Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 25 November 2009
Solicitor-General
Climate Change
Simon Hughes: To ask the Solicitor-General how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants from the Law Officers Departments will be attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in an official capacity. [300987]
The Solicitor-General: No Ministers or civil servants from the Law Officers Departments will be attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in an official capacity.
Fraud: Prosecutions
Chris Huhne: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the co-ordination of arrangements for the prosecution of cases of fraud. [300756]
The Solicitor-General: England and Wales have an established network of specialist anti-fraud prosecutors. The Attorney General and I keep their effectiveness under review. Our most recent assessment, coordinated by the Serious Fraud Office and the National Fraud Authority and involving the Association of Chief Police Officers, City of London Police, Metropolitan Police Service, Serious Organised Crime Agency, Crown Prosecution Service, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, Companies Investigation Branch, Office of Fair Trading, Financial Services Authority, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office, the Home Office and the Attorney General's Office, has resulted in further work, being planned to strengthen multi-agency collaboration on the detection, disruption, investigation and prosecution of fraud. Details of this work will be set out in a report on progress against the National Fraud Strategy which will be published shortly.
Prosecutions
Chris Huhne: To ask the Solicitor-General what recent progress has been made on national implementation of integrated prosecution teams. [300729]
The Solicitor-General:
The Integrated Prosecution Team (IPT) project, which has been introduced across London, will create an integrated process that brings together pre-trial and case-build functions of the police and the CPS. The aim of the project is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of casework handling between the police and the CPS. Teams will be mostly located in police stations. IPT is functional in 16 Boroughs (50 per cent.) across London. A further five boroughs have commenced the IPT implementation process. The remaining
eleven Boroughs will co-locate during the period December 2009 to July 2010. The project includes provision for a post implementation review. The outcome from this review will enable the CPS to consider whether this London initiative has wider application across England and Wales.
Transport
M18: Repairs and Maintenance
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the reasons were for the closing off of one lane on the southbound carriageway of the M18 motorway on 24 October 2009, north and south of junction six; and what work was undertaken on that carriageway on that date. [300572]
Chris Mole [holding answer 24 November 2009]: The closure was to carry out advance works for the M18 J6-J7 north bound carriageway resurfacing scheme. The works comprised the installation of closed circuit television systems and average speed measuring systems which will mitigate the risk to road workers during the main works. The scheme will be completed before Christmas.
M5: Cameras
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the purpose is of fixed cameras on the M5 motorway. [300573]
Chris Mole [holding answer 24 November 2009] : On the M5 motorway the Highways Agency has three types of fixed camera in use.
CCTV Cameras allow real-time traffic conditions to be monitored by the Highways Agency's National and Regional Traffic Control Centres, enabling an efficient response to be made to incidents. The cameras also feed traffic information to a variety of information and media services for drivers to plan their journeys.
Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras link to a system which converts and anonymises number plates to 'tag' codes for each passing vehicle at each camera location. The 'tag' codes are then used to calculate traffic flows and speed between camera locations in order to inform our understanding of network performance.
Average speed cameras are positioned temporarily at major roadwork sites to improve safety for road users and the workforce on the motorway. The cameras monitor vehicle speed between two points and check the average speed compliance with the speed limit.
Network Rail: Consultants
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much Network Rail has spent on consultants in each year since the company was placed in the public sector. [300498]
Chris Mole: Network Rail is a private sector not-for-dividend company limited by guarantee. The Department for Transport does not hold the information requested.
This is an operational matter for Network Rail as the owner and operator of the national rail network. My hon. Friend should contact Network Rail's Chief Executive at the following address for a response to her question:
Iain Coucher
Chief Executive
Network Rail
Kings Place
90 York Way
London, N1 9AG.
Ports: Liverpool
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether he plans to seek advice from the European Commission on his Department's decision on whether to approve proposals on the relaxation of restrictions on the use of the Liverpool cruise terminal. [300743]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport is assessing the competition issues associated with the request to relax the restrictions.
If the conclusion is that there would be no distortion of competition, Government Office for the North West would further examine state aid implications, before seeking advice from the European Commission.
Railways: Finance
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what level of Government subsidy has been available to each train operator in each of the last five years. [300497]
Chris Mole: This information is published annually by the Office of Rail Regulation in National Rail Trends. Copies are available in the Library of the House and online at:
Road Signs and Markings: Bridges
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) what proposals his Department has issued on making metric measurements mandatory on road signs warning of or imposing height restrictions; and what the (a) status of and (b) evidential basis for such proposals is; [300974]
(2) what information his Department holds on the nature of the signage in place at locations where vehicles have struck bridges; [300977]
(3) what research has been (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated by his Department on the adequacy of the signage in place at locations where vehicles have struck bridges; and whether any such research has been taken into account in the formulation of proposals to make metric measurements mandatory on road signs warning of or imposing height restrictions. [300978]
Mr. Khan
[holding answer 23 November 2009]: The Department for Transport is currently consulting on amendments to Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 (TSRGD) which include the mandatory use of both imperial and metric units on road signs
warning of or imposing height restrictions. These signs are currently prescribed in TSRGD but the use of dual-unit signing is discretionary.
The consultation document is on the Department's website at the following address and the consultation closes on 24 December 2009:
Evidence presented by Network Rail suggests that 10-12 per cent. of bridge strikes involved foreign lorries and this is disproportionately high. Current policy has also been informed by a 2004 TRL research report 'Measures to Reduce the Frequency of Over-Height Vehicles Striking Bridges: Final Report', which covers signing issues. The report is on the Department's website at the following address:
The consultation proposals are intended to help reduce the risk of bridge strikes by foreign lorry drivers who may misunderstand imperial-only measurements.
There are no centrally-held records on the nature of traffic signs placed for all locations where vehicles have struck bridges.
Speed Limits: Cameras
Chloe Smith: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport, how many speed cameras there were in Norwich, North constituency on the latest date for which information is available. [301703]
Paul Clark: Separate information about cameras operating in Norwich, North is not held. The number of camera sites operating in Norfolk at the end of the National Safety Camera Programme, which ended on 31 March 2007, was 37. Since then, the deployment of safety cameras has been the responsibility of individual local partnerships. The number of cameras currently in place will therefore be a matter for Norfolk county council and the local road safety partnership.
Scotland
Health Care and Housing: Armed Forces
11. Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Defence the provision of healthcare and housing for members of the armed forces based in Scotland who are returning from active service overseas. [300135]
Ann McKechin: The principles underlying the provision of healthcare and housing to members of the armed forces returning from operational deployment to Scotland are no different from those for other parts of the UK. I do however have regular discussions with Defence and Scottish Ministers about armed forces personnel in Scotland.
Devolution
12. Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues on the recommendations of the final report of the Commission on Scottish Devolution; and if he will make a statement. [300136]
Mr. Jim Murphy: I have had many discussions with Cabinet colleagues during preparation of Government proposals for future of Scotland within the United Kingdom. I will make a statement shortly.
Digital Economy Bill
13. Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the application of the provisions of the Digital Economy Bill to Scotland. [300137]
Ann McKechin: The Secretary of State for Scotland is in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on a variety of issues.
Small Businesses: UK Financial Investments
14. Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on assistance for small businesses in Scotland from banks in which UK Financial Investments is a major shareholder. [300138]
Mr. Jim Murphy: I have regular discussions with my ministerial colleagues on a range of matters. Both Lloyds and RBS reaffirmed their commitment to lend an additional £39 billion over the 12 months from March 2009.
Departmental Meetings
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which (a) individuals other than Ministerial colleagues and officials of his Department and (b) organisations he met in an official capacity in the week commencing 9 November 2009. [301153]
Mr. Jim Murphy: In its response to a report by the Public Administration Select Committee, "Lobbying: Access and influence in Whitehall", the Government agreed to publish on-line, on a quarterly basis, information about ministerial meetings with outside interest groups. Information for the period 1 October to 31 December 2009 will be published by Departments as soon as the information is ready.
Departmental Rail Travel
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date he last travelled by train in the course of his official duties. [301193]
Mr. Jim Murphy: I last travelled by train in the course of my official duties on 3 November 2009.
Departmental Vehicles
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of providing official cars for the use of (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the last 12 months. [301177]
Ann McKechin: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, the hon. Member for Gillingham (Paul Clark), on 16 July 2009, Official Report, column 80WS.
Immigration: Scotland
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary regarding immigration into Scotland. [301049]
Ann McKechin: The Secretary of State for Scotland works in partnership with the Home Office, UKBA, the Scottish Government, local authorities and third sector groups across Scotland to ensure that immigration levels are monitored appropriately. The greatest number of those who choose to move to Scotland to live and work, reside in other parts of the UK.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund
Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money from the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (a) was allocated to each local authority in 2008-09 and (b) has been so allocated in 2009-10; whether his Department keeps a record of the purposes to which such funding is put; and what assessment he has made of the (i) past and (ii) future use of such monies in accordance with the objectives set for the fund. [301347]
Huw Irranca-Davies: In total, £3 million from the Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) has been allocated to local authorities in each financial year of 2008-09 and 2009-10. The funding was allocated to the 18 local authorities with the highest aggregates production, in proportion to production levels in each of those authorities. A full breakdown is provided in the following table.
| Local authority | £000 |
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