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18 Jan 2010 : Column 6W—continued
Olympic Games 2012: Bexley
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many businesses in the London borough of Bexley are under contract in respect of the construction of venues for the London 2012 Olympic Games. [308848]
Tessa Jowell: As of November 2009 the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) had directly awarded contracts to five suppliers registered in the London borough of Bexley. This does not include companies that have won contracts in the supply chains of the ODA's tier one contractors. The ODA has recently published a map showing that many suppliers are winning work both directly with the ODA and within the supply chains of its contractors. Details of these are available in the business section of the London 2012 website
Olympic Games 2012: Manpower
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many people of each sex in each age group have been working on the Olympic site in each month since construction began; and how many of these are apprentices. [310358]
Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority publishes details of the Olympic Park workforce on a quarterly basis. The latest report, with data for September 2009, showed that there were 4,842 people working on the Park at that time, and of these, 94 per cent. were male and 6 per cent. were female.
The ODA does not publish information on the age of the workforce, but does monitor the age characteristics of the total Park workforce using voluntary information provided by workers when they begin employment on the site. In September 2009:
0.5 per cent. of the workforce were under the age of 18
44 per cent. of the workforce were aged between 18 and 35
35 per cent. of the workforce were between 36 and 50
17 per cent. of the workforce were aged over 51
The ODA does not have this information for the remaining 3.5 per cent. of the workforce
In November 2009, a total of 120 apprentices were working on the Park.
The next set of figures will be issued this month and will be available on the London 2012 website.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many people she expects to be employed on the Olympic site over the duration of the project; and how many of those are apprentices. [310359]
Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority forecasts that 30,000 people will work on the Olympic Park and Village over the lifetime of the construction programme. The ODA is working closely with its contractors to create 2,250 trainees, apprenticeships and work placements across the park and village, 350 of these are to be apprenticeships.
Olympic Games 2012: Marketing
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much has been spent on social media and networking accounts in respect of the London 2012 Olympic Games; and on what accounts those funds have been spent. [308474]
Tessa Jowell: The Government are committed to involving, informing and engaging local people in all stages of planning for the Olympic and Paralympic Games which will transform East London. Recognising that the Games will have greatest impact on local communities, the official bid commitments for London 2012 included an extensive engagement programme. The Government Olympic Executive has used social media to support this engagement work and runs an online forum for residents of the five host boroughs in East London. This forum enables invited local people-representative of the wide range of communities in the five host boroughs-to give their views on the Olympics in a context which encouraged ongoing debate and discussion.
The forum has discussed a variety of topics and issues important to local residents. These include how local people can access jobs and training opportunities created by the Olympics; ensuring that all opportunities are inclusive and benefit everyone; planning of the Olympic site and surrounding areas; and how to promote disability issues using the Paralympics. The Government Olympics Executive responds to the information gathered accordingly.
The cost of managing this forum to date, including set up costs, site hosting and recruitment of members has been £128,523.08.
Olympic Games: Canada
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials from her Office are planning to attend the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in February 2010 in an official capacity; and at what cost. [310256]
Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 January 2010, Official Report, column 648W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Vauxhall (Kate Hoey).
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Domestic Waste: Elderly
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether guidance has been issued to waste collection authorities on the provision of wheeled refuse containers to households with (a) disabled and (b) frail or elderly residents. [311482]
Dan Norris: While no specific guidance has been issued on this matter, it is normal practice for local authorities to take account of the needs of the frail or disabled when operating waste and recycling services. They do this by either offering a choice of containers or by providing assisted collections. The Disability Discrimination Act now requires local authorities to consider these issues, but the practice of assisted collections was well established before the legislation came into force.
Genetically Modified Organisms: Regulation
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on the (a) safety and (b) regulatory approval process of genetically modified crops and foods. [311435]
Dan Norris: DEFRA has received various items of correspondence recently from members of the public and other stakeholders on the environmental safety and regulatory control of GM crops. The Food Standards Agency has lead responsibility for the safety and regulation of GM foods and animal feeds.
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which genetically-modified products are authorised for sale in the UK. [311441]
Dan Norris: Decisions on the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) products are taken at European Union (EU) level. Currently there are 31 GM products that are authorised for food and animal feed uses in the EU. Full details are available on the European Commission website. Only one type of GM crop seed has EU approval for cultivation and is being sold in some EU member states, but it is not being marketed in the UK because it is unsuitable for our growing conditions. It is a type of insect-resistant maize known as MON 810.
Waste Management
Mr. Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) when he expects to finalise the draft end-of-waste protocol; [311360]
(2) when he expects to respond to comments made under Article 8(2) of the Technical Standards Directive (98/34/EC) on the draft end-of-waste protocol. [311361]
Dan Norris:
On 23 and 26 November 2009 the European Commission and Austria respectively commented under Article 8(2) of the Technical Standards Directive on the draft end-of-waste protocol for fuel produced from waste lubricating oil that the UK notified under Article 8(1)
of the Directive. The UK is required to take such comments into account as far as possible in the subsequent preparation of the protocol. Our aim is to conclude consideration of these comments within the three month period that would have applied in the event of the UK's receiving a detailed opinion under Article 9(2) of the Directive. The Environment Agency will make a statement about the finalisation of the protocol on conclusion of our consideration of the comments made under Article 8(2) of the Directive.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's research report WR0105 on measuring waste prevention. [311484]
Dan Norris: The report for project WR0105 (Project REDUCE Monitoring and Evaluation - Developing Tools to Measure Waste Prevention) is available from DEFRA's website by entering "WR0105" into the search tool at the following address:
http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Location=None &Module= FilterSearchNewLook&Completed=0
Wales
Departmental Billings
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in December 2009. [311200]
Mr. David: The Wales Office paid 96 per cent. of its invoices in December 2009 within 10 days.
Departmental Buildings
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the (a) area and (b) estimated value is of (i) vacant and (ii) occupied office space (A) owned and (B) rented by his Department. [310518]
Mr. David: The Wales Office has a main building in London and rents serviced office space in Cardiff. The Department has no vacant office space.
The London building has 9,655 square feet of office space and was last valued in 2008 at £1.4 million.
The Cardiff office has an area of approximately 6,000 square feet. As it is part of a larger, privately-owned building, it is not possible to give an estimation of its value.
Departmental Food
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the quantity of food waste generated by his Department in each year for which figures are available. [310815]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office does not collect information on food waste generated. My Department does not have any catering facilities in house, and therefore does not routinely generate food waste.
Departmental Internet
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which websites his Department's staff are blocked from accessing on networked computers. [310765]
Mr. David: The Wales Office obtains its information technology services from the Ministry of Justice. Staff are expected to comply with rules regulating the use of departmental computers, including internet use.
The IT system uses specialist blocking software to prevent users gaining access to inappropriate websites, such as those containing offensive, racist or defamatory content; gambling or betting sites; those that may circumvent information security rules such as web-based e-mail; and sites that may affect the efficiency of the network.
Departmental Training
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sessions of media training were organised for Ministers in his Department in each of the last three years. [310756]
Human Trafficking
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has had recent discussions with the First Minister on the extent to which people are trafficked between Wales and England for purposes of sexual exploitation. [309358]
Mr. Hain: While I have not discussed this matter recently with the First Minister, the aim of both Governments is to ensure that we tackle the horrendous crime of human trafficking.
The Government's comprehensive victim-focused strategy to combat all forms of trafficking throughout the UK is contained in the UK Action Plan on Trafficking first published in 2007 updated in October 2009. This is available at
http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/human trafficking004.htm
We recognise the vulnerability of children to trafficking to and within the UK and that this can happen for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Following consultation guidance for practitioners on child trafficking has been published by both Governments. This is available at:
http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction= productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=HMG-00994-2007&
Olympic Games: Canada
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials from his Department are planning to attend the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in February 2010; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such attendance. [310853]
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are plans to allocate part of Kandahar province to the UK's area of responsibility. [309613]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: We are not aware of any such plans.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the monetary value was of allowances paid to civilian staff based in Afghanistan in each of the last five years. [310651]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 14 January 2010]: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) UK armed forces personnel and (b) personnel of other coalition forces were deployed in the operation to deliver a turbine to Kajaki dam in September 2008; and what the duration was of that operation. [311002]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The operation took 17 days but the number of UK and other coalition forces deployed is difficult to collate because of the various different phases and the number of support tasks involved. This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) deaths and (b) injuries to personnel were sustained in the operation to deliver and install the turbine to Kajaki dam in September 2008. [311004]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: No UK deaths were sustained in the operation to deliver and install the turbine at Kajaki dam in September 2008. Four UK personnel sustained injuries in the operation.
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