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6 Jan 2010 : Column 335W—continued
Rolling Stock
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the average age of (a) electric and (b) diesel powered rolling stock on the rail network was in (i) 1997, (ii) 2003 and (iii) 2009; and what the equivalent average ages are expected to be in (A) 2014, (B) 2020 and (C) 2030. [308852]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport does not hold data for these specific categories. However, overall average age figures for the national rail fleet are published in the National Rail Trends on the Office of Rail Regulation's website at:
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport on how many occasions, and in each case in respect of how many vehicles, his Department has exercised its right to buy from the rolling stock companies rolling stock which those companies have identified (a) for scrapping and (b) for export in each year since 1997. [308854]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport inherited this right to buy rolling stock in 2005 from the Strategic Rail Authority. Since this date, the Department has not exercised the right to buy rolling stock that has been identified by the leasing companies for scrapping or sale.
Rolling stock is normally only offered to the Department when the ROSCO has exhausted all avenues to lease it or does not see a good business case for ownership. As a rule the vehicles they have offered to the Department are usually intended for scrapping such as the Mark 1 slam door stock.
Severn Bridge: Tolls
Jenny Willott: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether the Department plans to bring forward proposals to amend the Severn Bridges Act 1992 to enable the toll over the Severn Bridge to be paid via means other than cash; and if he will make a statement. [309228]
Mr. Khan: Detailed discussions for providing credit and debit card facilities as a method of payment are continuing with the concessionaire.
Once all negotiations are complete, the project to introduce card payments at the Severn Crossings can be progressed.
In parallel with the negotiations with the concessionaire, the necessary amendments to secondary legislation to permit debit and credit card payments are being prepared.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether his Department plans to authorise the annual inflationary increase for the Severn Bridges toll price from April 2010; and if he will make a statement. [309356]
Mr. Khan: The Severn Bridges Toll Order 2009 was made on 16 December 2009 and came into force on 1 January 2010. This order sets the toll rates for the calendar year.
The toll rates for 2010 were announced by Severn River Crossing plc. on 18 December 2009.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when his Department plans to make an announcement on the annual inflationary increase in the Severn Bridges toll price from April 2010; and if he will make a statement. [309357]
Mr. Khan: New toll rates come into effect on 1 January each year and reflect changes to the retail price index (RPI). For 2010 they also reflect the restoration of the 17.5 per cent. VAT rate.
The Severn Bridges Toll Order 2009 was made on 16 December 2009 and came into force on 1 January 2010. The toll rates for 2010 were announced by Severn River Crossing plc. on 18 December 2009.
Shipping: Minimum Wage
John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will publish legal advice (a) obtained and (b) considered by his Department in the last two years on the application of the minimum wage to seafarers sailing between UK ports. [307825]
Paul Clark: The Government's legal advice concerning the proposed extension of the national minimum wage to seafarers plying their trade between UK ports is clear and has been relayed on a number of occasions, both personally and in correspondence, to representatives of the trade union movement by successive Ministers.
I last wrote to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington, setting out the Government's position on the proposed extension of the national minimum wage, on 9 November 2009. I have placed a copy of that correspondence in the Libraries of the House.
Additionally, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (UIN 307815).
Travel: Concessions
Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many pensioners were in receipt of concessionary travel fares (a) in 1997 and (b) in the latest period for which figures are available. [308669]
Mr. Khan: The Department for Transport does not maintain records of how many people in local authorities are in receipt of a concessionary bus pass as concessionary travel is administered locally by Travel Concession Authorities (TCAs).
The last information held by the Department was that as of 17 April 2009, 7,883,897 of the new smartcard concessionary passes had been issued in England. This includes applications from disabled people as well as those aged 60 and over.
Church Commissioners
Ministers of Religion: Finance
Miss McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what steps are being taken to ensure that the stipend for parish priests is sufficient for them to perform their duties. [309495]
Sir Stuart Bell: The principles of adequacy, flexibility and equitability underpin the work of the Central Stipends Authority which annually recommends a National Minimum Stipend and strongly encourages dioceses to ensure that no full-time stipendiary minister is paid below this level.
The CSA believes that current stipend levels are adequate and bishops and diocesan staff keep them under regular review as part of the pastoral care of the clergy. It should also be remembered that the clergy remuneration package includes more than just the stipend. It also includes the provision of housing, payment of council tax, water charges and maintenance costs, a non-contributory pension, removal grants and (in high risk areas) subsidised insurance.
For the Church Commissioners' part, they do make available, via the Archbishops' Council, additional stipend support to the least well-resourced dioceses.
House of Commons Commission
House of Commons: Electricity
Keith Vaz: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much the House of Commons Commission has spent on electricity on the House of Commons part of the parliamentary estate in each of the last five years. [308383]
Nick Harvey: Direct expenditure by the House of Commons authorities on electricity during the last five years has been:
| £000 | |
The increase in costs over the period is largely due to the increased unit cost of electricity: consumption in 2008-09 was slightly lower than in 2004-05, with some fluctuation in the years in between.
The above figures do not include electricity charges for some leasehold buildings (4 Millbank, 7 Millbank and Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre) on the Commons part of the parliamentary estate as these are met by the landlord and not separately recorded.
House of Commons: Marketing
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many press, marketing and communications staff
are employed by the House of Commons; and how many staff provide media and communications support to the Speaker. [308276]
Nick Harvey: The Media and Communications Service (MCS) employs 11 staff, six of whom work with select committees. One MCS member of staff works with the Speaker's special adviser to provide media and communications support for the Speaker's outreach activities as part of a range of responsibilities. In addition to the MCS, there is an internal communications team, employing five staff, with responsibility for communications with House of Commons staff, Members and Members' staff.
Northern Ireland
Policing and Crime Act 2009
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations the Government has received on the effects of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 on the powers of the Belfast International Airport Constabulary, with particular reference to that part of the Act which amends the Aviation Security Act 1982; and if he will make a statement. [308059]
Paul Clark: I have been asked to reply.
The Government are aware of concerns about the ability of the Belfast airports to operate private police forces and this was discussed with the Northern Ireland Office during the drafting of the new provisions.
I can confirm that we will use powers in the Policing and Crime Act 2009 to ensure that the current policing arrangements can be maintained at both airports. Officials from the Department for Transport will work closely with the airports concerned and the Northern Ireland Office in this matter.
Weapons: Decommissioning
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made towards total decommissioning of weapons held by (a) Republican and (b) Loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland. [308553]
Paul Goggins: I welcome the historic report from the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning on 6 January confirming a major decommissioning act by the UDA, one which the leadership of the UDA has stated constitutes the totality of those armaments under its control. This is an important development and further evidence of the success of politics over violence in Northern Ireland.
I join the IICD in calling on other groups still intending to decommission and currently engaged with the IICD to put their weapons beyond use before the amnesty ends on 9 February.
Wales
Prison Overcrowding
10. Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on overcrowding in prisons in Wales. [308879]
Mr. David: I have met regularly with the Minister for Prisons to discuss the search for locations suitable for new 1,500 place prisons.
Our aim is to ease prison overcrowding in Wales and to provide local employment. There will be a focus on four priority areas of greatest strategic need for prison places, including North Wales.
Clean Air Charters
11. Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the (a) First Minister and (b) Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to promote clean air charters in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [308880]
Mr. David: My right hon. Friend has taken a close interest in clean air charters, and his officials and advisers have been engaged in promoting them in Wales, including in discussion with counterparts in the Welsh Assembly Government and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. We support all steps that can be taken to improve air quality.
Economic Situation
12. John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Minister on the Welsh economy. [308881]
Mr. Hain: I had regular discussions with the former First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM on the Welsh economy and will continue to do so with the new First Minister.
Our action both in Westminster and Wales has helped to prevent a global recession from becoming a depression. Now we will focus on securing the economic recovery in Wales.
Courts Service
13. Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the service provided by HM Courts Service in Wales. [308882]
Mr. David: The Secretary of State and I are delighted that the courts and court offices across the Courts Service in Wales have achieved the new Government Customer Service Excellence standard for delivering high levels of service to court users.
Departmental Conferences
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent by his Department on conferences they organised which were subsequently cancelled in each of the last three years; and what the title was of each such conference. [308834]
Departmental Fines
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what powers his Department has to impose administrative penalties; what the statutory basis is for each such power; and how much his Department has recovered in administrative penalties in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [309265]
Hotels
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many hotel rooms were booked by officials in his Department in each year since 2007; and how much his Department spent on the fees of third party agents in booking hotel accommodation in each of those years. [309058]
Mr. Hain: The information is not held in the format requested and could be obtained only by incurring disproportionate costs. No third party booking fees have been incurred.
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