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Railways: Rolling Stock
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the impact of delays in approving orders on the availability of rolling stock. [HL5643]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): The Department for Transport is in discussion with train operating companies to define the requirements to deliver the additional capacity as set out in the Rolling Stock Plan. It is the responsibility of the operators to ensure that the vehicles are competitively procured and to identify the delivery dates with manufacturers to match the high level output specification funding period.
There have already been 423 additional vehicles ordered, the first of which will commence entry into service later this year. The department has set out in the Rolling Stock Plan that 1,300 additional vehicles will be delivered by 2014.
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
How long they expect negotiations with TransPennine Express and National Express East Anglia over the provision of additional rolling stock to last. [HL5815]
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Lord Adonis: The negotiations with TransPennine Express and National Express East Anglia are expected to continue into 2009.
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the figure published in the Department for Transport's Rolling Stock Plan for additional vehicles required for TransPennine Express services is correct. [HL5816]
Lord Adonis: The Department for Transport recently published High Level Output Specification (HLOS) plan update July 2008, which described the process for implementing the Rolling Stock Plan. This stated that it would announce a number of vehicles different from that shown in the plan only if and when it contracted with a train operating company for a different number.
Railways: South West Trains
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they expect to conclude their discussions with South West Trains about additional vehicles. [HL5769]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): Discussions with South West Trains are continuing. To protect best value for the taxpayer these discussions remain confidential.
Revenue and Customs: Staff
Lord Christopher asked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of the revenue arm of HM Revenue and Customs, how many staff (a) are currently serving in each of the grade (or pay) levels; (b) in each of those levels have more than two years' revenue service; (c) in each of those levels have resigned over the past three years; and (d) are temporary (by any definition) with more than 12 months' service. [HL5720]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): Information relating to staff of the revenue arm is not separately identifiable. Data in respect of all HMRC staff are given below:
(a) Total number of HMRC staff by grade at 1 October 2008
| HMRC Grade | Total |
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(b) Total number of HMRC staff by grade with more than two years’ service at 1 October 2008
| HMRC Grade | Total |
(c) Total number of HMRC staff by grade who have resigned over past three years
| HMRC Grade | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 |
(d) Total number of HMRC staff who are temporary (by any definition) with more than 12 months' service. The figures below relate to staff who are currently employed by HMRC on a temporary basis.
| HMRC Grade | Total |
Sport: Participation
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements are being put in place to meet the target of having 2 million more people participating in sport by 2012. [HL5478]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting (Lord Carter of Barnes): The Government's legacy action plan target is to get 2 million more people active by 2012, which will mean individuals participating three
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Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How they intend to meet any increased demand for more sports facilities derived from the target of having 2 million more people participating in sport by 2012, having regard to the loss of sporting facilities such as playing fields over the past 20 years. [HL5479]
Lord Carter of Barnes: Since 1996, 65 per cent of the nation's facilities stock has been either built or refurbished, and now more than 90 per cent of the population live within 20 minutes of two or more of the most in demand sports facilities.
Building on this work, the Government's legacy action plan target is to get 2 million more people active by 2012, and Sport England has developed a new strategy to deliver 1 million of these new participants through sport.
Under this strategy, national governing bodies (NGBs) will be commissioned by Sport England to drive up participation, and given increased responsibility to control the development of their sport. The new generation of whole sport plans will provide a single funding stream through which NGBs can co-ordinate the development of their facilities stock, improving their quality in concert with their participation objectives, and ensuring new demand is met.
From 2001, in excess of £1 billion government and National Lottery funding has helped develop or refurbish over 4,000 sports facilities. Many of these support multi-sport usage, which allows these resources to be maximised. Sport England has now established a facilities improvement service, alongside a range of planning tools for local authorities, as part of its core funded offer. This will encourage similar strategic planning at a local level and ensure that every community has access to as wide a range of facilities as possible.
Waste Management: Packaging Waste
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the remarks by Lord Rooker on 8 July (Official Report, House of Lords, col. GC 97—8) on the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2008, what are the figures for exports of packaging waste in 2007; and whether the quantities for paper, glass, aluminium, steel and plastic are additional; and [HL5708]
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Further to the remarks by Lord Rooker on 8 July (Official Report, House of Lords, col. GC 98) on the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2008, why 42 per cent of all aluminium was destined for recycling; and why it is necessary to export any aluminium for recycling. [HL5709]
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Updated figures show that the UK exported a total of 2.35 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2007. This waste comprised approximately:
Forty-two per cent of all packaging aluminium collected in the UK was exported for recovery. The remaining 58 per cent of aluminium was reprocessed in the UK.
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