement:
Arriva Cross Country (AXC)
East Midland Trains (EMT)
First Capital Connect FCC)
First Great Western (FGW)
London Midland (LOM)
London South Eastern Railway
National Express East Anglia (NXEA)
National Express East Coast (NXEC)
Northern Rail
Stagecoach South Western (SSW)
Virgin West Coast (VWC).
The recently let South Central, to begin in September of this year, has a revenue share/support mechanism.
Arriva Train Wales is part funded by the Department for Transport but is managed by the Welsh Assembly.
Railways: Greater London
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when he expects to publish the Fares Direction for London; and whether the Direction will specify a date by which the use of Oyster Pay As You Go is to be accepted on the national rail network in the London area. [282268]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport, Transport for London and train operators are working together on the acceptance of Oyster Pay as You Go at London train stations and the acceptance of ITSO Smartcards on Oyster equipment. Subject to a successful conclusion to the current discussions, which will include the issue of Fares Directions to the operators, we anticipate that Oyster will be accepted throughout the London network towards the end of the current year, or very early in 2010.
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what discussions the Secretary of State has had with the Mayor of London on (a) responsibility for the rail network in London and (b) re-zoning in London; and if he will make a statement. [282269]
Chris Mole: As part of regular meetings and correspondence between the Mayor and the Secretary of State for Transport, topics related to franchising such as the responsibility for the rail network in London, along with re-zoning have been discussed.
Railways: Repairs and Maintenance
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the deferral by Network Rail of track renewals as a means to meet efficiency targets imposed by the Office of Rail Regulation; and if he will make a statement. [282267]
Chris Mole: Track renewal is an operational matter for Network Rail as it aims to deliver the output and efficiency targets agreed with the Independent Office of Rail Regulation over the next five years.
Network Rail will be investing almost £4 billion on an intensive track renewals programme over Control Period 4. The Office of Rail Regulation is satisfied that this funding provides for works that are sufficient to maintain safety and the quality of the rail network.
We understand that total outputs will remain as previously planned, although phasing adjustments in the early part of the five year period will result in a lower volume of track renewals in the first year to allow time for new and more efficient working methods to take effect.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Subsidies
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many direct payments to farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment Scheme have been reduced by (a) five per cent. and less and (b) 20 per cent. or more in (i) England, (ii) Essex and (iii) Castle Point constituency in each of the last five years. [278675]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of payments to Single Payment Scheme claimants in England that have been reduced by (a) 5 per cent. and less and (b) 20 per cent. or more as a result of the application of penalties during each scheme year since the scheme’s introduction is provided in the following table.
| Scale of penalty applied | ||
| SPS scheme year | 5 per cent. and less | 20 per cent. or more |
| (1) These numbers may increase when all payments for the 2008 scheme year have been made. | ||
Unfortunately the data required to provide payment information for Essex and Castle Point constituency are not held in a form that is easily accessible. The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Agriculture: Test Valley
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding his Department allocated for the development of environmentally-sustainable farming in the Test Valley borough in each of the last five years. [281374]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Resources for agri-environment agreements are allocated nationally by Natural England, rather than to individual boroughs. Over the past five calendar years, the following sums have been paid in agri-environment agreements on farms that include land within the Test Valley borough.
| £ | ||||
| Calendar year | Countryside stewardship scheme | Environmentally sensitive area | Environmental stewardship | Total for year |
The Test and Itchen Valleys are one of Natural England's 110 Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) Target Areas, designed to maximise environmental benefits and value for money from HLS agreements, published and promoted from November 2008.
Source:
The above information was provided by Natural England.
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding his Department allocated for the support of farmers in the Test Valley borough in each of the last five years. [281375]
Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA does not record information on payments to farmers on a borough basis. The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Agriculture: Waste Disposal
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Government have spent on research into (a) bioreducer methods, (b) anaerobic digestion, (c) biodigestion and (d) other methods for farmers to dispose of fallen stock in the last three years. [281984]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government have spent £213,590 on research into anaerobic digestion, £248,415 on research into biodigestion and £757,000 on research into other methods for disposal of contaminated animals in the last three years. DEFRA has not funded any specific research into bioreducer methods; however, the Welsh Assembly Government is currently funding research in this area.
Central Science Laboratory: Consultants
Bob Spink:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the
Central Science Laboratory spent on consultants in each of the last five years. [280340]
Dan Norris: The information requested is in the following table.
| Financial year | £ |
The largest spends for CSL cover specific consultancy costs which relate to:
systems implementations
commercial advice re spinout company
science accreditation
facilities management
customer satisfaction independent surveys
operational process reviews
There were particular charges (e.g. IT, branding) incurred during the last year in relation to the establishment of the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera). Excluding these, the underlying CSL consultancy spend was £137,000.
Dairy Farming: Government Assistance
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on assistance to farmers who lost money owing to the failure of Dairy Farmers of Great Britain. [281923]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 23 June 2009]: DEFRA Ministers hold regular discussions with HMT Ministers on a range of topics.
There are publicly-funded schemes available through Business Link to assist small businesses (such as farms) when they become affected by the economic downturn, or when they find their ability to get credit is affected in situations such as this. There is also the HMRC Business Payment Support Service, which may enable affected farmers to defer certain tax and national insurance payments.
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial support his Department has given to dairy farmers in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [281983]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Eligible dairy farmers receive support under a range of Common Agriculture Policy measures, including the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). The continued progress of the Rural Payments Agency in making more timely SPS payments has helped farmers' cash flow with around £1.6 billion (98 per cent.) paid to date under the 2008 scheme.
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