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Council Tax: Ministerial Code
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
16 Feb 2006 : Column WA191- of public life as set out in the Ministerial Code of Conduct. [HL3909]
Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Ministerial Code makes it clear that Ministers are personally responsible for deciding how to act and conduct themselves in the light of the code and for justifying their actions and conduct in Parliament.
The Cabinet Secretary has confirmed that for the future he has put in place procedures to ensure that Ministers who are allocated official residences are given clear guidance on dealing with their council tax liabilities as set out in the Answer given in the other place by my right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minister to the honourable Member for Meriden on 12 January 2006 (Official Report, Commons, cols. 782–83W).
16 Feb 2006 : Column WA192
DfT: Aviation Directorate
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 31 January (WA 26), what was the nature of each contract between the Aviation Directorate and external consultants; how much each contract cost; how long each contact was for; and what was the name of each consultant. [HL3843]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The information requested cannot be provided in the detail or format requested except at disproportionate cost. The attached table sets out a list of consultants used over the period together with details of annual costs for contracts over £25,000 in value and an indication of broad area of work.
16 Feb 2006 : Column WA191
| Consultant | 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | Area of Work |
| AEA Technology | 0 | 5,844 | 11,980 | 18,935 | Air Transport White Paper |
| Arup | 0 | 275,913 | 3,466 | 9,614 | Air Transport White Paper |
| Avia Solutions | 0 | 2,018,142 | 9,044 | 0 | Air Transport White Paper |
| Civil Aviation Authority 1 | 358,728 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Credit Suisse | 0 | 134,339 | 0 | 0 | NATS PPP |
| Halcrow | 0 | 447,978 | 95,572 | 84,679 | Air Transport White Paper |
| Manchester Airport | 0 | 0 | 461,775 | 0 | Air Transport White Paper & |
| Emissions | |||||
| MVA Ltd | 193,530 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Aircraft Noise |
| National Air Traffic | |||||
| Services (Enroute) | 186,820 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Technical Advice |
| QinetiQ | 214,066 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Aircraft Noise |
| RDC | 0 | 73,336 | 85,008 | 31,065 | Air Transport White Paper |
| Scott Wilson | 111,280 | 181,229 | 151,974 | 165,481 | Air Transport White Paper & Emissions |
| Slaughter & May | 0 | 500,607 | 6,178 | 0 | NATS PPP |
| Succession Planning Associates | 51,916 | 101,161 | 65,675 | 0 | Recruitment of CAA Board |
| Members | |||||
| Contracts below £25,000 in value | |||||
| Various | 188,946 | 16,510 | 0 | 5,375 | |
| Total | 1,305,286 | 3,755,059 | 890,672 | 315,649 |
1 Note: Some services provided by the Civil Aviation Authority classified as consultancy in 2002–03 but subsequently reclassified
16 Feb 2006 : Column WA191
Electoral Commission
Lord Campbell-Savours asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any member of the Electoral Commission has been associated in any way with any political party. [HL3333]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 provides the rules regarding who may or may not become an Electoral Commissioner. Section 3(4) of that Act states that:
(iii) been named as a donor in the register of donations reported under Chapter III or V of Part IV".
The Electoral Commission is an independent body established by Parliament, and is therefore answerable to Parliament. The Speaker's Committee has responsibility for the oversight of the Electoral Commission's financial returns and budgetary plans.
Energy: Nuclear Power
Lord Corbett of Castle Vale asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is their policy that no decision on building further nuclear power stations will be taken
- until a strategy is in place to deal with existing nuclear waste. [HL3626]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): The Government have made it clear that before we can contemplate a new generation of nuclear reactors, we must demonstrate to the public that the legacy of nuclear waste is being tackled. Under the managing radioactive waste safely (MRWS) programme, there is a clear strategy in place, and work is under way to tackle that legacy.
We have established the Nuclear Decommisioning Authority, which became effective in April this year. The NDA is setting a UK-wide strategy for more effective decommissioning and clean up of its sites.
The independent Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) is due to deliver its recommendations in July 2006. The UK Government and the devolved administrations will then decide policy and its means of delivery in the light of CoRWM's recommendations.
EU: Flag
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will take steps to display the European Union flag alongside the British flag on more government buildings; and whether they will discuss such a proposal with the authorities in both Houses of Parliament and with the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. [HL3899]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The flag of the European Union is flown on Europe Day, 9 May, on all government buildings in England that have two or more flagpoles, provided it is flown alongside the union flag, with the union flag in a superior position. The number of flagpoles on government buildings is the responsibility of the individual departments. There are no plans at present to change this guidance.
Government Car and Despatch Agency
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much the Government Car Service has paid in each year of its operation on (a) the London congestion charge; and (b) fines arising from the non-payment of the London congestion charge; and [HL3911]
How much the Government Car Service paid in fines due to motoring offences and violations, excluding those arising from the non-payment of the London congestion charge, in each of the past six years. [HL3912]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government Car and Despatch Agency is not exempt from the payment of fines and congestion charges and the information requested is as follows:
16 Feb 2006 : Column WA194
| Year | Fines | Congestion Charge Paid | Congestion Charge Fines |
| 2002-03 | Not available | £2,760.00 | £40.00 |
| 2003-04 | £3,610.00 | £166,825.00 | £240.00 |
| 2004-05 | £3,770.00 | £134,580.00 | £190.00 |
| 2005-06 * | £3,710.00 | £113,006.00 | £300.00 |
* year to date
These charges and penalties cover the entire GCDA fleet. In addition to ministerial cars, which represent approximately 35 per cent. of the entire fleet, the GCDA fleet includes vehicles which are provided by the Government Car Service to government departments, to Ministers and civil servants and all vehicles operated in London by the InterDespatch Service. The InterDespatch Service provides interdepartmental mail distribution to government offices. The majority of GCDA's work is conducted within the congestion charge zone.
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