| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
7 Jun 2010 : Column 15W—continued
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the (a) implementation of penalty clauses and payments in its contracts and (b) potential legal action arising from the deferral and cancellation of contracts and projects under her Department's plans to achieve cost savings; and whether those estimates are included in the total cost savings to be achieved by her Department. [561]
Richard Benyon: Our plans for achieving the Department's share of the £6 billion savings announced by the Chancellor on 24 May 2010 will not, as far as we are aware, raise the issue of meeting any such claims.
Flood Control
Mr Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she (a) has had and (b) plans to have with (i) the Environment Agency and (ii) other flood partners on (A) the recommendations of the Pitt Review and (B) the provisions of section 14 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 on the sharing of information with local authorities and local flooding working groups. [1187]
Richard Benyon: Ministers have had initial discussions with the Environment Agency and are starting to meet others with an interest in flood and coastal erosion risk management. Officials have regular discussions with the Environment Agency, local authorities and others about the Pitt Review recommendations and the Flood and Water Management Act.
Incinerators
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she plans to bring forward proposals to require incinerator operators to install continuous emission monitoring systems for the detection of dioxins and heavy metals including mercury in flue gas emissions. [549]
Richard Benyon: Monitoring requirements for waste incinerators are set out in the Waste Incineration Directive (2000/76/EC). They are implemented in England and Wales by the Environment Agency or-for very small incinerators-local authorities through the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.
Proposals for detailed changes to EU requirements have come from other countries during the negotiation of the proposed industrial emissions directive, now approaching Second Reading in the European Parliament. It is not yet clear whether these will be incorporated in the finalised directive and become binding upon member states.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment she has made of the merits of alternatives to mass burn incineration; and whether she plans to provide assistance to local authorities to implement alternative schemes; [550]
(2) what her most recent assessment is of the level of efficiency of energy generation from (a) mass-burn incinerators and (b) alternative forms of energy generating waste disposal facilities including anaerobic digesters. [554]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA and DECC are jointly leading a cross-Government Energy from Waste (EfW) project that will report towards the end of the year. This will produce a clear policy framework through which the most environmentally, socially and economically beneficial outcomes can be achieved. The project will consider the range of technologies and waste feedstocks and recommend which feedstocks are suitable to produce EfW, and which technologies are best for individual waste feedstocks.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has made a recent assessment of the cost of building new mass burn incineration facilities. [551]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA funds the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), which performs an annual survey to assess gate fees charged for a range of alternative options in the treatment and disposal of waste, including incineration plants. Further details can be found on WRAP'S website:
Construction costs for Energy from Waste (EfW) plants (incinerators) are project-specific dependent on size, specification and location of plant; and timing relative to external events like exchange rate movements and the availability and cost of finance.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she for the future number of mass-burn incineration facilities. [552]
Richard Benyon: Local authorities have the responsibility for deciding how waste is managed in their respective areas. The choice of technology must reflect local circumstances, which will vary, and it is important that any plans for Energy from Waste facilities emerge out of local waste strategies to ensure the optimisation of reuse, recycling and composting activities.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department plans to increase the level of reduction, re-use and recycling of municipal solid waste for the purpose of minimising the amount of such waste which is sent for incineration or landfill. [553]
Richard Benyon: Local authorities are responsible for the management of waste disposal in their areas and they are encouraged to follow the waste hierarchy, in which energy from waste ranks higher than landfill but below waste prevention, re-use, and recycling.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on mass-burn incineration of municipal solid waste. [555]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA is working to manage waste as far up the waste hierarchy as possible-with energy from waste ranking higher than landfill but below waste prevention, re-use, and recycling.
There will always be some waste streams that cannot be re-used, recycled or composted and recovering energy from that waste, including by incineration, results in reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared to the alternative of landfill. Recovering energy from waste is complementary to, and will not displace, waste reduction methods further up the waste hierarchy.
Trade Unions
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to consult trade unions in (a) her Department and (b) its agencies on cost reduction plans. [605]
Richard Benyon: It is standard practice to consult the Department's trade unions on all matters concerning the contractual terms and conditions of its employees.
DEFRA, including its agencies, will use its existing consultation processes to discuss future deficit reduction plans with our trade unions.
Water Charges
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of the recommendations of the Walker Review of charging for household water and sewerage services he plans to implement. [988]
Richard Benyon: Ministers will consider the recommendations made in the Walker Review ahead of taking decisions around implementation.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the WaterSure system in protecting vulnerable water customers. [989]
Richard Benyon: The Walker Review of charging for household water and sewerage services examined the WaterSure scheme. Ministers will consider the conclusions of the Walker Review, including the recommendations regarding WaterSure, and respond to them in due course.
Whales: Conservation
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take in respect of the possible end to the International Whaling Commission's moratorium on whaling. [1180]
Richard Benyon: This Government oppose the resumption of commercial whaling, and protecting the moratorium on commercial whaling is of great importance. We will strive to ensure long-term protection and conservation of whale populations worldwide, and are taking every opportunity to build strong support for a continuation of the moratorium, including raising this matter with Ministers in Europe.
Northern Ireland
Bloody Sunday Tribunal of Inquiry
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the report of the Saville Inquiry to be published; and if he will ensure that the cost to the public purse of all expenditure in relation to the Saville Inquiry is published at that time. [240]
Mr Paterson: I refer the hon. Member to my statement of 26 May 2010, Official Report, column 5 WS, where I informed the House that the report of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, chaired by Lord Saville, will be published on Tuesday 15 June.
Financial information relating to the Inquiry has previously been published in this House. I intend to publish the most up-to-date financial information available at the same time as the Inquiry's report is published.
Departmental Manpower
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time equivalent staff at each Civil Service grade are employed in the private office of each Minister in his Department. [118]
Mr Paterson: There is a joint Private Office in London which supports my work and that of the Minister of State. In Belfast, Ministers do not have a dedicated Private Office but have access to central support staff that carry out a broad range of functions for the Department.
The breakdown of staff in London office is as follows:
| Number | |
There is also an agency typist.
The breakdown of central support staff in Belfast is as follows:
| Number | |
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the ministerial responsibilities are of (a) him and (b) the Minister of State for Northern Ireland. [241]
Mr Paterson: The ministerial responsibilities are as follows:
overall responsibility for all aspects of the Department's work; and relationships with the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly, on the Department's overall strategy, and on the Government's approach to the past, constitutional issues, national security and budgetary priorities.
Leads on human rights, day-to-day national security matters, sponsorship of the Parades Commission, equality and electoral law. He also supports the Secretary of State across the range of the Department's responsibilities in Northern Ireland and in Westminster.
Culture, Media and Sport
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr Iain Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the (a) implementation of penalty clauses and payments in its contracts and (b) potential legal action arising from
the deferral and cancellation of contracts and projects under his Department's plans to achieve cost savings; and whether those estimates are included in the total cost savings to be achieved by his Department. [560]
John Penrose: The Department's key contracts are currently under review. As such, no estimate has yet been made of the total potential cost in the event of (a) the implementation of penalty clauses and payments in contracts and (b) potential legal action arising from the deferral and cancellation of contracts and projects.
Digital Broadcasting: Radio
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess the merits of withdrawing the proposals for switchover from FM to digital radio. [582]
Mr Vaizey: We will be looking closely at the proposals for a digital radio upgrade; however, around a quarter of all radio listening is now to digital, so a future transition to digital radio continues to gain impetus.
Any transition to digital radio will not necessarily mean switching off FM radio in its entirety, and it is important that any switchover date is realistic in terms of consumer engagement, technical advances, in particular as regards car radios, and financial constraints.
Olympic Games 2012: Tickets
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether tickets for the London 2012 Olympics have been designated for allocation to (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants. [854]
Hugh Robertson: Three quarters of the 10 million tickets available will be open to the public through a public ballot process. The remaining tickets will be primarily for overseas fans and as travel packages within the UK, as well as for sponsors and rights holders. In addition, Government and other Games public sector delivery partners will be entitled to purchase a small number of tickets from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). The Government have not decided whether to take up this offer. All tickets need to be purchased from LOCOG-there are no free tickets.
Trade Unions
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has to consult trade unions in (a) his Department and (b) its agency on cost reduction plans. [601]
John Penrose: The Department is already in informal discussions with both staff and trade unions, both at departmental and agency level. We will continue to talk to our staff and, where relevant, their trade unions too, and will enter into formal consultations wherever there is a requirement to do so.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |