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Progress on availability, further releases of C-NOMIS and their implementation, is the subject of a detailed review planned to report by the end of January 2007. This will be considered along with emerging feedback from implementation in HMP Albany to finalise the way forward and timing.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:

When the implementation of the Custody-National Offender Management Information System (C-NOMIS) will be completed. [HL1150]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: No date has yet been set for completing implementation of C-NOMIS across NOMS.

Progress on availability, further releases of C-NOMIS and their implementation, is the subject of a detailed review planned to report by the end of January 2007. This will be considered along with emerging feedback from implementation in HMP Albany to finalise the way forward and timing.

Regional Spatial Strategies

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their response to the North West Regional Assembly's enumeration of cemeteries and places of worship among the “decent high quality services”,

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the delivery of which their regional spatial strategy aims to ensure; and whether they consider that inclusion of these words would be helpful to small faith groups in other regions.[HL1474]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The North West Regional Assembly has submitted some proposed wording changes to the text of the “Living in the North West” section of the draft submitted North West Regional Spatial Strategy for the independent panel to consider at the current examination in public. This section includes proposed regional policies and supporting text on housing, health, sport, recreation, culture and education.

The proposed changes include the deletion of the word “decent”, and the addition of the words “high quality” concerning the list of services provided by public and private means, and the addition of “places of worship, cemeteries” in the list itself. The guidance on propriety states that Her Majesty's Government and officials are unable to enter into discussions with interested parties on the draft strategy during the examination or while consideration is being given to the panel's report.

The content of other English regions' draft RSSs is a matter initially for their regional assemblies, and is subject to the same statutory process.

Roads: Dartford Crossing

Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:

What number and proportion of vehicles using the Dartford crossing on a daily basis start or end their journey in either Kent or Essex or vice-versa. [HL1497]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Such data as we have can give only an indication of the answer. In October 2003, survey forms were handed to northbound drivers at some of the tollbooths on a weekday. Of those returning forms, 709 out of 3,253 (about 22 per cent) indicated that their journeys began in Kent or East Sussex (figures were not broken down for Kent

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alone) and finished in Essex. From a postal survey of tag users at about the same time, the equivalent figure was 708 out of 1,589 respondents (approx 45 per cent). About 23 per cent of trips are paid for using tags.

Schools: Extended Schools Programme

Baroness Walmsley asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much money has been allocated to the extended schools programme for the years 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07; and how much of that money reaches the schools.[HL1434]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Adonis): A total of £443.75 million has been allocated to support the development of extended schools from 2003-04 to 2006-07. Of that, £100 million will go direct to schools through the School Standards Grant in 2006-07. The remainder is made up of £15.1 million in 2003-04; £27.8 million in 2004-05; £106.55 million in 2005-06; and £194.3 million in 2006-07. Local authorities and the Training and Development Agency will use this funding to support their strategic plans for developing extended services drawn up in consultation with schools and other key partners. Our expectation is that the vast majority of this funding will be spent at school level.

Transport: Buses and Rail

Lord Bradley asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of the Department for Transport's budget was spent on (a) buses; (b) heavy-rail; and (c) light-rail in each of the past five years. [HL1247]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The proportions of departmental budget allocated to buses, heavy-rail and light-rail in each of the past five years, in terms of near cash in the departmental expenditure limit (DEL) are as follows:

	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06
Buses	4.1 per cent	4.1 per cent	3.7 per cent	3.8 per cent	3.3 per cent
Heavy-Rail	25.2 per cent	31.8 per cent	35.5 per cent	37.7 per cent	39.1 per cent
Light-Rail	0.2 per cent	1.5 per cent	0.2 per cent	0.3 per cent	0.2 per cent

Transport: Drivers' Working Hours

Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 10 October 2006, whether any further progress has been made in relation to breaches of the Drivers' Working Hours Regulations by Irish drivers in the United Kingdom. [HL1599]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: We continue to undertake targeted enforcement activity to combat drivers’ hours offences. Last November, the Road Safety Act 2006 received Royal Assent. That includes enabling powers which provide for a graduated fixed

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penalty and deposit scheme which will allow additional enforcement activity both for these offences and where the driver does not have a UK address. We intend to consult shortly on the detail of the scheme.

In addition, details of all breaches are sent by the Department for Transport Vehicle Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to officials in the Irish Road Safety Authority. We are given to understand that all such matters are followed up as necessary by their enforcement officers.

Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles

Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they rejected the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe unanimous decision to mark all new heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes with high conspicuity markings. [HL1565]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) has agreed that fitment of retro-reflective tape should become mandatory for new heavy trucks (7.5 tonne and over) seeking approval to UN-ECE Regulation 48. A truck with such approval can be sold throughout the UN-ECE area without having to meet

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any further, national, lighting requirements. We have not rejected this decision: rather we are working to bring the requirement into force via UK regulation by 10 October 2009. This is the earliest date that Contracting Parties to UN-ECE Regulation 48 can refuse to register new heavy trucks not fitted with reflective tape.

Waste Management: Landfill

Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they intend to take to secure new landfill sites for waste disposal once the present site options are used up by 2017. [HL1479]

The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): There is sufficient landfill capacity to meet current waste arisings. Future capacity is difficult to predict. However, a number of government policies are designed significantly to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.

More challenging waste targets, progressively lower landfill limits and the escalating landfill tax will all help the UK to move away from its reliance on landfill. These measures will also encourage more sustainable waste management through greater reduction, reuse and recycling.

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