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24 Feb 2010 : Column 619W—continued
(2) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 27 January 2010, Official Report, columns 914-5W, on affordable housing, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's guidance on the monitoring and evaluation systems; whether any additional funding has been allocated by his Department to local authorities to assist the monitoring and evaluation of the sexual orientation of tenants; whether completing such a form will be a
condition of tenancy; and whether requirements will apply to social landlords to report the findings of their sexual orientation surveys to (a) his Department, (b) the Tenant Services Authority, (c) the Government Equalities Office and (d) the Equality and Human Rights Commission. [317874]
Mr. Ian Austin: There is no statutory requirement on social landlords to monitor or survey the sexual orientation of their tenants and no Government plans to make it a requirement on social landlords to report to any organisation data on the sexual orientation of their tenants. Consequently, no additional funding has been allocated to local authorities by Communities and Local Government specifically to assist with the monitoring and evaluation of the sexual orientation of their tenants.
The Government do not believe it would be appropriate to make it a requirement that tenants should provide information on their sexual orientation.
The guidance referred to in the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough (Mr. Jackson) of 27 January 2010, Official Report, columns 914-5W, is statutory guidance on the allocation of social housing by local authorities ('Fair and Flexible', issued 4 December 2009). I have arranged for a copy of the guidance to be placed in the Library of the House.
Travelling People: Caravan Sites
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 19 January 2010, Official Report, column 297W, on travelling people: caravan sites, if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) planning and enforcement appeal rulings made by the Planning Inspectorate that resulted in the appeal being granted in part or in full and (b) representations of 24 February 2009. [317813]
Mr. Ian Austin: Information in respect of (a) has been deposited in the Library of the House. This shows which of the 75 planning and enforcement appeals on the previous list have been allowed by the Planning Inspectorate either in part or in full. These decisions, for appeals lodged by Green Planning Solutions, can be retrieved from the Planning Portal on
In respect of (b), the meeting of the 24 February 2009 was arranged following general issues raised in procedural correspondence over a number of appeals. The agenda, summarised in my previous reply, has also been deposited in the Library of the House. I am advised that no formal notes were made during or after the meeting, but the meeting lasted for about an hour and discussion was general and related directly to the agenda items. No specific and current appeal casework was mentioned.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Manpower
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people have been employed in the agricultural sector in each year since 1997. [318483]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Figures on the total agricultural labour force at June each year have been taken from DEFRA's annual June survey of agriculture and horticulture (see notes 1 to 6) and are set out as follows.
| Total labour force including farmers and their spouses | |
| Number (thousand) | |
| (1) Includes estimates for minor holdings. (2) Estimates have been made for non-respondents. (3) Figures exclude school children but include trainees employed under an official youth training scheme and paid at Agricultural Wages Board rates or above. (4) The figures presented here are not comparable with earlier years' results due to the introduction of new questions in 1998. (5) June 2001 results assuming register improvements had not taken place (comparable with June 2000). (6) June 2001 results including register improvement (not directly comparable with June 2000). | |
Changes in labour force estimates
In 1998, fundamental changes were introduced to the labour questions on the June agricultural and horticultural census in England. It appears that this change in questions may have led to the recording of additional Labour who were not previously included in the returns.
We therefore advise caution when comparing the 1998 results with previous years. The June 2001 figures include estimates for holdings that have been converted from the temporary register. Further improvements to the register of agricultural holdings have also been made, mainly as a result of livestock tracing. As a result it is not possible to directly compare the June 2000 and June 2001 results. Furthermore, it is not possible to backdate the existing labour series as it is impossible to estimate how long the newly registered holdings have been in existence. However, the June 2001 results have also been calculated assuming the register changes had not taken place to provide comparable figures.
Clothing: Recycling
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to encourage the development of an (a) industry-wide standard and (b) voluntary agreement for the collection, sorting, re-use and recycling of second hand clothing. [318517]
Dan Norris:
DEFRA has co-ordinated the sustainable clothing roadmap, a voluntary industry initiative to improve the environmental and ethical performance of clothing. One aim of the roadmap is to increase re-use and recycling, including consideration of issues around collection and sorting. In association with industry and
stakeholders, we launched the first sustainable clothing action plan to implement this roadmap in 2009.
The clothing roadmap and supporting research are available on DEFRA's website:
Departmental Communication
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department publishes an annual report on departmental communications. [315599]
Dan Norris: The Department does not publish an annual report specifically about communications. Communication is included as a separate item in the departmental annual report.
Departmental Energy
Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated (a) amount and (b) cost was of energy used in his Department and its agencies in each year since 1997; what proportion of the energy used was generated from renewable sources in each of those years; and if he will make a statement. [317205]
Dan Norris: The annual consumption and cost of energy used in buildings on the DEFRA and Executive Agency estate for the last five years is shown in the following table.
| 2008-09 | |||
| Total energy consumption (kWh) | Electricity sourced from renewables (kWh) (percentage) | Total energy costs (£) | |
| 2007-08 | |||
| Total energy consumption (kWh) | Electricity sourced from renewables (kWh) (percentage) | Total energy costs (£) | |
| 2006-07 | |||
| Total energy consumption (kWh) | Electricity sourced from renewables (kWh) (percentage) | Total energy costs (£) | |
| 2005-06 | |||
| Total energy consumption (kWh) | Electricity sourced from renewables (kWh) (percentage) | Total energy costs (£) | |
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