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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 5 March 2012
Communities and Local Government
Council Tax
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he became aware of the concerns expressed by Capita on the date proposed for the introduction of the council tax reduction scheme and that they would not be able to provide the necessary systems by April 2013. [98058]
Robert Neill: The Government have received a number of representations on the timetable for implementing local council tax schemes. As the Government response to consultation on the proposals set out, we believe that retaining the current approach for calculating support for pensioners, and enabling support for working age claimants to be calculated using the same factors, has the potential to reduce significantly the amount of change required to underlying IT systems. This could help reduce both the cost of introducing new schemes, and the time taken to make the necessary IT changes.
We are aware of a memorandum from Capita to local authorities, dated 12 January 2012, on the approach to implementing changes to IT systems. This notes that, for some schemes, using the existing software with adaptations looks like a very credible approach for the first year of implementation. I am encouraged to note that Capita are seeking to engage with local authorities on this matter.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions he has had with providers of IT systems on the implementation of the council tax reduction scheme. [98059]
Robert Neill: My officials have met with a range of IT suppliers on a number of occasions to discuss the localisation of council tax support, which will require local authorities to commission changes to their existing systems to deliver local council tax reduction schemes. The detail of such changes and the approach to implementation is a matter for local authorities to discuss with IT suppliers.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects the regulations pertaining to council tax reduction schemes to be available to local authorities. [98060]
Robert Neill: The Government have said that they expect to make regulations pertaining to council tax reduction schemes and/or detailed explanatory memoranda on the regulations available (including to local authorities) in May 2012.
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We have already made available to local authorities a tool that allows councils to evaluate the effect of different council tax support regimes on their particular circumstances, using data that they already hold.
Departmental Training
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many away days his Department has held since May 2010; what the location was of each such away day; how many staff attended; and what the cost was of each such event. [93847]
Robert Neill: Towards the end of 2010, my Department issued new guidance to staff that team away days should take place at no or very limited cost (for example, using rooms in the Department). This is a significant departure from practices that took place under the last Administration.
New checks and balances have also been put in place, assisted by the discipline of the Department publishing all spending over £500 and greater openness over the Government Procurement Card.
The following table shows which away days have been authorised by and held outside the Department since May 2010. The hon. Member will see how the new guidance is saving taxpayers' money.
| Date | Location | Number of staff | Amount (£) |
| (1) This was a training day for Human Resources for teams based in Liverpool and London; the cost includes catering and room hire, but excludes transport and spending on HR training. (2) Figures are approximate. (3) No cost. | |||
In addition, I also refer the hon. Member to my detailed answer of 13 July 2011, Official Report, column 361W, on the hiring of a burlesque club commissioned under the last Administration.
Enterprise Zones: Heysham
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to create an enterprise zone in Heysham following the announcement that a new M6 Link Road is likely to be completed by 2015. [96873]
Greg Clark: There are currently no plans by Government to announce further enterprise zones in Heysham. Notwithstanding, local authorities will have new powers to introduce their own local business rate discounts, and already have powers to proactively grant planning permission for certain development in suitable areas via Local Development Orders.
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Enterprise Zones: Job Creation
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many jobs he estimates have been created in each enterprise zone to date. [94866]
Greg Clark [holding answer 20 February 2012]: The Government have not made estimates of the number of jobs that will be created by enterprise zones. However according to estimates made by the relevant local enterprise partnerships themselves, the enterprise zones announced since Budget 2011 are expected to create over 70,000 new jobs by 2015.
Enterprise Zones: Operating Costs
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse to date of administering each enterprise zone. [94965]
Greg Clark [holding answer 20 February 2012]: Enterprise zones are being established by local delivery teams and are not administered centrally.
Fire Services: Finance
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what advice he has given to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service on the management of reductions in funding in current and future years. [98181]
Robert Neill: As the delivery of fire services are a local matter, determined by individual fire and rescue authorities, no advice has been given to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority. It is for the elected members of each authority to determine such matters, acting on the professional advice of their principal officers and following full consultation with their local community.
I also refer the hon. Member to my letter of 6 December 2010 to the hon. Member for Derby North (Chris Williamson), a copy of which is available in the Library of the House, which outlines how fire and rescue authorities can make sensible savings without impacting on the quality and breadth of services offered to their communities.
Housing: Westmorland
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the amount of Housing Market Renewal funding that has been awarded to organisations operating in Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency. [96285]
Grant Shapps [holding answer 27 February 2012]: I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 24 November 2011, Official Report, column 30WS, and to the 2007 National Audit Office Report which made a number of criticisms of the Housing Market Renewal programme.
No information is held centrally for the amount of Housing Market Renewal funding awarded to organisations operating in Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency.
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The Housing Market Renewal programme ended in March 2011. Between 2006-07 and 2010-11, approximately £14.9 million of Housing Market Renewal funding was allocated to Cumbria county council in partnership with Allerdale, Barrow and Copeland district councils.
Local Government: Greater Manchester
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to devolve further powers and responsibilities to the Greater Manchester city region as it has a statutory combined authority for the city region. [97869]
Greg Clark: On 8 December 2011, when we launched ‘Unlocking Growth in Cities’ I announced to Parliament—8 December 2011, Official Report, columns 35-36WS—our commitment to deliver a series of ‘city deals’—an opportunity for our largest cities to negotiate the devolution of the specific powers, resources and responsibilities required to meet locally-determined economic and social objectives.
Accordingly, we are currently working with Manchester to agree the substance of their city deal, and I hope to announce the detail of their deal in due course.
Mayors: Greater Manchester
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) if he will request the Greater Manchester combined authority to poll the electorate on the issue of an elected Mayor for the Greater Manchester city region; [97867]
(2) what consideration he has given to the merits of an elected mayor for Greater Manchester to oversee strategic city region governance by the Greater Manchester combined authority. [97868]
Greg Clark: As made clear in the coalition agreement, this Government's commitment is to provide referendums on city mayors, which we are delivering through the Localism Act and the Orders that Parliament has agreed requiring referendums on 3 May 2012 in 10 cities, including Manchester.
Planning Permission
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take to ensure that unplanned and scattered development and urban sprawl do not occur in areas that are not protected by special designations under the proposed National Planning Policy Framework. [95730]
Greg Clark: The draft National Planning Policy Framework sets out important safeguards to protect against development that would be unsustainable. For example the draft framework is clear that local planning authorities should avoid isolated homes in the countryside unless there are special circumstances. To preserve the natural environment, the draft states that local plans should seek to allocate land for development with the least environmental or amenity value, and should plan positively for the creation, protection, enhancement and management of networks of biodiversity and green infrastructure.
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Our reforms are intended to strengthen local participation in the planning system. Through their local plans, local communities can identify land which is important to protect from development, while planning positively to meet the needs of the area.
We are considering carefully all the suggestions made to the consultation on the draft framework and the recommendations from the Communities and Local Government and Environmental Audit Select Committee inquiries.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when his Department intends to respond to the Eighth Report from the Communities and Local Government Committee on the National Planning Policy Framework; and whether it intends to publish its analysis of consultation responses on the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) before publishing the final NPPF. [96735]
Greg Clark: We will publish our response to the Eighth Report from the Communities and Local Government Committee and the analysis of consultation responses on the draft National Planning Policy Framework when the final framework is published. This is in line with the timetable outlined in my written ministerial statement of 19 October 2011, Official Report, column 65WS.
House of Commons Commission
Big Ben: Tourism
Robert Halfon: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, (1) how many visitors participated in tours of the Clock Tower in each of the last 10 years; [97883]
(2) what recent estimate he has made of the annual cost of providing tours of the Clock Tower in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [97884]
John Thurso: During the 2011 calendar year 9,319 visitors participated in Clock Tower tours. Consistent, detailed records do not exist for earlier years. With three tours a day, there is an annual capacity of around 10,400 depending on the number of working days, but not all tours run at full capacity and there are some cancellations.
The forecast annual cost of the Clock Tower tours in the current financial year is £94,000 (based on actual data to the end of January 2012). The majority of costs relate to the direct costs of employing the administrative staff and the guides. The costs exclude associated staff, management and overhead costs. Consistent figures are not available for earlier years.
From July 2012, tours of the Clock Tower will be charged at £15 per head. The ticket price has been set to cover the cost of the tours, taking into account VAT and assuming a take-up rate of 90%. Costs will be higher in future because there will be some additional administration and guide costs (to allow for an expected reduction in cancellations). The forecast annual cost is £111,829. The £15.00 ticket price is in line with other
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commercial tours at Parliament (the Visitor Route and the specialist art and architecture tours), details of which can be found on Parliament's website
http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/
Thomas Docherty: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many places on tours of the Clock Tower each hon. Member has sponsored since the start of the 2010-12 Session. [97905]
John Thurso: I am placing in the Library a list of how many places, and on how many tours, each current hon. Member has sponsored since 6 May 2010, up to 29 June 2012.
The information is drawn directly from the computerised booking system and so will contain detail of bookings that may subsequently have been cancelled.
Attorney-General
Serious Fraud Office
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General if he will undertake to publish the findings and recommendations of the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's review of the Serious Fraud Office. [97491]
The Solicitor-General: The findings and any recommendations of the proposed inspection will be reported directly to the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) and the Director of the SFO. There are currently no plans to publish them but the matter will be kept under review.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General who will conduct the Crown Prosecution Inspectorate's review of the Serious Fraud Office. [97492]
The Solicitor-General: The inspection will be carried out by HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate led by the chief inspector, Michael Fuller. For the purposes of this inspection the chief inspector has supplemented his team with individuals with the particular legal and/or business management skills and experience needed for a sound assessment of the Serious Fraud Office.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General if he will place a copy of the terms of reference of the Crown Prosecution Inspectorate's review of the Serious Fraud Office in the Library. [97493]
The Solicitor-General: The purpose of HMCPSI’s inspection is to provide information to the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) and the Director of the SFO about the effectiveness of the SFO in order to assess future priorities and current best practice.
The focus of the inspection will be the quality and efficiency of the SFO's casework. The inspection will include consideration of:
1. corporate structures and processes which support casework; and
2. strategic decision making, investigation, prosecution and victim/witness care.
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Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General when the Crown Prosecution Inspectorate will begin its review of the Serious Fraud Office. [97494]
The Solicitor-General: The inspection has already begun with HMCPSI making familiarisation visits to the Serious Fraud Office on 28 and 29 February.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General when the decision was made to ask the Crown Prosecution Inspectorate to carry out a review of the Serious Fraud Office. [97495]
The Solicitor-General: Shortly after the 2010 general election the director of the SFO (DSFO) invited the Law Officers to arrange an inspection and discussions on how best to carry it out followed. The Law Officers, in consultation with the DSFO, asked HMCPSI to carry out the inspection. That decision was reached last year. It is intended that the inspection should assist the incoming director and is timed accordingly.
Serious Fraud Office: Finance
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Serious Fraud Office's budget in light of the recent report from KPMG showing a significant increase in financial crime. [97859]
The Solicitor-General: The Serious Fraud Office expects to be able to carry out all its normal functions within its funding settlement.
Scotland
Tugboats
Mr MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2011, Official Report, column 910W, on tugboats, and the written ministerial statement of 20 December 2011, Official Report, columns 163-4WS, on emergency towing vessels, whether emergency towing vessels will continue to serve in waters around the Western and Northern Isles of Scotland after 31 March 2012. [98089]
David Mundell: Scotland Office Ministers continue to work with local authorities and other interested parties on a long-term replacement for the emergency towing vessels service. We continue to make good progress and we are grateful for the hard work of everyone involved. The oil and gas sector is assisting work to facilitate arrangements for the Northern Isles. There will be a further meeting this month to look at the issue of future arrangements for waters around the Western Isles.
Prime Minister
Immigration Controls
Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister when he received a copy of the Vine report on border security checks. [98119]
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The Prime Minister: I refer the right hon. Member to the press briefing given by my official spokesman on 20 February 2012. A copy of the transcript is available on the No. 10 website at:
http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/morning-press-briefing-from-20-feb-2012/
Women and Equalities
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities whether Ministers were consulted prior to the decision to allow the chief executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission to assume the role of Visiting Professor of Public Administration at Canterbury Christchurch College; and if she will make a statement. [97527]
Lynne Featherstone [holding answer 1 March 2012]:It is for the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to approve this role. Ministers were not consulted prior to the EHRC's decision.
Wales
Air Passenger Duty
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer, (b) Secretary of State for Transport and (c) Ministers in the Welsh Government on the equal transfer of powers in respect of air passenger duty to Wales as those proposed to Northern Ireland. [97489]
Mr David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), has regular meetings with ministerial colleagues and Welsh Ministers to discuss a range of issues relating to Wales. The Commission on Devolution in Wales (‘Silk Commission') is exploring the case for a package of tax and borrowing powers to be devolved to Wales. That package might or might not include air passenger duty. The Government do not want to pre-empt the findings of the Silk Commission.
Devolution
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when she plans to update Devolution Guidance Note 9. [97490]
Mrs Gillan: I expect the guidance to be published in the next few weeks.
Northern Ireland
Air Passenger Duty
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he plans to devolve airport passenger duty to Northern Ireland for (a) domestic flights and (b) flights within the EU. [97736]
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Mr Paterson: The Government have no such plans at present. The extent of the devolution of air passenger duty that has been agreed between Treasury and Northern Ireland Executive Ministers is set out at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/apd_ni_210212.pdf
BMI
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had on International Airlines Group's takeover of BMI; and with whom he met or spoke on each such occasion. [98156]
Mr Paterson: Following representations I received after the sale of BMI was announced, I discussed the matter with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Transport. I then met Willie Walsh, the chief executive of International Airlines Group, on 16 November 2011, and spoke to Steve Ridgway, the chief executive of Virgin Atlantic Airways, on 20 November 2011 to discuss their future intentions in respect of the Belfast to Heathrow route.
It is important for business, tourism and other travellers to be able to fly from Heathrow to both Belfast airports. In his announcement of the IAG agreement to purchase BMI on 22 December 2011, Mr Walsh said that IAG will maintain
“a comprehensive domestic schedule including Belfast”.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions his Department has made under the 10:10 initiative. [97938]
Mr Paterson: The Northern Ireland Office is not a member of the 10:10 initiative. My Department is, however, a participant in the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme which is operated by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. A number of measures have been introduced in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, for example using video conferencing facilities so as to reduce/eliminate the need for travel. Carbon emission figures for the current year are in the process of being collated and will be made available in due course.
Ministerial Meetings
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many meetings Ministers in his Department have had with (a) Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive, (b) the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and (c) Ministers in the Irish Government since May 2010. [97850]
Mr Paterson: The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), and I have had regular meetings with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive, the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Ministers in the Irish Government since May 2010.
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Human Trafficking
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the First Minister on the effectiveness of measures to control cross-border human trafficking. [97804]
Mr Paterson: I have had no discussions with the First Minister on this subject. Any matters relating to human trafficking are now devolved and are the responsibility of the Minister of Justice in Northern Ireland who works closely with the Home Office on such matters.
Politics and Government
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in discussions with political parties in Northern Ireland on dealing with the past. [97853]
Mr Paterson: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Gedling (Vernon Coaker) of 1 March 2012, Official Report, column 411W.
Public Expenditure
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many meetings he has had with ministerial colleagues in HM Treasury on the Northern Ireland block grant since September 2011. [97852]
Mr Paterson: I have regular and ongoing discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), and Treasury Ministers on this, and on a range of other issues relating to Northern Ireland.
I am due to meet the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Hertfordshire (Mr Gauke), again on 7 March to continue our discussions in the Ministerial Working Group on Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy.
Culture, Media and Sport
Arts
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect on arts organisations of the proportion of private giving being invested in London. [97802]
Mr Vaizey: We have made no such assessment. The measures we are taking to boost philanthropy and support fundraising will help arts organisations across the whole country.
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has to help (a) businesses, (b) individuals and (c) trusts and foundations to increase financial contributions to the arts; and what steps he is taking to ensure that such contributions are equally distributed across all regions. [97889]
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Mr Vaizey: In his 2010 Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer introduced measures to strengthen and simplify gift aid, boost legacy giving and establish the new cultural gifts scheme. We have taken steps to strengthen public recognition for those who give, whether businesses, individuals or trusts and foundations, all of whose support is invaluable. The primary relationship is between arts organisations and their supporters, and Government should be cautious about seeking to micro-manage those relationships. It is for donors to determine where their money goes, and it would be misguided for any government to seek to prescribe the geographical distribution of private giving. This Department, together with Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund, are providing £100 million through the Catalyst programmes to support the culture and heritage sector's efforts to strengthen their fundraising expertise and long-term financial resilience.
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department plans to take to assist arts organisations to develop (a) business skills, (b) marketing skills, (c) media skills and (d) fundraising strategies in the current spending review period; what funding has been allocated to implement these plans; and if he will make a statement. [97897]
Mr Vaizey: All four of these elements should be at the heart of any well-run organisation's business plan, and should be determined and led by their chairman, board and chief executive. This Department, together with Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund, are providing £100 million through the Catalyst programmes to support the culture and heritage sector's efforts to strengthen their fundraising expertise and long-term financial resilience. This is in addition to tax incentives introduced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his 2011 Budget, which will boost both lifetime giving and legacy giving. This is the strongest package of measures to support philanthropy and fundraising that any Government has introduced.
BBC: Licensing
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will examine the opportunities for introducing greater protection and accountability for licence fee payers in the next BBC charter. [98217]
Mr Vaizey: The precise remit of the next BBC Charter review has yet to be decided. A decision on the details of the next charter review will be made closer to the time of expiry of the current charter, which ends in December 2016.
In September 2011, the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt) laid in Parliament an amended BBC Agreement that gives the National Audit Office full access to the BBC's accounts, to ensure greater transparency.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions his Department has made under the 10:10 initiative. [97926]
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John Penrose: This Department has not been involved in the 10:10 initiative, but we have been working to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions.
In 2009-10 the Department's carbon dioxide emissions were 1,345,571 kg and in 2010-11 emissions were1,064,119 kg which is a reduction of 281,452 kg, or 21%.
Freeview
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what responsibility Ofcom has for regulating the allocation of channel numbers on the Freeview platform; and if he will make a statement. [97753]
Mr Vaizey: The Communications Act 2003 sets out that it is the duty of Ofcom to have in place a code giving guidance for all providers of electronic programme guides. Ofcom's code includes a requirement that electronic programme guide services are provided to broadcasters on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. The code also covers the provision of appropriate prominence for public service broadcasting channels. These provisions apply across all platforms. In relation to the DTT/Freeview platform it should be noted in particular that the individual multiplex licensees have related licence obligations to ensure fair and effective competition. In addition, Ofcom has the power to investigate potential breaches of competition law in the communications sector, such as exclusionary agreements or abuse of a dominant position.
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions Ministers in his Department have had with (a) Ofcom and (b) Digital Television Multiplex Operators Ltd on the allocation of channels on the Freeview platform; and if he will make a statement. [97754]
Mr Vaizey: The allocation of logical channel numbers on the Freeview platform is a matter for DTT Multiplex Operators Ltd (DMOL), who are this month launching a consultation reviewing the process by which logical channel numbers are allocated on DTT and the order services are listed on screen. Ministers have had a number of discussions with Ofcom in the context of developing proposals on adding licensed local TV services to the list of channels which must receive "appropriate prominence" on electronic programme guides. Secondary legislation to that effect was passed recently. Ministers have had no discussions with DMOL.
Mobile Phones
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the potential effects on consumers of setting a cap for wholesale data roaming prices at 100 euros per gigabyte. [97358]
Mr Vaizey:
This Department has not made any specific assessment of the potential effects on consumers of setting a cap for wholesale data roaming prices at 100 euros per gigabyte. However, in adopting the negotiating basis for these ongoing discussions, officials have been working with a range of different stakeholders, including
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consumer groups and business organisations on the important matter of setting a wholesale price cap for data roaming.
As we move towards a conclusion on this important proposed regulation, we will also take into consideration some recent work by BEREC (the EU group of National Regulatory Authorities) on wholesale roaming prices.
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his policy is on the multiple of the wholesale price to be used to set the cap for retail data roaming prices under the European Commission's Roaming III plan. [97359]
Mr Vaizey: This Department's policy on the relative differences between any wholesale or retail roaming caps that may be agreed during the current discussions on the proposed roaming regulation is, essentially, to make sure that the absolute margin between wholesale and retail price caps continues to reduce roaming costs for consumers, but, importantly, allows for further competition to develop in the roaming market within the European Union. Such an approach relies on an appropriate wholesale price that would attract new entrants into the market. In looking to settle on any such price differential we are considering proposals put forward by the Commission, revised proposals put forward by the European Parliament and some recent work by BEREC (the EU group of National Regulatory Authorities).
National Lottery: Sports
Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the effect of reforms to the national lottery on the amount of funding going to grassroots sport. [97740]
John Penrose: We are restoring the national lottery shares for sport, arts and heritage to their original 20% each from April 2012. Our reforms should mean £300 million more for sports good causes over the five-year period from 2012-13 and over £190 million more for grassroots sport through Sport England alone in the same period.
Radio Frequencies
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the proposal in the 4G auction that 800MHZ band must include a coverage obligation of 95 per cent. of the population will apply to all mobile broadband customers and not only those using the winning network. [97758]
Mr Vaizey: The matter raised is an operational one for the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, officials at this Department spoke to Ofcom, who provided the following information:
This is the subject of a current Ofcom consultation which has not yet closed. Ofcom has proposed to impose a coverage obligation on one 800MHz licensee extending to 98% of the population, or requiring one 800MHz licensee to provide 4G coverage that not only matches
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existing 2G voice coverage but also extends into existing ‘not spot’ areas due to be covered by the Government's £150 million investment in new mobile network infrastructure (to the extent that that infrastructure can accommodate 4G equipment). Ofcom has proposed that this obligation be imposed on a single 800MHz licensee to ensure that those consumers in rural areas, and those that visit those areas and require good coverage, are able to get good 4G coverage from the same operator in all areas. Ofcom is also consulting on the option of imposing this same obligation on all 800MHz licensees.
Sports
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has to merge Sport Scotland, Sport Wales and Sport Northern Ireland with UK Sport and Sport England; and if he will make a statement. [97881]
Hugh Robertson: The Scottish and Welsh Governments, and the Northern Ireland Executive are responsible for the Sports Councils for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively. As such, we have no plans to merge them with UK Sport and Sport England.
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had regarding any future merger of Sport Scotland, Sport Wales and Sport Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [97882]
Hugh Robertson: The Scottish and Welsh Governments, and the Northern Ireland Executive are responsible for the Sports Councils for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively. Any future merger of these three organisations is a matter for them.
Television: Licensing
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what steps he takes to ensure that the BBC's arrangements for collecting the licence fee are efficient and effective; [98216]
(2) what steps he is taking to learn from other EU countries how they manage television licensing to reduce red tape and cost. [98265]
Mr Vaizey: The Government have undertaken no analysis of these matters. Under the terms of the BBC Charter, the BBC Trust is responsible for ensuring that the arrangements for the collection of the licence fee are efficient, appropriate and proportionate. The BBC is independent of Government and there is no provision for Government to intervene.
The Government encourage the BBC to achieve the highest standards of value-for-money in its use of licence fee revenue.
In March 2009, the BBC Trust published a review of how the licence fee is collected. The report assessed whether the arrangements were efficient, appropriate and proportionate, and made recommendations.
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Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he was consulted by the BBC on its choice of contractors operating as TV Licensing as the agents for collecting the licence fee. [98218]
Mr Vaizey: The Government were not consulted and did not expect to be consulted. Under the terms of the BBC Charter, the BBC Trust is responsible for ensuring that the arrangements for the collection of the licence fee are efficient, appropriate and proportionate.
Transport
Aviation
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what projections her Department has made of (a) air passenger numbers and (b) air traffic movements in each year up until 2050. [97766]
Mrs Villiers: ‘UK Aviation Forecasts 2011’ sets out the Department's latest forecasts:
http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/uk-aviation-forecasts-2011/uk-aviation-forecasts.pdf
Aviation: Biofuels
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on measures to encourage the use of sustainable biofuels sourced from jatropha oil in aviation. [95800]
Mrs Villiers: The Government believe that sustainable biofuels can make a valuable contribution to reducing CO2 emissions from transport. In the longer term, biofuels may be most valuable in the sectors such as aviation where there is no viable alternative source of lower carbon fuel. The Government are working with our European partners, the wider international community and industry to explore how to bring about a significant increase in the use of sustainable biofuels in aviation.
The Government are also working towards a co-ordinated, evidence-based bioenergy strategy, including an analysis of the best use of available biomass resources, and will soon be publishing an assessment of the costs and carbon reduction potential of biofuel use in aviation.
Aviation: Carbon Emissions
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emitted by the aviation sector in the UK in each year to 2050. [97469]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 1 March 2012]: “UK Aviation Forecasts 2011” (figure 1.3 on page 6 and figure 3.3 on page 85, available at:
http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/uk-aviation-forecasts-2011/uk-aviation-forecasts.pdf
sets out the Department’s latest forecast of carbon dioxide emissions on a five-yearly basis as follows:
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| Million tonnes carbon dioxide (MtCO 2 ) | |||
| Low | Central | High | |
An explanation of the low and high forecast ranges is provided in paragraphs 2.45 to 2.48 (page 25) of the report.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what work her Department is undertaking jointly with NATS on reducing carbon emissions from the aviation sector through improved flight path management. [97765]
Mrs Villiers: The Government and NATS support the Civil Aviation Authority's Future Airspace Strategy, a key aim of which is to reduce aircraft emissions through improved air traffic management.
Crossrail Line: Costs
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any cost savings have been made to the Crossrail project; and how much that project will cost in (a) each year of the current spending review period and (b) each year of the following spending review period. [96760]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 27 February 2012]:Substantial savings were identified for the Crossrail project as part of the spending review 2010 and Crossrail Ltd continue to optimise the scheme's value for money as they let further construction contracts.
Funding for Crossrail comes from a number of different sources including DFT, GLA, BAA and the Corporation of London. It is expected that cost of the project will be no more than £14.5 billion.
The Department's contribution to the costs of Crossrail over the next few years will be:
| £ million | |
The overall expenditure by Crossrail Ltd for the year 2011-12 is expected to be around £912 million with expenditure to date on the project of £2,599 million.
In line with commitments in the Crossrail Act, I will make a further statement in the summer regarding the most recent spending levels on the project.
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Cycling: Safety
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of current methods of assessing road surface quality; and what assessment she has made of the potential effect on the safety of cyclists of increasing the quality of the road on the metre closest to the pavement. [98188]
Norman Baker: The Department has made no specific assessment. Local road condition is a matter for local highway authorities who are responsible for setting their own highways condition standards. "Well-maintained Highways", the code of practice for highways maintenance, provides guidance for local highway authorities and highlights the importance of a consistent standard of maintenance including ensuring attention is paid to carriageway edge condition.
The UK Roads Board, comprising local authority representatives, published a document in 2003 titled “Footway and cycle route design, construction and maintenance guide” which provides a practical field guidance for local highway authority engineers involved in the structural design, construction and maintenance of footways and cycle routes and includes a specific section on cycle route maintenance.
The Highways Agency is responsible for managing the strategic road network in England. It carries out annual road surface condition surveys, principally to measure the levels of rutting, the ride quality, general surface condition and the skid resistance provided by the road surface in the wet. In addition, visual surveys and inspections are conducted regularly throughout the year to identify emergency repairs and to support future planned maintenance. Sections requiring potential maintenance are also further investigated to identify the road material quality and the overall structural aspects, as guided by the agency's standards and codes of practices. The agency takes account of maintenance needs based on road users' needs, including cyclists, and issues raised by members of the public.
The agency's Design Manual for Roads and Bridges Volume 6, Section 3 covers the design requirements of new facilities for cyclists, taking into account their vehicular rights and their particular vulnerability as road users. It makes clear that the provision of facilities for cyclists should therefore be considered during the planning stages of new or improved highways and traffic management schemes. It also highlights the importance of good maintenance, including regular cleaning, of the one metre carriageway edge as it is likely to be used by cyclists to gain a measure of separation from passing traffic. It also recommends that drainage grids and gratings should have slots at angles not likely to affect the passage of cyclists and be set flush with the carriageway.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the number of cycling accidents on UK roads which were caused by poor road surfaces. [98189]
Mike Penning: There were 81 reported personal injury road accidents involving pedal cycles which had contributory factor “poor or defective road surface” attributed to the accident. This represents around 1% of all contributory factors allocated to pedal cycle accidents.
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The contributory factors reflect the reporting officer's opinion at the time of reporting and are not necessarily the result of extensive investigation. Moreover it is recognised that subsequent enquires could lead to the reporting officer changing his opinion. It is important to note where some factors may have contributed to a cause of an accident it may be difficult for a police officer attending the scene after the accident has occurred to identify these factors.
Driving Offences: EU Action
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to Article 3 of EU Council Act of 17 June 1998 drawing up the Convention on Driving Disqualification, how many notifications of a driving disqualification for a person disqualified in an EU member state other than that in which they normally reside the UK (a) issued to and (b) received from other EU member states in each of the last 10 years; and what assessment her Department has made of the convention's effectiveness. [97903]
Mike Penning: Since January 2010, mutual recognition of driving disqualifications has existed between GB and the Republic of Ireland (ROI). To date, these are the only member states to have implemented the provisions.
Since the start, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has received 37 notifications of GB drivers disqualified in ROI and sent ROI six notifications of Irish licence holders being disqualified in GB. No assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the convention.
Driver licensing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and separate arrangements are in place with the Republic of Ireland regarding the recognition of driving disqualifications. Information on the numbers of disqualifications recognised between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is not held.
EU Action
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many EU-level meetings relating to her Department's affairs have taken place since 1 May 2011; and at how many and which of these meetings the UK delegation has been led by (a) her Department, (b) representatives of the Scottish Executive, (c) representatives of the Welsh Government and (d) representatives of the Northern Ireland Executive. [97539]
Mrs Villiers: At ministerial level, requests for devolved Administration Ministers to attend EU Council of Ministers meetings are considered on a case-by-case basis by the lead UK Secretary of State.
Three formal meetings of the EU Transport Council of Ministers have taken place since 1 May 2011. The UK delegation was led by UK Government Ministers and the UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU. At the Transport Council in December 2011, the UK delegation included the Minister for Regional Development for the Northern Ireland Executive.
There are numerous EU-level forums in which the UK is represented at official level. There are no central records of the number of meetings held and therefore not possible to provide this information.
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Motor Vehicles: Carbon Emissions
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of (a) the lowest priced ultra-low emission (i) car and (ii) van available to consumers in receipt of the Plug-In Grant and (b) the number of ultra-low emission (A) cars and (B) vans which will be in operation in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period. [97763]
Norman Baker: As at 1 March 2012, the lowest price ultra-low emission car available to consumers in receipt of the Plug-In Grant is the Renault Fluence Z.E. at £17,495 including VAT.
The lowest price ultra-low emission van available to consumers in receipt of the Plug-In Grant is the Renault Kangoo Van Z.E. starting from £13,592 excluding VAT. These prices include receipt of the grant but maybe subject to change.
The Office of Low Emission Vehicles page on the DFT website:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/sustainable/olev/
provides links to the eligible vehicles manufacturer's website. Prices of the vehicles are most accurately viewed here.
Industry has identified 10 additional cars likely to come to market this year. We estimate, through publicly available information, that double this number of ultra-low emission vehicles are likely to come to market in this Parliament.
Manufacturers of future models will need to apply for their vehicles to be approved before they join the grant schemes.
As more models, become available, we expect an upward trend in the number of ultra-low emission vehicles (cars and vans) year on year as the market grows.
Network Rail
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to increase the (a) efficiency, (b) accountability and (c) consumer interface of Network Rail. [97783]
Mrs Villiers: Network Rail's efficiency is regulated by the independent Office of Rail Regulation. The Government will shortly publish a Command Paper on rail reform, which will set out how it will support Network Rail's board and members in improving the accountability of the company to its customers.
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will meet service management of Network Rail to discuss governance issues. [97785]
Mrs Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), meets with Network Rail's senior management from time to time to discuss a range of issues, including the company's progress on reforming-its corporate governance arrangements.
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Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if she will bring forward proposals to place a duty on Network Rail to consult with local councils and local community groups before introducing changes to parking charges and times in its car parks; [97786]
(2) when she next plans to meet the senior management of Network Rail to discuss parking charges in its car parks; [97788]
(3) what discussions she is having on the effect of car parking charges levied by Network Rail on the viability of local communities; [97789]
(4) what information her Department holds on the rate of change in car parking charges levied by Network Rail in each of the last five years; [97790]
(5) what consultation Network Rail carries out before leases on its car parks are transferred or rescinded. [97791]
Mrs Villiers: These are commercial matters for Network Rail as owner and operator of the national network.
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to improve the accountability of Network Rail to local community groups and local authorities. [97787]
Mrs Villiers: The Government will shortly publish a Command Paper on rail reform, which will set out how it will support Network Rail's board and members in improving the accountability of the company to its customers and stakeholders.
Oil
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations her Department has received from (a) Shell and (b) the Canadian Government on oil sourced from tar sands. [97764]
Norman Baker: Department for Transport Ministers and officials have had numerous meetings with various stakeholders including representatives of oil companies, of which Shell was one, biofuel producers, trade associations representing the transport fuels industry, UK and international non-governmental organisations (including those representing environmental and social issues), the European Commission, European member states and the Canadian Government to discuss all aspects of the fuel quality directive and will continue to do so as necessary.
Railways
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the (a) costs and (b) benefits of the planned alliances between train operating companies and Network Rail. [97472]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 1 March 2012]:The Department is working closely with the rail industry and the regulator to examine the potential for greater partnership working between Network Rail and train operators.
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The Department supports such initiatives on a case by case basis where it can be shown that taxpayers will benefit from proposals and that passengers will benefit from improvements to performance.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when her Department expects the deep alliance between South West Trains and Network Rail in respect of the Wessex route to begin. [97474]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 1 March 2012]:The Department is participating in ongoing negotiations and discussions with South West Trains, Network Rail and the Office of Rail Regulation to determine the deliverability of proposals for a deep alliance on the Wessex route.
Railways: South East
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions her Department has had with (a) Transport for London and (b) Southeastern Trains on the London Mayor’s Rail Vision published in February 2012. [97981]
Mrs Villiers: Ministers and officials have frequent discussions with the Mayor of London and Transport for London on a range of issues. No discussions have taken place between Ministers, and London and Southeastern Railway.
Railways: South West
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultants her Department employed involved in setting up the public consultation process for the Greater Western franchise; and what the cost to the public purse was of those consultants. [97607]
Mrs Villiers: The Department used internal staff resources and did not employ consultants to set up the Greater Western public consultation events.
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if cost estimates were submitted to her Department in advance of holding consultation exercises relating to the new Greater Western franchise in (a) Plymouth, (b) Truro and (c) Torbay; and what any such estimates were. [97608]
Mrs Villiers: No such estimates were submitted to the Department.
Metal Theft: Railways
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has made an estimate of (a) the value of metal stolen from railways in the East Midlands in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011 and (b) costs incurred by (i) Network Rail and (ii) train operating companies owing to the theft of metal from railways in the East Midlands in (A) 2010 and (B) 2011. [98210]
Norman Baker:
The cost of metal theft to Network Rail in the East Midlands was £155,750 in 2009-10, £282,473 in 2010-11 and £95,023 in 2011-12 (up till 4 February 2012). This cost includes schedule eight
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compensation payments to train operating companies. The Department does not have information on the value of the stolen metal itself or on the costs incurred train operating companies.
Railways: Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration she has given to ensuring provision of one or more direct daily railway services between London and Carmarthen as part of future franchise negotiation. [97817]
Mrs Villiers: We are currently carrying out a consultation exercise as part of the refranchising process. Once consultation responses have been received, we will consider in detail what the service specification should be.
Road Accidents
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road collisions there were between heavy goods vehicles and cyclists who were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured as a result in the latest period for which figures are available; and what research her Department has undertaken on addressing the issue of the blind spot of such a vehicle and cyclists. [97737]
Mike Penning: The latest period for which data are available is 2010.
The number of reported personal injury road accidents involving heavy goods vehicles and pedal cyclists in Great Britain, is published in the table RAS40004 of “Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain—annual report 2010” at following web address:
http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/tables/ras40004.xls
The Department for Transport commissioned research with Loughborough university on improving driver vision and this was published in November 2011. The reports are available on the Loughborough website at:
https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/dspace-jspui/
http://hdl.handle.net/2134/8872
http://hdl.handle.net/2134/8873
http://hdl.handle.net/2134/8874
The research findings are being used to improve international regulations on mirrors for new vehicles.
Rolling Stock
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2011, Official Report, column 1021W, on rolling stock, how much her Department will spend on new passenger rolling stock in each year of the current spending review; and to which franchises such rolling stock will be deployed. [97471]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 1 March 2012]: The Government do not directly invest in rolling stock. This is a matter for the train leasing companies.
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Rolling Stock: Procurement
Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much additional rolling stock was introduced to each rail franchise in each year since 2008; and how many units were (a) new and (b) cascaded in each case. [95928]
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Mrs Villiers [holding answer 28 February 2012]: The following table shows the net additional number of (a) new and (b) cascaded rail vehicles in each rail franchise since 2008.
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |||||
| (a) | (b) | (a) | (b) | (a) | (b) | (a) | (b) | |
These figures do not include net increases in vehicles as a result of “internal cascades” of older vehicles when new fleets enter service or services are taken over by another operator, e.g. where First Capital Connect now run services previously operated by South Eastern.
The first units of new and cascaded fleets frequently enter service at the timetable changes in May and December each year, with additional vehicles following afterwards. The table above assumes fleet changes have occurred at the timetable change.
Figures for 2012 are projected for the whole year, and include some vehicles that are currently out of use or not yet delivered.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Broadband: Rural Areas
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many communities have submitted expressions of interest in the Rural Community Broadband Fund. [98151]
Richard Benyon: The first round for expressions of interest under the Rural Community Broadband Fund closed on 31 January 2012. 39 expressions of interest applications were received, totalling around £12 million in proposed grant.
Formal assessment of the expressions of interest received is underway. It is expected that the outcome of expressions of interest submitted will be notified to applicants during March 2012. Timing of the second round is also due to be announced in March.
EU Meetings
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many EU-level meetings relating to her Department’s policy areas have taken place since 1 May 2011; and at how many and which of these meetings the UK delegation has been led by (a) her Department, (b) representatives of the Scottish Executive, (c) representatives of the Welsh Assembly Government and (d) representatives of the Northern Ireland Executive. [97538]
Richard Benyon: Since 1 May 2011, DEFRA Ministers have led at all 14 EU Council meetings relating to the Department’s affairs. A great deal of DEFRA’s work is centred on EU business but the Department does not collect data on the number of EU meetings held at official level. In accordance with the memorandum of understanding and associated EU concordat between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations, DEFRA regularly consults devolved Administration counterparts on the UK position and, where appropriate, on briefing and speaking notes for such meetings.
Senior Civil Servants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many senior civil servants left her Department and its public bodies in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in her Department was during this period; and if she will make a statement. [96251]
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Richard Benyon: A total of 63 senior civil servants left core DEFRA and its Executive agencies since May 2010, and a breakdown of departures by month is shown in the following table.
| Number of leavers | |||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
| (1) Includes 11 legal staff transferred to Treasury Solicitors under a machinery of government change. | |||
For reasons of personal privacy, it would not be appropriate to provide the names of senior civil servants who are no longer in Government employment.
The annual rate of turnover for these departures is 20% (excluding the legal staff).
Departmental Training
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2012, Official Report, column 81W, on departmental training, where information on away days is held. [95239]
Richard Benyon: Information on how many away days core DEFRA has held since May 2010; what the location was of each such away day; how many staff attended; and what the cost was of each such event is held by the individual teams which ran those events.
Dogs
Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the merits of permanent identification of dogs. [97502]
Mr Paice: I am pleased to say that we are close to finalising a package of measures to tackle irresponsible dog owners. In putting this package together, we have considered the benefits of compulsory microchipping of dogs.
Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with canine welfare charities on responsible dog ownership; and if she will make a statement. [97505]
Mr Paice: The Government are close to finalising a package of measures to tackle irresponsible dog owners. In putting this package together, both Ministers and officials have had several discussions with canine welfare charities.
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Electronic Training Aids
Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for North East Derbyshire of 15 November 2011, Official Report, column 731W, on electronic training aids, when the research will be published; and when decisions will be made on whether to bring forward legislative proposals relating to such devices. [97583]
Mr Paice: The results of the research into the effects of electronic training collars is currently being peer reviewed and will be available later this year. No decisions will be taken until the peer review process has been completed or before any proposals are consulted upon.
Environment Protection: EU Law
Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the membership is of the panel reviewing the Habitats Directive; and how they can be contacted. [96686]
Richard Benyon: We have set up a High Level Advisory Group of stakeholders to contribute to the review. Details of the organisations represented on the group have been published on the DEFRA website. These are: BAM Nuttall; Country Land and Business Association; Home Builders Federation; Local Government Association; Marine Conservation Society; National Trust; RenewableUK; RSPB; Seabed User and Development Group; The Wildlife Trusts; WWF(UK); plus an independent counsel.
Any correspondence for the group can be sent via e-mail to the review team at:
HDimplementationreview@defra.gsi.gov.uk
This information is also published on the DEFRA website.
Fisheries
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to ensure that responsibly-sourced fish is promoted in Government Departments. [97590]
Richard Benyon: The Government take the impact that over-fishing is having on fish stocks very seriously. In September we introduced the Government Buying Standards (GBS) for food and catering. Under GBS 100% of fish procured by central Government must come from demonstrably sustainable sources. We are thus sending a clear message across Government and believe that our role is to lead by example to encourage good sustainable practice in the procurement of fish.
Flood Control: Expenditure
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on managing the risk of flooding and coastal erosion in each year since 2008. [96594]
Richard Benyon: The following table sets out spending by DEFRA on flood and coastal erosion risk management in England from 2007-08 to 2011-12.
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| Spend (£ million) | |
These funds include DEFRA's own direct expenditure, DEFRA grants to the Environment Agency, plus capital grants to individual local authorities and internal drainage boards.
Gangmasters Licensing Authority
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what recent assessment she has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) efficiency of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority; [97327]
(2) what discussions (a) she and (b) her officials have had with (i) Ministers and (ii) officials in other Government Departments on the future of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority; [97328]
(3) what assessment she has made of the potential of extending the remit of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority to include (a) construction, (b) social care and (c) hospitality. [97330]
Mr Paice: The Gangmasters Licensing Authority's (GLA) effectiveness and efficiency is measured by its performance against targets. The GLA's Annual Report and Accounts for 2010-11 (ISBN 9780102971439) provide more information. The GLA's 2011-12 Annual Report and Accounts, which will be agreed by Ministers, will be published in the summer.
DEFRA Ministers and officials have regular discussions with their counterparts in other Departments as part of ongoing consideration of future arrangements for the operation of the GLA. It is covered under the Employment Theme of the Government's Red Tape Challenge.
The Red Tape Challenge Ministerial Star Chamber has endorsed the need for the GLA to enforce protections for vulnerable workers, subject to better targeting of non-compliant operators and reducing burdens on the compliant. The GLA will continue to be monitored under the Government's ongoing reviews of public bodies and enforcement agencies.
The proposal to extend the GLA's remit to the construction industry was rejected during progress of the Gangmasters Licensing (Extension to Construction) Bill in winter 2010. No subsequent consideration has been given under current reviews to extending the GLA's remit to construction, or other sectors.
Hares: Animal Welfare
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward legislative proposals to make it an offence to kill, injure or take brown hares and mountain hares during closed seasons. [95204]
Richard Benyon:
DEFRA has already asked the Law Commission to review wildlife legislation and the Commission will submit its conclusions next year.
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The review will cover issues such as whether or not Ministers should have powers to make close seasons for animals such as hares, which, currently, we do not have. Meanwhile, I am writing to organisations whose members are likely to control hares, to encourage them to draw up best practice guidance for minimising welfare impacts during necessary control, including consideration of a voluntary close season.
Land
Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 800W, on land, when she intends to publish her Department's report on the application of best and most versatile land policy by planning authorities; and what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on the report's findings in relation to the National Planning Policy Framework. [96525]
Richard Benyon: The report “SP1501: Review of the weight that should be given to the protection of best and most versatile (BMV) land” will be published soon. DEFRA will continue to meet with the Department for Communities and Local Government in the normal course of business, including National Planning Policy Framework related meetings.
Litter: Publicity
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking in conjunction with local authorities to support the Keep Britain Tidy campaign. [97060]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA supports tackling key environmental issues through partners such as Keep Britain Tidy. Through a grant aid of £4 million in 2011-12, we aim to support KBT’s litter campaign “Love Where You Live”. Their campaign draws together businesses, communities, civil society organisations and local authorities, including 10 ambassador authorities in partnership to secure a lasting change in behaviour.
Marine Conservation Zones
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made on meeting the targets for the area of protected marine and coastal habitat specified in the Convention on Biological Diversity. [97279]
Richard Benyon: The Government will continue to work, both at home and abroad, to ensure that the Convention on Biological Diversity target of at least 10% of coastal and marine areas is met. This will apply especially to areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, and these will be conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative, well-connected systems of protected areas, and other effective area-based conservation measures.
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This ambition is reflected in the recently published England Biodiversity Strategy, where we have set a target to have in excess of 25% of English inshore waters contained within well-managed marine protected areas (MPAs) by the end of 2016. Currently, nearly 23% of these waters are already within MPAs, primarily Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas, designated in accordance with the EU habitats and wild birds directives. For UK offshore waters the coverage is nearly 4% and we expect this to rise to just over 7% by the end of 2012.
Further work on identification of MPAs is under way. As part of our contribution to an ecologically coherent network of these areas, we aim to formally consult on possible marine conservation zone sites by the end of 2012, before designating the first round of sites in the summer of 2013. Appropriate management measures for these sites will then be put in place.
Progress within the United Kingdom is mirrored by progress within our Overseas Territories. On 27 February, the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands announced the designation of a new sustainable-use MPA. The MPA covers an area of over 1 million square kilometres of the Southern Ocean (equivalent to four times the terrestrial area of the United Kingdom), and includes over 20,000 square kilometres of no-fishing zones. This will help further protect the rich biodiversity of the islands and fishery spawning grounds. This follows the announcement in 2010 of the designation of the largest no-take MPA in British Indian Ocean Territory.
The Government also recognise that the protection of the marine environment will also require action in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). Working with partners through the Ospar Convention, six High Seas MPAs were agreed in 2010 in the High Seas Area of the North East Atlantic. However, we recognise that an improved regulatory regime for the protection of biodiversity in ABNJ is required. That is why we are committed, as outlined in the Government's Natural Environment White Paper, to a new implementing agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation of biodiversity in ABNJ, including MPAs.
Marine Management Organisation: Manpower
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff at each grade were employed by the Marine Management Organisation since its creation. [95621]
Richard Benyon: The number of staff at each grade who were employed by the Marine Management Organisation since its creation, including those that have left and those still employed, can be found in the following table:
| Grade | Full-time equivalent | Head count |
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Rights of Way
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage forest owners to designate their land as open access under Section 13 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. [98185]
Richard Benyon: Section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 allows voluntary dedication by land owners and long leaseholders of public access rights over their land.
An Independent Panel on Forestry was set up in March 2011 to advise the Secretary of State for Environment on the future direction of forestry and woodland policy in England. The panel's terms of reference state that it should consider options for enhancing public benefits from all woodland and forests, including public access for recreation and leisure. The panel will report its findings later in the year.
Rights of Way: Coastal Areas
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost of delaying creation of the coastal access path. [98183]
Richard Benyon: We are not delaying the creation of the national coastal route under the provisions in Part 9 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. We have already approved Natural England's proposals for the coastal route along the stretch of the coast at Weymouth Bay and will open this in time for the 2012 games.
We will continue to implement the coastal access programme and are aiming to open a further five areas around the coast by 2014-15.
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the economic effect of the English coastal access scheme. [98184]
Richard Benyon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 December 2011, Official Report, column 613W.
Rural Growth Network
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many Rural Growth Network pilot areas she expects to establish in 2012; [97125]
(2) when she plans to make a decision on applications to be Rural Growth Network pilot areas; [97127]
(3) how many applications to be Rural Growth Network pilot areas (a) were submitted and (b) have been shortlisted. [97128]
Richard Benyon: In total 29 applications were submitted to the Rural Growth Network (RGN) pilot competition and 10 of these were shortlisted. We intend to establish around six RGN pilots in 2012 and we expect to announce the chosen pilots in March.
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Sharks: Imports
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what her policy is on (a) existing and (b) proposed additional legislation on shark fin product imports into the EU; [97435]
(2) whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to regulate the possession of shark fin products. [97730]
Richard Benyon: We are acutely aware of the problems that the international trade in shark fins can cause and of the need for stringent controls to ensure any trade is rooted in sustainable fishing practices. The UK opposes and has banned wasteful finning (the removal and retention of shark fins then discarding the carcass while still at sea).
The Government will continue to support domestic, European and international conservation and management measures to control the exploitation of sharks and the trade in shark products. Where appropriate, we will continue to push for bans in the international trade in shark products through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. We will also call for action by relevant international conservation and fisheries bodies to manage and conserve sharks worldwide.
Sustainable Development: British Overseas Territories
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assistance her Department is providing to British Overseas Territories for sustainable development and environmental conservation. [96262]
Richard Benyon: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 2 February 2012, Official Report, column 754W.
However, I have since announced a further £250,000 towards a project to eradicate rats on South Georgia in order to protect the breeding colonies of globally important bird species. We are also supporting further research into invasive alien species.
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DEFRA is not providing specific assistance for sustainable development other than for the biodiversity conservation work, which of itself can be considered to be contributing towards wider sustainable development.
Water Industry (Financial Assistance) Bill 2010-12
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the Barnett consequentials which will arise from the financial provisions of the Water Industry (Financial Assistance) Bill. [97906]
Richard Benyon: The Government have decided that there is not a case for providing Barnett consequential for this spending, as the expenditure on reducing the cost of water bills for all household customers of South West Water is in response to the exceptional circumstances in the region.
Home Department
Antisocial Behaviour
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders were issued in (a) the West Midlands, (b) the East Midlands, (c) Essex and (d) West Yorkshire in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; and how many incidents of antisocial behaviour were reported to the police in (A) the West Midlands, (B) West Yorkshire, (C) Essex and (D) the East Midlands in (1) 2009-10 and (2) 2010-11. [96683]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 27 February 2012]: Centrally collated data on antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued are compiled by calendar year. The numbers of ASBOs issued at all courts in the West Midlands region, the East Midlands region, the Essex and West Yorkshire Criminal Justice System areas in 2009 and 2010 (the latest year for which data are available), are provided in Table A.
The numbers of antisocial behaviour incidents recorded by the police in each of the specified areas are provided in Table B. These figures relate to the police record of antisocial behaviour incidents; that is, the number of “calls to service” received by them.
| Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued at all courts (1) in selected regions (2) and criminal justice system (CJS) areas as reported to the Ministry of Justice (3) by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service, 2009 to 2010 | ||
| Region/CJS area | 2009 | 2010 |
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| (1) Includes ASBOs issued on application by magistrates courts acting in their civil capacity and county courts, which became available on 1 April 1999 and ASBOs made following conviction for a relevant criminal offence at the Crown Court and at magistrates courts (acting in their criminal capacity), which became available on 2 December 2002. (2) Each region had a Government Office with some responsibility for co-ordinating policy, and, from 2007 to 2010, each also had its own part-time regional Minister within the Government. In 2009 the House of Commons established regional Select Committees for each of the regions outside of London. These committees ceased to exist upon the dissolution of Parliament on 12 April 2010 and were not re-established by the newly elected House. Regional Ministers were not re-appointed by the incoming coalition Government, and the Government Offices were abolished in 2011. (3) Prior to the creation of the Ministry of Justice on 9 May 2007, numbers of ASBOs issued were reported to Home Office by the Court Service. (4) Comprised of the Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Mercia and West Midlands Criminal Justice System areas. (5) Comprised of the Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire Criminal Justice System areas. Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Prepared by Justice Statistics Analytical Services within the Ministry of Justice | ||