To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how much was spent in 2004–05 on maintaining and restoring the fabric of cathedrals in England. [46115]

A 2004–05 figure is not available. However, a 2004 survey suggested that the average annual amount spent on the repair and maintenance of cathedrals is £11 million.

To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what the Church Commissioners' policy is on purchasing fair trade products for its offices. [46119]

The Commissioners have been purchasing Fairtrade products for at least six years.

The Commissioners have been purchasing Fairtrade products for at least six years.

To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what percentage of the parishes in the provinces of (a) Canterbury and (b) York are in the pastoral care of flying bishops. [46319]

At 31 March 2004, 1.5 per cent. of parishes in the Province of Canterbury, and 3.1 per cent. of parishes in the Province of York had petitioned for extended episcopal ministry and received this from the three Provincial Episcopal Visitors. The respective totals including those receiving episcopal ministry from other bishops as well were 2.1 per cent. and 3.3 per cent.

Further details are available in Appendix 7 of the recently published report from the House of Bishops' Women Bishops Group (GS 1605).

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs What assessment she has made of the efficiency of the Rural Payments Agency. [47606]

The Rural Payments Agency is modernising its systems and processes to deliver the single payment scheme (SPS). It is estimated that the cost of processing £1.6 billion of claims will be 5.4 pence in the pound. This compares favourably with the cost of administering the schemes SPS replaces which in 2004–05 was 5.7 pence in the pound.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs If she will make a statement on the implementation of the single farm payment scheme. [47607]

The Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for South Dorset (Jim Knight) announced on 31 January that full payments under the single payment scheme will commence in February 2006. Staff are working exceedingly hard to ensure that this expectation is turned into a reality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of single farm payments she expects to have been paid by the end of February 2006. [47616]

The Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for South Dorset (Jim Knight) confirmed on 31 January that SPS payments will commence before the end of February, with the bulk of payments being made by the end of March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her latest estimate is of the costs associated with the management of the stockpile of radioactive waste; and if she will make a statement. [47609]

The total cost of operating, cleaning up and decommissioning the UK's publicly owned civil nuclear sites, for which the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has been given responsibility, is currently estimated at £56 billion. This figure includes the costs of interim management of waste arising from decommissioning and clean-up activity. The cost of any facility, or facilities that will be needed in light of CoRWM recommendation for the final long-term management higher activity wastes will be additional to this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that the UK's obligations under the habitats directive are met. [47611]

A small number of legislative changes are in hand, to meet a recent European Court of Justice ruling,. But of course the UK has already done more than virtually any other EU member state in meeting the policy objectives behind the directive by protecting and enhancing our terrestrial and marine biodiversity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the access of canoeists to rivers and waterways. [47612]

Canoeists currently have access to around 27 per cent. of our major areas of inland water, and research suggests that overall supply meets demand. But we are working with partners to develop more opportunities for access in the future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the proposed closure of the Banchory station of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology on climate change research. [47613]

Staff at the Banchory station of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) carry out important monitoring and scientific research on the impacts of climate change on plants and animals. Links between biodiversity and climate change remain a priority for the new CEH. Future research work in this area will be carried out in even closer collaboration with universities, through a proposed new partnership funding initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely impact on wildlife research of the National Environment Research Council's plans for the future organisation of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. [47293]

The Government are fully committed to maintaining the quality of environmental science in the UK and provides funding to the Natural Environment Research Council for this purpose. NERC is currently consulting widely with stakeholders on proposals on how best the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology can contribute on a sustainable basis to this. I am sure that NERC Council will consider all evidence and views on the potential impact of the proposals, including any impact on wildlife research. The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology will continue to deliver its contractual commitments to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs arid other Government Department and agencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the operation of the warm homes scheme in Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland. [47614]

The Warm Front Scheme has already provided assistance to 3,573 homes in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland through a range of insulation and heating measures and energy efficiency advice. We continue to work with Eaga Partnership, the scheme manager, to ensure the effective delivery of the scheme across the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made with the review of the UK climate change programme. [47615]

We are aiming to publish the revised UK climate change programme as soon as possible this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on progress towards meeting climate change targets. [47610]

I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on our progress towards meeting both our international and domestic climate change targets as part of the climate change review process, through our involvement in the Sustainable Energy Policy Network and the EE Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will implement the recommendation contained in paragraph 200 in the Farm Animal Welfare Council's report Welfare of farmed animals at slaughter or killing", published in 2003. [47603]

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on the cattle market of a delay in lifting the ban on the export of British beef. [44042]

I can confirm that, in 2005, Defra commissioned a report from the Meat and Livestock Commission assessing any risks and the market impact of the lifting of the over-30-month rule.

My officials and I are also closely monitoring the UK market situation as well as the overall EU beef market, since the full re-introduction of post-August 1996 cattle to the food chain on 23 January. In the unlikely event of any substantial and sustained fall in the market price we have the option of pressing the EU Commission's Beef Management Committee for a temporary exceptional market support measure.

Current indications are that the full re-introduction of over-30-month beef from cattle born after 1 August 1996 has passed largely without incident. The impact on market prices will become clearer once they have been collected and published after the first full week of trading.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the (a) number of bird keepers in the UK and (b) percentage of birds of wild origin they keep. [46298]

The Department holds information on the number and locations of larger poultry businesses. In addition the Great Britain Poultry Register was established in December 2005 to gather more information about particular species of birds held on commercial premises with 50 or more birds. Owners with less than 50 birds are also encouraged to register on a voluntary basis.

However, we do not hold information on other bird keepers or the number and percentage of wild birds kept in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons her Department has refused Mrs. Kremers of New Park Farm, Ogwell, Devon the option of paying for a second TB test for an animal that tested positive to the initial tuberculin skin test; and by what means Mrs. Kremers can appeal against this decision. [47587]

The current skin test for bovine tuberculosis (TB) is an effective test. It is the accepted standard laid down in both national and international legislation for determining the existence of disease in a cattle herd.

The Tuberculosis (England and Wales) Order 1984 requires cattle failing the tuberculin test, and those considered to have been direct contacts exposed to TB, to be compulsorily slaughtered. There is no provision for a second TB test nor is there a mechanism for appeals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether trading of common agricultural policy entitlements is allowable in advance of payments being made by the Rural Payments Agency. [46042]

Trading can only take place once entitlements have been established. The Rural Payments Agency has launched a pre-registration system for those claimants who intend to trade entitlements once they have received their entitlement notification.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

(1) what the total level of funding for the countryside stewardship scheme was in the 2004 agreement year; [46968]

(2) how many live agreements providing public access there were in (a) the 2004 agreement year and (b) from the scheme's inception to November 2005; [46969]

(3) how many hectares were in live agreements under the countryside stewardship scheme which provided public access (a) in the agreement year 2004 and (b) from the scheme's inception to November 2005; [46972]

(4) how much funding was provided for live agreements providing public access under the countryside stewardship scheme (a) in the agreement year 2004 and (b) from the scheme's inception to November 2005. [46974]

I cannot provide the information requested within a reasonable time. I will write to the right hon. Member to provide a detailed answer to his questions when we have the information and will place a copy in the Library of the House and on the DEFRA website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of maintaining her main departmental website was for the last year for which figures are available; and how many visitors there were to the site in each of the last 12 months. [46276]

For our main website, www.defra.gov.uk direct operating costs—staff costs for the central team with lead responsibility for updating and maintaining websites—are estimated to be around £352,000 for the current financial year. Additional costs arise from the activities of staff in business units across the Department, contributing to the content of websites but the cost for this cannot be readily calculated . Website hosting services—as well as a range of IT applications—are provided as part of DEFRA's overall IT service provision and the costs cannot be disaggregated.

The number of visitors per month to the website during 2005 was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress of the national allocation plan for the second phase of the EU emissions trading scheme. [48016]

A national allocation plan (NAP) with a final installation level-allocation for Phase II of the EU ETS (2008 to 2012) must be submitted to the European Commission by 31 December 2006. The European Commission recently published its revised guidance for Phase II of the EU ETS, and we are now assessing the impacts of this guidance on the development of our NAP. A draft policy NAP is due to be published this spring.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department has paid since 2004 to external consultants who had previously been employed by the Department in any capacity within the previous five years. [41205]

External consultants are not employed by the Department but provide consultancy services under contracts for services. The Department does not hold records centrally of how much it has paid since 2004 to external consultants who had previously been employed by the Department in any capacity within the previous five years, and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role her Department is playing in the Government's commitment to eradicate fuel poverty. [47108]

Defra plays a leading role in taking forward the Government's commitment to tackle fuel poverty. This is reflected in our PSA target, wording of which is shared with DTI, which endorses the commitment to eradicate fuel poverty, as far as reasonably practicable, in vulnerable households in England by 2010.

Defra is responsible for the Warm Front Scheme, which is the key tool for tackling fuel poverty in the private sector in England. Since its launch in June 2000 it has assisted more than 1 million households with a range of insulation and heating measures and energy efficiency advice. The new phase of the scheme, launched in June 2005, is better equipped to target and assist those most in need in a sustainable way.

Funding for Warm Front was enhanced by the announcement in the pre-Budget report 2005 of an additional £250 million for Warm Front in the period 2005–08.

The Department works closely with colleagues across Government who have an interest in this area including the Departments of Trade and Industry, Work and Pensions and Health, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Treasury as well as the Devolved Administrations. This ensures that all areas which impact on our ability to tackle fuel poverty—energy efficiency, income and fuel cost—can be fully considered and appropriate action taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2005, Official Report, column 2376W, on departmental transport, if her Department will make a representation to IBM to instruct its employees not to park in residential roads near the site on the Epsom road, Merrow, Guildford. [46054]

Official representations have been made to IBM to gain their co-operation in asking their employees not to park in surrounding roads.

DEFRA are carrying out daily patrols in the local roads to try to identify vehicles which belong to IBM employees. Drivers or their line managers are then contacted and asked to move their vehicles even though these may be parked legally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the protection of the marine environment. [47174]

Both I and my officials have had extensive discussions with various colleagues in other Government Departments (and also with the devolved administrations) on a range of domestic and international issues concerning the protection of the marine environment, not least in preparing the Government's proposals for the Marine Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received about the species included in the list in Schedule 9 of the Countryside and Wildlife Act 1981. [46687]

holding answer 30 January 2005

The Government have undertaken a review of Part I of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as it applies to England and Wales, and sought comments on retaining Schedule 9 in its current form and making it the subject of an early review. The responses we have received as part of this review are overwhelmingly in support of the retention of Schedule 9, with some suggested additions for both Part I (animals) and Part II (plants). We will be issuing a consultation document later this year which will proposed amendments to Schedule 9, informed by these responses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether farmers in Lancashire will receive the single farm payment on the original timetable. [45491]

As I announced on 31 January, the Rural Payments Agency will start making full payments under the single payment scheme in February with the bulk of payments being made in March. This is in line with announcements made in January 2005, and well within the regulatory payment window, which runs from 1 December 2005 to 30 June 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what dates the UK Government received funds for the Single Farm Payment from the EU. [47981]

Common Agricultural Policy funding is reimbursed by the European Commission two months after the end of the month in which the payments to claimants are made. No funds for the Single Payment Scheme have therefore been received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure safe and sufficient water supplies in the south-east. [47594]

Water companies have statutory duties with regard to water supply and have produced drought and water resource plans in liaison with the Environment Agency. Under the Water Act 2003, these plans are now being made statutory. We have asked the Environment Agency to monitor and report on the developing drought in the south-east.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to use native woodland creation to tackle (a) habitat fragmentation, (b) flooding and (c) climate change. [47168]

Our statement of policy for England's ancient and native woodlands Keepers of Time" which we published last year sets out a number of strategic objectives which include the creation of new native woodland to extend, link arid complement existing woodland and other habitats. It also sets the objective of increasing the recognition and use of 'environmental services' which native woodland can provide, for example flood alleviation and pollution mitigation.

The England forestry strategy review and the review of the UK climate change programme are looking at how existing policies are performing and the range of polices that might be put in place in the future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much woodland has been created in each year since 1995; and how much of this is broadleaved. [47171]

The area of new woodland creation in England comes principally from the area of Forestry Commission grant aided planting and new woodland planting on the public forest estate. In addition a relatively small area is planted without grant aid and this is assumed to be entirely broadleaved. The total area created with and without incentives is given in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to increase woodland cover in England. [47172]

Our target is to create 30,000 hectares of new woodland over the seven-year period, 2000–06, of the England rural development programme. In the period 1 January 2000–31 December 2005, 28,262 hectares of new woodland has been planted.

The successor to the current programme is being developed and a public consultation document will be published soon. New woodland creation is expected to remain a feature of the programme but at this stage we do not have a target area.

The revised England forestry strategy and the revision of the UK biodiversity action plan native woodland creation target are both expected to be published later this year and will provide more details of our plans for woodland cover in England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage farmers to plant trees. [47166]

Incentives to promote the planting of trees in England are part of the Forestry Commission's English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) which combines and replaces incentives for the establishment of new woodland that were available under the Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme (WGS) and Defra's Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (FWPS). Defra's Environmental Stewardship Scheme will build on past achievements by providing incentives for small-scale tree planting.

In addition to these England-wide schemes there are various regional and local initiatives aimed at increasing tree cover; notably the National Forest in the Midlands and the 12 Community Forest partnerships based close to urban areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of England is covered by ancient woodland; and what steps she has taken to halt its decline. [47169]

In June last year I launched Keepers of Time: a statement policy for England's ancient and native woodland", which at around 340,000 hectares makes up just under 3 per cent. of our land area.

Our vision is that ancient woodlands, veteran trees and other native woodlands are adequately protected, sustainably managed in a wider landscape context, and are providing a wide range of social, environmental and economic benefits to society.

The Action Plan for 2005–07, which accompanied the policy statement, set out a broad range of actions aimed at achieving our strategic objectives, which includes halting the decline.

To ask the Prime Minister how much he has spent on hospitality in each year since he became Prime Minister; and what proportion was spent on alcohol. [46489]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my noble Friend Lord Bassam of Brighton to the noble Lord Hanningfield on 21 July 2005, Official Report, column WA261.

For 2002–03 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 28 April 2004, Official Report, column 1087W.

For 2001–02 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 27 January 2003, Official Report, column 564W.

For figures up to the period of 2001–02, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 28 February 2002, Official Report, columns 1444–48W.

To ask the Prime Minister how many staff were employed in his Office in each year since he became Prime Minister. [46487]

For the number of staff on the No. 10 payroll for the period up to 1 April 2003 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) on 30 June 2003, Official Report, column 56W.

For the number of staff on the No. 10 payroll for the remaining period up to 1 April 2005 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Belfast, East (Mr. Robinson) on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 163-64W.

To ask the Prime Minister how much he has spent on air travel in each year since he became Prime Minister. [46488]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) on 21 November 2005, Official Report, column 1661W.

To ask the Prime Minister what the total cost was of his official travel in each year since he became Prime Minister. [46490]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 21 November 2005, Official Report, column 1660–61W.

To ask the Prime Minister what the total cost was of his overnight accommodation during official travel in each year since he became Prime Minister. [46491]

The information requested cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

However in respect of overseas travel, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Copies of these lists are available in the Library of the House. Information on the number of officials accompanying Ministers on overseas visits is included in the list. All Ministers travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in Chapter 10 of the ministerial code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers". Information for the year 2005–06 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the financial year.

To ask the Prime Minister

(1) what matters he has raised at audiences with HM The Queen in the course of the present Parliament; [46727]

(2) how matters to be raised by him at audiences with HM the Queen are selected. [46728]

Discussions with Her Majesty the Queen are not disclosed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the (a) companies, (b) trade bodies, (c) regional development agencies, (d) trades unions and (e) local authorities represented at the 2012 Business Summit held in London on 24 January. [46571]

Given that many of the organisations represented at the 2012 Business Summit do not fit easily into the categories included in the question, the following is a complete alphabetical list of all attending organisations.

3M United Kingdom plc

Accenture

ADT Fire and Security plc

Advantage West Midlands

Alfred McAlpine

AMEC Design and Project Services

Amey Ventures Limited

AMICUS

Anschutz Entertainment Group

Arts & Business

Arup

ASLEF

Association of Colleges London Region

Association of Consultancy and Engineering

Association of Police and Public Security Suppliers

Atkins

ATOS Origin

Australian Trade Commission

Aviva plc

BAA plc

Balfour Beatty plc

Barclays Bank plc

Barratt Thames Gateway

Bechtel Limited

Bell Pottinger Public Affairs

Bennetts Associates

Berwin Leighton Paisner

Biffa Waste Services

British Olympic Association

British Airways

British Chambers of Commerce

British Consultants and Obstruction Bureau

British Library

British Security Industry Association

Brunswick Group LLP

BT

Building Design Partnership

Buro Happold

Business Redbridge

Cable and Wireless UK

Cadbury Schweppes

Camelot Group plc

Canary Wharf Group

Capita Symonds

Carillion Transport

Chartered Institute of Marketing

CITB-Construction Skills

City of Westminster College

Civil Engineering Contractors' Association

Cleanevent UK

Commission for Racial Equality

COMMUNITY

Compass Group

Confederation of British Industry

Conran Holdings

Constructing Excellence

Construction Clients' Group

Construction Confederation

Construction Equipment Association

Construction Industry Council

Construction Products Association

Contemporary Group

Corporation of London

Corus

Cory Environmental

Costain plc

CPT UK Ltd.

David Lloyd Leisure/Whitbread

David Wilson Homes

Davies Tanner

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Education and Skills

Department for Trade and Industry

Department for Work and Pensions

Diageo

Docklands Business Club

Drivers Jonas

E.ON UK

Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College

East London Business Alliance

East of England Development Agency

East Potential

EC Harris LLP

EDF Energy

Employers' Forum on Disability

English Institute of Sport

Equal Opportunities Commission

Ernst and Young LLP

ESAB Group

Exel

FD Tamesis

Federation of Master Builders

Fortis Bank

Forum of Private Business

Foster Yeoman

Franklin + Andrews

Freshminds

German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce

Goodmarriott & Hursthouse Ltd.

Government Office for London

Government Office for the South West

Greater London Authority

Greenwich Leisure Ltd.

Group 4 Securicor

Hanson PLC

Health and Safety Executive

Herbert Smith LLP

HM Treasury

HSBC Bank plc

HSP Group

IBM (UK) Limited

Instant Offices Group

Interim Olympic Delivery Authority

Invest Northern Ireland

JCB

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

KPMG

Laing O'Rourke

Lane4

Learning and Skills Council

Leaside Regeneration Ltd

Lewisham College

Linklaters

Lodestar

London & Continental Stations & Property Ltd.

London Borough of Hackney

London Borough of Islington

London Borough of Newham

London Chamber of Commerce and Industry

London City Airport

London Communications Agency

London Development Agency

London First

London Organising Committee for the Olympic Cannes

London Sustainability Exchange

LP Architects

Mace Limited

Marks and Spencer plc

Martineau Johnson

Medius

Mitsubishi Corporation

Morgan Walker Solicitors LLP

Mott MacDonald

Mowlem plc

Multiplex

National Audit Office

National Grid

National Specialist Contractors Council

Network Rail

Northwest Regional Development Agency

Office of Government Commerce

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

OGC Buying Solutions

Olympic Board Secretariat

ONE North East

Oracle Corporation UK Ltd.

Ordnance Survey

Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd.

Partnerships UK

Peabody Trust

Pinsent Masons

PIPT Ltd.

PMP

Portland Port Group

Professional Lighting and Sound Association

Prospects Services Ltd.

Qinetiq

Radio Taxis Group Ltd.

Reeve Hepburn

Renewable Energy Association

River and Rowing Museum

Royal Bank of Scotland Group

Royal Institute of British Architects

Rural Cultural Forum

Sainsbury's

Scottish and Southern Energy

Shell

Sir Robert McAlpine

Skanska Integrated Projects

Skills Festival Company

Sodexho

Somerset House Trust

South East England Development Agency

South London Business

South West Regional Development Agency

Specialist Engineering Contractors Group

Sponsorship Consulting Limited

Sport England

Sports Impact Ltd.

SportsAid

SportScotland

Sportspulse

Strategic Forum for Construction

Sustainable Development Commission

Taylor Woodrow Construction

Thales UK

Thames Gateway Learning and Skills Council

Thames Gateway London Partnership

Thames Valley University

Thames Water

THB Clowes

Think London

Thistle Hotels Ltd.

Tourism Tourism

Trade and Invest Wales

Trades Union Congress

Transport and General Workers' Union

Turner and Townsend Construction and Management

UCATT

UK Trade & Investment

United Utilities Contract Solutions

University of East London

VISA Europe

Visit London

VisitBritain

Wates Construction

Willmott Dixon Construction

Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc

Wolseley UK

WPIP

Wragge & Co LLP

WWF-UK

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether guidance has been produced on alcohol (a) served and (b) consumed on the gaming floor area of new casinos licensed under the Gambling Act 2005. [46726]

No such guidance has yet been produced in relation to the new casinos permitted by the Gambling Act 2005. The Gambling Commission has published guidance in relation to alcohol on the gaming floor of casinos licensed under the 1968 Act, and the regulation of alcohol provision in the new casinos will be developed from this model.

If it becomes clear that alcohol is becoming a problem in either existing casinos or those new casinos permitted by the 2005 Act, there are powers under the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2005 to stop it being served.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money was allocated to cricket through (a) the Sports Council, (b) the national lottery and (c) other Government funding in each of the last five years. [46815]

Funding for cricket is allocated through Sport England. The table sets out the funding allocated in each of the last five years.

Table 1: Funding for cricket 2001–02 to 2005–06

⁽¹⁾ ECB funding for 2005–06 from 1 April to 30 September 2005

⁽²⁾ CCDP funding for period 2003–04 to 2005–06

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual expenditure on (a) fixtures and fittings, (b) general office expenses and (c) office equipment was of (i) her Department and (ii) each (A) non-departmental public body and (B) executive agency, (C) other public body for which her Department is responsible in each English region in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06 in each case. [40069]

Expenditure by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on fixtures and fittings was £477,000 in 2002–03, £475,000 in 2003–04 and £335,000 in 2004–05; with planned expenditure of £100,000 in 2005 -06.

The term general office expenses" is neither used as part of the Department's accounting procedures, nor those of the Royal Parks Agency.

Annual expenditure by the Department on office equipment, including computers, was £938,000 in 2002–03, £958,000 in 2003–04, £1,100,000 in 2004–05; with planned expenditure of £350,000 in 2005–06.

The Royal Parks Agency's accounts do not identify separately figures for fixtures and fittings and attempts to provide these would be at disproportionate cost.

Annual expenditure by the Royal Parks Agency on office equipment, including computers, was £11,000 in both 2002–03 and 2003–04, £23,000 in 2004–05, with planned expenditure of £23,000 in 2005–06.

Information requested in respect of the non departmental public bodies could be obtained at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance she has issued to English National Opera on severance payments for senior executives. [47836]

I have issued no guidance to English National Opera on severance payments for senior executives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to continue to promote an anti-racist message through football in (a) Swindon and (b) England. [47555]

Swindon Town Football Club gives its full backing to the national anti-racism campaigns, Kick It Out and Show Racism The Red Card. The club promotes the campaigns on match days and they liaise with the local authority and local schools to convey the anti-racism message.

My Department continues to support these anti-racism campaigns such as Kick It Out and Show Racism the Red Card through funding for the Football Foundation which will receive £45 million in Government money between 2004 and 2007. We are also working closely with the Commission for Racial Equality who are developing race equality action plans with the Football Association, the Premier League, the Football League, the Professional Footballers Association and the Football Foundation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of Swindon's Football in the Community scheme. [47554]

DCMS has made no official assessment of Swindon's Football in the Community scheme but is delighted that professional clubs continue to work in their local areas to promote football and provide opportunities for a wide range of people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the statement at her Department's Olympic summit on 24 January, if she will provide a breakdown by main budget heading of the £3.3 billion cost of infrastructure. [46159]

holding answer 30 January 2006

The figure of £3 billion that I mentioned on 24 January comprises £2 billion for the Olympic venues and infrastructure to be met from the Public Sector Funding Package. The other £1 billion is to meet the costs of infrastructure works already planned and budgeted as part of the general regeneration of the lower Lea valley.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many events there will be at the London 2012 Olympics; and which of these events will be open to women competitors. [46661]

There are planned to be 26 sports in the programme for the 2012 Olympic games and all, except the boxing competition, will be open to women competitors. There are planned to be 19 sports in the programme for the 2012 Paralympic games, all of which will be open to women competitors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the liaison bodies established between her Department and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in relation to arrangements for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic games have met; and if she will make a statement. [46986]

The Olympic delivery group, the Olympic projects review group and the Olympic board steering group meet regularly at approximately two-week intervals.

The inter-departmental steering group and the network of Olympic co-ordinators will meet on a quarterly basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to (a) promote awareness of the Paralympic Games and (b) maximise the potential opportunities for people with disabilities taking part in sport as a consequence of the Paralympic Games; and if she will make a statement. [47038]

We are committed to working with others to maximise media coverage and exposure of the Paralympic Games and to promoting the Games nationwide. In 2012, the Olympic stakeholders will implement an innovative promotional programme for the Paralympic Games that generates excitement among a wide range of audiences. Among those specifically targeted will be schools, community groups, sports clubs and special interest groups.

The Paralympic Games in 2012 will motivate more people with disabilities in the UK to take part in sport. We will work with Sport England to sustain this legacy after 2012, in line with our commitment to increase sports participation for disabled people. This will include greater access to modern facilities and greater awareness and interest in healthier lifestyles. There will also be support, training, new career opportunities for coaches and volunteers, and visibility for sports that are not currently widely played in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the (a) recent and (b) likely closure of public libraries. [47795]

We are monitoring the situation closely and I have written to all leaders of the 149 library authorities in England to remind them of their statutory obligations. Primarily, the operation of library services are a matter for determination by the elected representatives of the parent authorities. However, public libraries are valuable community assets and local decision makers should think carefully about what might be lost through closures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many local authorities subsidised the cost of Royal National Institute for the Blind Talking Books on the most recent date for which figures are available. [47578]

The Government do not hold this information centrally; however, according to the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), 131 English local authorities subscribe to the RNIB talking books scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in (a) China, (b) Ethiopia and (c) Burma. [47041]

There is no humanitarian emergency in China. The country has made dramatic progress in reducing absolute poverty over the last 25 years, with over 450 million people lifted out of poverty. There are, however, still 135 million people below the poverty line and progress towards some of the Millennium Development Goals is slower than expected. The DFID programme focuses on increasing access to basic education, water and sanitation and basic health services, and on tackling HIV and AIDS and Tuberculosis.

In Ethiopia, 2.6 million people in, especially in the Somali, Afar and Oromia regions, have been badly affected by the drought and will need humanitarian assistance in 2006. The Government of Ethiopia and UN agencies issued an appeal on 23 January 2006, with particular emphasis on non-food needs such as health, nutrition, water, sanitation and livestock. We are considering our response. We will also continue to support the Government of Ethiopia's Productive Safety Nets Programme which provides assistance to those communities and households most vulnerable to crop failure by enabling them to invest in assets like clothes and livestock, or to build roads or protect water supplies.

Burma is one of the poorest countries in Asia. It is not on track to achieve any of the Millennium Development Goals. There is little reliable data but we know that many of Burma's 50 million people face poverty and vulnerability. We provide £500,000 a year humanitarian assistance through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to support displaced people in Eastern Burma.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of the discussions on increased private sector investment and growth in Kenya held on his recent visit there. [47040]

I did not have any formal discussions regarding private sector development on my recent visit to Kenya. However, I did hold discussions on governance and corruption. We will continue to push on these issues to create a better climate for investment. More widely, DFID has been engaged for a number of years on private sector development in Kenya and, with our assistance, the Government of Kenya is soon to publish a Private Sector Development Strategy and a Financial Sector Strategy, and is implementing a Strategy for the Revitalisation of Agriculture.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether vulnerability to natural disasters is considered as one of the criteria in the development of aid programmes; and if he will make a statement. [47095]

Vulnerability is a factor which DFID takes into account in allocating aid to particular countries. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), approximately half of the world's least developed countries face high levels of natural disaster risk and the impact on poor people is increasing. It is important that developing countries ensure that their planning includes efforts to minimise the impact of risk and respond more effectively when disasters occur. DFID has produced a new policy outlining our approach to disaster risk reduction which will be published shortly.

DFID is funding significant disaster risk reduction programmes in countries susceptible to disasters. For example, we are providing over £60 million to support disaster preparedness in Orissa, India. In Bangladesh, with the UNDP, we are supporting the development of the government's Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme which is helping to improve legislation, programming and co-ordination across government ministries on disaster risk reduction.

DFID is also providing support for the international disaster risk reduction system. We are one of the leading donors to the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, contributing around £1 million per year and we are providing £3.75 million to support the Pan American Health Organisations' work in the Caribbean to reduce the vulnerability of the health sector to disasters. Our support to the disaster risk reduction work of the Red Cross and international non-governmental organisations totals over £16 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid and assistance the UK is giving to the Palestinian Authority. [47446]

The Department for International Development's (DFID) programme of assistance to the Palestinians aims to enhance the prospects for peace, make Palestinian governance and institutions more effective and accountable, and encourage more co-ordinated delivery of humanitarian and development assistance. In 2005–06 our programme has included:

Support to the Palestinian Negotiations Support Unit;

Technical advice on public administration and civil service reform;

Humanitarian assistance to Palestinian Refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency; and

Budget support to the Palestinian Authority (PA) through the World Bank Reform Trust Fund.

This is in addition to assistance provided through the UK Government's Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP).

Given the current political uncertainty in the occupied Palestinian territories we are reviewing how we can best support the peace process and economic development.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he will reply to question number 42471 tabled by the hon. Member for Cotswold. [46368]

I refer the hon. Member for Cotswold to the response I gave on 30 January 2006, Official Report, columns 13–14W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2005, Official Report, column 291W, on 0870 numbers, what contractual arrangements his Department has for the provision of non-profit making 0870 lines. [37643]

Cable and Wireless provide the 0870 lines deployed directly by the Department of Trade and Industry. Under current arrangements the threshold for revenue to return to the Department is set at 359,999 call minutes per year for each 0870 line. The low volume of calls on the 0870 lines means that these thresholds have not been reached.

These services can be terminated with three months notice. Other 0870 lines are supplied by BT and managed by sub-contractors through two DTI funded contracts providing support for UK bidders into the EU's sixth Framework Programme for RTD. These BT lines attracted set up charges of up to £250 per number and continue to attract rental charges of £200 per annum, which is absorbed into the overall cost of the contracts. Calls to these numbers are charged at national rate, so are not revenue earning for either DTI or our contractors. The two contracts are due to run until the end of 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the administrative costs were of each agency for which he has responsibility in the last year for which figures are available; what the total of such costs was in that year; and whether the costs are regarded for the purposes of public expenditure statistical analyses as (a) identifiable and (b) non-identifiable. [39854]

Administrative costs (net) for the Department's Agencies for 2004–05 are:

The figures for SBS and ETS are taken from their annual reports and resource accounts (HC 371 and HC 180 respectively). The figures for INSS and NWML are taken from the provisional departmental administration costs outturns disclosed in the most recent Public Expenditure" White Paper (CMD 6639) as their net administration costs are not readily identifiable from their resource accounts.

For the purposes of the country and regional analysis exercise, from which data is disclosed in chapter 8 of the annual public expenditure statistical analyses, the costs of the Employment Tribunals Service are regarded as identifiable, those of the Insolvency Service and National Weights and Measures Laboratory as non-identifiable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the cost to his Department of sending Christmas cards in 2005. [45919]

In 2005, my Department ran an internal competition for children of DTI employees to design the official corporate Christmas card. This resulted in only minimal costs for artwork to clean up and scan the winning design.

Total costs for printing 4,500 cards was therefore £1,575.

Specific costs for postage are not accessible (these cards are posted along with regular DTI mail). However, based on second class postage and the amount of cards printed:

21p per letter x 4,500 cards printed: £945

Overall costs are therefore estimated at £2,520.

All expenditure incurred was made in accordance with departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, as set out in Government Accounting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the Department spent on (a) marketing consultants and (b) employment and recruitment specialists in each year since 1997. [41909]

The information on these categories of expenditure for 2003–04 (actual), 2004–05 (actual) and 2005–06 (spend to date), is as follows.

Information for years pre 2003–04 is not readily available on a centralised basis and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, of 26 October 2005 on behalf of Lesley Clarke. [38119]

I apologise to my right hon. Friend for the delay in responding. The issues raised cover the responsibilities of two other departments and officials are collating a response with contributions from those departments. I hope to respond in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will respond to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 9 November 2005. [41976]

holding answer 16 January 2006

The letter from the hon. Member has been delayed by an administrative error, for which I apologise. A response will be sent shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will answer the letter to him dated 13 December 2005 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mrs J. Lyth. [45407]

I apologise for the delay in responding to this letter. I intend to reply in the next few days.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) guidelines and (b) criteria are used in his Department for the production and purchase of branded materials for distribution at conferences held in the Department. [45663]

My Department produces publicity materials in accordance with its branding rules. These set out how DTI's communications should appear visually.

The production and purchase of branded materials are usually considered on a case-by-case basis—depending on the purpose and objectives of a conference. It should be noted that DTI complies with conventions on government communications, which include ensuring that they are conducted in an economic and appropriate way and that the costs are justifiable as expenditure of public funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to collect figures for the cost of branded goods commissioned for use by his Department; and if he will record these costs in his Department's annual accounts. [45664]

Within the DTI, financial expenditure is the devolved responsibility of individual directorates. Our policies surrounding the recording of expenditure and publishing in our annual reports conforms to Government accounting requirements.

I have not made it policy to collect figures on items as specific as branded goods as these are generally an ad-hoc expense that is incurred for activities such as large exhibitions/conferences, not for standard DTI business. It should be noted that the DTI complies with conventions on Government communications which include ensuring that they are conducted in an economic and appropriate way and that the costs are justifiable as expenditure of public funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are taken by his Department to support staff with mental ill-health. [36268]

The DTI provides medical and other advice, through their Occupational Health Service and through disability management advisers and specialist assessors where appropriate, to identify the appropriate support for employees with medical conditions, including mental ill-health.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many disciplinary actions against civil servants employed in his Department (a) were commenced and (b) resulted in a sanction being applied in each of the last five years. [43487]

The information is as follows:

The Department has procedures in place to deal with misconduct and poor behaviour. These are developed in consultation with the trade unions and are available to all staff, either on the Department's intranet or in hard copy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions he has met officials of the National Union of Mineworkers and British local producers to discuss the future of energy supplies in the UK in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [47008]

Since becoming Minister for Energy I have once met officials of the National Union of Mineworkers. I have had three other meetings with UK coal producers and other mining union representatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what training his Department has provided for (a) front desk and (b) administrative staff in relation to identity fraud. [41284]

The Department contracts with a service provider for front desk and guarding services. It is a requirement of the contract for the service provider to ensure that their staff are fully trained to carry out their role. The training incorporates all those skills needed to provide counter measures against unauthorised access or threat to the departmental assets.

Other staff are trained to carry out a number of checks as part of the normal departmental recruitment procedures. These checks aim to positively establish identity and obtain background information on the subject by taking up references.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the written answer of 23 January 2006, Official Report, column 1767W, on the Marine Bill, what meetings his Department held with (a) other Government Departments, (b) industry representatives and (c) other stakeholders; and when the meetings took place. [47530]

The possibility of a Marine Bill has been under consideration for some time and has arisen in discussion at numerous meetings at which DTI has been represented, particularly in connection with offshore energy. It has been discussed at regular meetings of groups which bring together the marine renewables industry and offshore oil and gas industries with other stakeholders including fishing interests, shipping and ports groups and environmental non-governmental organisations. DTI officials are also members of Defra's inter-departmental Marine Bill steering group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) personal computers, (b) laptops, (c) servers, (d) printers, (e) scanners, (f) photocopiers and (g) fax machines (i) his Department and (ii) each (A) non-departmental public body, (B) executive agency and (C) other public body for which his Department is responsible in (1) Scotland, (2) Wales, (3) each of the English regions and (4) Northern Ireland owned in (x) 2003–04 and (y) 2004–05. [40107]

In 2000 the Department of Trade and Industry transferred ownership of its core IT infrastructure as part of a long-term private finance initiative (PFI) agreement to a consortium led by Fujitsu. The use of IT equipment such as PCs, laptops, servers, scanners and printers is now, in the main, provided as a service through the PFI partner, Fujitsu. The use of photocopiers is also provided mainly through supplier leasing arrangements. Details of fax machines owned by the Department are shown in the following table. The chief executives of the Department's Agencies have been asked to write to the hon. Member in respect of their equipment holdings.

Department of Trade and Industry: fax machines -- Number

Letter from John Taylor, dated 2 February 2006

The data about quantities and locations of Acas office equipment requested in this written Parliamentary Question are set out in the attached tables.

ACAS equipment by location, 2003–04

ACAS equipment by location, 2004–05

Letter from Tim Moss, dated 2 February 2006

I am responding to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on behalf of Companies House, which is an Executive Agency of the DTI.

The number of pieces of equipment in each area is as follows:

We do not have an office in Northern Ireland and consequently no equipment.

Letter from Desmond Flynn, dated 2 February 2006

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply to you directly on behalf of The Insolvency Service in respect of your question (2005/2566) asking about our holdings of personal computers and associated equipment and office photocopiers and faxes in 2003–4 and 2004–5, broken down by region.

I enclose a table showing the information requested.

The Insolvency Service: computer equipment and office machinery holdings