Departmental Procurement
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which procurement projects engaged upon by (a) his Department and (b) each non-departmental public body and agency for which he is responsible had a designated senior responsible owner in the latest period for which figures are available; and on what date they were appointed in each such case. [45691]
Chris Grayling: I have arranged for the list of procurement projects engaged upon which had a named senior responsible owner by (a) DWP and (b) non-departmental public bodies and agencies to be placed in the Library.
Information relating to the date that each senior responsible owner was appointed is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Public Bodies
Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the level of savings which will accrue from the abolition of the Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board. [48690]
Maria Miller:
On 16 March 2011, Official Report, columns 9-10WS, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), issued a written ministerial statement updating Parliament on progress on public bodies' reform. That statement also announced that
4 Apr 2011 : Column 595W
Departments estimate that cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period.
I anticipate that net overall administrative savings from the abolition of the Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board over the spending review period of 2011-12 to 2014-15 will be minimal as the board has not been fully operational for some time. Expenditure for 2010-11 was £5,000.
Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the level of savings which will accrue from the abolition of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. [48692]
Maria Miller: As part of the Public Bodies Bill, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will be abolished as a non-departmental public body, and its functions transferred to the Secretary of State as an Executive agency of the Department.
The level of savings resulting from this change in status has been estimated as minimal beyond any one- off transitional costs. This is because the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission for all practical purposes has almost all the delivery-focused activities of an Executive agency. The principal differences lie in its legal status and the responsibilities of its board. The decision to change the status of Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission was made to increase ministerial responsibility and accountability for child maintenance policy, and not to generate savings.
Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the level of savings which will accrue from the change in function of Equality 2025. [48763]
Maria Miller: Following the NDPB review, there has been no change in function for Equality 2025, therefore there are no savings. Equality 2025's remit remains to provide confidential advice to Government on issues that affect the lives of disabled people.
Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the level of savings which will accrue from the merging of the Pensions Ombudsman and the Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman. [48807]
Steve Webb: On 16 March 2011, Official Report, columns 9-10WS, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), issued a written ministerial statement updating Parliament on progress on public bodies reform. That statement also announced that Departments estimate that cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period.
I estimate that there will not be any net overall administrative savings from the merger of the Pensions Ombudsman with the Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman over the spending review period.
The Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman and the Pensions Ombudsman already function as a single operational unit. The merger will formalise the current
4 Apr 2011 : Column 596W
arrangements by putting them on a statutory basis and so will deliver a more streamlined approach and simplify the pensions institutional landscape.
Departmental Theft
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what items with a value of over £100 have been taken without authorisation from his Department since his appointment; and what steps have been taken to recover such items. [48433]
Chris Grayling: The Department does not hold central records itemising assets taken with a value of over £100. Information is recorded at local level and it would incur a disproportionate cost to obtain the information requested.
The Department’s IT equipment is leased from service providers. Excluding lower value items, there have been 41 reported thefts of individual items of equipment, including laptop computers and BlackBerry phone devices since 12 May 2010.
In all cases of theft the matter is fully investigated and appropriate action taken by the Department. Where the item concerned is not recovered, the police will be informed as a matter of routine.
In the case of the above items, to date, none has been recovered.
Disability Living Allowance
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women in each (i) age group and (ii) local authority area received the (A) higher and (B) lower rate of disability living allowance (1) on the most recent date for which figures are available and (2) in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [45620]
Maria Miller: The information has been placed in the Library.
Housing Benefit: Blaenau Gwent
Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of claimants of local housing allowance in Blaenau Gwent constituency (a) are making additional payments to cover the difference between benefit received and rent paid and (b) will be required to make an additional payment to cover the difference between benefit received and rent paid from April 2011. [49608]
Steve Webb: The information is not available at constituency level.
The Department published a document on the “Two Year Review of the Local Housing” in February 2011, which includes current shortfall values at the Government Office Region level, in Figure 3.3. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.
On 23 July the Department published a document on “Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12”. This included estimates of the number of losers and average losses per week for each local authority and each bedroom entitlement category. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.
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Jobseeker’s Allowance: Wolverhampton
Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of claimants of jobseeker’s allowance in Wolverhampton North East constituency who (a) were affected by his Department’s recent changes to entitlement to mortgage interest payments and (b) will be affected in the 12 months following the change. [49838]
Steve Webb: The change in the standard interest rate used to calculate support for mortgage interest applies to all customers who receive that help as part of their benefit.
In May 2010, the latest period for which figures are available, the number of jobseeker’s allowance customers in Wolverhampton North East constituency is given in the table.
No estimate has been made of the number of jobseeker’s allowance customers who will be affected over 12 months following the change to the standard interest rate at which support for mortgage interest is paid.
| Jobseeker’s allowance claimants in receipt of mortgage interest in the Wolverhampton North East constituency—May 2010 | |
|
|
Number |
| Notes: 1. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Figures are based on 5% sample data. All figures are subject to a degree of sampling variation. 3. Numbers marked “*” are based on very few sample cases and are subject to a high degree of sampling variation. 4. Caseload figures have been uprated by using 5% proportions against 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) data. 5. Due to a problem with the latest data for August 2010, which is being investigated, we have provided data for May 2010 until this is resolved. Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5% samples | |
Mortgages: Wolverhampton
Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Wolverhampton North East constituency received support for mortgage interest payments in each of the last five years. [49830]
Steve Webb: As requested, Table 1 presents the total number of claimants, in receipt of either pension credit (PC), income support (IS) or jobseeker’s allowance (JSA), receiving support for mortgage interest in Wolverhampton North East constituency between August 2006 and May 2010.
| Table 1: Total number of claimants of PC, IS, JSA receiving mortgage interest in Wolverhampton North East constituency | |
|
|
PC, IS, JSA claimants receiving mortgage Interest |
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| (1 )Numbers are based on very few sample cases and are subject to a high degree of sampling variation. Notes: 1. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Figures are based on 5% sample data. All figures are subject to a degree of sampling variation. 3. Caseload figures have been uprated by using 5% proportions against 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) data. 4. Figures provided are a point in time estimate at August in each year 2006 to 2009. 5. Due to a problem with the latest data for August 2010, which is being investigated, we have provided data for May 2010 until this is resolved. Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5% samples. | |
Remploy: Social Enterprises
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential for Remploy factories to become independent social enterprises. [47966]
Maria Miller: The coalition Government believe that social enterprises provide a valuable model to support disabled and disadvantaged people into work.
Remploy as part of its five-year modernisation plan is developing the social enterprise model in five sites including the Bridgend factory. This model focuses on the local market conditions and the skills and expertise of employees in order to identify a suitable and viable social enterprise business. Social entrepreneurs, with the input and support of organisations such as co-operative societies, are supporting the incubation of these businesses.
Within Bridgend, social enterprise businesses have been developed in recycling and kit assembly and the company will continue to explore, with the factory employees, any social enterprise opportunities in their local area.
On 2 December 2010, I announced an independent review of the support that the Government provide to disabled people who want to work. We will publish the outcome of the review in the summer.
Ritalin: Children
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) for which benefits a household with a child who is prescribed Ritalin qualifies; [51021]
(2) how many children qualified for disability living allowance as a result of being prescribed Ritalin in each year from 1997 to 2010. [51022]
Maria Miller: No benefits are awarded because a person is prescribed a form of medication.
Entitlement to disability living allowance is not dependent on having a specific health condition or diagnosis, but on whether the severely disabled person needs help with personal care and/or their mobility difficulties.
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Social Security Benefits
Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Poole constituency are in receipt of (a) incapacity benefit, (b) employment and support allowance and (c) disability living allowance. [50548]
Maria Miller: The information is provided as follows:
| Claimants of employment and support allowance, disability living allowance, incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance—August 2010 | |||
|
|
Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance | Employment and support allowance | Disability living allowance (in payment) |
| Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. For disability living allowance the totals show the number of people in receipt of an allowance and excludes people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 3. A claimant can be in receipt of more than one of these benefits and will therefore be counted for each benefit they receive. 4. Incapacity Benefit was replaced by employment and support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 5. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study | |||
Social Security Benefits: Disability
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations he has received from disability groups on the effect of proposed changes to the (a) disability living allowance and (b) independent living fund; and if he will make a statement. [48971]
Maria Miller: Since disability living allowance (DLA) reform was announced in the Budget in June 2010, my officials and I have met disabled people and a large number of disability organisations to discuss our proposals. We published a public consultation on DLA reform on 6 December 2010, which ended on 18 February 2011. The Department received a large number of responses to this consultation, with more than 5,000 individual and 500 organisational responses. We are considering these responses and will publish our response shortly.
The Government’s position on the independent living fund was set out in the written ministerial statement issued on 13 December 2010, Official Report, columns 85-86WS. This made clear that the independent living fund will remain closed permanently to new applications and we will safeguard the position of existing recipients by carrying out a formal consultation on future support for existing ILF users, while continuing to administer their awards throughout this Parliament. This consultation will take place following the publication of the report by the Commission on the Funding of Care and Support.
I have met with a number of disability organisations and other bodies to discuss the future of the independent living fund. These include the Chair of Equality 2025, the all-party parliamentary group on disability, the Disability Charities Consortium and the Disabled Peoples Organisations Group.
Social Security Benefits: Fraud
Stephen McPartland:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of
4 Apr 2011 : Column 600W
10 March 2011,
Official Report,
column 575W, on social security benefits: fraud, if he will estimate the number of investigations of individuals suspected of benefit fraud which have taken more than nine months in the latest period for which figures are available. [50818]
Chris Grayling: The information requested cannot be estimated from the management information available, as to collate these data would incur a disproportionate cost.
Swimming Pools
Mr David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment the Health and Safety Executive has made of the effectiveness in prevention of cryptosporidium of the operation of regulations on water quality in public swimming pools. [49942]
Chris Grayling: The regulations covering the quality of water in the UK apply to the supply of water for domestic use. They do not apply to the quality of water in use in swimming pools.
Swimming pool operators however do have a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the public are not exposed to risks to their health and safety when bathing.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002 specifically require pool operators to assess the risks to the health of their employees and bathers from hazardous substances, including microbiological organisms such as cryptosporidium, and take effective measures to control that risk.
HSE believes that compliance with these regulations should ensure that the risk of exposure to cryptosporidium in public swimming pools is reduced, so far as is reasonably practicable.
Third Sector
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department gave to each charity it funds in each of the last five years; and how much it has allocated in funding to each such charity in each of the next five years. [48513]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies do not ordinarily directly fund charities. The Department does, however, work closely with charities and voluntary organisations to help people access the services and benefits to which they are entitled.
The Department also encourages a wide range of providers from the voluntary and charitable sectors—alongside providers in the private and public sectors—to contract with it to deliver employment programmes. It is not possible, however, to identify payments made to charitable organisations except at disproportionate cost; the Department’s payment systems identify the individual recipients, but do not show the status of those recipients i.e. whether they are private, public, charitable or voluntary sector organisations.
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Unemployment: Wales
Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the trends in levels of unemployment in (a) Wales, (b) Cardiff and (c) Cardiff North constituency since January 2011; and if he will make a statement. [49815]
Chris Grayling:
Latest figures on the headline ILO measure of unemployment only cover the period up to January 2011 in Wales and September 2010 for localities within Wales. More recent information is available from the seasonally adjusted claimant count, which shows
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that between January and February 2011 the number of claimants of jobseeker’s allowance in Wales fell 1,100 to 70,300. The claimant unemployment rate in Wales in February 2011 was 5.0%, down 0.1 percentage points on the previous month.
Information on the claimant count in Cardiff and Cardiff North constituency is also available for February 2011, although the figures are not seasonally adjusted so a comparison with the previous month would not provide a reliable guide to the trend in unemployment. The figures in the following table show the latest year-on-year changes in the claimant count in Cardiff local authority district and Cardiff North constituency.
| Cardiff local authority district | Cardiff North constituency | |||
|
|
Number | Proportion | Number | Proportion |
| Notes: 1. The claimant count proportions shown are as a proportion of the population aged 16-64. This is different from the unemployment rate which is traditionally calculated as a proportion of the active labour force. Claimant unemployment rates are not available below regional level. 2. Proportions are rounded to one decimal place Source: Office for National Statistics | ||||
Universal Credit
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2011, Official Report, column 869W, on universal credit, in which instances it would be appropriate to split payments of universal credit between partners or spouses in shared households. [49240]
Chris Grayling: The answer to which the hon. Member refers sets out the intention to pay universal credit as a single sum per household, including couple households.
As mentioned, however, there may be exceptional cases that require alternative arrangements and we are considering the circumstances for and details of these alternative arrangements. Alternative arrangements might include dividing payments between two or more parties.
Further information is available in the universal credit briefing note which has been published on the Department for Work and Pensions website.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2011, Official Report, column 869W, on universal credit, what his policy is concerning situations where a couple household requests that the payment of universal credit be split between the two partners or spouses. [49241]
Chris Grayling: As already set out, ordinarily the universal credit payment will be made as a single sum to the household. In recognition of the fact that different households organise their finances and budget in different ways, we are allowing couples to decide between them whether the money goes to a joint bank account or to one or other of them. We are not intending that couples will be able to choose for the payment to be divided between them by routine.
However, there may be exceptional cases that require alternative arrangements and the Government intend to retain power to arrange payments to couples to offer safeguards. We are considering the circumstances for and details of these alternative arrangements, which might include division of the payment. Work is ongoing.
The Government already have and will retain the power to direct payments to the other partner where there is proven abuse of the money, and this current practice can be triggered by notification by one of the partners. Circumstances for alternative arrangements in exceptional cases could include request or notification by either member of a couple to continue this approach.
Further information is available in the universal credit briefing note which has been published on the Department for Work and Pensions website.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what measure of inflation will be used for the annual uprating of cash payments made to individuals with a potentially lower entitlement under universal credit than under current tax credit and benefit arrangements; [49803]
(2) whether transitional cash payments to individuals with a lower entitlement under universal credit will continue until there is a change in the financial circumstances of such individuals. [49855]
Chris Grayling:
Any cash protection awarded to individuals with a potentially lower entitlement under universal credit will not be uprated but will be fixed at
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the point of transition. It will remain in place until the claimant’s circumstances change or the universal credit entitlement exceeds the protected amount.
Winter Fuel Payments
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of the provision of winter fuel allowance to those (a) aged 60 to 79 at the rate of £250 per year and (b) aged 80 or over at the rate of £400 per year in (i) Glasgow North East constituency, (ii) Glasgow, (iii) Scotland, (iv) Great Britain and (v) the UK in 2011; [49938]
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(2) if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of the provision of winter fuel allowance to those (a) aged 60 to 79 at the rate of (i) £200 and (ii) £250 per year and (b) aged 80 or over at the rate of (A) £300 and (B) £400 per year in (1) Glasgow North East constituency, (2) Glasgow, (3) Scotland, (4) Great Britain and (5) the UK in each of the next four calendar years. [49939]
Steve Webb: The information is not available as requested. Forecasts of winter fuel payments are made on financial years rather than calendar years, and estimates for the United Kingdom are not available as the Department for Work and Pensions is only responsible for Great Britain winter fuel payments.
The information that is available is in the following tables.
| Glasgow North East constituency | |||||
| Winter fuel payment expenditure (£ million, in-year prices) | |||||
| Winter fuel payment rates | Age group | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
| City of Glasgow local authority | |||||
| Winter fuel payment expenditure (£ million, in-year prices) | |||||
| Winter fuel payment rates | Age group | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
| Scotland Government office region | |||||
| Winter fuel payment expenditure (£ million, in-year prices) | |||||
| Winter fuel payment rates | Age group | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
| Great Britain | |||||
| Winter fuel payment expenditure (£ million, in-year prices) | |||||
| Winter fuel payment rates | Age group | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
4 Apr 2011 : Column 605W
4 Apr 2011 : Column 606W
| Notes: 1. Expenditure on winter fuel payments is rounded to the nearest £1 million. Age breakdowns may not sum to totals due to rounding. 2. Expenditure on the ‘79 and under’ age group includes payments to people over women’s state pension age, which is increasing from 60 to 65 between 2010 and 2018. People under women’s state pension age (both men and women) are not eligible for winter fuel payments. 3. Great Britain forecasts of winter fuel payments are consistent with Budget 2011 forecasts. 4. Projections of winter fuel payments on a constituency, local authority and Government office region level use latest administrative data to apportion total GB expenditure over the requested geography. 5. Forecasts do not include winter fuel payments made to eligible recipients now resident in other European economic area countries or Switzerland, which is why these GB forecasts may differ from published forecasts that do include such overseas spending. Source: DWP statistical and accounting data. | |||||
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of the average winter fuel bill for pensioner households represented by the (a) £100 reduction and (b) £50 reduction in winter fuel payments proposed over winter 2011-12; and what assessment he has made of the effects on fuel poverty of the proposed removal of the enhanced rate of the winter fuel payment in 2011-12 for pensioners under (i) 80 and (ii) over 80 years; and if he will make a statement. [50297]
Steve Webb: In winter 2011-12, winter fuel payments will be paid exactly as budgeted for by the previous Government. The standard rates of winter fuel payments will be £200 for households with someone who has reached women’s state pension age and is under 80 and £300 for households with someone aged 80 or over.
(a) For households where there is someone aged 80 or over, the winter fuel payment is £100 less in 2011-12 compared to 2010-11. For this group it is estimated that £100 represents around 15% of the average winter fuel bill.
(b) For households where there is someone who has reached women’s state pension age and is under 80, the winter fuel payment is £50 less in 2011-12 compared to 2010-11. For this group it is estimated that £50 represents around 7% of the average winter fuel bill.
Information on the fuel poverty impact for (i) pensioners under 80 and (ii) pensioners over 80 years is not available separately. For both groups combined the impact of the removal of the temporary increase in winter fuel payments is estimated at 25,000 more households in fuel poverty in England.
Additional support is available through cold weather payments for regions that suffer particularly cold weather and we have made permanent the increase in these payments from £8.50 to £25 a week from 2011-12 onwards. Subject to parliamentary approval, from winter 2011-12 some of the poorest pensioners would get direct assistance with their energy costs through a rebate off their electricity bills under the warm home discount scheme. Rebates would be at least £120.
Notes:
1. Family Spending 2010 (Living Costs and Food Survey 2009) is used to determine household expenditure on fuel by age. This information uses weekly amounts to create an average annual fuel bill. Winter fuel bills are estimated as being between 60% and 70% of the annual bill based on DECC information (in table 2 for gas and table 3 for electricity) of:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Statistics/publications/trends/articles_issue/559-trendssep10-domestic-energy-bills-article.pdf
2. The fuel and light inflation rate, published by the ONS, is used to estimate the energy bills as at February 2011.
Work Capacity Assessment
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average period is between the date of a work capacity assessment and a referral to an employment provider for those found capable of work (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority area. [39769]
Chris Grayling: The information is not available.
Transport
Commission for Integrated Transport
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what residual functions will remain following the abolition of the Commission for Integrated Transport; which organisation will carry out each such function; what the estimated costs of each such function are; and what transfer of funds will be made to each organisation to carry out each such function. [46487]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport abolished the Commission for Integrated Transport as we concluded that our emphasis should now be on high-level strategic advice rather than the detailed research undertaken by the Commission. We will receive this advice by engaging directly with experts in a number of ways, including through a new informal strategic transport advisory group, rather than an arm's length body. We are currently developing our thinking on these options, including the group, and will publish our conclusions in the next few months.
Public Bodies Reform Programme
Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the level of savings which will accrue from the abolition of BRB (Residuary) Ltd. [48689]
Mrs Villiers: On 16 March 2011, Official Report, columns 9-10WS, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), issued a written ministerial statement updating Parliament on progress on public bodies reform. That statement also announced that Departments estimate that cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period.
4 Apr 2011 : Column 607W
I refer the right hon. Member to my answer of 22 March 2011, Official Report, column 1055W. This is our best current estimate of the level of savings which will accrue from the abolition of BRB (Residuary) Ltd.
Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish the equality impact assessment in respect of the abolition of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee. [49835]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport’s proposals have been through a preliminary impact assessment process, including an equalities impact assessment. Full impact assessment documents will be published as part of the consultation process in the coming months.
Driving Tests: Motorcycles
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) which organisations have been consulted by his Department’s review group assessing the feasibility and safety of proposed changes to the motorcycle test; [50822]
(2) what discussions he has had with the (a) Association of Chief Police Officers and (b) Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland on proposals for alterations to the motorcycle test; [50829]
(3) who the members are of his Department’s review group to assess the feasibility and safety of the changes proposed for the motorcycle test; [50830]
(4) when his Department’s review group assessing the feasibility and safety of the proposals to change the motorcycle test will report. [50893]
Mike Penning: A public consultation was held on the scope of the review in June/July 2010. There were 489 responses, mainly from motorcyclists (including learners and experienced), motorcycle trainers and examiners. There will be a further consultation on proposed changes to the motorcycle test in due course.
There have so far been no formal discussions with the Association of Chief Police Officers or the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland. There have been informal discussions with the DfT/ACPO liaison officer.
There is a working group and a technical sub-group assessing the feasibility and safety of the changes proposed for the motorcycle test.
Members of the working group are:
Department for Transport
Driving Standards Agency
Motorcycle Industry Association
Motorcycle Industry Trainers Association
Motorcycle Action Group
British Motorcyclists Federation
Public and Commercial Services Union
Road Safety Great Britain
Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents
The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety was also involved in the initial stages of the review.
Members of the technical sub group are:
Department for Transport
4 Apr 2011 : Column 608W
Driving Standards Agency
Motorcycle Industry Association
Motorcycle Industry Trainers Association
Motorcycle Action Group
Public and Commercial Services Union
Biketrain Wales
CamRider
Streetwise Training
Fast-Trak Training was also involved in the initial stages of the review.
An interim report from the working group was published on the DfT website on 20 December 2010. There will be a further report later this year.
East Coast Trains: Timetables
Mr Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the East Coast Trains timetable due to be introduced in May 2011 to be published. [50002]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 31 March 2011]:East Coast’s May 2011 timetable was published on its website on Monday 14 February 2011. Tickets are now available for purchase using the usual channels.
Large Goods Vehicles
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to introduce a road user charging system for foreign heavy goods vehicles. [50050]
Mike Penning: In April 2014. A road user charging scheme will apply both to UK and foreign-registered vehicles, although we intend to compensate UK hauliers for the extra costs involved.
Legislation
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to bring into force sections of primary legislation within his Department's area of responsibility which are not currently in force. [50452]
Norman Baker [holding answer 1 April 2011]: Active consideration is being given to commencing the following provisions (to the extent they are not already commenced):
(a) section 35 of the Road Safety Act 2006 (which relates to a reduced disqualification period for attendance on a course);
(b) sections 2, 4 and 5 of the Local Transport Act 2008 (which relate to traffic commissioner areas);
(c) the Driving Instruction (Suspension and Exemption Powers) Act 2009;and
(d) sections 161, 165 and 167 of the Equality Act 2010 (which relate to taxis and private hire vehicles).
LEK Partnership
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings he has had with representatives of LEK Consulting in 2011 to date. [49877]
Norman Baker
[holding answer 29 March 2011]: The Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has
4 Apr 2011 : Column 609W
not had any meetings with LEK Consulting in 2011 to date. I met with LEK Bus Profitability Research on 15 June 2010.
London Underground
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in awarding a contract for sub-surface signalling on the London underground. [51007]
Mrs Villiers: London Underground Ltd, who are accountable to the Mayor of London, are responsible for the award of this contract.
London-Norwich Railway Line
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions Ministers in his Department travelled on rail services between Norwich and London in the course of their official duties in each of the last 10 years. [49156]
Norman Baker: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions bus services replaced passenger rail services for all or part of the journey between Norwich and London Liverpool Street owing to (a) routine and (b) non-routine maintenance in each year since 2007. [49160]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport does not hold data on replacement bus services for National Express East Anglia. While Network Rail is responsible for the maintenance of the infrastructure, the provision of replacement bus services is the responsibility of the train operating company. My hon. Friend may wish to contact National Express East Anglia, contact details for which can be found on its website:
www.nationalexpresseastanglia.com
Mersey Gateway Project
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to announce the funding package for the Mersey Gateway Bridge scheme. [50453]
Norman Baker [holding answer 1 April 2011]: We are still considering the funding proposal from Halton borough council for the Mersey Gateway Bridge scheme and hope to announce the final funding arrangements as soon as possible. This is the largest scheme with the most complex funding proposal of any scheme in the Department for Transport’s supported pool of local authority promoted major transport schemes.
Motor Vehicles: Insurance
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will conduct a promotional campaign aimed at young drivers to make them aware of the requirement to hold valid motor insurance; and if he will make a statement; [50569]
4 Apr 2011 : Column 610W
(2) what his policy is on the introduction of continuous insurance enforcement for motor vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [50688]
Mike Penning: The Continuous Insurance Enforcement scheme, which will mean that the registered keeper of a motor vehicle must keep it insured at all times unless they have made a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN), is planned to start in late spring.
This will follow a full publicity campaign to raise awareness of the scheme with motorists. The Department for Transport continues to work closely with the insurance industry on communications activity and the message has been promoted through the media, in information mailed out by Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency with vehicle tax reminders and on:
www.direct.gov.uk/stayinsured
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on the scale of risks to young drivers seeking motor insurance; and if he will initiate a consultation on policy options to address the cost of motor insurance for young drivers. [50689]
Mike Penning: I recognise that the rising cost of motor insurance is a problem to young people. The higher premiums faced by young drivers reflect the cost to insurers of providing cover but the Government are concerned that it may tempt some to drive uninsured. The cost of motor insurance has been raised in correspondence to the Department and at the recent Transport Select Committee.
I wish to work with the motor insurance industry to identify ways in which we can develop insurance products that offer incentives to those young drivers who may be willing to accept restrictions or take additional training. A seminar to look at the issues is planned for May. There are no current plans for formal consultation.
Network Rail
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the restructuring of Network Rail in 2011. [49831]
Mrs Villiers: Sir Roy McNulty's Rail Value for Money study will present its final conclusions shortly. Sir Roy's recommendations and the industry's response to them will shape the Government's proposals for the reform of the industry, which we intend to set out later this year.
Network Rail: Electrification
Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) nature and (b) scale is of the work his Department plans to carry out with the Welsh Assembly Government on electrification of commuter rail lines in the South Wales valleys in the period before the commencement of the next control period. [48110]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport will work with the Welsh Assembly Government to develop a business case for the electrification of the lines north of Cardiff to Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Coryton and Rhymney and the lines west of Cardiff to Penarth and Barry.
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Parking: Fees and Charges
Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many residents of (a) Poole constituency and (b) England appealed against penalty charge notices and were successful in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [50517]
Norman Baker: The most recent report of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal available at:
www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/downloads/Annual_Statistics_of_the_Traffic_Penalty_Tribunal_0809.pdf
gives the figures for 2008-09 for councils in England (outside London) with civil parking enforcement powers, including the borough of Poole. The Tribunal does not compile statistics for individual parliamentary constituencies.
Railways: Construction
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the arrangements for the public consultation on High Speed 2 have been subjected to an equalities impact assessment. [44115]
Mr Philip Hammond: My Department and HS2 Ltd have actively considered equality impacts when planning the consultation, including ensuring that the consultation materials have been published in a usable and accessible way to the widest possible audience, regardless of disability, capability or technology. Public facing events have been planned along the London to west midlands route at around 30 locations and the venues were considered in terms of public transport provision and access for disabled and reduced mobility people, to ensure they were suitable. HS2 Ltd is also speaking with councils about specific measures to ensure the consultation reaches equality groups.
Railways: Disability
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the adequacy of the assistance available for disabled passengers to board trains at unstaffed train stations. [48267]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 24 March 2011]: Provision of assistance for disabled passengers is an operational matter for train operating companies (TOC). TOCs must commit to provide assistance at any station during scheduled train operating times or to provide an accessible service to take disabled passengers to the nearest or most convenient accessible station from where they can continue their journey. No additional charge should be levied for this facility.
Each TOC's Disabled Persons Protection Policy is reviewed annually.
The Department for Transport is working with the industry on implementing an upgrade to the current Assisted Passenger Reservation Service, which we expect to be launched this summer.
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Railways: East Anglia
Mr Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what progress he has made in securing funding for the four-tracking of the rail lines between Copper Mill junction and Broxbourne set out in the Greater Anglia Route Utilisation Strategy; [46526]
(2) what recent (a) correspondence and (b) meetings he has had with the Mayor of London on the implementation of the Greater Anglia Rail Utilisation Strategy; [46532]
(3) what recent (a) correspondence and (b) meetings he has had with Network Rail on the implementation of the Greater Anglia Rail Utilisation Strategy; [46533]
(4) what recent (a) correspondence and (b) meetings he has had with the National Express East Anglia group on the implementation of the Greater Anglia Rail Utilisation Strategy; [46534]
(5) what recent representations he has received from hon. Members on the Greater Anglia Rail Utilisation Strategy. [46535]
Mrs Villiers: Network Rail published the Greater Anglia Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) in December 2007. It has subsequently undertaken further analysis of the proposal for four-tracking of the rail lines between Copper Mill junction and Broxbourne. This analysis is included in its draft London and South East RUS which is currently subject to consultation. The analysis and recommendations of the RUS will inform the Government's next High Level Output Specification covering rail investment from 2014.
The Department for Transport Ministers have not had recent correspondence or meetings with the Mayor of London specifically on the implementation of the Greater Anglia RUS. However, I did recently discuss the Greater Anglia RUS with two hon. Members as part of a more general meeting about Fenline services.
Railways: Fares
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on any relationship between the levels of fare evasion on passenger rail services and the opening hours of ticket offices at rail stations. [47993]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport has not commissioned any evidence on the relationship between the levels of fare evasion on passenger rail services and the opening hours of ticket offices, and is not aware of any such research from third parties. However, prior to refranchising, the Department arranges for ticketless travel surveys to be carried out in case incentives to address the problem need to be built into future contracts.
Railways: Franchises
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department next plans to review rail operator franchise agreements. [49227]
Mrs Villiers: I refer the hon. Member to the Government’s response to the Reforming Rail Franchising consultation which can be found at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/closed/2010-28/
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New franchise agreements will be put in place for the forthcoming Greater Anglia and Intercity West Coast franchises. Further details on these, including timescales, can be found in my written statement at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/statements/villiers20110119
Railways: Infrastructure
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the likely (a) cost of and (b) revenue arising from restructuring of the Anglia region's track and signalling infrastructure. [49832]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport has made no such assessment. The independent Office of Rail Regulation is responsible for assessing the performance of Network Rail in driving efficiencies on the rail network while delivering the Government's High Level Output Specification.
Railways: Overcrowding
Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate he has made of levels of overcrowding on commuter rail services between Rochdale and Manchester. [50018]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport does not hold detailed passenger count information for every station stop on individual rail services. The Department has not therefore made any estimates for the levels of overcrowding on commuter rail services between Rochdale and Manchester.
Northern, the train operator that provides these services, may be able to provide more information. It can be contacted at the following address:
Northern Rail Ltd
Northern House
9 Rougier Street
York YOI 6HZ
Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Luton North of 9 June 2010, Official Report, column 39W, on railways: overcrowding, what his policy is on managing overcrowding on passenger rail services; and what consideration he has given to the merits of introducing (a) targets and (b) incentives to encourage train operating companies to reduce overcrowding on such services. [50137]
Mrs Villiers: The Reforming Rail Franchising consultation closed on 18 October 2010 and a policy statement was released on 19 January 2011. The statement can be found on the Department for Transport’s website at
http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/closed/2010-28/govresponse.pdf
The revised Government policy on crowding can be found in pages 16 to 18.
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Railways: Passengers
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of trends in the cost to passengers of rail travel. [50016]
Mrs Villiers: The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) publishes a fares index in National Rail Trends. It is available from the ORR website at:
http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1863
Railways: Standards
Mr Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what compensation was paid to rail passengers by each of the train operating companies operating the delay and pay scheme in each of the last two years for which figures are available. [50823]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport does not hold this information in the form requested.
Train companies pay compensation to passengers for delays and other matters arising from poor service under the terms of their Passenger's Charters. The terms of each operator's Passenger's Charter are approved under their respective franchise agreements.
Roads: Accidents
Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road casualties were recorded in (a) Poole constituency and (b) the south-west in the last three years for which figures are available. [50518]
Mike Penning: The information requested is given in the following table:
| Reported casualties from personal injury road accidents in (a) Poole constituency and (b) the south - west , 2007-09 | ||
| Number of casualties | ||
|
|
(a) Poole (1) | (b) South- west region (2) |
| (1) Based on the 2010 parliamentary boundaries. (2) Former Government Office Region. | ||
The data for year 2010 will be published at end of June 2011.
Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pedestrians were (a) injured and (b) killed in road traffic accidents in Oxford street, London, in each of the last five years. [51042]
Mike Penning: The information requested is given in the following table:
| Reported pedestrian casualties resulting from personal injury road accidents: Oxford s treet, London, 2005-09 | ||
| Number of casualties | ||
| Accident year | (a) All injury severities | (b) Killed |
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| Source: Transport for London | ||
Roads: Snow and Ice
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much from the sum announced in the 2011 Budget for costs of road maintenance arising from adverse weather conditions is to be paid to each highway authority; [49894]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 15 March 2011, Official Report, columns 284-85W, on roads: snow and ice, whether he has informed local authorities of their allocations; and how much has been allocated to each local authority. [49640]
Norman Baker: The Secretary of State wrote on 24 March to all English local highway authorities to inform them of their share of £200 million following the Budget statement on 23 March which announced we had doubled the funding being provided for repairing potholes. This funding was paid to authorities on Monday 28 March 2011.
I refer to the following weblink which sets out how much each authority has been allocated from the £200 million:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/localauthorities/funding/fundingstreams/extrafunds/xls/allocationsbyregion.xls
Scientific Advisers
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the future of the role of chief scientific adviser to his Department. [50152]
Norman Baker [holding answer 31 March 2011]:The Department for Transport is considering how a future chief scientific adviser role would be most effectively delivered as part of the Department’s reorganisation process.
Sea Rescue
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with representatives of the (a) fishing industry and (b) offshore oil and gas industry on proposals to reduce the number of coastguard maritime rescue co-ordination centres. [44998]
Mike Penning: I have had no discussions with representatives of the fishing industry or the offshore oil and gas industry specifically on the proposals to reduce the number of coastguard maritime rescue co-ordination centres.
The consultation I launched on 16 December 2011 is an opportunity for everyone, including these industries, to consider their views and respond to the proposals we have made. I would encourage them to do so.
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Shipping: Oil
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he expects the provisions of the order on ship-to-ship transfers outside harbour authority waters to enter into force (a) in general and (b) in respect of waters off the Suffolk coast on 1 April 2011; and if he will make a statement. [50379]
Mike Penning [holding answer 1 April 2011]: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement entitled "Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010" which I made on 30 March 2011, Official Report, columns 26-28WS.
South West Trains: Rolling Stock
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with South West Trains on improving the provision of rolling stock on Portsmouth to London passenger rail services. [49716]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 31 March 2011]:As part of the commitment to provide extra railway carriages made by the Secretary of State on 25 November 2010, the Department for Transport has recommenced work with Stagecoach South Western Trains (SSWT) for the provision of additional peak capacity into London Waterloo.
The day-to-day deployment of the available rolling stock remains the responsibility of the train operating company as it is required to plan to meet the capacity demands on the services that it operates under the terms of its franchise agreement.
Speed Limits: Cameras
Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what revenue was collected through speed camera penalty charge notices in (a) Poole constituency and (b) the south-west in the last three years for which figures are available. [50519]
Mike Penning: Following the ending of the National Safety Camera Funding Scheme in 2007, all fixed penalty income, whether or not the offence was detected by camera, goes to the Consolidated Fund.
Data on the number of fixed penalties issued and paid per year for all motoring offences and separately on all speeding offences detected by camera are collected centrally and published as part of National Statistics. These are outlined in detail within Chapter 3 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin, “Police Powers and Procedures”. Sections 3.3 and 3.4 deal with fixed penalty notices generally and notices issued on the basis of speed camera evidence respectively. Data available for police force areas include in table 3.01 "Speed Limit Offences" which will include all detected offences, including those detected by enforcement cameras.
The latest publication outlines data for the financial year 2008-09 as well as making reference to historical data. The next bulletin is due to be published in April 2011:
http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/stats-release.html
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Transport: Schools
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made towards a review of school travel. [48864]
Mr Gibb: I have been asked to reply.
One of the coalition Government’s priorities is to increase the supply of places in good schools and, in doing so, increase parental choice. Transport is a vital element in extending parental choice. Local authorities already spend almost £1 billion per annum on school transport. The Secretary of State has very recently allocated a further £85 million over the next two financial years to local authorities to support low income families to attend schools further from home than the statutory distance. Part of that allocation is to help those families attend schools on the basis of a particular religion or belief. This has been communicated to local authorities and individual allocations will be made to local authorities very shortly.
Officials will also launch a review involving local authorities on how we can improve the efficiency and practice within local authority transport planning in the coming years.
Transport: Sustainable Development
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation his Department undertook with representatives of the motorcycling industry when formulating its Local Transport White Paper, “Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon: Making Sustainable Local Transport Happen”. [50920]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport did not specifically consult with representatives of the motorcycling industry when formulating its Local Transport White Paper, “Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon: Making Sustainable Local Transport Happen”, but is aware of its general views and took these into account in the formulation of the paper. The paper cites, for example, the benefits of the “Wheel to Work” initiative.
The Department recognises that motorcycling is a mode of transport that many people find practical and convenient, and that it has a useful part to play in the full range of transport policies, at national as well as local level. Where a local authority identifies the promotion or facilitation of motorcycle use as part of a solution to the transport problem identified in its area, and this solution can be shown to meet the objectives of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund announced alongside the White Paper, I would be pleased to consider the merits of the proposal alongside other bids.
West Coast Railway Line
Mr Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the increased capacity that would be created on the west coast main line through introduction of the European Rail Traffic Management System and in-cab signalling technology. [48373]
4 Apr 2011 : Column 618W
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 22 March 2011]: The application of European Rail Traffic Management System ERTMS and in-cab signalling is unlikely to significantly change the present overall capacity of the west coast main line.
One advantage of ERTMS is to manage more effectively train movements over junctions, where trains make conflicting movements without grade separation (ie without flyovers or flyunders). Many of the key junctions are already grade separated on the west coast route. ERTMS does not significantly improve the ability of trains to follow one another more closely.
The west coast main line modernisation scheme, completed in 2008, was designed to increase capacity overall to an optimum level using conventional signalling.
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that the west coast main line is available to different operators. [49558]
Mrs Villiers: Any operator wishing to operate on a commercial basis may apply to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) for the necessary track access rights and to Network Rail for train paths in the timetable. Further information is available on the ORR website at:
www.rail-reg.gov.uk
Energy and Climate Change
Agriculture: Environment Protection
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what support his Department plans to provide to agricultural businesses for the uptake of low-carbon technology and energy-efficient equipment in each of the next four financial years. [50812]
Gregory Barker: Many agricultural businesses are well placed to take up low-carbon technology and improve their energy efficiency. The Department does not target support on particular business sectors but seeks to encourage all business to take up the opportunities of the transition to a low-carbon economy including the incentives for investment in renewable energy technology.
DECC will provide some funding for innovation over the next four years focused on the innovation needs of particular technologies. We are currently reviewing our funding priorities.
Contracts for Difference
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what (a) modelling and (b) assumptions were considered for use to determine the contracts for difference proposed in the consultation on electricity market reform. [50619]
Charles Hendry: The modelling used was undertaken by Redpoint Energy. Its report, including the assumptions used, was published alongside the consultation document and can be found on the DECC website at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/emr/emr.aspx
4 Apr 2011 : Column 619W
We will publish final proposals in the electricity market reform White Paper this summer.
Departmental Assets
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether receipts from the sale of assets owned by regional development agencies are reflected in the spending plans of his Department for (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14. [47409]
Gregory Barker: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) will retain receipts from regional development agency (RDA) assets, although a large part of these will be required to meet RDA liabilities. DECC will not retain any receipts from RDA asset sales.
Departmental Contracts
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what contracts his Department and its associated public bodies signed with Lockheed Martin in each of the last 10 years; and for what purposes each such contract was let. [50696]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change and its associated bodies have let no contracts to Lockheed Martin since the Department was established in October 2008.
Departmental Public Transport
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many of his ministerial team have been issued with (a) an Oyster card and (b) a (i) monthly and (ii) annual travel card valid on London Transport and paid for by his Department for use while travelling on Government business. [50169]
Electricity Market Reform
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how the modelling assumptions underlying the contracts for difference proposed in the consultation on electricity market reform were decided upon. [50617]
Charles Hendry: The assumptions underlying the modelling were decided in consultation with the modellers and Government analysts. We will publish final proposals in the electricity market reform White Paper this summer.
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment has been undertaken to validate the assumption in the analysis supporting the electricity market reform consultation proposals that a reduction in earnings at risk will lead to an equal increase in the level of debt that can be raised. [50622]
Charles Hendry:
The cost of capital reductions from the modelling underlying the electricity market reform consultation document were tested through surveys of the existing low-carbon financing literature as well as
4 Apr 2011 : Column 620W
through consultation with industry experts. We will publish an updated assessment as part of the impact assessment to the electricity market reform White Paper this summer.
Energy Supply
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to maintain potential of small and medium-sized energy suppliers to (a) participate in and (b) benefit from his strategy for ECO2012 and the Green New Deal. [50627]
Gregory Barker: The Department has been working closely with energy companies of different sizes, developing their proposed role to collect Green Deal payments from customers and exploring the potential opportunities for them as Green Deal providers, offering energy efficiency measures to households and businesses.
The specific criteria that will determine which energy suppliers are included as obligated parties under the new energy company obligation (ECO) will be put forward as part of the public consultation planned for later this year. The proposals being developed will be informed by the recent consultation on whether to raise the customer account threshold for supplier involvement in DECC’s current supplier obligations. We will be publishing the Government’s response to that consultation shortly.
Energy: Housing
Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions his Department has had with industry on extending application of the principle of the Green Deal scheme to the building of new homes. [50535]
Gregory Barker: The Department for Communities and Local Government has had initial discussions with industry on whether a Green Deal-type approach for new homes would help them as a way of offsetting some of the upfront costs of zero carbon homes. The Government look forward to further discussions with industry on this matter.
Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what mechanisms he has considered to enable the principles of the Green Deal to be applied to homes not yet built. [50536]
Gregory Barker: The Department for Communities and Local Government has undertaken some initial work on how the principles of the Green Deal could be applied to new build by capturing the energy cost benefits of current building standards over a previous standard. Government have invited the house building industry to consider the key principles that could inform the design of such a scheme, if it were to be developed, and looks forward to receiving the industry's views in due course.
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to reduce the time taken for delegated nominating officers to approve large-scale domestic energy schemes on housing estates. [50714]
Robert Neill: I have been asked to reply.
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I understand that this question relates to the length of time taken by local authorities in the determination of planning applications.
Local authorities often apply a scheme of delegation to allow officials to take decisions that would otherwise be referred to a council committee. This is considered a local matter, and the Department does not intervene in such schemes of delegation.
The statutory timescales for the determination of planning applications by local authorities are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2010. Where local authorities fail to make decisions within the statutory timescales, applicants have a right of appeal against non-determination, under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
The Government are committed to introducing a number of measures to streamline the planning applications and related consents regimes. These will include a 12-month guarantee for the processing of all planning applications, including any appeals. Further information on this provision is set out in the Government’s “Plan for Growth”, published in March 2011.
Fuel Oil: Prices
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effects of the UK’s oil refining capacity on levels of fuel prices charged at the pump. [50427]
Charles Hendry: Petrol and diesel are openly traded commodities within the EU and internationally, and we believe this open market provides the best long-term guarantee of competitive prices for the consumer. There are a range of factors that can impact upon retail fuel prices including crude oil costs, refinery capacity, stocks levels, distribution costs, margins charged by retailers, tax and duty and exchange rates. UK retailers will have to continue to remain competitive in their pricing whether the product they sell is refined in the UK or is imported.
Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average cost was of a litre of domestic fuel delivered (a) through the grid and (b) off-grid in the latest period for which figures are available. [50481]
Charles Hendry: Off-grid fuels sold by the litre are domestic heating oils—either standard grade burning oil (SGBO) or gas oil—and liquid petroleum gas (LPG). DECC does not currently have any prices for LPG. The most recent prices published by DECC for heating oil are for February 2011:
| Pence per litre | ||
|
|
SGBO | Gas Oil |
Domestic fuel delivered through the grid is either gas or electricity, neither of which are measured in litres. The most recent price data are average UK prices for calendar year 2010 measured in pence per kilowatt-hour (p/kWh):
4 Apr 2011 : Column 622W
| P ence per kWh | ||
|
|
Gas | Electricity |
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward proposals to regulate the price of heating oil for (a) business and (b) domestic use. [51301]
Charles Hendry: The UK has an open and competitive heating oil market, where there is no natural monopoly. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) monitors the heating oil market, including prices, for any indications that consumer or competition legislation has been breached. The OFT considers all complaints and representations carefully.
On 15 March the OFT launched its off-grid energy markets study concerning specifically the domestic market. The OFT expects to publish its findings and conclusions in October 2011, which will help to determine whether any changes are needed to the heating oil market.
Fuel Poverty
Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of people over the age of 65 years and resident in Clwyd South constituency who were living in fuel poverty in the latest period for which figures are available. [50479]
Gregory Barker: Data on households in fuel poverty in Wales are derived from the Living in Wales property survey, 2008 and are supplied by the Welsh Assembly Government. In 2008, 332,000 households in Wales were estimated to be fuel poor. This is equivalent to 26% of all households. Of those households where the household reference person (HRP) was aged 65 or over, the proportion estimated to be fuel poor is 40% (or 139,000 households).
The survey was designed to allow analysis at an all Wales level only, so the Welsh Assembly Government are unable to supply data at a parliamentary constituency level as per the parliamentary question. The survey results are also presented as the number of households that are in fuel poverty and not the number of individuals that are in fuel poverty.
The household reference person is defined as the person in whose name the home is owned or rented. If it is jointly owned or rented the HRP is the person who earns the most. If there are equal incomes the HRP is the eldest.
Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of people living in fuel poverty who used (a) heating oil, (b) liquid petroleum gas and (c) other off-grid fuels as the primary means of heating their homes in the latest period for which figures are available. [50482]
Gregory Barker:
Fuel poverty is measured at household level, not by number of people. The following table summarises the number of fuel poor households by
4 Apr 2011 : Column 623W
main heating fuel in each of England, Scotland and Wales for the most recent period for which data are available.
| Number of fuel poor households | |||
| Thousand | |||
| Main heating fuel | England (2008) | Scotland (2009) | Wales (2008) |
| (1) Indicates a brace. | |||
Other off-grid fuels comprise a range of solid fuels, including coal, smokeless fuel, anthracite and wood.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on a target for UK reductions of greenhouse gas emissions of 60% of 1990 levels by 2030. [50604]
Gregory Barker: The Climate Change Act 2008 requires Government to set the level of the fourth carbon budget covering the period 2023-27 in law not later than 30 June 2011. The Government are grateful to the Committee on Climate Change for its report published last December on the fourth carbon budget which included a recommendation for an indicative target of 60% by 2030. Government expect to respond to the CCC’s recommendations after the Easter recess.
Oil
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect of environmental legislation on (a) the competitiveness of and (b) levels of investment in oil refining. [50428]
Charles Hendry: There are a range of factors that determine competitiveness and levels of investment in oil refining. An assessment conducted for DECC in 2009(1) concluded that low returns and weak demand growth had led to a lack of discretionary investment in UK downstream oil infrastructure with most investment being made to comply with safety and environmental regulatory requirements. The main incentive to invest is potential financial return, but the lack of demand growth and the competitive nature of the market constrain these returns in the UK. Nevertheless, reducing regulation is a key priority for the coalition Government, and we are working to eliminate the avoidable burdens of regulation and bureaucracy, and to improve European regulation and to reduce the burdens it imposes. We fully recognise the importance of a level playing field within the EU given the cost and operational challenges to oil refining that environmental legislation can bring. We will also continue to encourage businesses to manage and use natural resources in a sustainable manner and reduce waste, supporting a strong and sustainable green economy.
(1) Website as follows:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uk_supply/resilience/downstream_oil/improving/improving.aspx
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Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the minimum number of oil refineries in the UK necessary to ensure security of fuel supply. [50429]
Charles Hendry: The Government recognise that the retention of a refining sector in the UK offers benefits in terms of security of supply (balancing the risks between crude oil and refined product markets) as well as wider socio-economic benefits. It is Government's role to create the best conditions to ensure that the UK's demand for petroleum products continues to be met; at present, this is done through a balance of indigenously manufactured products and imports. We need to recognise the changes taking place in terms of refined product supply and demand, and that a mix of product refined in the UK and imports and exports will play a continuing role in the UK's downstream oil market. Industry and the market are best placed to determine the appropriate number of UK-based refineries and we have been encouraged by recent inward investment into the UK refinery sector.
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library a copy of each of his Department's internal studies on the future of oil refineries in the UK. [50430]
Charles Hendry: In 2009, a study carried out by Wood Mackenzie, on behalf of DECC, on the resilience of the downstream oil sector was completed and has been available on DECC's website. Further work on the resilience of the sector to a variety of potential disruption events was conducted by Deloitte LLP in 2010. I will place a copy of these reports in the Libraries of the House. A study on the competitiveness of the UK's refining sector is under way, and I will also place a copy of this study in the Libraries of the House when complete.
Paper
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that the paper industry is not adversely affected by his policies on climate change and energy usage. [50859]
Gregory Barker: As part of the Energy Intensive Industry Strategy, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department of Energy and Climate Change are looking at how to maximise abatement in these sectors, while maintaining international competitiveness.
As part of this work, we are looking at the cumulative effects of energy and climate change policies on energy intensive users such as the paper industry. We aim to publish the findings of this work by the summer.
In Budget 2011, the Government announced that climate change agreements (CCAs) will be extended to 2023, as well as increasing the climate change levy discount on electricity for CCA participants from 65 to 80% from April 2013 to continue to support energy intensive businesses exposed to international competition.
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In addition, as outlined in the “Plan for Growth”, the Government are introducing a new framework to cap the impact of levy-funded support on energy bills, alongside scrapping plans for a new carbon capture and storage levy and instead fund the coalition commitments to CCS demonstration from general taxation.
Raytheon Radar
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made on the progress of the mitigation research programme for the Raytheon radar. [51011]
Charles Hendry: We have received an update from NATS, the UK en-route air navigation service provider on the research and development work being conducted on behalf of DECC, the Crown Estate and the windfarm developer community with Raytheon. Indications are encouraging that the technology could be an effective mitigation solution for NATS’ radars. Trials are due to be completed later this year.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he expects the mitigation research programme for the Raytheon radar to be completed by the target date of summer 2011. [51012]
Renewable Energy
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effectiveness of auctions with multiple bidders in delivering sustained deployment of renewable electricity over the long term to support the development of the model for contracts for difference with auctions proposed by his Department in its consultation on electricity market reform. [50621]
Charles Hendry: My officials are currently in the process of assessing the responses we have received to the electricity market reform consultation which closed on 10 March 2011. A number of these dealt with companies’ perceptions of the effectiveness of auctions in the electricity generation market.
The proposals in the electricity market reform consultation paper were based on analysis of a number of auctions/tenders carried out in the UK and internationally. My officials have carried out further research on these schemes, speaking to Government officials responsible for their design and companies who have participated in them.
We have commissioned external research and advice in a number of areas of electricity market reform, including the effectiveness of different price discovery mechanisms.
Solar Power
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of solar photovoltaic installations in 2010; and what estimate he has made of the likely installation rate in 2011. [48930]
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Gregory Barker: The following table shows actual solar PV installation figures under the feed-in tariff (FITs) scheme until 31 December 2010 and projections for 2010-11 and 2011-12. The comprehensive review of FITs will revisit uptake assumptions and update DECC projections.
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Actual installations at 31 December 2010 | FITs model projection 2010-11 | FITs model projection 2011-12 |
| Note: 1. Installation numbers are rounded to the nearest 500. 2. MW estimates are rounded to the nearest 5 MW. Estimates are presented in a range; the lower end of the range is consistent with the final impact assessment, February 2010, and the higher end of the range is consistent with the impact assessment accompanying the Fast-Track Review of FITs Consultation. The Fast-Track Review analysis includes a higher estimate of PV MW capacity than previously estimated in 2010, which takes account of a higher estimate of take-up from large-scale PV installations. Installation numbers (rounded to the nearest 500) are not significantly different in either estimate. 3. Installations transferred from the RO onto the Exgen (9p/kWh) tariff are excluded. Projections were made on a financial year basis. | |||
Warm Home Discount Core Group
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much he plans to spend on the Warm Home Discount Core Group in the winter of 2011-12. [50265]
Gregory Barker: The Warm Home Discount scheme regulations set the overall spending target for all elements of the scheme at £250 million for the first scheme year, 2011-12. Subject to the approval by Parliament of data matching regulations, which will facilitate the identification of the Core Group, we expect that suppliers will provide rebates to the Core Group worth up to £97 million.
Wave Power
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions his Department has had with industry representatives on support for commercial-scale marine technology to produce energy from wave power. [51155]
Charles Hendry: The Department has regular discussions with representatives of the wave power industry. Recent meetings include:
The first Marine Energy Programme Board meeting held in Exeter last January, chaired by the Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, my hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle (Gregory Barker), and subsequently held working groups.
A marine energy breakfast “round table” attended by the Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, my hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle (Gregory Barker), prior to him speaking to the RenewableUK Wave and Tidal conference.