Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 17 June 2009
Wales
EU Grants and Loans
Spending permission for the National Assembly for Wales to draw down its allocation from the EU Structural Funds in the 2000-06 round was included in its Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) on top of its Barnett determined budget.
It is shown as a deduction in the table in order to reconcile the DEL with the amount of grant drawn down from HMT, described as Total Assembly Grant in the Annual Report.
The UK Government granted spending permission to the National Assembly for Wales on top of its Barnett determined budget to allow it to draw down its full allocation of EU Structural Funds in the 2000-06 round.
The actual detail and timing of those draw downs were a matter for the National Assembly itself.
Funding rules have been changed to permit the Welsh Assembly Government to draw down its full allocation of EU Convergence funding in the 2007-13 round without need for a detrimental impact on its Barnett determined budget.
Scotland
Postal Services
My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a range of issues.
The Government are committed to a stable and sustainable post office network. Since 1999, the Government have invested £3.7 billion in the Post Office including an annual subsidy of £150 million to 2011 to support 7,500 branches that may not survive without public support.
Devolution
I have regular discussions with the Advocate-General on a variety of matters.
The Commission on Scottish Devolution published their final report on 15 June. I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 15 June 2009, Official Report, column 5WS.
House Repossessions
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Chancellor, including at meetings of the National Economic Council, on action needed to deliver real help now to those suffering in the recent economic conditions.
North Sea Oil and Gas
I and my Department maintain regular contact with representatives of the North Sea oil and gas industry and discuss a wide range of issues affecting the sector.
Scottish Economy
The Scottish economy has not been immune from the global economic difficulties, and is now officially in recession. The UK Government have delivered a £500 million fiscal boost from Budget 2009 measures, a £2 billion boost as part of the 2008 pre-Budget report, all in addition to the substantial interventions to support the Scottish banks. These Government actions have helped to keep Scottish unemployment levels among the lowest in Europe.
Future Jobs Fund
The £1 billion Future Jobs Fund will provide 150,000 jobs across Great Britain, for 18 to 24 year-olds unemployed for 12 months and for unemployment hotspots.
I will hold a Jobs Summit on 18 of June with Scottish local authorities, SCVO, social enterprises, and charities to build on existing plans to bid, and promote uptake of the Fund in Scotland.
Economy: Argyll and Bute
The Argyll and Bute economy has not been immune from the global economic difficulties, which has seen the Scottish economy officially in recession. However, at 3.1 per cent. the claimant count rate for Argyll and Bute is below that of the Scottish average. UK Government have delivered a £500 million fiscal boost from Budget 2009 measures, a £2 billion boost as part of the 2008 pre-Budget report, all in addition to the substantial interventions to support the Scottish banks.
Fuel Duty
The Scotland Office has received no such recent representations. Decisions on fuel duty rates are a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who takes into account a range of factors in setting them.
Departmental Billing
Until October 2008 the Scotland Office and the Office of the Advocate-General were required to monitor and publish payment performance against a 30 day payment target. The first full month of formal recording against the 10 day target was November 2008 and therefore information about payment performance within 10 days is not available prior to this date. Between 1 November 2008 and 31 March 2009 the offices have paid 97.2 per cent. of invoices within 10 days.
Departmental Public Expenditure
The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. The Scotland Office provides support services to the Office of the Advocate-General for Scotland (OAG) and prior to 2003-04, separate records were not maintained for the two offices. The spend was as follows:
Staffing costs IT equipment Telecommunications Stationery and office supplies Utilities1 Travel 1999-20002,3 2,026,094 20,732 20,164 22,207 55,946 212,402 2000-013 3,391,412 62,033 103,492 25,270 104,687 360,085 2001-023 3,898,927 44,761 99,709 24,478 118,613 332,560 2002-033 4,368,496 94,330 90,379 25,294 123,244 322,377 2003-04 2,615,587 6,385 93,769 16,858 123,487 196,256 2004-05 2,201,361 — 80,484 11,314 133,103 163,541 2005-06 1,904,782 5,843 86,560 16,415 138,399 168,156 2006-07 1,935,725 — 76,286 17,955 156,596 182,609 2007-08 2,287,135 — 82,793 18,943 119,365 184,240 1 The information relates to buildings where Scotland Office are major occupiers. Costs relating to buildings shared with the Scottish Executive are not separately identifiable. 2 Part year. 3 Scotland Office and OAG.
Transport
A13
Improvements to Junction 30 of the M25 with the A13 are required as conditions of planning consent for London Gateway. Funding of the improvements is a matter for London Gateway Port Ltd in liaison with the Highways Agency.
Airports: East of England
The Government have not allocated any funding to the construction of airports over the period in question. Investment in new airport infrastructure and facilities is a commercial matter for airport operators. However, the East of England Development Agency has contributed funds towards studies informing decisions about potential investments surrounding Southend and Norwich airports.
Aviation
Civil aviation safety in the UK is regulated by independent aviation safety regulators: the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). As such the Department for Transport does not itself issue guidance.
EASA has been responsible for the regulation of aircraft design issues since 2003, as set out in Regulation (EC) 216/2008. On 9 June 2009, EASA issued a Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) that refers to the pitot system of the aircraft involved in the Air France accident on 1 June 2009. The bulletin reminds operators of the need to ensure that flight crew are fully familiar with procedures associated with unreliable airspeed indications. The UK CAA supports this SIB and will continue to work with EASA and UK airlines on this matter as further information from the investigation emerges.
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the reliability of the air data inertial reference unit computer system used on A330 aircraft.
Civil aviation safety in the UK is regulated by independent aviation safety regulators: the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). As such the Department for Transport does not itself assess the reliability of aircraft products and parts.
As part of the type certification process for the Airbus A330, the aircraft design and its systems were required to meet the established safety standards, which addressed the issue of reliability.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) assumed responsibility for the regulation of aircraft design issues in 2003. Continued compliance with these standards is assured through continuing airworthiness monitoring by the manufacturer (Airbus), overseen by the regulator (EASA).
The UK CAA will continue to work with EASA and UK airlines on any matters related to this accident, as further information from the investigation emerges.
(2) what steps his Department is taking to assess the safety of A330 aircraft.
Civil aviation safety in the UK is regulated by independent aviation safety regulators: the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is responsible for the regulation of aircraft design, and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). As such the Department for Transport is not in itself making an assessment of the safety of the A330 aircraft.
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority. The last meeting was on 9 June 2009 and aviation safety was discussed.
At present, the Civil Aviation Authority remains confident that the appropriate effort and resources are being deployed to ensure the continued safe operation of the Airbus A330 type. If this situation changed, as a result of evidence from the accident investigation, the CAA has the power to take the appropriate safety action in respect of UK-registered aircraft or aircraft operated by UK operators.
Civil aviation safety in the UK is regulated by independent aviation safety regulators: the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). As such, the Department for Transport has not conducted any research into the ‘coffin corner’ effect.
Bus Services: Concessions
[holding answer 16 June 2009]: The Department for Transport has commissioned research from the Institute of Transport Studies (ITS) to review the impact of the national and local concessionary travel schemes on overall usage of bus services. This work is expected to provide some specific information on use by those on low incomes, although this is not the primary focus.
The National Travel Survey (NTS) provides data on bus use by income group, although data are not yet available for the past two years.
The Department for Transport intends to use the ITS work, and NTS data later this year to evaluate whether the current arrangements for reimbursing bus operators are appropriate for the longer term.
Bus Services: Standards
The following table shows the number of Driver Quality Monitoring (DQM) assessments conducted by the Driving Standards Agency in Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Glasgow:
Total DQM assessments Unacceptable serious faults Unacceptable dangerous faults Liverpool 38 9 0 Leeds 0 0 0 Sheffield 40 26 0 Glasgow 0 0 0
There are no DQM contracts for Leeds and Glasgow for the period. A contract covering Leeds was agreed in May 2009.
Crossrail Line: Finance
The funding package for Crossrail announced by the Prime Minister in October 2007 reflects a contribution of £4.1 billion in relation to the Business Rate Supplement, £3.5 billion of which will be borrowed by the Mayor of London against the revenues to be raised from a business rate supplement in the future and the remaining estimated £600 million being business rate supplement revenues to be contributed directly to the project during the period of construction.
The Crossrail Sponsors Agreement (signed by Transport for London and the Department for Transport in December 2008) includes a forecast profile of the year on year amounts to be raised by the Mayor through the Crossrail business rate supplement to support his contribution to the project. However, the forecast profile was not published in the redacted form of the Sponsors Agreement laid in the Library of the House last December. This was due to the commercial sensitivities around the year on year funding detail of the project as a whole, with the majority of contracts still to be let and with agreements to be reached with lenders.
It is for the Mayor to determine his approach to raising a business rate supplement for Crossrail, within the framework to be set out by legislation, and to determine the gross revenue to be raised in each year of its operation. Under schedule 1 of the Business Rate Supplements Bill, which is currently being considered by Parliament, the Mayor will be required to set out a wide range of information in a prospectus to be used as the basis for consulting on the proposal to levy a business rate supplement. This information will include project costs and estimates of the amount of money the Mayor expects to raise from the business rate supplement year on year.
Departmental Conditions of Employment
The cost of modifying systems in the Department for Transport's shared service centre to accommodate the workings of the flexible benefits project is £62,700. This includes architecture changes, programming and payroll reconfiguration.
The cost of implementing and administering flexible benefits over three years is £173,000, including reconfiguration of the shared services centre system. To break even with the scheme will require a 2 per cent. take-up of the benefits we are considering, which equates to an estimated annual spend of £535,000, with aggregated employer national insurance contribution savings of £183,000 over three years. The costing model has been verified by Deloitte who are acting as our benefit consultants.
Departmental Official Hospitality
In the most recent completed financial year, 2008-09, the Department for Transport's agencies spent £12,700 on hiring non-departmental premises in respect of hospitality and entertainment and £369,468 in respect of training events.
The accounting systems of the core Department do not record such costs separately from other related expenditure, so the information sought cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
Departmental Press
The list of newspapers and periodicals that are delivered to the ministerial private offices of the Department for Transport are as follows:
Newspapers
Daily Express
Daily Mail
Daily Mirror
Daily Telegraph
Financial Times
The Guardian
Evening Standard 1st Edition
Evening Standard West End Final
Standard West End Final Extra
Local Government Chronicle
The Times
The Independent
The Sun
Yorkshire Post
Lloyds List
Periodicals
The Economist
New Statesman
Modern Railways
National Geographic
Prospect
Buses
Private Eye
The Spectator
Commercial Motor
Railway Magazine
The total cost for period from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 was £9,239.16.
Departmental Private Finance Initiative
The following table summarises the local authority private finance initiative projects agreed by the Department for Transport in the last five years:
Calendar year Number of local authority projects receiving conditional approval 2009 (to date) 1 (Sheffield highway maintenance) 2008 2 (Street lighting) 2007 8 (Street lighting) 2006 1 (Thames Gateway, cancelled by Mayor of London) 2005 1 (Street lighting) 2004 7 (Street lighting)
Prior to receiving a full outline business case and granting conditional approval, the Department may grant provisional approval for a local authority project. There are currently four local authority PFI projects with provisional approvals:
Mersey Crossing;
Nottingham Express Tram extension;
Hounslow highway maintenance; and
Isle of Wight highway maintenance.
In addition, Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) notices were issued for the following non-local authority projects, initiating procurement:
Calendar year Number of non-local authority projects issuing OJEU notices 2009 (to date) 0 2008 0 2007 0 2006 1 (Joint MCA/MOD search and rescue helicopters) 2005 1 (Highways Agency M25 DBFO) 2004 0
The search and rescue helicopters private finance initiative (PFI) is being negotiated by a joint Ministry of Defence and Maritime and Coastguard Agency project team.
While the Department for Transport currently sponsors a number of local authority PFI projects, these are negotiated directly by the local authority project teams.
The Department for Transport updates details of the signed (i.e. in construction and operational phases) private finance initiatives (PFI) projects it sponsors on the HM Treasury website at six monthly intervals:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ppp-pfi_stats.htm
The HM Treasury list was last updated in April 2009, since then the Highways Agency has also awarded the M25 widening DBFO.
The Department is sponsoring a further 13 local authority projects that are in procurement and four in pre-procurement. In addition to this the Department's Maritime and Coastguard Agency is jointly procuring a search and rescue helicopter PFI with the Ministry of Defence.
The Department has a further £1.69 billion in unallocated PFI credits that are available for use on local authority PFI projects.
Departmental Training
Special advisers receive training as appropriate to enable them to fulfil their duties and responsibilities as set out in the “Model Contract for Special Advisers”.
In the last 12 months special advisers in the Department for Transport have attended mandatory Information and Communication Technology training courses at a total cost of £141.67 to the Department.
Driving Standards Agency: Consultants
In each of the last five years the Driving Standards Agency spent the following amounts on consultants:
£ 2004-05 3,617,982 2005-06 1,210,003 2006-07 5,139,575 2007-08 3,532,192 2008-09 3,418,022
Driving Tests: Motorcycles
In order to design a safe off-road manoeuvre test to comply with the European Directive, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) undertook trials and risk assessments involving rider training organisations. The Agency tested the proposals in public consultation and benchmarked ideas with comparable organisations in other member states.
Prior to the introduction of the two-part motorcycle test, DSA carried out a risk assessment of both Modules of the new test.
This included assessments and identification of appropriate controls of the testing area, including the boundaries and the surface of the off-road manoeuvring area. The level of preparedness of test candidates was also assessed.
Copies of the risk assessment have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Driving: Working Hours
The EU drivers’ hours rules, which are directly applicable in all EU member states, apply to most drivers of goods vehicles in excess of 3.5 tonnes.
There are a number of exemptions from the EU rules, one of which applies to vehicles not exceeding 7.5 tonnes used for the non-commercial carriage of goods—which would include some privately owned horseboxes.
Electric Vehicles
The cost of installing a recharging point for electric vehicles will depend on what type of technology is used, its location and what, if any, ancillary work—for example ground works, utility connection, signage—is needed. Procuring points in volume or where supporting infrastructure already exists is likely to be significantly cheaper.
As a broad indication of the range of possible costs, free standing on street charging points may cost between £500 and £3,500, with accompanying street works where required costing up to £5,000. The total cost of installing a plug point on a wall where a power supply exists may be in the region of £250 to £1,000. More innovative fast charging or battery swap infrastructure would be more expensive to deliver.
It should also be noted that many motorists are likely to choose to recharge their electric and plug in hybrid vehicles at home overnight, provided they have secure access to a standard 13 amp socket. This would not cost anything at all.
The Secretary of State for Transport announced in April that up to £20 million will be provided by the Department to support the development of infrastructure supporting electric vehicles in select lead cities and regions in the UK. An estimate has not been made at this time as to the total number of recharging points likely to be procured under the scheme. A range of charging technologies and infrastructure solutions exist, which vary in scale and cost. The total number of recharging points supported from the £20 million allocated will therefore depend on local plans and requirements.
Applications for funding will be judged on a range of criteria, which will include the number of public charging points delivered. Further details on the scheme will be announced shortly.
Heathrow Airport
Our assessment of the likely effects of a third runway at Heathrow airport was presented in the “Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport” consultation document published on 22 November 2007.
That showed that Tooting and the London borough of Wandsworth would not generally be overflown by any arriving or departing aircraft in the event of a third runway. This would be an improvement on the present position for these areas which experience some overflying by arriving aircraft at a height of 3,000 feet or less.
London and Continental Railways
The Government are currently engaged in a restructuring of London and Continental Railways. Following this, it is the Government’s intention, as market conditions allow, to sell a long-term concession for High Speed 1 in such a way as to maximise value for money for the taxpayer.
The estimate of the expected proceeds is commercially confidential and to publish the information might condition the competitive sale process and damage value.
The restructuring of London and Continental Railways (LCR) announced on 8 June 2009 involved no further commitment of public funds over and above those committed during the restructurings of the company in 1998, 2001 and 2002.
The current financial restructuring provides for the redistribution of support already committed to allow LCR’s subsidiary businesses to be established on a stand-alone commercial basis. This will allow the value of those businesses to be realised in due course with a commensurate reduction in the overall level of state support.
M25
The Public Sector Comparator is expressed in Net Present Value terms (NPV) in accordance with HMT guidance. The NPV for the M25 Design, Build, Finance and Operate Contract is £3.40 billion. The equivalent NPV figure for the Public Sector Comparator is £3.83 billion.
Motor Vehicles: Foreigners
Estimates of foreign registered traffic are not available for any years prior to 2007.
In 2007 0.5 per cent. of British traffic, around one in every 215 kilometres, was estimated to be driven by foreign registered vehicles. These 2007 figures are not available broken down by vehicle type, and such estimates could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
However, estimates of the rate of foreign registered traffic for 2008, including analyses by vehicle type, are due to be published within the Department for Transport's Statistical Bulletin, ‘Road Statistics 2008’, on 25 June 2009.
Motor Vehicles: Registration
The following table provides the number of vehicles previously registered abroad for the last eight financial years. Also displayed are the total number of vehicles registered and the proportion of vehicles previously registered abroad against the total number of vehicles registered. Figures are not available for financial years 1999-2000 and 2000-01.
Financial year Total vehicles registered Vehicles previously registered abroad Percentage of vehicles previously registered abroad 2008-09 2,448,918 75,101 3.1 2007-08 3,013,123 95,038 3.2 2006-07 2,957,135 93,233 3.2 2005-06 3,017,849 109,785 3.6 2004-05 3,159,400 124,124 3.9 2003-04 3,247,359 135,926 4.2 2002-03 3,230,476 113,414 3.5 2001-02 3,198,759 105,466 3.3
Railways
During the preparation of the 2007 Rail White Paper, the Government carried out assessments of the adequacy of the capacity of the rail network. The assessments drew on work carried out by the rail industry, and the outcome is published in the 2007 Rail White Paper ‘Delivering a Sustainable Railway' available from the Department for Transport website at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/whitepapers/whitepapercm7176
Since its publication, the Government have asked Network Rail to undertake a new lines study to identify longer term capacity requirements.
Initial results from Network Rail's study indicated a long-term capacity gap from London to the West Midlands, which is why we have tasked High Speed Two to advise on the feasibility of a new high speed line from London to the West Midlands as a first stage, and beyond the West Midlands at the level of broad corridors.
Railways: Fares
[holding answer 16 June 2009]: The levels of unregulated fares are a commercial matter for individual train operators. For business planning purposes’ operators may make assumptions of any projected changes to unregulated fares, but this is a matter for the operator concerned.
Railways: Finance
The account taken of changes in tax receipts from other modes in the economic appraisal of rail schemes, and hence in considering spending plans, is set out in the paper "NATA Refresh—Appraisal for a Sustainable Transport System" published on the Department's website at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/archive/2008/consulnatarefresh/natarefresh2009.pdf
The Department for Transport does not provide core funding for Community Rail Partnerships, which are essentially local organisations and therefore locally funded.
However, through the franchising process and grants to Network Rail, the Department provides funding for the services promoted by partnerships. It also provides core funding for the national umbrella body representing and supporting partnerships, the Association of Community Rail Partnerships. Working with Network Rail, the Department makes available small grants to contribute towards specific projects such as promotions and small scale station improvements. It will also be making grants to assist with training and development of employees for Community Rail Partnerships on officially designated routes.
Railways: Franchises
(2) what funding has been allocated to his Department to meet liabilities or potential liabilities under revenue support clauses in train operator franchises in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10;
(3) how much has been allocated from the rail budget for Control Period Four to cover revenue support clauses in train operator franchises.
The amount of any revenue support payable to eligible franchise holders is dependant on the performance of individual franchises and is set out in the relevant franchise contracts with the Department for Transport.
The Department’s internal forecasts for and amounts payable or receivable under these revenue sharing arrangements are commercially confidential.
The Department for Transport has regular discussions with Treasury Ministers and officials on a range of issues concerning railway finances. Revenue support and sharing arrangements is one of these issues.
The Government expect all operators to adhere to the terms of the contracts that they have entered into with the Department for Transport. As such, no specific funds have been allocated for the settlement of any disputes.
The Department for Transport does not hold information on the number of cases handled by the Rail Industry Dispute Resolution Committee. The hon. Member should write to the Committee itself at the following address:
John Gott
Railway Industry Dispute Resolution Committee
Central House
14 Upper Woburn Place
London
WC1H 0HY
Railways: South East
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 16 June 2009, Official Report, columns 177-78W.
Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation
The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Grant Programme (AFIGP) was launched in 2005 with a budget of £500,000 grant funding per year.
In addition, the then Secretary of State for Transport announced in April that up to £20 million will be provided by the Department to support the development of infrastructure supporting electric vehicles in a few lead cities and regions in the UK.
More broadly the Department supports low carbon transport through a wide range of funding streams and other policies.
The Department for Transport’s principal policy for delivering progress towards meeting targets on renewable sources for transport fuel use is the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Grant Programme is designed to trial and demonstrate infrastructure to support a range of alternatively fuelled vehicles.
Roads: Accidents
The table provides the combined duration of road closures, due to road traffic accidents by police force area in the south west for each area of the periods requested.
The information available is for road traffic accidents where the police have requested Highways Agency involvement. No data are held for those occurrences where the police have dealt with an accident alone.
Duration of road closures in hours/minutes on motorways per year Police force area July 2005 onwards 2006 2007 2008 2009 Avon and Somerset 34:45 37:04 82:30 54:30 11:30 Wiltshire n/a 11:50 21:05 38:15 4:25 Gloucester 15:05 13:55 60:35 32:30 1:50 Devon and Cornwall 0:30 2:30 11:10 6:25 0:55
The table provides the combined duration of road closures due to road traffic accidents for each trunk road in each of the periods requested.
The information available is for road traffic accidents where the police have requested Highways Agency involvement. No data are held for those occurrences where the police have dealt with an accident alone. Also, the data available for all purpose trunk roads west of Exeter are from autumn 2006 onwards, and from July 2005 for other Highways Agency roads in the south west network.
Duration of road closures in hours/minutes on all purpose trunk roads per year Trunk road number July to December 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 A30/A35 DBFO 0 28:40 43:25 50:40 22:30 A30 Non DBFO n/k 14:50 83:30 136:10 44:50 A38 n/k 3:25 63:30 138:20 61:15 A417/A419 DBFO 5:30 11:30 21:00 19:00 5:30 A36 9:15 26:20 60:00 8:50 20:15 A303 12:40 89:10 109:20 61:10 7:45 A30 East of Honiton 1:10 0 0 4:55 0 A4 14:10 0 2:25 0 0 A40 15:10 13:50 6:50 9:20 5:25 A46 11:30 14:50 23:00 12:00 5:00 n/k = Not known
Shipping
During the summer, consideration will be given by the Department for Transport, as to whether a second consultation will be required on draft regulations to control ship to ship transfers of oil in UK territorial waters taking account of comments made by consultees.
Shipping: Accidents
The safety of vessels, including offshore oil-rig support tugs, is a matter for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) rather than the Health and Safety Executive.
A comprehensive review of the circumstances surrounding the capsize of an offshore oil-rig support tug has been completed recently by the Norwegian maritime administration. The conclusions of this review are to be incorporated as appropriate into the “North West European Area Guidelines for the Safe Management of Offshore Supply and Anchor Handling Operations” (NWEA Guidelines) and into international safety regulations under the auspices of the International Maritime Organisation.
The MCA fully endorses the outcome of the Norwegian review, welcomes the improvements to the NWEA Guidelines and believes that further research would not enhance what has already been done recently in this area. In particular, it is considered that current requirements for escape routes from ships are adequate for the risks faced, and that special escape routes from capsized vessels would be impractical and might even increase risk to lives and vessels.
Shipping: Carbon Emissions
Shipping is an international industry and regulation of carbon dioxide from shipping will be most effectively achieved through international action. To this end the Government are seeking to ensure that the 15th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen on 7-18 December 2009 will set an emissions reduction target for the shipping sector.
The Department of Transport's assessment on this subject was contained in the Department's memorandum of evidence submitted to the Environmental Audit Committee last year. The memorandum is reproduced in the published Environmental Audit Committee report on ‘Reducing CO2 and other emissions from shipping’ (HC 528, Session 2008-09), on pages Ev 66-70.
Shipping: Pollution
The Department for Transport is involved in a wide range of work within the relevant international and European forums to address pollutant emissions from shipping.
In particular the Department works within the International Maritime Organisation to address a range of pollution issues. Currently this work includes measures to address air quality, garbage and ballast water from shipping, with the Department playing a leading role in recently adopted measures to reduce SOx and NOx emissions from ships.
Southern: Standards
The South Central franchise specification required the operator to set targets based on National Passenger Survey results for trains, stations and customer service, split by groups of services—South London, Sussex and Coast and Gatwick Express. If these targets are not achieved the bidder is required to spend up to £0.5 million per annum to implement a plan to rectify any deficiencies.
The franchising process does not allow for the identification of individual sources of investment. Instead, it provides an overall price to Government of the package that is proposed by the bidder (either subsidy or in the case of South Central a £534 million premium). It is thus not possible to identify the individual investment costs being borne by the South Central operator or the Government.
The Department for Transport is not funding the staffing of new gating systems on an individual basis. These plans form part of an overall franchise bid and it is not possible to disaggregate staffing costs to this level.
Transport for London will be contributing around £4 million to the franchise.
Southern: Tickets
The franchisee is required to install an Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation (ITSO) based smartcard system by January 2012.
The terms of the delay/repay scheme to be introduced on the new South Central franchise are the same as that introduced on other recent franchise competitions.
The terms apply to all ticket types, with an entitlement to 50 per cent. compensation for a delay of between 30 and 59 minutes; 100 per cent. for a delay of 60-119 minutes and 100 per cent. of the return fare for any delay of 120 minutes or more. For season tickets, compensation is calculated using the proportional daily cost of the ticket.
The level of unregulated fares are a matter for individual operators. This remains the position within the South Central franchise. The winning bid has assumed that unregulated fares will increase by RPI +1 per cent. on average across the duration of the franchise.
Speed Limits: Cameras
The Department for Transport holds only information about speed and red light cameras operating under the National Safety Camera Programme which started in 2001 and ended on 31 March 2007. The numbers of fixed penalty notices issued by each safety camera partnership were not collected. However, details of fixed penalty notices issued and subsequently paid, broken down by partnership area, are outlined in the following table:
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Avon and Somerset — — 68,067 99,151 82,054 73,914 59,555 Bedfordshire — — 50,792 60,920 58,439 50,558 50,362 Cambridgeshire — 2,257 12,856 20,763 19,941 20,998 20,474 Cheshire — — — 30,064 37,690 33,256 32,469 Cleveland 14,983 14,418 24,395 21,144 21,907 21,056 18,101 Cumbria — — — 26,979 29,792 26,836 30,984 Derbyshire — 10,900 32,192 47,040 40,485 30,072 29,041 Devon and Cornwall — — 19,749 48,974 53,204 47,508 43,144 Dorset — — 23,733 65,984 49,791 50,098 46,822 Essex 30,775 58,735 94,537 85,629 78,505 78,881 65,284 Gloucestershire — — — — — 13,702 12,081 Greater Manchester — — — 48,118 41,221 59,085 67,578 Hampshire — — 29,096 41,587 52,128 48,476 45,171 Hertfordshire — — 5,464 31,695 58,556 46,887 42,759 Humberside — — 0 44,681 42,469 45,289 36,164 Kent — — 30,994 54,929 60,959 50,285 61,206 Lancashire — 19,953 98,495 84,560 58,869 62,887 57,551 Leicestershire — — 33,644 38,538 29,368 37,010 30,066 Lincolnshire 10,450 10,477 26,222 23,717 25,977 29,252 21,924 London — — 85,351 108,291 148,379 157,597 126,130 Merseyside — — — — — 18,332 24,848 Mid and South Wales 26,117 31,271 121,076 121,353 109,224 101,014 98,031 Norfolk — 2,669 20,101 27,157 23,958 22,100 24,914 North Wales — 10,813 43,484 56,247 50,495 66,038 55,399 Northamptonshire 36,131 45,559 59,845 55,819 47,976 51,265 42,186 Northumbria — — — 53,426 71,647 63,387 48,407 Nottinghamshire 9,273 14,472 46,711 55,530 59,392 52,940 53,129 South Yorkshire — — 15,814 52,816 51,048 60,376 41,982 Staffordshire — 10,520 36,299 40,604 45,054 46,632 43,109 Suffolk — — — 24,144 39,406 33,087 31,623 Surrey — — — — — 23,940 39,224 Sussex — — 26,582 62,880 46,752 56,912 50,032 Thames Valley 37,319 77,881 114,933 111,646 92,690 90,833 75,248 Warwickshire — 3,405 39,810 50,862 43,454 39,088 33,536 West Mercia — — — 51,436 51,599 47,554 44,191 West Midlands — — 11,742 46,000 54,904 48,073 45,820 West Yorkshire — — 37,594 60,432 67,076 56,838 42,955 Wiltshire — — 21,693 39,680 51,085 48,368 50,230
The Department for Transport seeks to identify and disseminate examples of good practice across the road safety field generally. In addition, the Department's guidance on the use of safety cameras recommends that speed and collision data are collected by the partnerships and the contribution cameras make to casualty reduction monitored and reviewed, at least annually.
The Department for Transport issued DFT Circular 01/2007, ‘Guidance on the Deployment of Speed and Red Light Cameras’ on 31 January 2007. The guidance was placed in the Libraries of the House and is also available on the Department's website. This recommends that partnerships proactively provide information about safety cameras, including their deployment and benefits, but do so as part of a wider approach to road safety related communications that aim to raise public awareness of behaviours that can cause casualties on the roads. Communications expenditure is entirely a matter for individual local partnerships using funds from their allocation of the Department's specific road safety grant.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Politics and Government
The last meeting of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) Steering Board on 25-26 March 2009 assessed that Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) had not yet achieved the five objectives and two conditions required for a closure of the Office of the High Representative and urged BiH political leaders to intensify efforts to meet the conditionality. The next formal PIC assessment will take place at its 29-30 June 2009 Steering Board meeting, which is likely to determine that there has been some progress but that further progress is needed, in particular on the allocation of state property, and linked decisions on defence property.
Departmental Recruitment
I have been asked to reply.
The numbers of graduates recruited into the European Fast Stream in each year since the establishment of the programme are contained in the annual reports of the Civil Service Commissioners between 1991 and 1995, and thereafter in the Fast Stream Annual Reports published by the Cabinet Office.
Copies of these documents are available in the Libraries of the House.
Devolution
The arrangements of Chapter XI of the UN Charter (Declaration regarding Non-Self Governing Territories) relate to former colonies for the purposes of domestic and international law. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are part of the UK. As far as the overseas territories are concerned we remain committed to modernising our relationship with them, while fully taking into account the views of the peoples of the Territories. We believe the decision as to whether a non-self-governing territory has reached a level of self-government sufficient to relieve the administering power of the obligation to submit information under Article 73e of the Charter is ultimately for the government of the territory and the administering power concerned and not the UN General Assembly.
Members: Correspondence
I have been asked to reply.
The British embassy in Moscow replied directly to Mr. Adams’ letter to the Foreign Secretary, which was dated 16 February 2009, on 5 March 2009.
I replied to my right hon. Friend's letter on 10 June 2009.
Nigeria: Armed Forces
The Government have been following events closely since the Nigerian Joint Task Force (JTF) offensive commenced in the Niger Delta in mid-May. Our high commission in Abuja was quick to raise our concerns about the humanitarian impact of the conflict.
We have received assurances from both the Nigerian Foreign Minister and the Nigerian Military High Command that their aim is to avoid civilian casualties and that any humanitarian needs would be addressed. We are continuing to monitor reports from the Delta from non-governmental organisations and others.
We also pressed for the EU Troika to raise the situation with the Nigerian Government in a Ministerial Troika meeting on 9 June 2009.
Serbia: EU Enlargement
The Government welcomed the signature last year of Serbia’s Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU. The Government’s position remains that ratification of the SAA must be conditional on Serbia's full co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). But the Government would be content, on the basis of Serbia’s significantly improved co-operation with ICTY, for the EU to begin to implement Serbia’s Interim Agreement with the EU.
The implementation of Serbia’s Interim Agreement with the EU and ratification of its Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU were discussed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 23 February 2009, the informal meeting of Foreign Ministers (Gymnich) on 28 March 2009 and the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 15 June 2009. On 15 June I had made clear to EU partners that, on the basis of Serbia’s significantly improved co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the EU should be prepared to implement Serbia’s Interim Agreement with the EU. But to date there has been no consensus among EU member states on this. Ratification of Serbia’s Stabilisation and Association Agreement remains dependent on an assessment that Serbia is fully co-operating with the ICTY.
Serbia: War Crimes
The Government share the assessment of Chief Prosecutor Senga Poranitz, as set out to the UN Security Council on 4 June 2009, and EU Foreign Ministers on 15 June 2009, that Serbia’s level of co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has significantly improved in the last 12 months.
Sri Lanka: International Monetary Fund
I have been asked to reply.
The UK has not yet been asked to vote on a programme for Sri Lanka, as a programme has not been brought to the board for decision. At the time a programme is presented it will be assessed on its merits and the situation on the ground in Sri Lanka at the time to decide whether it will help the people of Sri Lanka. The Chancellor in his role as Governor to the IMF will make any final decision on UK support.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Animal Experiments
My predecessor my hon. Friend the Member for Ogmore (Huw Irranca-Davies) had regular meetings with representatives of the chemicals industry and other interested stakeholders to discuss a wide range of subjects, including animal testing.
Regulation of chemicals in the EU is now co-ordinated through REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals). REACH has a clear aim to minimise the use of animal testing and includes the means to achieve that. It makes animal testing the option of last resort where there are no suitable non-animal alternative tests available, requires the mandatory sharing of all existing data on the intrinsic properties of chemicals derived from animal tests when completing registrations, and bans repetition of animal tests. In addition, industry has to provide a full justification if further animal tests are proposed to fill identified data gaps, and gain the approval of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) before such tests may be conducted. Test proposals are required to be published on ECHA's website for 45 days, to allow interested third parties to submit scientifically-valid comments.
Central Science Laboratory: Manpower
Central Science Laboratory (CSL) had only one main site, at Sand Hutton near York, during the period covered by the question. In addition, a number of staff were home-based or based at small outstations. Consequently, the following figures relate to all CSL staff.
Classification 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Director 19 6 6 6 6 Senior manager 75 77 72 72 71 Specialist/delivery manager 247 241 242 237 227 Executive support/admin 73 76 79 82 74 Other2 302 280 302 358 299 Total 706 680 701 3755 677 1 Figures for directors in 2009 include three retiring as CSL directors on 31 March 2009 and the six new Fera directors. 2 ‘Other’ category includes all staff not specifically covered by question who are involved in scientific support/delivery, e.g. fieldworkers, lab support, junior scientists. 3 Large temporary increase in staff numbers due mainly to employment of approx 40 staff in support of badger research. Note: The figures in the table are as at 31 March each year.
Dairy Farmers of Britain
(2) whether he plans to bring forward measures to assist former suppliers of Dairy Farmers of Britain bring their milk to market.
Ministers and officials have been in discussion with senior dairy industry leaders. Officials remain in close contact with the receivers (PWC) to ensure minimal disruption throughout the dairy supply chain, including the effect on the sector as a whole.
Dairy Farming
We are helping the dairy industry to help itself through the Dairy Supply Chain Forum, which provides a framework for constructive debate and information for industry to make informed decisions about their future. The Forum also aims to increase sector efficiency and promote the sustainable development.
We are also helping the industry to adjust as part of the on-going CAP Reform. One of the aims of the 2003 Reform was to see the end of price support mechanisms, which distort the market and give false signals to producers. We continue to press for further reform of the remaining aspects of the dairy price support mechanisms to make the sector internationally competitive.
Departmental Furniture
From information held centrally, the core-Department’s financial system records the following expenditure on furniture and all related services (fitting, movement, etc.) by three of DEFRA’s Executive agencies for the financial years 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09:
Agency 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Animal health 622 283 757,768.56 Marine and fisheries 400 35 8,893 Government decontamination service 0 65 4,427
Further information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Procurement
The core Department's financial system records the following expenditure for the entities listed:
Organisation Purpose Value (£) Martin Walsh Cherer Translation services 4,630.93 Conferences and events Services 1,125.12 Professional services: Consultancy 2,802.49 Nicholls Investigation Services n/a Nil Shell UK Ltd Vehicle Fuel and Oils; Vehicle Maintenance 12,334.93 The Royal Yachting Association Environmental Action Fund 145,598.00 The Focus Group Ltd Conferences and Events Services 1,051.63 The Trades Union Congress Conferences and Events Services 19,247.87 Way Out Creations Sdn Bhd Sustainable Development Programme 4,499.00 Charles Matts Professional Services: Consultancy 1,458.90 Nia Wyn Jones Professional Services: Consultancy 1,244.38 Inova Furniture Contracts Furniture 28,489.06 Gavin Scott Conferences and Events Services 1,500.00 Advance Seating Design Furniture and Office Services 1,187.32 Dunster House Waste Research 280.50
Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) stopped subsidising compost bins in England in April 2009 and will cease selling compost bins completely there at the end of September 2009. Notice has been given to all stakeholders of this change.
Since its inception in 2004, the programme has sold and distributed 1.8 million compost bins in England which are estimated to divert 250,000 tonnes of organic waste each year. The programme has therefore met its original objectives and demonstrated the value of home composting as part of a local waste strategy. It was appropriate at this stage for the issue of future subsidies to become one for local authorities rather than central Government to decide.
Flood Control
No estimate has been made of the number of properties in high flood-risk areas that are not flood resistant or resilient. Investment by the Government over the last decade has led to a reduced risk of flooding for over 250,000 households in England.
A fully developed National Flood Emergency Framework will be in place by June 2010, in line with the commitment given in response to Sir Michael Pitt's review on the 2007 floods. The framework will provide the basis for exercise watermark—our planned national exercise in March 2011.
Plants
The Government have done no specific work to assess the role of ornamental plants in mitigating the effects of climate change. However, the growth of plants captures carbon dioxide (carbon sequestration), so giving some mitigation for other emissions. Assessments of carbon capture have been made for forestry and non-ornamental crops in the UK, since they represent the majority of the land use. The data available would allow a crude assessment of the potential for carbon sequestration by ornamentals.
More generally, ornamentals are a significant component of green infrastructure, which can reduce air temperatures in built up areas by up to 2° C. Some studies suggest that surface temperatures can be reduced to a much greater extent. Incorporating deciduous trees, including ornamental trees, into building design can also help to reduce solar gain in summer reducing energy usage associated with air conditioning, while maintaining solar gain in winter. Apart from the role of green infrastructure in reducing the urban heat island effect, the shade provided by ornamental trees will also play a role in reducing the incidence of skin cancers that is otherwise likely to increase as a result of projected reductions in cloud cover. Green infrastructure also has a role to play in sustainable urban drainage systems, helping to alleviate the projected increase in flood risk.
Rural Areas: Broadband
Broadband availability is vitally important for rural areas. DEFRA Ministers have been in contact with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to ensure that rural areas are taken into account in the development of the Digital Britain initiative which includes proposals for high speed next generation networks. DEFRA officials will continue to work closely with BIS on this matter.
School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme
EC Commission Regulation No. 288/2009, published on 7 April 2009, lays down implementing rules for the EU scheme for free fruit provision in schools.
Total Horsemanship
The core Department's financial system records expenditure of £240 on a two-day horsemanship clinic under the expenditure category of ‘Learning and Development: Health and Safety Training’ in 2007-08.
Waste Management
The reason for amending section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 was to provide a single point of reference in legislation for local authorities. As part of any decision-making process, the Secretary of State always takes account of relevant rulings of the Ombudsman.
Water Companies: Renewable Energy
In water companies' draft business plan submissions to Ofwat there were significant investments related to renewable energy. Ofwat assessed the draft business plans and allowed a significant amount of renewable energy-related investment. This would lead to a 40 per cent. increase in the amount of renewable energy generated by the companies. Most of this increase comes from additional production of biogas from sludge treatment and a growth in combined heat and power (CHP) capacity.
Ofwat are currently reviewing the final business plan submissions from water companies. The outcome of their review will be made available on 23 July.
Whales: Conservation
The UK Government will continue to make their opposition to whaling known to Japan at every appropriate opportunity and argue that they undermine the credibility of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) as an effective organisation for the conservation of whale stocks world-wide.
Unfortunately the right of any Contracting Government to the IWC to issue ‘Special permits’ and to conduct lethal research into whaling is enshrined in Article VIII of the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW).
At the next annual meeting of the IWC in June, 2009 (IWC61) the UK will once again call on Japan to cease its lethal whaling operations and engage in the non-lethal research of whales.
Written Questions: Government Responses
The answer to Question 270193 appeared on 15 June 2009, Official Report, column 89W. I apologise for the delay in replying.
Cabinet Office
Departmental Press
The Prime Minister’s Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office and therefore the answer provided is for the whole of the Cabinet Office including the Prime Minister and his office.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 9 October 2007, Official Report, column 530W.
Departmental Travel
The information requested for the Cabinet Office is not readily available and may not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.
Olympics
Olympic Games 2012: Facilities
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has responsibility for staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games at existing venues. The direct costs associated with staging the events at existing venues come from LOCOG's revenues which are primarily derived from commercial sponsorship, broadcast rights, ticket sales and merchandising/licensing—not from the public purse.
There will be attributable costs to the public purse, for example in respect of the security and transport functions associated with the venue. However these costs have not yet been identified separately for individual venues, but they will form part of the overall security and transport budgets.
House of Commons Commission
Members Staff: Contracts
At the present time 256 individual contracts have yet to be lodged with the Department of Resources for staff working for 164 hon. Members.
Home Department
Antisocial Behaviour
Between 1 May 2004 and 30 April 2009, we received over 3,000 letters and e-mails regarding antisocial behaviour. Representations that the Department has received on antisocial behaviour cover a wide range of nuisances and to provide a summary of these would entail disproportionate costs.
Antisocial Behaviour: East of England
(2) how much has been spent by each local authority in the East of England region per head of population on tackling anti-social behaviour in each of the last five years.
In 2003, the Home Office undertook a one-day count of antisocial behaviour incidents to quantify their impact on key service providers. This estimated that the cost to Government agencies of responding to reports of antisocial behaviour in England and Wales was approximately £3.4 billion per year. This figure did not include indirect costs to local communities and businesses, nor the emotional costs to victims and witnesses. The cost of not taking action against antisocial behaviour would be much higher.
Information on the amount spent by local authorities, including those in the eastern region, on tackling antisocial behaviour is not collected centrally. Home Office funding for local authorities to tackle antisocial behaviour now forms part of the general Area Based Grant (ABG) paid by the Department of Communities and Local Government. This grant is designed to increase the funding flexibility and allow local areas much greater freedom to spend money in a way they see fit to support the delivery of local, regional and national priorities in their areas.
Other Home Office led activities also act to tackle antisocial behaviour, for example the introduction of community support officers in the eastern region, but a monetary value cannot be assigned to that contribution. Similarly, other programmes and services contribute, sometimes indirectly, to tackling antisocial behaviour, including diversionary activities for young people, neighbourhood wardens, as well as neighbourhood policing and neighbourhood management.
Antisocial Behaviour: Greater Manchester
(2) what steps are being taken to reduce levels of anti social behaviour in (a) Tameside and (b) Stockport.
The latest available data on antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) cover the period 1 April 1999 to 31 December 2006. Between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2006, 225 ASBOs were issued at all courts in the Greater Manchester Criminal Justice System (CJS) area. Data on the number of ASBOs issued are not available below CJS area level.
The number of acceptable behaviour contracts (ABCs) is collected by the Home Office through a voluntary survey of crime and disorder reduction partnerships’ (CDRPs) use of antisocial behaviour tools and powers. The latest data published indicate that over 30,000 ABCs have been made between October 2003 and September 2007, with over 5,150 issued in the north-west region during the same period. Currently, data on the number of ABCs issued are not available below regional level.
We have provided practitioners with a toolkit to tackle antisocial behaviour, which they operate according to local priorities and a practitioner website and advice line. Specifically in Tameside and Stockport, multidisciplinary antisocial behaviour teams operate many initiatives based on prevention and enforcement that engage, educate and promote awareness among young people, engage with residents and tackle antisocial behaviour in families. Stockport operates an antisocial behaviour hotline where members of the public can call and report antisocial behaviour. These cases are then allocated to one of the four ASB caseworkers to investigate and respond. Tameside were rated as an excellent four star authority by the Audit Commission's corporate assessment of the partnership's work around tackling antisocial behaviour.
Closed Circuit Television: Greater Manchester
This information is not held centrally.
Departmental Data Protection
Except in exceptional cases, where it is in the public interest, it has been the policy of successive Governments not to comment on breaches of security. The Home Office and agencies take all breaches of security including unauthorised disclosure of personal data, very seriously. The Home Office and agencies have measures/policies in place to prevent misuse or abuse of official systems and to detect it where it does occur. Unauthorised disclosures of personal data are both a breach of security and a breach of the civil service code.
The Home Office and agencies are committed to investigating any such breaches and will deal with them in the strongest manner. Depending on the circumstances a range of sanctions are available including disciplinary action, and in extreme or persistent cases, termination of employment/services and, if appropriate, criminal proceedings.
The Security Policy Framework, the Data Handling Report and the National Information Assurance Strategy produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place a set of mandatory measures which Departments must adhere to.
Departmental Written Questions
I refer the hon. Member to the answer from my right hon. Friend, the former Home Secretary (Jacqui Smith), on 2 June 2008, Official Report, column 729W.
DNA: Databases
A total of 1,004 DNA profiles taken from crime scenes and loaded to the National DNA Database (NDNAD) between 1 May 2008 and 30 April 2009 matched against more than one subject profile. This equates to an average of 83.7 multiple matches per month over this 12 month period.
The SGM Plus profiling system looks at 10 areas within the DNA molecule and derives from these a profile normally consisting of 20 numbers plus a sex marker indicating whether the person is male or female. With such a profile the likelihood of a random match to a person unconnected to the crime is a minimum of one in a billion.
Biological material found at a crime scene will degrade due to the effects of the environment, ultraviolet light, or bacteria, among other factors. There may be very little DNA in very small stains of biological material. In either case it may not be possible to produce a full DNA profile. In some cases, a partial profile may be produced by the analysis of the DNA and in some cases no DNA profile at all would be obtained. A partial profile consists of fewer than the 20 numbers of a full SGM+ DNA profile. A crime scene profile of eight numbers plus the sex marker would be sufficient to load to the DNA database.
Evidence from such a partial profile may still be crucial, not least because of its ability to conclusively eliminate people from an investigation. A match of a person to such a partial profile carries significantly less weight than a match to a full profile and it is quite possible that two or more people might have the same partial DNA profile. The evidence presented to a court will reflect this. The Crown Prosecution Service have made clear that in any case involving a DNA profile there must be appropriate supporting evidence before a prosecution is initiated.
Driving Offences: Insurance
Enforcement of the offence is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. They will decide on what allocation of their resources is appropriate.
Data provided by the Ministry of Justice on the findings of guilt at all courts for vehicle insurance offences in England and Wales, in 2007 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
Information on the number of people convicted of a mixture of offences is not separately published.
Data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
Offence type Total findings of guilt Vehicle insurance offences: Using motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks 232,811 Making false statements or withholding material information 272 Other insurance offences (excluding fraud and forgery) 16,015 Sub-total 249,098 1 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: OCJR E&A (Office for Criminal Justice Reform, Evidence and Analysis Unit), Ministry of Justice