| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
29 Jun 2009 : Column 5W—continued
Olympic Games 2012: Facilities
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what her most recent estimate is of the cost of hosting the London 2012 Olympic sailing events at Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour. [281643]
Tessa Jowell: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has responsibility for staging the Olympic and Paralympic games including at existing venues.
The enhanced facilities at Weymouth and Portland Harbour, completed in November 2008, are the first of the Olympic and Paralympic venues to be completed,
and will have already delivered an early legacy of world-class facilities for elite athletes and the local community to use well ahead of 2012.
These enhanced facilities were constructed by the Olympic Delivery Authority ahead of schedule and within the overall approved budget of £9.2 million.
The direct costs associated with staging the events at Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour 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 from London 2012 venues, including Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour. However, these costs such as in security and transport systems have not yet been identified separately for individual events and will form part of the overall security and transport budgets.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Sequestration
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what technologies are used for carbon capture and storage demonstration projects sponsored by his Department. [279036]
Joan Ruddock: The first carbon capture and storage demonstration competition project at commercial scale will involve post-combustion capture of CO2 from a coal-fired power station with offshore storage. Project selection for further commercial scale demonstrations will be against a number of criteria and these are set out in our consultation, “A Framework for the Development for Clean Coal”, published on 17 June 2009. The Government would look to demonstrate a range of CCS technologies.
The Government also supports component and pilot scale demonstration through the Environmental Transformation Fund, Carbon Abatement Technologies demonstration programme. To date one project that will demonstrate a 40 MW Oxy-fuel combustion system has received support.
Climate Change
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of his Department's potential gross (a) costs and (b) savings arising from its climate change adaptation measures in the next three years. [277725]
Joan Ruddock: It is not currently possible to provide estimates of the potential costs and savings over the next three years. It has, however, been shown in the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change that timely and well-targeted climate adaptation measures will yield benefits in excess of their costs. The main rationale for investment to address climate risk will be to reduce the UK's vulnerability to longer-term climate change impacts.
The Government are undertaking a Climate Change Risk Assessment and Economic Analysis, which will provide estimates of the costs and benefits of adaptation
to the UK. This analysis will be presented to Parliament within three years of the Climate Change Act coming into force.
As the hon. Lady is aware, the Government will also be publishing supplementary appraisal guidance this summer. This will help to ensure that adaptation measures are designed and implemented in a cost-effective manner.
Departmental Billing
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many and what proportion of invoices his Department has paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [278833]
Joan Ruddock: The number and proportion of invoices paid within 10 days of receipt since the inception of the Department on 3 October 2008 are as follow:
| Invoices | ||
| Number | Percentage | |
The data for October 2008 are not available.
Departmental Co-ordination: Carbon Emissions
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much pooled funding is available to support cross-departmental co-operation on building a low carbon economy. [265213]
Joan Ruddock: Development of policy to support the building of a low carbon economy is the responsibility of a wide range of Departments and is funded through departmental budgets. While there is no pooled funding specifically to support cross-departmental co-operation, departments are working together on policies to support the move to a low carbon economy. On 23 April the Government published “Investing in a Low Carbon Britain” which sets out the Government's investment plans for the transition to a low carbon economy, as well as providing detail on new cross-departmental funding to provide targeted support in the low-carbon sector. The Government will also, later this summer, publish a low carbon industrial strategy which will set out the policy and investment framework for maximising the economic benefits of the transition to a low carbon economy.
Departmental Food
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what percentage of the (a) meat, (b) fruit and (c) vegetables procured by his Department in the last 12 months was produced in the UK. [281945]
Joan Ruddock: A second report on the proportion of domestically produced food used by Government Departments and also supplied to hospitals and prisons under contracts negotiated by NHS Supply Chain and HM Prison Service was published in November 2008, covering the year from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. This report and the first one covering the previous year can be found at:
The report gives details of the proportion of individual meat, fruit and vegetable categories purchased.
Although it is too early to show a trend, the report indicates that the amount of domestically produced food consumed by Government Departments in England is increasing.
DECC was established after the information in this report was collated, therefore the percentage of meat, fruit and vegetables procured domestically within the estate currently occupied by DECC is included within the information provided in the above report under DEFRA.
A third report is expected to be published at the end of 2009.
Lighting: East of England
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding his Department has allocated to the encouragement of usage of compact fluorescent lamp variety light bulbs in (a) Mid Bedfordshire constituency and (b) the East of England since it was established; and if he will make a statement. [278850]
Joan Ruddock: The Government have not allocated any funding specifically to the East of England to encourage the use of compact fluorescent lamp variety light bulbs (CFLs).
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to respond to the hon. Member for Billericay's letters of 13 March, 23 April and 25 May 2009 on his constituent Mr. A. Bridgen. [280691]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 18 June 2009]: I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member, and a reply from my noble colleague, Lord Hunt, will be issued shortly.
Plutonium
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2009, Official Report, column 725W, on plutonium, if he will publish on his Department's website (a) the minutes of the meeting on plutonium management held on 21 May 2009, (b) the presentations made and (c) the materials submitted by attendees for circulation at the meeting; and what further steps he intends to take in respect of plutonium management. [279463]
Joan Ruddock: A transcript of the meeting that includes the copies of presentations and material submitted by attendees will be published on the DECC website in early July. A summary report will also be published on the website at the same time.
With respect to plutonium management, officials are considering the basis for a public consultation which would be expected to begin in the autumn.
Solar Power
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assistance his Department has provided to the solar photovoltaic industry since Budget 2009. [281130]
Mr. Kidney [holding answer 18 June 2009]: Since the Budget of April 2009 we have allocated an additional £5 million to solar PV applications under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 2 bringing the total commitment to £31.5 million. An additional £9 million will be made available for solar PV applications under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 2 from 1 July 2009.
Solar PV also receives support through the Renewables Obligation (RO). Since 1 April 2009, all microgenerators (50 kW and under) can apply for the highest level of support under the reformed RO (2 ROCs/MWh).
Warm Front Scheme
Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households received assistance under the Warm Front programme in 2008-09; and how many households he estimates will receive such assistance in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11. [279459]
Joan Ruddock: The following tables detail (a) the number of households assisted in 2008-09 and (b) the estimated number of households to be assisted in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
It is important to note that the estimates for these years are based on current, yet contingent information, including the available budget for these years—which may change. The estimates do not take account of the anticipated reductions in the costs of work which are expected as a result of the changes to scheme processes being enforced through the ongoing contract renegotiations with eaga which are not yet complete. A number of changes of this kind have been agreed, including the introduction of competition between installers for work which will drive down costs, meaning more homes than those quoted below may be assisted.
It is also essential to note that these estimates have been affected by the recent increase in the Warm Front grant maxima. While the uplift will lead to fewer homes being assisted, it also means that fewer of the homes that are assisted will be asked to make a contribution towards the cost of the work.
| (a) Number of households assisted | |
| (b) Estimated number of households to be assisted | |
Transport
Airports: South East
Dr. Ladyman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent representations he has received about the creation of a Route Development Fund for airports in the South East; when he plans to respond to such representations; and if he will make a statement. [281102]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport has received a letter from Kent county council with outline proposals for a Kent and Essex Route Development Fund, covering Manston, Lydd and Southend airports. The Department expects to respond to the letter shortly.
Aviation: Disabled
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 5 May 2009, Official Report, column 21W, on aviation: disabled, if he will seek discussions with the European Commission to reduce or end restrictions and extra charges by airlines on passengers who require supplementary oxygen. [281317]
Paul Clark: European Regulation 1107/2006 on the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air does not impose specific obligations to carry or provide oxygen in the cabin. The Department for Transport has raised the issue of carriage of medical oxygen with the European Commission at a recent meeting of national enforcement bodies for Regulation 1107/2006.
The Commission is due to review the regulation in 2010. To help the air transport industry to comply with its obligations under the regulation, the Department has published an updated version of its code of practice ‘Access to Air Travel for Disabled Persons and Persons with Reduced Mobility’. The code includes a section on oxygen which advises that air carriers may approve the carriage of small gaseous oxygen or air cylinders required for medical use, but notes that carriers will wish to ensure that these do not pose a risk to security. The code also recommends that portable oxygen concentrator devices should normally be allowed if battery powered. Where air carriers wish to supply medical oxygen to passengers on request, the code acknowledges that it would be possible to make a charge for this service to cover the provision of the oxygen.
Bus Services: Standards
Graham Stringer: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when he plans to publish the Regulations on Quality Contracts. [282541]
Mr. Khan: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Paul Rowen) on 19 May 2009, Official Report, column 1267W.
Driving Standards Agency: Manpower
Bob Spink:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many (a) directors, (b) senior managers, (c) specialist and delivery managers and
(d) executive support and administration staff there were in each Driving Standards Agency office in each of the last five years. [282144]
Paul Clark: The Driving Standards Agency does not hold data by individual location.
Information requested has been supplied for the Driving Standards Agency in total:
| Directors | Senior managers | Specialist and delivery staff | Support and administration | |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |