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Railways: Fares
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the present level of railway fares is conducive to maximising the use of the network. [HL2508]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Over the past 10 years, the commercial approach to pricing taken by train operators has helped to generate the 40 per cent increase in passenger volumes which has given Britain the fastest-growing railway in Europe. Commercial pricing means charging higher fares at peak times when trains are full, but lower fares in the off-peak to
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Where operators have a degree of market power—for example, commuter transport into London and other big cities—the Department for Transport places a limit on fares increases. As a result, these regulated fares are currently on average 2 per cent less in real terms than they were in 1996.
Railways: Great North Eastern Franchise
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 14 March (WA 138) on the Great North Eastern franchise, how they will ensure that the current level of on-board service offered by the Great North Eastern Railway is maintained in any of the bids considered, bearing in mind that the market will not have an opportunity to determine the level of on-board service. [HL2826]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The bidders for the InterCity East Coast franchise are given extensive material relating to the operation of the current franchise during the bidding process including details of the current on-board service.
Bidders are encouraged to consult with stakeholders during the preparation of their bid. Stakeholders are provided with the contact details of the bidding parties through the stakeholder briefing document that is published on the DfT website.
Railways: Virgin Trains
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the protection afforded to Virgin Trains under the moderation of competition arrangements as part of the original franchise has been extended; and, if so, until when. [HL2825]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Any extension of the moderation of competition arrangements will be considered by the Office of Rail Regulation as part of the new track access agreement which is currently being negotiated between West Coast Trains Limited and Network Rail Infrastructure Limited.
Rates: Northern Ireland
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the regional rate in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; and what was the total amount raised by this rate for water and sewage services in each of these years. [HL2677]
Lord Rooker: The following table lists the domestic and non-domestic regional rate in each of the last five years.
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| Year | Domestic Regional Rate Poundage (pence) * | Non-Domestic Regional Rate Poundage (pence) |
| * net of Domestic Rate and Grant (DRAG) | ||
| ** Non-domestic revaluation (5th reval) | ||
The regional rate is an unhypothecated tax and is not allocated to specific areas of expenditure, but instead contributes to the overall resources available to the Secretary of State to allocate to regional public services in Northern Ireland.
Sudan: Darfur
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the recommendations of the United Nations high-level report on Sudan that (a) the General Assembly of the United Nations should request the compilation of a list of foreign companies that have an adverse impact on human rights in Darfur; and (b) United Nations institutions and offices should abstain from entering into business transactions with any identified companies. [HL2869]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The report of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) Mission to Sudan, issued on 12 March, confirms concerns we already have about the grave human rights situation in Darfur. We are working with partners at the HRC to pass a resolution in support of the report.
We are working at the UN Security Council to impose further measures on those responsible for violating UN Security Council Resolution 1591, including targeted sanctions against individuals. There must be no impunity for human rights abuses.
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations they have made to the Governments of China and Russia about their decision to dismiss the report of the United Nations Human Rights Council into human rights violations in Darfur as having no validity as the report's authors were denied visas to visit the region. [HL2870]
Lord Triesman: The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) Mission to Sudan issued a damning report on 12 March, confirming what we already knew about the grave human rights situation in Darfur.
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My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs, Ian McCartney, and the UK Permanent Representative to the HRC, called on the Council to take effective action on Darfur and not become mired in procedural debates. We do not accept the argument that the mission report lacks validity because the mission failed to go to Sudan. The Government of Sudan reneged on their commitment to co-operate with the mission and refused to grant visas to all members of the mission, so, rightly, none of the members went. The report is based on the assessments of UN humanitarian agencies, the African Union in Addis Ababa and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in eastern Chad. All of these organisations, which have large numbers of staff operating in Darfur and Eastern Chad, continue to report an appalling human rights and humanitarian situation there. We are lobbying partners, including China and Russia, to ensure that the report's recommendations are taken forward.
Sudan: Disinvestment
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have given further consideration to the disinvestment of British commercial investment in Sudan. [HL2868]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We have not considered taking steps to encourage disinvestment from Sudan by British companies. We are concerned that sanctions should not impact on those in Sudan who have no responsibility for violence in Darfur or on the comprehensive peace agreement, thus damaging the south. While we are considering further, targeted sanctions, it remains true that they are more effective if implemented by the international community. None the less, if such support were not forthcoming, we have not excluded the possibility of taking further measures with our EU partners.
Tax Credits
Baroness Williams of Crosby asked Her Majesty's Government:
By administrative region, what is the proportion of eligible working families, single parents and old-age pensioners claiming tax credit; and what proportion of claims are successful. [HL2911]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Latest estimates show that in 2004-05, 79 per cent of eligible working families with children, and 93 per cent of eligible working single parents, took up tax credits. Take-up rates for tax credits among working families with children, broken down by country and Government Office region, are shown in table 9 of the HMRC publication Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit Take-up Rates 2004-05, available on the HMRC website at: http://hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/takeup-rates2004-05.pdf
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Estimates of tax credit take-up rates for those above state pension age, and for single parents by country and Government Office region, are not available.
Information on the proportion of successful tax credit claims is not available.
Taxation: Sport
Lord Pendry asked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to exempt sport's national governing bodies from corporation tax, as happens in some other countries. [HL2765]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government have no current plans to exempt sport's national governing bodies from corporation tax. The Government fully recognise the important role of national governing bodies in helping achieve their objectives, particularly in encouraging grassroots and schools sporting activity. The Government, too, have demonstrated their practical commitment to sport at all levels through a variety of funding mechanisms.
Transport: Accidents
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many funerals or memorial services Ministers have attended in their official capacity in respect of (a) road accident victims, and (b) rail accident victims. [HL2375]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Since May 2005, no Ministers have attended, in their official capacity, a funeral or memorial service in respect of victims of road or rail accidents.
Transport: Vehicle Licences
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 20 March (WA 189) about medical examination for vehicle licences, which particular certificates will be subject to the standard rate of VAT. [HL2946]
Lord Davies of Oldham: All reports and medical examinations that are undertaken by a health professional for the purposes of a person obtaining or maintaining a licence to drive a vehicle, fly an aircraft or crew a ship will be liable to VAT at the standard rate from 1 May.
Volunteering
Lord Pendry asked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to encourage volunteering by giving employers who allow their employees time off to volunteer in sport a tax credit against their business tax bill. [HL2764]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Employers are already granted tax relief against their business tax bill for volunteering by their employees in charities and educational establishments, many of which have
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Waste Management: Toxic Dumping
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Environment Agency rejected the pro bono services of a pollution consultant and United States bankruptcy trustee to consider the technical details of the dumping of unauthorised toxic wastes into the quarries at Brofiscin and Maendy between 1965 and 1972 and the relevant United States Bankruptcy Court filings made by the Environment Agency; and, if so, what were their reasons for rejecting the services. [HL2769]
Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: I am advised by the Environment Agency that it had discussions, between January and August 2006, with an individual who offered it useful information as a potential witness to the historical events which took place at Brofiscin, and their relevance to recent bankruptcy proceedings in the USA.
While the agency was grateful for the assistance which was provided, it did not consider it appropriate to engage the individual as a consultant. That is an operational decision for the agency.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Welsh Office was aware by 1988 that the discharge at Brofiscin quarry contained carcinogens and was hazardous to users of the groundwater; and, if so, what measures were taken to protect humans, farm livestock, wildlife, vegetation and the soil close to the quarry and along water courses that carried the discharge. [HL2770]
Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: The Welsh Office commissioned a survey of contaminated land in Wales which was undertaken by Liverpool University. It produced a report in August 1988, which included information about the Brofiscin site. The report suggested that the disposal of such wastes on permeable limestone could present a hazard to users of local groundwaters, although it did not identify any specific hazards. Previous investigations had also concluded that there were no proven or immediate risks to human health. There was some evidence of pollutants affecting grazing livestock, and measures had been taken to prevent or discourage the grazing of animals in areas polluted by surface water runoff. No groundwater supplies in the immediate vicinity of the site were or are currently used for human consumption.
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In 1988, land not due for redevelopment had historically been dealt with via the statutory nuisance powers of local authorities. However, new legislation, implemented in Wales in 2001, has provided an improved system for the identification and remediation of land where contamination is causing unacceptable risks to human health or the wider environment. This aims to ensure that land is returned to a condition suitable for its current use.
Current site investigation work will be completed in April. This will enable the Environment Agency to make an informed decision on the most appropriate remedial solutions.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Bearing in mind that the company Monsanto has admitted to a daily discharge of 3.74 pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the sewers from their Newport factory and into the River Severn, what measures have been taken to assess the health of humans, animals and plants on the land and in the water which may have been contaminated by the discharge. [HL2771]
Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: Monsanto discontinued PCB manufacture at its Newport site in the 1970s. Detailed discharge records are no longer available. The current owner of the site is Solutia UK Ltd.
A Pollution Prevention Control Permit was issued to Solutia by the Environment Agency in 2004. It required the company to undertake an environmental risk assessment of polychlorobiphenyl (PCBs) releases into the Severn estuary arising as a result of historic contamination that occurred during Monsanto's ownership.
This assessment was completed and submitted to the agency in 2005. The Food Standards Agency reviewed the assessment and concluded that the operation was unlikely to have any unacceptable effects on the human food chain.
Current releases of historic PCB contamination from the Solutia Newport site into the Severn estuary are in the order of 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) per year.
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