Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 15 June 2006
Transport
A127/A13
The information requested is not available.
Air Miles
The Department for Transport and its agencies do not record air miles accrued by staff. Civil servants must conform to policy which states that benefits such as air miles arising from official travel may not be used for private journeys, but may be offset against further official travel.
Aircraft Corridors
At present, all UK airspace is controlled above approximately 24,500 ft above mean sea level up to 66,000 ft. This will change in July next year when, in order to comply with European legislation, the lower limit of this Upper Airspace Control Area will be reduced to 19,500 ft. In the Upper Airspace Control Area, air routes UN615, UN57, UN601 and UL46 currently cross the Ribble Valley constituency. In addition, air route UY99 overflies Lancashire.
In lower airspace, above the Ribble Valley and the adjacent areas of Lancashire, controlled airspace exists in the form of airways with stepped lower limits to accommodate the climb and descent profiles of aircraft operations associated with airports at Manchester and Liverpool. From west to east the routes are N615, lowest limit 6,500 ft; N57, lowest limit 5,500 ft; and N601, lowest limit 9,500 ft.
I have arranged for a chart to be placed in the Libraries of the House indicating these routes as they pass over the Ribble Valley and northern Lancashire, together with the associated lower vertical limits.
South of a line, which approximately joins Barnoldswick and Woodfold Hall (south of Mellor Brook), the airways are in the Manchester terminal area. The lower limit of controlled airspace immediately to the south of this line is 4,500 ft. Below these specified levels/altitude the airspace is uncontrolled.
The Civil Aviation Authority is not aware of any proposals to change the dimensions of controlled airspace over the Ribble Valley and Lancashire.
Aircraft Safety
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has advised that there are no certification or operational requirements related to Material Safety Data Sheets. Aircraft operators are not therefore required by civil aviation safety regulations to show them to crews or passengers.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has advised that there have been 373 reportable occurrences involving contaminated air during the 10 year period from 1 May 1996 to 30 April 2006, during which there were 13.8 million flights carried out by UK operators worldwide in public transport operations.
Seven aircraft types had 10 or more reportable occurrences of contaminated air, representing 75 per cent. of the total number of contaminated air occurrences in the 10 year period.
Aircraft type Reported occurrences involving contaminated air Percentage of total reported occurrences Boeing 757 94 25 British Aerospace BAe146 67 18 EmbraerEMB145 38 10 Boeing 737 29 8 De Havilland DHC8 22 6 Airbus A320 16 4 Airbus A319 14 4 Various other aircraft 93 25 Total 373 100
It has not been possible to establish from the Civil Aviation Authority’s medical records prior to1999 that any pilot attributed his/her symptoms to exposure to contaminated cabin air. During the past six years symptoms that have been reported by licence holders and attributed by them to exposure to contaminated cabin air have resulted in the suspension of medical fitness of 10 airline transport pilot licence holders. The periods of suspension varied according to the type of symptoms reported. However, the symptoms that have been reported by these pilots have been very varied and it has not been possible to attribute the symptoms reported to definite chemical exposures.
Antisocial Behaviour (Trains)
Figures for the ejection of passengers from trains are not recorded by the British Transport Police.
Aviation Security
The Secretary of State anticipates receipt of a report from the independent review team on airport policing before the summer parliamentary recess.
Biological Diversity
Under Section 74 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Ministers and Government Departments have a duty to have regard to the purpose of conserving biological diversity. This has been replaced by a similar provision under Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act which comes into effect on 1 October 2006. There is no statutory duty to monitor compliance with this duty.
The Department for Transport has taken a number of steps to benefit biodiversity. The Highways Agency has in place a comprehensive biodiversity action plan (HABAP) that ensures all habitats and species likely to be affected by its roads or form part of the roads estate are restored or enhanced as appropriate.
The UK through the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been very active in the development of the NW Europe Ballast Water Management Strategy and the International Maritime Organisation’s convention for the control management of ships ballast water and sediments, which aims to control non-indigenous species invading through the medium of ballast water and therefore protect maritime, coastal, and estuarine environments.
Under Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, all public bodies have a duty to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity in the exercising of their functions. There is no statutory obligation on Departments to monitor the extent to which public bodies comply with this duty. However, we understand the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is working with a wide range of partners to develop guidance for public bodies to support the implementation of this duty and will involve all relevant Departments on the development of guidance.
Black/Asian Employees
Information on ethnicity is collected on a voluntary basis, and not all members of staff wish to declare their ethnic origin. Our existing database does not identify any staff working in the press office who have declared that they are from an ethnic minority.
Bus Delivery Plan
The Department does not intend to publish the delivery plan for its public service agreement target to increase bus and light rail patronage. It is a working document intended for internal planning purposes that is used for the formulation of Government policy.
Information on the detail and delivery of the public transport PSA target is available in the Department’s Annual Reports and Autumn Performance Reports on PSA targets. These can be found on the DfT website and in the Library of the House.
Bus Services
The information requested is in the following table.
Region Eastern North East/ North West Scotland South East and Met. Wales Western West Midlands Agreed number of posts for 2006 1 4 6 2 3 2 1 2001-02 1st quarter 1 4 2 2 1 2 1 2nd quarter 1 4 2 2 1 2 1 3rd quarter 1 4 2 2 1 2 1 4th quarter 1 4 2 2 1 2 1 2002-03 1st quarter 1 4 2 2 1 2 1 2nd quarter 1 4 2 2 1 2 1 3rd quarter 1 3 2 2 1 2 1 4th quarter 1 4 2 2 1 2 1 2003-04 1st quarter 1 4 2 2 1 2 1 2nd quarter 1 4 2 2 3 2 1 3rd quarter 1 3 2 2 3 2 1 4th quarter 1 4 2 2 3 2 1 2004-05 1st quarter 1 4 2 2 3 2 1 2nd quarter 1 4 3 2 3 2 1 3rd quarter 1 3 4 1 3 2 1 4th quarter 1 4 4 1 3 2 1 2005-06 1st quarter 1 4 3 2 3 2 1 2nd quarter 1 3 4 2 3 2 1 2nd quarter 1 4 3 2 3 2 1 3rd quarter 1 4 6 2 3 2 1
The majority of financial support for bus services is provided by local authorities in line with policy choices made at a local level, from their Revenue Support Grant supplemented by Rural Bus Subsidy Grant paid to authorities by the Department. The figures requested are shown in the following tables and include re-imbursement of concessionary fares on local buses, (consistent figures are available only from 1998-99).
£ per head Durham Tyne and Wear Northumberland All North East 1998-99 9.4 29.7 6.0 18.0 1999-2000 9.9 28.6 6.9 17.7 2000-01 10.6 28.7 6,7 17.7 2001-02 12.1 28.9 7.5 18.2 2002-03 12.7 29.7 9.0 19.2 2003-04 14.1 25.4 10.3 18.1 2004-05 13.6 25.1 12.3 18.6
£000 Durham Tyne and Wear Northumberland All North East 1998-99 4,681 32,750 1,839 46,116 1999-2000 4,907 31,377 2,129 45,101 2000-01 5,268 31,280 2,071 45,115 2001-02 5,994 31,375 2,309 46,254 2002-03 6,272 32,236 2,773 48,770 2003-04 6,972 27,480 3,177 46,007 2004-05 6,740 27,204 3,814 47,328 Note: The figures for Tyne and Wear contain some inconsistencies which are currently being checked by the passenger transport executive. Source: Local authority returns to DCLG, revenue outturn (RO2).
In addition, operators of local bus services receive Bus Service Operators Grant from this Department. This is paid direct to operators and is not attributed to a specific area.
Confederation of Passenger Transport
There are no current inward secondments from the Confederation of Passenger Transport.
There has been one pay band 6 (grade 7) secondment to the Confederation of Passenger Transport since the Department for Transport was formed in May 2002. The secondment lasted three years and 10 months from May 2002.
Correspondence
I have now written to the hon. Member on this matter, and apologise for the delay.
Departmental Credit Card
The Department does not issue official credit cards. The Department uses charge cards which are issued to officials, including some senior civil servants, to meet specific business needs.
The Department has adopted the Government Procurement Card for purchasing low-value goods and services, and Corporate Cards for some official travel and related expenditure, issued under the umbrella of the OGCbuying.solutions pre-tendered National Framework contract.
At the end of April 2006, six Government Procurement Cards and 21 Corporate Cards were held by senior civil servants.
Departmental Staff
The gender split of staff employed by the Department for Transport at 31 December 2005 along with the percentage of those reporting to be disabled are set out in the following table.
Responsibility level Male Female Department declaring being disabled SCS Level 78.34 21.66 1.38 Grade 6/7 78.33 21.67 3.41 SEO/HEO 69.79 30.21 4.72 EO 65.30 34.70 4.69 AO/AA 39.74 60.26 6.93 Others1 85.02 14.98 1.15 Total 56.62 43.38 5.39 1 Others relate to staff in HA, GCDA and VOSA whose grades do not fit into the general clerical grade structure.
Members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) can pay additional contributions to top up their pension either through the Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contributions Scheme (CSAVCS), a money purchase arrangement, or by buying added years of service in the PCSPS. As an alternative to membership of the PCSPS recruits from 1 October 2002 have been able to join a stakeholder arrangement, the partnership pension account.
The number and percentage of staff in the department (including the Agencies) who are making additional voluntary contributions to their pension as at 26 May 2006 are shown in the following table.
Number Percentage CSAVCS 300 1.56 Added Years 523 2.72 Partnership 327 1.70
The Department for Transport provides the following incentives to encourage staff to use public transport for travelling to and from work:
Salary advances for the purchase of season tickets
Desktop journey planning tools
Promotion of public transport and local and national transport information via intranets, internal newsletters and other communication routes.
Deputy Prime Minister (Government Car)
Guidance on the use and provision of Government cars is set out in Travel by Ministers and the Ministerial Code. It is for individual Ministers to account for their travel arrangements.
Discounted Oil
The supply of oil or oil products at discounted rates to the UK is a commercial decision for Venezuela. The Department is not at present aware of any firm commitment by the Government of Venezuela to do so. It is therefore not possible to speculate on the potential implications for UK’s transport infrastructure.
Gershon Report
The Department’s 2006 annual report records 16,338 full-time equivalent (FTE) civil servants in the Department for Transport, including its six agencies, for 31 March 2004 and 18,005 FTE for 31 March 2008. The Gershon Report proposed a reduction of 700-500 from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and 200 from the Centre of the Department by 31 March 2008. On 31 March 2006, DVLA and the centre had exceeded their trajectories for 2005-06 and are making good progress towards meeting the 2007-08 target. Further detail will be available in the Department’s Autumn Performance Report. The Department’s headcount reflects the 700 reductions in back office areas and necessary increases in front-line service areas—transport security, accident prevention, driving test provision, and traffic officer services—in order to meet customer demand. The Department has also taken on the Strategic Rail Authority’s responsibilities.
Greater Western Franchise
The High Return Alternative Tender (HRAT) formed part of the Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the Greater Western Franchise issued by the Strategic Rail Authority in June 2005. The Department intends to make this public once the franchise agreement has been placed on the public register, and is working to do this as soon as possible.
The Department did not require bidders to submit an HRAT in its Invitation to Tender for the South Western franchise, nor does it intend to require bidders to submit HRATs with future ITTs.
Information Technology
The total spend for the Department for Transport and its agencies on IT sourced from outside the Department in each of the last five years is as follows:-
£ million 2001-02 70.2 2002-03 158.8 2003-04 151.3 2004-05 167.3 2005-06 244.5
The accounting officer is the person ultimately responsible for IT projects in DfT. This will normally be agency chief executives (who are also the agency accounting officers) or the permanent secretary (the departmental accounting officer). There are two additional accounting officers in Department for Transport (one for the Driver, Vehicle and Operator Group and one for rail).
Accounting officers will in turn be advised by their head of IT or equivalent, or the project manager for the relevant project.
Bearing in mind disproportionate costs, it is not feasible to identify and list all those involved in DfT with their expertise and qualifications. However, some 400 DfT staff have been trained in programme and project management as part of the Professional Skills for Government initiative. Of these, some 47 in the senior civil service and some 150 below the SCS have so far obtained related qualifications.
The Department was formed in May 2002. A table showing the five largest information technology contracts agreed by the Department since that date has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
International Car Free Day
The Department for Transport sponsors the UK Co-ordinator of the “In Town, Without My Car!” Campaign who oversees the process by which local authorities in England and Wales register to participate in International Car Free Day, which is on 22 September.
Each local authority has been sent a newsletter and information about European Mobility Week, which will take place between 16 to 22 September, and they have been invited to register to participate in the event. A new Good Practice Guide has recently been published and is available free of charge to members of the public.
This year, “In Town, Without My Car!” Good Practice Guides and an information sheet “European Mobility Week—You Control Climate Change” were distributed to local authorities in England, Northern Ireland, the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Executive.
An advertisement to promote “In Town, Without My Car!” will shortly appear in an edition of “Local Transport Today” and a copy of the Good Practice Guide will be enclosed in each copy.
Regional workshops are being held and information linked to the campaign disseminated via the DfT website.
Additionally, the results of the campaign are registered on the website of www.22september.org and are used to monitor progress and the effectiveness of individual initiatives.
Local Authority Roads
The local roads defects index in the national road maintenance condition survey is based on a sample survey of assessment sites throughout England and Wales. As the survey is not designed to provide statistically valid estimates below regional level, results for Essex county council and Colchester borough council are not available.
The conclusions on the visual condition of local roads in England as a whole are set out in Chapters 2 and 3 of the national road maintenance condition survey report, with further details of the statistical process provided in Annexe 3 of the report. The report for 2005 was published on 20 April 2006 and a copy placed in the House of Commons Library.
M4 Widening
The Department has no current plans for widening the M4.
Milton Keynes and South Midlands Spatial Strategy
Specific funding is already being made available to support transport schemes around the Wellingborough area.
This includes growth area funding of £4.4 million to improve services and infrastructure on the X4 bus route linking Wellingborough with Northampton, Kettering, Corby, Oundle, Milton Keynes and Peterborough and £2.5 million for the Rushden Town Centre link road.
Northamptonshire have commissioned a series of transportation studies to inform the development of a specific transport strategy for growth.
Nitrogen Dioxide
Diffusion tube data have not been used by the Department in assessing the air quality in the Heathrow area as part of the Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow. Diffusion tube data may be useful for trend analysis but are not deemed appropriate for the purpose of monitoring compliance. The EC Directive and UK air quality objectives require the use of automatic analysers.
The reference method for assessing the concentration of nitrogen dioxide to demonstrate compliance with EU air quality legislation is given in Directive 1999/30/EC as that defined in ISO 7996: 1985 “Ambient air—determination of the mass concentration of nitrogen oxides—chemiluminescence method”. A member state may however use any other method which it can demonstrate gives equivalent results. Data from the Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN) are used to fulfil the UK’s obligations to monitor nitrogen dioxide concentrations in air and to report the results to the European Commission. The AURN has 94 urban and 16 rural nitrogen dioxide monitoring stations, all of which use the chemiluminescence method.
Northern Way Initiative
The Northern Way is a pan-regional growth strategy being taken forward by the three northern regional development agencies and their partners. Its work has potential to play an important role in delivering the Government’s Regional Economic Performance PSA. The Department for Communities and Local Government co-ordinates Government involvement with the Northern Way.
The DCLG, Her Majesty’s Treasury and the Department of Trade and Industry are currently working with the Northern Way to reinvigorate its work and focus more clearly on a smaller number of key priorities to deliver its strategy. As part of this process, the three Departments have recently been discussing with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education and Skills, DfES and the DfT their engagement with the Northern Way and how this might be strengthened. The DfT is represented on both the Northern Way’s strategic policy group and the transport compact.
Promotion Boards
Promotion in the DfT is achieved by way of promotion board panels, often for particular posts, and through assessment centres for certain grades within and below the senior civil service.
Information on the number of boards held is not collected centrally.
Racial Abuse
There have been a total of four complaints of racial abuse across the Department and its Executive Agencies over the past five years. None of these complaints has been upheld.
Railways
[holding answer 14 June 2006]: The Department do regulate some rail fares but many are a commercial matter for the operator concerned. We are discussing with train operators what might be done to simplify passengers’ choice of fares. We are also discussing with National Rail Enquiries how fares information might be better presented.
[holding answer 5 June 2006]: The timetable specification formed part of the invitation to tender (ITT) for the Greater Western franchise, issued by the Strategic Rail Authority in June 2005. The Department intends to make this public once the franchise agreement has been placed on the public register, and is working to do this as soon as possible.
[holding answer 17 May 2006]: Network Rail and the train operators are taking forward the installation of CCTV at stations as part of an ongoing programme of work. Franchise agreements already include funding to make improvements to station facilities and this would include the installation of CCTV where appropriate. About a third of the 2,500 stations on the national network already have CCTV in place.
Network Rail is a private sector company, so decisions on bonuses paid to its directors and other employees are a matter for it. Network Rail’s preliminary results for the year to 31 March 2006 and accompanying press notice provide information on bonuses and are available on the company’s website, www.networkrail.co.uk.
Reading borough council has submitted to the Department a local transport plan major scheme bid for Reading Station. Decisions on major scheme bids will need to take account of the advice from regions on their priorities within regional funding allocations, which we are currently considering.
The Department is a member, alongside Network Rail and the Government office for the South East, of the Reading Station Partnership Board which is led by the local authority. Departmental officials last attended the board when the finalised business case for the enhanced capacity elements of the project was presented.
The Department continues to discuss the project with relevant parties, especially with regard to the funding of the capital element of the project. In the invitation to tender for the South Western franchise, bidders have been invited to include indicative proposals for the costs of operating AirTrack services, assuming the necessary infrastructure is in place.
Recruitment
The Department for Transport and its agencies have spent the following amount on recruitment, search and selection agencies in each of the last five years:
£ 2001-02 141,000 2002-03 263,000 2003-04 416,000 2004-05 1,152,000 2005-06 634,000 Note: The figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
Redhill Aerodrome
The Government’s policy on airport capacity is set out in “The Future of Air Transport” White Paper. The White Paper did not support major commercial development at Redhill Aerodrome because of its close proximity to Gatwick Airport and the associated airspace conflicts.
Road Improvements (Suffolk)
The information is as follows:
(a) The following table shows the funding allocated to Suffolk county council in the local transport capital settlements between 1997-98 and 2005-06. The integrated transport block allocations are available for local authorities to use on road and public transport improvements, according to their local priorities.
£000 Nature of funding 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Highways Capital Maintenance — — — 4,472 13,467 11 ,808 12,316 14,485 15,274 Integrated Transport — — — 4,000 7,500 8,150 8,250 7,745 7,350 Total allocation 4,939 4,636 5,554 8,472 20,967 19,958 20,566 22,230 22,624
In addition Suffolk county council is receiving £30.5 million for the South Lowestoft Relief Road that will remove the major traffic flows from the old A12 allowing significant bus, safety and environmental improvements.
(b) Information relating to central funding for each local authority for road improvements since 1997 was placed in the Libraries of the House on 18 January 2006 and is also available on the DFT website.
Royal Flight
Since 1 January 2003, the BAe 146 and HS125 aircraft of 32 Squadron have been used for private purposes on four occasions. The details are as follows:
27 March 2004 - HRH the Duke of Edinburgh
Northolt - Stuttgart - Northolt (HS125) Reimbursement cost £6,375.
8 June 2004 - HM the Queen
Deauville - Northolt (BAe 146) Reimbursement cost £2,150.
5-7 November 2004 - HM the Queen
Northolt - Manchester - Northolt (HS125) Reimbursement cost £3,547.
11 November 2005 - HM the Queen
Blackpool - Northolt (BAe 146) Reimbursement cost £4,054.
Smoking
Where general legislation on smoking is not in force it is for local bus operators to determine and enforce their own policies on passengers smoking on their vehicles, ultimately with recourse through the courts.
There is no specific prohibition on smoking while driving a vehicle. Road traffic legislation places responsibility on all drivers to have proper control of their vehicles. Any motorist who fails to do so, for whatever reason, such as smoking, or eating and drinking, is liable to prosecution.
Taxi Drivers
The majority of taxi drivers are self-employed and there are no restrictions on the amount of time such drivers are allowed to drive in one shift.
Thames Crossing (Greater Reading Area)
(2) what progress his Department has made on bringing local authorities together to execute a plan for a third Thames crossing in the Greater Reading area.
Although officials in the Government office for the South East have regular meetings with the authorities in the Thames Valley area, they have not been party to any recent meetings to specifically discuss a third Thames crossing in the Greater Reading area.
Transport Acts
The provision of a definitive list would require extensive consultation with other Government Departments and incur disproportionate costs. The following are the general Acts passed during the relevant period which remain in force and which appear to the Department for Transport to be those for which it has primary policy responsibility.
Road Traffic (Drivers’ Ages and Hours of Work) Act 1976 (1976 c 3)
Transport Act 1978 (1978 c 55)
Carriage by Air and Road Act 1979 (1979 c 28)
British Aerospace Act 1980 (1980 c 26)
Civil Aviation Act 1980 (1980 c 60)
Highways Act 1980 (1980 c 66)
Transport Act 1980 (1980 c 34)
Ports (Financial Assistance) Act 1981 (1981 c 21)
Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 (1981 c 14)
Transport Act 1981 (1981 c 56)
Aviation Security Act 1982 (1982 c 36)
Civil Aviation Act 1982 (1982 c 16)
Merchant Shipping (Liner Conferences) Act 1982 (1982 c 37)
Transport (Finance) Act 1982 (1982 c 6)
Transport Act 1982 (1982 c 49)
Civil Aviation (Eurocontrol) Act 1983 (1983 c 11)
International Transport Conventions Act 1983 (1983 c 14)
Level Crossings Act 1983 (1983 c 16)
Ports (Reduction of Debt) Act 1983 (1983 c 22)
Transport Act 1983 (1983 c 10)
Cycle Tracks Act 1984 (1984 c 38)
Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (1984 c 27)
Dangerous Vessels Act 1985 (1985 c 22)
London Regional Transport (Amendment) Act 1985 (1985 c 10)
Ports (Finance) Act 1985 (1985 c 30)
Transport Act 1985 (1985 c 67)
Airports Act 1986 (1986 c 31)
Dockyard Services Act 1986 (1986 c 52)
Highways (Amendment) Act 1986 (1986 c 13)
Road Traffic Regulation (Parking) Act 1986 (1986 c 27)
Channel Tunnel Act 1987 (1987 c 53)
Motor Cycle Noise Act 1987 (1987 c 34)
Pilotage Act 1987 (1987 c 21)
Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Act 1988 (1988 c 20)
Merchant Shipping Act 1988 (1988 c 12)
Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Rear Seat Belts by Children) Act 1988 (1988 c 23)
Road Traffic (Consequential Provisions) Act 1988 (1988 c 54)
Road Traffic Act 1988 (1988 c 52)
Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (1988 c 53)
Parking Act 1989 (1989 c 16)
Road Traffic (Driver Licensing and Information Systems) Act 1989 (1989 c 22)
Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990 (1990 c 31)
Civil Aviation Authority (Borrowing Powers) Act 1990 (1990 c 2)
Horses (Protective Headgear for Young Riders) Act 1990 (1990 c 25)
British Railways Board (Finance) Act 1991 (1991 c 63)
Motor Vehicles (Safety Equipment for Children) Act 1991 (1991 c 14)
New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (1991 c 22)
Ports Act 1991 (1991 c 52)
Radioactive Material (Road Transport) Act 1991 (1991 c 27)
Road Traffic (Temporary Restrictions) Act 1991 (1991 c 26)
Road Traffic Act 1991 (1991 c 40)
Traffic Calming Act 1992 (1992 c 30)
Transport and Works Act 1992 (1992 c 42)
Railways Act 1993 (1993 c 43)
Road Traffic (Driving Instruction by Disabled Persons) Act 1993 (1993 c 31)
Road Traffic Regulation (Special Events) Act 1994 (1994 c 11)
Transport Police (Jurisdiction) Act 1994 (1994 c 8)
Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 (1994 c 22)
Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995 (1995 c 23)
Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (1995 c 21)
Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995 (1995 c 13)
Shipping and Trading Interests (Protection) Act 1995 (1995 c 22)
Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996 (1996 c 61)
Civil Aviation (Amendment) Act 1996 (1996 c 39)
London Regional Transport Act 1996 (1996 c 21)
Railway Heritage Act 1996 (1996 c 42)
Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Act 1997 (1997 c 28)
Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 (1997 c 54)
Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 (1998 c 34)
Road Traffic Reduction (National Targets) Act 1998 (1998 c 24)
Road Traffic (NHS Charges) Act 1999 (1999 c 3)
Road Traffic (Vehicle Testing) Act 1999 (1999 c 12)
Transport Act 2000 (2000 c 38)
Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 (2001 c 3)
Private Hire Vehicles (Carriage of Guide Dogs etc.) Act 2002 (2002 c 37)
Travel Concessions (Eligibility) Act 2002 (2002 c 4)
Aviation (Offences) Act 2003 (2003 c 19)
Marine Safety Act 2003 (2003 c 16)
Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (2003 c 20)
Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004 (2004 c 29)
Traffic Management Act 2004 (2004 c 18)
Railways Act 2005 (2005 c 14)
Merchant Shipping (Pollution) Act 2006 (2006 c 8)
Transport Infrastructure Schemes (Thames Valley)
Since the Local Transport Settlement in December 1998 the Thames Valley area has received £370 million for local transport improvements and maintenance schemes. This figure is broken down in the following table. In addition Buckinghamshire county council is receiving £32.5 million for the A4146 Stoke Hammond and Linslade Western Bypass.
The Highways Agency has also made available £44 million in funding for the A41 Aston Clinton Bypass as well as £72 million for the A34 Chieveley/M4 Junction 13 improvement since 1998.
£ million 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Bracknell Forest 0.839 0.780 1.580 1.756 1.654 2.804 2.479 1.651 Reading 2.562 2.902 7.350 6.294 6.951 9.367 6.747 7.121 Slough 0.863 0.884 1.312 1.500 1.434 1.467 1.536 1.532 West Berkshire 1.850 1.732 2.885 3.130 3.233 3.970 3.969 3.738 Windsor 1.392 1.581 2.725 2.791 3.075 3.353 3.268 3.002 Wokingham 1.118 1.471 2.319 2.372 2.797 2.648 2.644 2.538 Oxfordshire 6.764 10.557 18.545 18.613 19.927 23.957 27.283 22.851 Buckinghamshire 4.377 5.879 13.027 12.340 12.435 13.807 10.773 11.469 Total 19.765 25.786 49.743 48.796 51.506 61.373 58.699 53.902
In addition, the Government are providing record levels of funding for railways infrastructure through the passenger franchises and by direct grant to Network Rail. This funding is not classified by local authority area, but the Thames Valley local authority areas have benefited from work by Network Rail to address the rail infrastructure renewals backlog. Particular local authorities have benefited from rail enhancement projects, including Buckinghamshire from improvements to the Chiltern Line and Berkshire authorities from replacement of “slam door” rolling stock on the Reading/Windsor—Waterloo route.
Prime Minister
Civil Service Bill
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Murphy) to my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock Chase (Dr. Wright) on 8 November 2005, Official Report, column 159.
Correspondence
My Office has replied to the hon. Member.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Avian Influenza
At the request of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, DEFRA officials held discussions with Mr. Steve Moon, Chair of the Association of Local Government Ecologists. An offer was extended to Mr. Moon, or another representative of the association, to participate in the DEFRA avian influenza stakeholder group. This offer was declined.
Coastal Access
(2) what the estimated cost is of implementing the coastal access proposals of the Countryside Agency;
(3) what areas of the country would be exempt from the Countryside Agency’s coastal access proposals;
(4) how many people were involved in the consultation by the Countryside Agency on coastal access; what the cost of the consultation is; which areas are involved in the consultation; what questions are being asked; and when he expects (a) the consultation to be completed and (b) the findings to be passed to him;
(5) what assistance his Department will provide (a) to landowners and (b) to prevent damage to the coastline if the Countryside Agency’s coastal access proposals are implemented.
In line with DEFRA’s five-year strategy we are looking at ways to improve access to the English coast. We have asked the Countryside Agency, working together with its Natural England partners, English Nature and the Rural Development Service, to undertake additional research and analysis to identify a range of options.
As part of this work, the Natural England partnership has taken forward an information- gathering exercise to collect data on a national basis to develop a comprehensive picture of the coast and existing access provision. Advice will be submitted to DEFRA at the end of July, and will serve to inform a full public consultation paper in October. The consultation will discuss the best ways to improve access to the English coast, including costs and any legislative changes needed to support their implementation. It will be supported by a partial Regulatory Impact Assessment. The results of the consultation exercise will be published.
The Countryside Agency, along with its Natural England partners English Nature and the Rural Development Service, is represented on DEFRA’s Coastal Land Advisory Group. Meetings of the Group have provided a forum for coastal access issues to be discussed with the National Trust, Local Government Association, Ministry of Defence, Environment Agency, English Heritage, Welsh Assembly Government and the Forestry Commission.
The National Countryside Access Forum, chaired by the Countryside Agency, considered coastal access issues at its meeting on 17 May 2006. The Forum’s membership includes the British Horse Society, British Mountaineering Council, Central Council for Physical Recreation, Country Land and Business Association, Cyclists Touring Club, Local Government Association, Moorland Association, National Farmers’ Union, National Trust, Ramblers Association and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Representatives from local access forums, the Countryside Council for Wales and Scottish Natural Heritage also attended the meeting on 17 May 2006.
In addition, the Natural England partnership held a series of stakeholder events in each of four study areas in which they have been doing detailed work on options to improve access to the English coast. At these events they sought the views and expertise of a wide range of local organisations, including the local authorities for each of the areas concerned.
The Countryside Agency held initial discussions with the Crown Estate in 2005. My officials also met representatives from the Crown Estate on 6 December 2005.
The Countryside Agency, along with its Natural England partners English Nature and the Rural Development Service, has carried out a detailed data-gathering exercise to support a comprehensive picture of the English coast and existing access provision. This work includes in-depth investigation, testing and costing of a number of possible ways to improve access, and ways to maximise landscape, historic environment and wildlife benefits.
In 2005 the Countryside Agency carried out short studies of six different parts of the English coast to gain an understanding of different coastal environments. In January 2006 the Natural England Partnership selected four study areas in which they are exploring coastal access issues in greater depth. These areas, selected to reflect the diversity of the English coast, are the Suffolk Coast, Southern Cumbrian Coast and Morecambe Bay, County Durham and Hartlepool Coast, North Devon, Exmoor and the West Somerset Coast.
The Countryside Agency has also commissioned a study to examine how coastal access works in other European countries and what might be learnt from their experience. Further survey work is being done to assess current public knowledge about the demand for and use of coastal access, along with research into the costs of possible options to improve coastal access.
The Department has not carried out any public consultations on coastal access in the last five years.
Housing
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Minister for Housing and Planning, my hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) and I all took part in discussions of the Affordable Rural Housing Commission report on the day of its launch. Affordable rural housing will continue to be one of the subjects covered in the regular dialogue between the two Departments and across Government.
The Government are currently considering the report and will use a range of channels and mechanisms to respond in a constructive way to the agenda set by the Commission, including in the forthcoming Spending Review.
Payment Schemes
By 7 June 2006, 22,500 applications for Entry Level Stewardship had been received, and a total of £17.4 million paid to agreement holders.
Rural Development Service
The total cost was £8,300.
There are no plans to issue further leaflets.
Single Farm Payments
We are determined that the right lessons are learned from our experience this year with the Single Payment Scheme, first to prepare for the undoubted challenges that will exist in the delivery of the 2006 scheme, and secondly to move to a more stable position for the 2007 scheme year. Work has already started to this end with the measures set out on 29 March 2006, Official Report, column 305WH, by my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Bradshaw) and the subsequent appointment of Mr. Tony Cooper as interim chief executive of the Rural Payments Agency. But this is a long-term project with no quick or easy solutions.
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is responsible for the maintenance of the Rural Land Register (RLR), and information from the RLR is used to support claims to the Single Payment Scheme. The process of digitising land and amending existing land registrations has been amended recently, with activity brought back on to RPA's main computer system. This followed a period when an outsourced provider was used to digitise land during a period of exceptionally high demand.
The digitisation process itself includes a number of quality checks to ensure that the correct land parcel and area are digitised. Where errors are found they are corrected before maps are issued to customers. Further amendments are made where customers identify issues with the maps they receive. RPA is aware of a number of cases where there have been issues with maps sent to customers. The re-establishment of an in-house process will aid the cross-check of new and amended land areas to customer details.
Single Payment Scheme
[holding answer 25 May 2006]: The gross running costs of the Rural Payment Agency (RPA) for 2005-06 were £236.5 million, of which £55.1 million related to one-off costs associated with the RPA change programme and common agricultural policy reform implementation. The balance of £181.4 million represented the costs of RPA’s normal operations, of which the administration of the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) forms part.
For the 2005 SPS scheme year, there were 120,000 claims with an expected value of £1.5 million (net of modulation).
Subsidies (Rossendale)
We have identified one farmer in the Rossendale area who has an existing debt with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). The matter has been referred to the RPA Legal Division for a decision on whether legal proceedings should be issued to recover the debt. RPA is not aware of any other existing or potential overpayments in the Rossendale area.
Timber
The model conditions of contract that Departments are advised to use in respect of their timber purchases require contractors to obtain documentary evidence that the timber and wood derived products supplied are legal timber. The conditions further require the contractor to identify a chain of custody from the forest source through to delivery of the final product and to obtain independent verification if requested by the contracting authority.
Leader of the House
Departmental Hospitality
My Office already keeps records on alcohol and hospitality costs. It spent approximately £1,150.00 on alcohol in the financial year 2005-06.
Wales
Departmental Chief Accounting Officer
As set out in the annual report (Col. 6385, published 25 May 2006), the Wales Office pays grant to the National Assembly for Wales, accounting directly within the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) for its own expenditure of some £5 million a year. Its director is appointed as an additional accounting officer to the DCA permanent secretary. The director combines these duties with responsibility for the overall organisation, management, staffing and procedures of the Wales Office.
The director is Alan Cogbill, a graduate entrant to the civil service. He has no professional accountancy qualification. He has experience as finance director of the DCA, and has undertaken civil service training in Government finance and accounting. He is assisted by professionally qualified accountants in DCA as need be.
Treasury
World Poverty
The Treasury works closely with DFID to deliver a substantial and high quality UK aid programme, and also with the international community to make progress towards the 2015 Millennium Development Goals. DFID’s budget is increasing from £3.8 billion in 2004-05 to £5.3 billion in 2007-08—making a real terms increase of 140 per cent. since 1997. I have announced a timetable to reach the UN target of 0.7 per cent. ODA/GNI in 2013.
The MDGs and global poverty were at the heart of the UK Presidencies of the EU and the G7/8 in 2005. The international community committed to raise an additional $50 billion of aid by 2010, to cancel 100 per cent. of the multilateral debts of the world’s poorest countries, and to launch the International Finance Facility for Immunisation. G8 leaders also agreed to achieve universal access to AIDS treatment for all those who need it by 2010, and work on Advance Market Commitments for vaccines against malaria, HIV/AIDS and other priority diseases.
These are the sorts of measures needed to get progress towards the MDGs back on track. The key challenge now is for donors to fully implement their commitments and for developing countries to develop 10-year plans to meet the MDGs.
Competitiveness
I refer the hon. Members to what I said on the Floor of the House earlier today in reply to the hon. Member for Bromsgrove (Miss Kirkbride).
Biodiesel
Biodiesel attracts a favourable duty differential of 20 pence per litre less than that for the main road fuels. In line with the alternative fuels framework, we have guaranteed that this differential will continue until 2008-09. Changes to duty rates, including that for biodiesel, are made by the Chancellor in the light of a range of social, environmental and economic factors.
Bonuses
The payment of end-year bonuses is linked to an individual’s overall performance mark in their annual performance appraisal for the previous year. Prior to 2004-05 HMT operated a system for staff below Senior Civil Servant (SCS) with the following categories:
Top 5 per cent.
Next 30-35 per cent.
Next 50-55 per cent.
Next 5-10 per cent.
with those in the top two categories being awarded a bonus.
The categories in appraisal year 2004-05 were changed to:
Top 20 per cent.
Next 60 per cent.
Bottom 20 per cent.
with only those in the top category being awarded a bonus, which were paid in 2005-06. As a result the average size of end-year bonuses increased significantly.
Child Pregnancies
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 15 June 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many girls aged 16 and under (a) became pregnant, (b) had an abortion, (c) gave birth and gave the child up for adoption and (d) gave birth and kept the child in each year since 1985, broken down by (i) age and (ii) region. I am replying in her absence. (75626)
Available figures are estimates of the number of pregnancies that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or termination.
Number of conceptions to girls aged under 14, 14, 15 and 16 from 1987 to 2004 (the latest year for which figures are available) are shown in Table 1. Figures for 1985 and 1986 are not provided because ONS amended the method for calculating woman's age at conception and revised data are not available prior to 1987.
Conception figures are routinely published each year by region for all girls aged under 16. Conception to girls aged 16 years by region can only be made available at a disproportionate cost.
Number of conceptions to girls aged under 16 by region from 1992 to 2004 (the latest year for which figures are available) are shown in Table 2. There have been Government Office Regional boundary changes prior to 1992 and figures prior to then are not compatible with later years.
Number of abortions to girls aged 14 and under, 15 and 16 from 1987 to 2004 (the latest year for which figures are available) are shown in Table 3. Figures for girls for aged 14 and under are grouped to protect small numbers which may be revealed by previously published data.
Numbers of abortions to girls aged 16 and under, by regional offices in England from 1987 to 2004 are shown in Table 4.
Number of live births to girls aged under 12, 12 ,13, 14, 15 and 16 from 1985 to 2005 (the latest year for which figures are available) are shown in Table 5.
Figures on live births by region have been compiled on the same basis as conceptions and number of live births to girls aged under 16 by Government Office Region from 1992 to 2005 are shown in Table 6.
Information is not available on how many girls aged 16 years and under gave birth and gave the child up for adoption and gave birth and kept the child.
Age of mother Under 14 14 15 16 All under 17 1987 312 1,777 6,538 16,112 24,739 1988 270 1,652 6,336 15,395 23,653 1989 223 1,650 6,077 14,703 22,653 1990 316 1,754 6,069 13,923 22,062 1991 318 1,686 5,476 12,623 20,103 1992 363 1,632 5,222 11,932 19,149 1993 368 1,774 5,125 11,031 18,298 1994 397 1,938 5,460 11,336 19,131 1995 382 1,834 5,835 12,382 20,433 1996 451 1,961 6,445 14,284 23,141 1997 365 1,964 5,942 14,058 22,329 1998 423 1,988 6,041 13,802 22,254 1999 406 1,866 5,673 13,334 21,279 2000 397 1,890 5,827 13,153 21,267 2001 400 1,890 5,613 13,103 21,006 2002 390 1,858 5,627 13,475 21,350 2003 334 1,888 5,802 13,303 21,327 20041 341 1,751 5,521 13,616 21,229 1 Provisional. Source: Office for National Statistics.
North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands West Midlands East London South East South West Wales England and Wales 1992 478 1,095 907 641 924 571 867 788 764 470 7,217 1993 560 1,140 825 634 917 563 867 794 502 465 7,267 1994 567 1,172 956 632 1,030 576 965 840 552 505 7,795 1995 627 1,165 894 702 998 608 1,019 890 581 567 8,051 1996 659 1,272 971 737 1,103 647 1,171 1,006 646 644 8,856 1997 621 1,106 971 655 1,012 631 1,141 972 598 564 8,271 1998 570 1,177 972 701 1,035 635 1,152 960 653 597 8,452 1999 499 1,178 919 616 890 627 1,058 963 658 537 7,945 2000 522 1,157 831 631 994 613 1,246 983 643 495 8,115 2001 460 1,068 861 610 934 642 1,252 977 603 496 7,903 2002 460 1,090 928 609 904 650 1,229 952 573 480 7,875 2003 498 1,180 876 606 925 636 1,247 984 606 466 8,024 20041 481 1,074 871 611 898 601 1,127 918 598 434 7,613 1 Provisional. Source: Office for National Statistics.
Age of mother 14 and under 15 16 Total 16 and under 1987 859 2,702 5,623 9,184 1988 811 2,573 5,914 9,298 1989 776 2,449 5,365 8,590 1990 830 2,424 5,014 8,268 1991 839 2,155 4,435 7,429 1992 864 1,963 3,984 6,811 1993 913 2,001 3,401 6,315 1994 978 1,953 4,037 6,968 1995 889 2,177 4,097 7,163 1996 1,023 2,380 4,911 8,314 1997 967 2,279 4,952 8,198 1998 1,032 2,490 5,031 8,553 1999 1,002 2,387 5019 8,408 2000 990 2,559 5,162 8,711 2001 1,009 2,429 5,308 8,746 2002 1,021 2,498 5,357 8,876 2003 1,100 2,644 5,456 9,200 2004 983 2,591 5,433 9,007 Source: Department of Health
Northern and Yorkshire Trent Anglia and Oxford North Thames South Thames South and West West Midlands North West Total 1987 1,285 1,000 432 1,316 1,247 1,353 1,290 1,261 9,184 1988 1,328 988 402 1,339 1,203 1,360 1,258 1,420 9,298 1989 1,287 972 402 1,261 1,112 1,215 1,169 1,172 8,590 1990 1,258 858 361 1,206 1,058 1,272 1,087 1,168 8,268 1991 1,144 804 299 1,075 944 1,025 1,019 1,119 7,429 1992 1,043 726 252 1,029 901 948 899 1,013 6,811 1993 1,083 756 256 662 870 910 850 928 6,315 1994 1,047 760 516 951 956 835 905 998 6,968 1995 1,043 711 684 1,024 1,021 786 901 993 7,163 1996 1,164 906 752 1,187 1,154 922 1,043 1,186 8,314 1997 1,129 880 752 1,214 1,109 897 1,048 1,169 8,198 1998 1,181 917 805 1,213 1,183 980 1,091 1,183 8,553 1999 1,143 936 839 1,417 1,050 946 1,077 1,000 8,408 2000 1,140 880 929 1,424 1,086 1,039 1,131 1,082 8,711 2001 1,067 859 871 1,544 1,091 1,071 1,192 1,051 8,746
North East North West Yorkshire and Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England London South East South West Total 2002 491 1,264 975 646 1,050 762 1,830 1,169 689 8,876 2003 581 1,306 967 691 1,056 830 1,851 1,192 726 9,200 2004 542 1,328 954 690 1,014 761 1,681 1,286 751 9,007 1 Prior to 1987 there were boundary changes within regions. Source: Department of Health.
Age of mother Under 12 12 13 14 15 16 All under 17 1985 0 2 21 216 1,163 4,431 5,833 1986 0 1 31 190 1,144 4,303 5,669 1987 2 3 20 177 1,103 4,398 5,703 1988 1 3 19 196 1,042 4,494 5,755 1989 0 6 22 180 1,109 4,239 5,556 1990 0 0 16 188 1,102 4,166 5,472 1991 0 2 27 216 1,181 4,140 5,566 1992 0 2 22 200 1,090 3,800 5,114 1993 1 1 26 226 1,149 3,900 5,303 1994 0 6 28 245 1,074 3,651 5,004 1995 1 2 34 248 1,216 4,043 5,544 1996 0 2 32 259 1,331 4,497 6,121 1997 1 3 26 258 1,313 4,500 6,101 1998 0 2 40 245 1,255 4,273 5,815 1999 0 4 35 228 1,204 4,103 5,574 2000 8 5 37 246 1,186 3,825 5,307 2001 8 9 37 241 1,138 3,699 5,132 2002 2 13 46 214 1,076 3,604 4,955 2003 2 7 26 186 1,025 3,621 4,867 2004 1 1 24 183 1,013 3,633 4,855 2005 4 4 15 189 977 3,514 4,703 Source: Office for National Statistics.
Non residents North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands West Midlands 1992 0 119 213 166 128 157 1993 0 111 235 173 123 190 1994 0 104 219 137 127 200 1995 2 137 233 191 125 191 1996 1 139 215 170 145 223 1997 1 139 238 195 133 181 1998 2 132 214 197 133 173 1999 0 88 207 198 142 168 2000 1 97 221 183 120 170 2001 0 108 217 143 126 173 2002 0 72 179 159 115 169 2003 0 60 199 147 111 156 2004 1 74 199 139 124 147 2005 0 74 167 146 121 143
East London South East South West Wales England and Wales 1992 84 161 125 88 73 1,314 1993 99 184 124 86 78 1,403 1994 100 153 130 81 102 1,353 1995 105 181 140 102 94 1,501 1996 106 206 162 116 141 1,624 1997 104 211 164 111 124 1,601 1998 95 211 165 107 113 1,542 1999 115 194 157 103 99 1,471 2000 107 177 182 118 106 1,482 2001 100 201 157 115 93 1,433 2002 99 195 160 106 97 1,351 2003 113 139 158 94 69 1,246 2004 79 151 138 103 67 1,222 2005 86 146 135 84 87 1,189 Source: Office for National Statistics
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 15 June 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question about how many girls under 16 years in Salisbury constituency gave birth in each year since 1995. I am replying in her absence. (76984).
Where constituencies are not co-terminous with local authority boundaries, ONS do not generally release figures based on recording of mother's age at birth registration. This is to protect against disclosure of information provided in confidence. Figures are provided for the relevant local authority instead. There were 14 girls resident in Salisbury county district who gave birth under the age of 16 during the period 1995 to 2005, too few to provide figures by year without breaching confidentiality.
Construction Industry (Registration Cards)
(2) how many construction industry services registration (CIS4) cards (a) have been issued and (b) are in use; and if he will make a statement.
There have been 2.4 million construction industry registration cards (CIS4) issued since the scheme began in 1999. Of these 1.9 million have been used.
Unused cards are attributable to: holders of recently issued cards having not yet been paid within CIS; holders that normally work within the domestic sector having applied for a card in case they become involved in CIS work; and where one or two partners in a company use their cards on behalf of the company (with those of the other partners being unused).
A quarterly breakdown of the number of CIS4 cards issued since 1 April 2001 is given in the following table. These figures include replacements for cards that have been lost, stolen or have expired (in the case of temporary cards).
Quarter 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 April to June 56,000 61,000 63,000 74,000 77,000 July to September 61,000 83,000 73,000 83,000 82,000 October to December 48,000 55,000 63,000 65,000 63,000 January to March 58,000 70,000 78,000 75,000 81,000 Total 223,000 269,000 277,000 297,000 303,000
(2) what changes he plans to make to the construction industry services registration card system in 2007; what (a) identity checks and (b) immigration status checks will be put in place; and if he will make a statement.
Neither the legislation for the current construction industry scheme (CIS) nor the legislation for the new scheme empowers HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to question the immigration status or nationality of applicants for CIS registration cards. There is also no legal exchange of information gateway to allow such information that might be obtained by HMRC to be passed to the Home Office.
Under both the current and new schemes, HM Revenue and Customs must be satisfied about the applicants' identity and addresses. They may be required to produce appropriate documentation to evidence their identity, which might include a passport or driving licence. The new CIS scheme will also allow HMRC to require attendance in person to provide such information as satisfies HMRC on an applicant's identity and address.
Departmental Staff
No staff over the age of 55 have been recruited to the Chancellor’s private office in the last three years. The number recruited to the Treasury can be found in the following table:
Department 2003-04 4 2004-05 5 2005-06 4
Exotic Animals (Smuggling)
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have interpreted exotic birds and animals to be live birds or animals of endangered species.
Details of seizures made by HMRC from January 1999 to December 2004 as a result of breaches in Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade herein are available on the UK CITES website at http://www.ukcites.gov.uk/news/tradestatistics.htm.
There have been no seizures of live animals or birds of endangered species in Northern Ireland from outside the EU in the period in question. Travellers arriving at Northern Ireland airports from outside the EU almost exclusively arrive via another airport either in Great Britain or Eire.
Fuel Smuggling (Northern Ireland)
In the last five years the following number of vehicles have been seized in Northern Ireland as a consequence of hydrocarbon oils offences, including smuggling:
Number of vehicles seized 2000 312 2001 684 2002 1,576 2003 901 2004 812
Gaming Machines
(2) what assessment he has made of the likely effects on tax revenues of an increase of category C and section 34 gaming machine stake and prize levels to 50 pence and £35, respectively.
No assessment has been made of the effects of the freeze on gaming machine stake and prize levels on tax revenues. Similarly no assessment has been made of the likely effect for tax revenues of an increase of category C stake and prize levels to 50p and £35, respectively. Decisions on the stake and prize limits which venues can offer are made by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for reasons unconnected to tax.
Male Longevity
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 15 June 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what the average male longevity at 65 was in each parliamentary constituency at the last date for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (77139)
Figures on life expectancy at different ages are derived from the life tables, calculated using data in both mortality and populations. The figures requested cannot be provided for parliamentary constituencies as population estimates are not available. Results for local authorities in England and Wales can be provided however. A table containing these figures for male life expectancy at age 65 for 2002-04 (the most recent period available) has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Tax Credits
(2) how many meetings (a) he and (b) the Paymaster General have had on the subject of tax credit fraud since 1 January 2006; and if he will make a statement.
(2) when he last (a) received and (b) sent written correspondence to the Paymaster General regarding tax credits.
Treasury Ministers are in constant contact with each other in person, over the telephone and in writing about a wide range of issues, including tax credits.
Home Department
Endangered Species
There have been no sentencing guidelines issued in relation to these regulations.
HM Prison Belmarsh
Regular surveys into issues of prisoner personal safety are undertaken for Standards Audit and violence reduction purposes. The results assist in addressing and improving the quality of life experienced by prisoners. On arrival at Belmarsh, prisoners are advised how to report instances of bullying or feelings of self-harm. In addition information is displayed throughout the prison offering support and setting out what is readily available should support be required.
Human Trafficking
The Home Office is currently assessing whether to sign the Council of Europe Convention. Whilst the UK supports the multiple aims of the Convention there are certain provisions which present concerns and which remain under consideration. The Home Office recently sought views on aspects of the Convention in the consultation paper ‘Tackling Human Trafficking-Consultation on Proposals for a UK Action Plan’. In reaching a decision on signature we will take into account the views expressed by respondents. A summary of responses to the consultation will be published shortly.
Illegal Drugs
The requested information is not collected centrally.
Lambert Report
David Lambert was asked to conduct a review of operational issues arising out of the death of Joseph Scholes. The review was formally commissioned on 21 September 2004. Mr. Lambert began work the following month. He sent his completed report to the Home Office on 12 October 2005. Home Office officials, in consultation with the Youth Justice Board and the Prison Service, have been considering the recommendations in the report, and the action that needs to be taken in response to them. The Government will set out their response, and give details of the action we are taking, in due course. We will also address the issue of disclosure.
I understand David Lambert offered in August 2005 to discuss with Mrs. Scholes the findings of the review, and repeated the offer the following month, but that Mrs. Scholes did not wish to take up the offer.
The cost of the report was £10,589.50.
Legislation
I have placed in the Libraries of the House a list of Acts which received Royal Assent between 1976 and 2006 for which the Home Office had policy responsibility at the time of Royal Assent. Some of these Acts have been amended or repealed in whole or part, so not all of their provisions remain in force. Nor are all of these Acts still within the policy responsibility of the Home Office. It is not however possible to provide a definitive list of the provisions which remain in force and which are within the policy responsibility of the Home Office without incurring disproportionate cost.
Leyhill Open Prison (Absconded Prisoners)
I understand from Avon and Somerset Constabulary that no estimates are available.
Mentally Ill Prisoners
The information requested is not available.
Miscarriages of Justice
Exceptionally, an interim payment of compensation in respect of a miscarriage of justice may be made by the Home Secretary, on the advice of the independent Assessor, before the final amount is determined. The amount of any interim payment will be paid on account and will be deducted from the final award. The Assessor’s consideration of whether, and how much, interim payment might be made in a particular case is based on the information available to him about the miscarriage of justice in respect of which compensation is being paid and the consequences which flowed from it, not simply on what the applicant’s financial needs are at the time. In very exceptional circumstances interim payments may be made on compassionate grounds depending on the circumstances and provided the payment is within the scope of compensation under the scheme.
(2) what the standard procedure of the independent Assessor to the Home Secretary on miscarriages of justice is in responding to correspondence from claimants’ legal representatives;
The independent Assessor for compensation for miscarriages of justice does not generally correspond directly with applicants or their legal representatives. All correspondence is handled by the Miscarriages of Justice Team in the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. They attempt to resolve any apparent discrepancies in the submissions from applicants or their representatives, to ensure that the Assessor has all the information he needs to make an assessment. Claims for compensation can amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds and some run into millions. Claims are complex and time consuming and often require investigation by forensic accountants, and, on occasion, high-level legal advice. In many cases an interim award is paid before a final assessment of compensation is made. All correspondence requiring a response should receive an interim or substantive response within the Home Office target of 20 working days. In the circumstances of these applications an interim reply is often unavoidable. Detailed statistics on performance against target for correspondence for this work are not immediately available and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible with performance figures for the last quarter.
Misuse of Drugs
It is too early to see any impact of the provisions of the Drugs Act 2005 in the annually published conviction data.
Motoring Offences
Available information taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the 10 most common motoring offences for which men were (a) prosecuted, (b) convicted, (c) fined and (d) sent to prison in 2004 (latest available) is given in the following tables.
Data for 2005 will be available early in 2007.
Rounded Offence description Total proceedings Using motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks 311,900 Vehicle test offences 251,500 Driving, or causing or permitting another person to drive other than in accordance with licence 213,300 Motor vehicle licence - failing to pay appropriate duty 156,700 Speed limit offences 134,900 Other insurance offences (excluding fraud and forgery) 96,700 Other miscellaneous motoring offences 91300 Failing to produce driving licence 73,600 Driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit 65,300 Driving while disqualified 43,600
Offence description Total findings of guilt Using motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks 222,500 Driving, or causing or permitting another person to drive other than in accordance with licence 135,900 Motor vehicle licence - failing to pay appropriate duty 133,500 Vehicle test offences 130,600 Speed limit offences 112,000 Driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit 62,000 Other miscellaneous motoring offences 59,400 Driving while disqualified 38,700 Failing to produce driving licence 30,800 Other insurance offences (excluding fraud and forgery) 28,300
Offence description Total fined Using motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks 162,500 Motor vehicle licence - failing to pay appropriate duty 130,800 Speed limit offences 110,300 Driving, or causing or permitting another person to drive other than in accordance with licence 75,200 Vehicle test offences 61,100 Other miscellaneous motoring offences 54,800 Driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit 44,300 Other vehicle registration offences (excluding fraud & deception) 18,300 Driving without due care and attention 17,000 Failing to produce driving licence 8,300
Offence description Total immediate custody Driving while disqualified 16,500 Driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit 3,800 Dangerous driving 2,100 Unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle etc 1,800 Driving and failing to provide specimen for analysis (breath, blood or urine) 900 Causing injury and damage by aggravated vehicle taking 800 Theft of a motor vehicle 500 Failing to stop after accident, etc 400 Causing criminal damage of £5,000 or under by aggravated vehicle taking 300 Unfit to drive through drink and drugs (impairment) 200 Note: A person appearing in court can be dealt with for more than one offence at that appearance. The tables show the number of offences dealt with and not the number of persons appearing in court.
Police
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is responsible for the management of the police complaints system. I will ensure that the chairman receives a copy of the question and replies to you directly. Copies of the letter containing the IPCC’s response will be placed in the House Libraries.
Prisoners' Compensation
A copy of the table will be placed in the Library.
Prisons
There were no prisoners under the age of 18 held in HMP Gloucester on 8 June 2006.
This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Prostitution
Implementation of the prostitution strategy is currently under way. This involves working with a range of stakeholders from across Whitehall as well as with non-government organisations and voluntary sector groups.
Present activity includes:
Working up the proposed new rehabilitative penalty for the offence of loitering and soliciting.
Working with police training provider, Centrex, to design a training package for police, with a multi-agency focus, for tackling prostitution in local areas.
Expansion of the scheme to report “dodgy punters” through a national Crimestoppers campaign (Ugly Mugs scheme).
Working with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to develop Personal, Social, Health Education guidance for schools—with a focus on prevention and safety.
Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre
In the four months July-October 2005, trainees at Rainsbrook were restrained on 194 occasions. This figure includes low-level interventions, such as a trainee being led away from a potential incident.
Safety Cameras
There are a number of speed meters type approved for police use, including the LTI 20.20. It is for individual police forces to decide which type approved to purchase and use. I understand that the Wiltshire constabulary do use the LTI 20.20.
Security Industry
Insight Certification (the parent organisation of the National Security Inspectorate) was one of eight assessing bodies appointed in August 2005 to carry out assessments for the Approved Contractor Scheme. Accordingly there has been regular and frequent contact between the SIA personnel responsible for the ACS and NSI personnel at all levels.
The SIA require that all applicants provide a complete five year address history preceding their application. If at any time during the past five years any applicant was abroad for six continuous months or more, they are required to provide an overseas criminality certificate (OCC) from the official competent issuing authority of the country concerned. This policy is uniform in its application and applies to all applicants irrespective of the country concerned.