To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the (a) cost and (b) carbon dioxide output per cubic metre of desalination. [61308]

Desalination not been previously used as an option for water supply in the UK. Costs and emissions will be determined by the particulars of the operation concerned, for example, each will depend on whether brackish or sea water is involved; the source of energy used; and whether or not the plant is used continuously or to meet peak demands.

Projections from South East Water, who are constructing a small desalination plant on the Southcoast, point to an energy consumption around 4.5–4.7 kWh per cubic metre of water produced, using energy from a combined heat and power plant. The company has also estimated, in its business plan for the Periodic Review of water prices in 2004, that the cost will be around 47 p per cubic metre.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with Treasury colleagues on the overall sum available to her Department for flood defence works. [61242]

holding answer 27 March 2006

Defra has policy responsibility for flood risk management in England, funds most of the Environment Agency's flood related work and grant aids individual projects undertaken by local authorities and internal drainage boards. The programme to manage risk is driven by the operating authorities; Defra does not build defences, nor direct the authorities on which specific projects to undertake.

Funding is allocated to different priorities within the full range of Departmental responsibilities from the overall allocation for the Department set in the Government's regular Spending Reviews. The 2004 Review set spending limits for 2005–06 to 2007–08. The Government's Comprehensive Spending Review in 2007 will set allocations for 2008–09 to 2010–11. The level of spending on flood risk management is being considered as part of this, as is the level of the Department's spend across all areas.

We are committed to the effective management of flood and coastal erosion risk and have increased funding significantly in recent years. In cash terms funding from central and local government has doubled from £307 million in 1996–97 to an estimated outturn of £600 million in 2005–06, a real terms increase of 40 per cent. after inflation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the (a) Environment Agency and (b) other operating authorities allocated to flood risk prevention measures for the Suffolk coast and its tidal rivers in each year since 2003–04. [56926]

The Environment Agency is the principal operating authority with responsibility for flood risk management in England and has allocated the following sums for flood risk measures on the Suffolk coast and its tidal rivers:

£000

⁽¹⁾Forecast.

The aforementioned figures exclude costs in producing strategy plans but include design costs for works.

Waveney district council is promoting a £5 million capital improvement project at Southwold with funding from DEFRA which will provide protection from both flooding and coastal erosion. The latest estimate of spend is £2.3 million in 2005–06 and £3.4 million in 2006–07.

Figures for other measures by local authorities for flood (as opposed to coastal erosion) risk management on the Suffolk coast and its tidal rivers are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list flood protection projects (a) undertaken, (b) under way and (c) proposed for the Suffolk coast in each year since (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2006–07, including those which have not yet been approved by her Department; and in each case what the (A) estimated cost is and (B) threshold score is, calculated on the basis of the priority scoring system. [56928]

The Environment Agency's improvement programme for the Suffolk coast is shown as follows. The Agency considers some projects will be exempt from DEFRA's priority scoring requirement because of the Government's legal obligation to protect environmental sites of international importance. The need for such works has to be agreed with English Nature (Natural England) for individual cases. Felixstowe Ferry Sea Defences and Bawdsey Sea Defences are being promoted with levy funding from local authorities rather than DEFRA grant in aid and are not therefore subject to DEFRA's priority scoring requirement.

Projects often span several years, particularly when advance feasibility and design work is taken into account, so it is not possible to allocate projects to specific years. Instead expenditure in each year has been shown.

⁽²⁾Exempt.

The Department has not been notified that projects are being promoted by any other operating authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with (a) the National Environment Research Council, (b) the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and (c) the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the implications for environmental protection of the decision to withdraw funding from the Freshwater Biological Association Library and the Kritsch Collection. [60365]

holding answer 21 March 2006

The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology is wholly owned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). I have had no discussions with(a) the National Environment Research Council, (b) the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and (c) the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the implications for environmental protection of the decision to withdraw funding from the Freshwater Biological Association Library and the Kritsch Collection, because decisions on the merits of the funding of specific research areas are a matter for NERC.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government plan to introduce rules to regulate the amount of energy that can be used by electrical household appliances in (a) standby and (b) no load mode. [61046]

holding answer 27 March 2006

The Government are committed to raising product standards, including the energy used by appliances.

Mandatory standards for appliances are set at EU level. The new Eco-Design for Energy Using Products Framework Directive provides a route for setting such requirements, and we are pressing for stand-by power to be a priority area for action. Our Market Transformation Programme (MTP) has also been working to promote other measures: for example, an EU-wide voluntary agreement means that the majority of new televisions sold in the UK now consume around 1watt of power in stand-by mode rather than the 3–8watts consumed by older models. Discussions are now under way to extend this agreement to cover other consumer electronics.

The Budget also announced a new initiative, in partnership with major retailers and the Energy Saving Trust, to introduce voluntary schemes in the retail sector which encourage the purchase of more energy efficient alternatives in consumer electronics.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government is taking to meet its commitments on carbon reductions under the Kyoto Protocol; and if she will make a statement. [60451]

The UK expects to exceed by about 7percentage points its Kyoto Protocol commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. below base year levels by 2008–12. Latest available figures indicate that in 2004 UK greenhouse gas emissions were 14.6 per cent. lower than base year levels. The additional policies and measures to be introduced from the current review of the UK's Climate Change Programme will achieve further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she was first informed by HM Treasury of the decision to abandon the Operating and Financial Review. [58249]

holding answer 13 March 2006

The Government took the collective decision in November 2005 to repeal the mandatory requirement on quoted companies to prepare an Operating and Financial Review (OFR) as contained in the OFR regulations so that they are required to prepare a Business Review instead, and I was consulted prior to the decision being taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the change has been in the level of (a) carbon dioxide emissions and (b) carbon dioxide emissions from (i) aviation and (ii)shipping from the UK since 1990. [60569]

According to latest Government statistics published in January 2006, total net carbon dioxide emissions (including removals by sinks) fell by 5.6 per cent. between 1990 and 2004. Over the same period, carbon dioxide emissions from domestic aviation have increased by an estimated 80 per cent. and carbon dioxide emissions from domestic shipping have decreased by an estimated 11 per cent. The figures presented in the following table do not include emissions from international aviation or international shipping which, according to rules agreed internationally, are estimated and recorded by the UK in its greenhouse gas inventory but are not counted in assessments of progress against international climate change targets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the Department's building programme budget was allocated to (a) energy self-generation and (b) water recycling measures in the 2004–05 financial year. [58748]

Defra incorporates significant sustainable features in all major new buildings and refurbishment works that it undertakes. However, no energy self-generation or water recycling measures were installed during the financial year 2004–05.

Defra is implementing the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate which sets specific targets for reduction of water use per person per annum, and for sourcing electricity from renewable and self-generated sources.

In 2005–06 3.2 per cent. of the capital building programme budget has been committed to item(a) energy self-generation. No item (b) water recycling capital investment was made.

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

(1) what plans the Government have to ensure adequate supplies of water to houses proposed under the Sustainable Communities Plan; [60106]

(2) what (a) assessment her Department has made of and (b) research has been conducted by her Department on the effect of the Sustainable Communities Plan on water supplies. [60112]

It is for the individual water companies concerned to consider the need for increasing provision of water in fulfilment of their statutory duties to maintain adequate supplies of water. They have 25 year water resource plans which seek to reconcile supply with anticipated demand. This forward planning framework exists to take account of factors such as the water supplyand disposal infrastructure required to service significant new housing developments such as that proposed under the Sustainable Communities Plan. Water resources plans will become a statutory requirement under the provisions of the Water Act 2003.

ODPM and Defra jointly commissioned a major research project, 'A Sustainability Impact Study of Additional Housing Scenarios in England', to consider the environmental, social and economic impacts of additional housing supply proposed by the Barker Review. As part of the project a nine-region model was developed to examine the relationship between housing supply and various environmental impacts, including land take, waste production, water use and energy use. The research indicated that the reaching the Government's ambition of 200,000 additional new houses would result in an additional demand of 12 million litres per day in 2016 above the 12,728 million litres/day in the baseline.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's policy is on making water meters compulsory for new build domestic properties. [60107]

The Government's policy is that metering, with appropriate tariffs and protection for vulnerable groups, is a fair method of water charging. Household customers have the right to opt for a measured charge or to remain on an established unmeasured basis of charging while using water only for normal household purposes in their current home. Subject to those rights it is for water companies to decide in which circumstances to base their charges on metering and in which circumstances on another basis. All water companies choose to meter new homes.

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

(1) what assessment the Government have made of the demographics of households who have volunteered for water meters; [60109]

(2) what assessment the Government have made of the effect of compulsory water metering on (a) the water bills of families and (b) poorer socio-economic groups. [60111]

Before the introduction of the statutory free meter option, DETR commissioned and published Incidence Effects of Charging for Domestic Water and Sewerage Services' in June 1998. That project developed a model that calculated the distributional effects on households of changing water charging from a rateable value basis to alternative unmeasured and measured options. This showed that switching to alternative water charging systems created not only winners but also a large numbers of losers.

In December 2004 Defra published the 'cross-Government review of water affordability report'. That report showed the scope and scale of the water affordability issue, including the effects on lower income groups and pensioners. Following the recommendations of the report Defra is currently working with Ofwat, the Consumer Council for Water, and water companies to look at the effects on types of households of alternative methods of measured charging as part of a range of measured and unmeasured tariff options.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she plans to review the licence fees and charges incurred under the Water Framework Directive by homeowners who install environmentally friendly heat pumps by means of Clear Skies grant. [60370]

Abstraction licences and discharge consents may be required for the operation of heat pumps, depending upon the exact configuration and operation of any given system. Controls on abstractions and discharges have been in place for many years under the Water Resources Act 1991.

The Environment Agency sets out charges for abstractions and discharges in charging schemes that are approved by Ministers on an annual basis. There are no plans to dispense with charges in relation to heat pumps installed under the Clear Skies grant scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has carried out into the feasibility of creating a national grid of water pipes. [61646]

My Department has conducted no such research. The Environment Agency is the statutory body with a duty to manage water resources in England and Wales. As part of the Agency's management role it has national and regional water resource strategies, published in 2001, which set out the pressures over the next 25 years. The strategies indicated that a national water grid would suffer a number of drawbacks. These include that pipelines for long distance transfers are large and their construction may be disruptive, and that pumping can consume much energy and add to carbon emissions. The Agency is currently undertaking some further work to update its earlier conclusions.

Water companies have statutory duties to maintain water supplies. It is for them to plan the investment necessary to deliver their services, including the necessary financial provision, and it is for Ofwat, in the light of companies' plans, to secure that companies carry out and are able to finance their functions. Each water company operates its own network of water pipes, but I am not aware that water companies collectively are considering the establishment of a national grid of water pipes.

The merits of a water grid would be considered by Ministers if applications for planning and other consents came before them for determination.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department collects on the charges levied on (a) domestic and (b) commercial consumers of (i) metered and (ii) unmetered supplies by each water and sewerage undertaking in each county of England. [60888]

holding answer 23 March 2006

The Department does not collect information on the charges levied by water and sewerage undertakers in England. The Office of Water Services (Ofwat), the economic regulator of the water industry, collects information on the household and non-household charges made by the water and sewerage undertakers. This information is based on the areas that the companies serve rather than administrative counties.

Ofwat publishes information on charges in its annual Tariff structures and charges report". Companies have recently sent out bills for 2006–07. Information for this charging year will be available in the 2006–07 report which will be published in April.

The following tables show water and sewerage companies' charges to households for 2005–06. The first table provides the average unmeasured household bill for this period charged by each water and sewerage undertaker. The second provides the average measured bill for this period charged by each water and sewerage undertaker.

Detailed information on companies' charges for non-household customers can be found in Ofwat's Tariff structures and charges 2005–06 report" which is available in the Library of the House. Most non-household customers pay a charge calculated via a volumetric rate. Most water and sewerage undertakers also levy a fixed charge on their non-household customers according to the size of the meter that the customer has. This fixed charge varies from company to company.

Average unmeasured household bills—2005–06 -- £

⁽³⁾Forecast.

Average measured household bills 2005–06 -- £

⁽⁴⁾Forecast.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the relevant water companies on ensuring water supply to homes in London and the South East in summer 2006; and if she will make a statement. [61305]

Water companies supplying London and the South East, in common with the other water companies, produce drought plans, which are now a statutory requirement as a result of changes introduced by the Water Act 2003. The drought plan sets out how the company will continue to meet its duty to maintain an adequate supply of water during a short term water shortage.

One of the actions may involve applying to my Department for drought orders to restrict non-essential uses of water. My officials have had discussions relating to water supplies, and possible drought orders, with Thames Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water, Southern Water, Mid Kent Water and South East Water.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the most recent Scottish employment rate. [60668]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to questions 2, 3 and 7.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the most recent Labour Market statistics for Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [60669]

I refer my hon. Friends to the answer Igave earlier today to questions 2, 3 and 7.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent assessment he has made of trends in employment and unemployment in Scotland. [60657]

The Scottish labour market is at its strongest position in decades with more people in work and fewer unemployed than ever before.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from local authorities that lost money in the Bank of Credit and Commerce International collapse of 1991. [60670]

My right hon. Friend has received no such representations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what definition the Department uses of a small firm. [59281]

There is no single definition of a small firm with terms such as small firm" and SME" (Small and Medium sized Enterprise) being used interchangeably. The Scotland Office uses definitions based on the European Commission recommendation of May 2003 and the Companies Act 1985.

To ask the hon. Member for NorthDevon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many products sold in the souvenir shop are Fairtrade products. [61517]

At present, the souvenir shop sells two ranges of ethically traded products: embossed leather goods and embroidered Christmas tree decorations. 95 per cent. of souvenirs sold in the House of Commons shops are produced in the UK.

To ask the hon. Member for NorthDevon, representing the House of Commons Commission whether Westminster Hall is on scheduleto be reopened on time; and if he will make a statement. [61518]

The building works are progressing satisfactorily and the Hall is currently on programme to re-open in early October at the end of the summer recess period as originally planned. The Hall has been closed since the beginning of the year to allow the reconstruction of the steps at the south end of the Hall to take place. General enabling works took place beneath the steps (to remove asbestos and secure building services) out of sight of visitors. Work has now commenced inside the Hall including removal of the steps, flooring slabs and archaeological exploratory operations. The works may be viewed through windows inserted in the safety hoarding across the top of the steps at St. Stephens entrance.

To ask the hon. Member for NorthDevon, representing the House of Commons Commission if the Commission will arrange for jugs of water to be provided in committee and meeting rooms as a replacement for or alternative to bottled water. [60177]

The Administration Committee considered a suggestion that tap water be provided in place of bottled water in committee and meeting rooms at its meeting on 17 January 2006 and decided to take no action. Further consideration is being given to the provision of water in committee and meeting rooms.

To ask the Leader of the House what plans he has to review the parliamentary calendar. [61519]

There are no present plans for a formal review of the parliamentary calendar, although my right hon. Friend is always open to representations on this as on other matters.

To ask the Leader of the House how much business his office has placed with (a) Capita Group plc and (b) its subsidiaries in each of the last five years; what the total value is of outstanding contracts placed with Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries by his office; for which current tenders issued by his Office (i)Capita Group plc and (ii) its subsidiaries have been invited to bid; and whether (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries have seconded staff (1) temporarily and (2) on a longer-term basis to his office. [61068]

The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons has used the Capita Group once within the last five years. The details are set out as follows. There are no outstanding contracts or current tenders issued by my office to Capita Group or its subsidiaries and no staff from Capita have been seconded to the office.

Capita Business Services Ltd.

To ask the Solicitor-General how much is expected to be saved as a result of meeting the Civil Service workforce reductions targets for his Office set out in the 2004 Spending Review; and whether these savings count towards the agreed efficiency target for his Office set out in the Review. [52797]

The Treasury Solicitor's Department's target is 36 by 31 March 2008, assuming a constant level of business activity. When fully implemented, associated savings in a full year will be £900,000. These savings achieved will count towards the TSol's efficiency target in Spending Review 2004.

The Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Service¹ , Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, Crown Prosecution Service, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and the Serious Fraud Office do not have workforce reductions targets.

¹ RCPO came into existence after the Spending Review 2004 workforce reduction targets were set but the target (10 equating to £400,000) for its predecessor (the Customs and Excise Prosecutions Office) had already been met.

To ask the Solicitor-General what total efficiency savings were achieved by the Law Officers' Departments in 2004–05; and whether these count towards the agreed efficiency target for the Departments set out in the 2004 Spending Review. [52861]

The Crown Prosecution Service achieved £20.5 million efficiency savings in 2004–05, which contributed early progress towards the Department's agreed efficiency savings target set out in the 2004 Spending Review.

The Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office was not established 18 April 2005 but the headcount target (10) set for its predecessor, the Customs and Excise Prosecutions Office, was achieved in 2004–05.

The Treasury Solicitor's Department¹ achieved efficiency savings of £0.6 million in 2004–05 and these sums will continue during the 2004 Spending Review period, contributing to the Department's Spending Review target.

The Serious Fraud Office did not have an efficiency targets in 2004–05.

¹ Including the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.

To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases of sexual harassment were brought in which the defendant was subsequently acquitted of all charges in the last year for which figures are available. [61566]

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) holds no discrete record of proceedings for sexual harassment. The term comprises a range of different behaviours, some of them representing offences under the criminal law while others are covered by various provisions of the civil law.

With effect from September 2004, CPS sources provide a record of the number of defendants prosecuted for sexual offences, and of the outcome of proceedings. The table shows these figures for the last two years; however, the figures comprise all prosecutions for sexual offences, not just those for harassment. The table shows, together with the number and proportion of defendants acquitted, those whose case did not proceed, and those whose case resulted in conviction.

Proceedings for sexual offences

⁽⁵⁾September 2004 to March 2005

⁽⁶⁾April 2005 to 22 March 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if officials from his Department will meet officers of Lincolnshire county council and Peterborough city council to resolve issues regarding the funding and progress in respect of the A1073 Spalding to Eye improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement. [61255]

holding answer 27 March 2006

We are considering the issues relating to the funding of this scheme and will make an announcement in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the cost implications of the time scale for making a decision on the A3 Hindhead Improvement Scheme. [61537]

The scheme is currently being programmed for implementation by the Highways Agency, and the costs estimated, on the assumption of a start of construction in 2008–09. The timing of a decision to proceed within this timescale would, therefore, have no implications for scheme costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic (a) accidents and (b) fatalities there have been on the A588 in Lancaster and Wyre since 2000. [61320]

The number of personal injury road accidents and resulting fatalities on the A588 in Lancaster and Wyre constituency from 2000–04 (the latest year for which figures are available) are given in the following table. The figures in the table are those that occurred in the 2004 boundary for Lancaster and Wyre constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there are EU restrictions on UK companies owning airports in other member states; and if he will make a statement. [61333]

I have been asked to reply.

There are no specific provisions in EU law concerning the ownership of airports. Any acquisitions involving changes in ownership of airports would be subject to the applicable merger control law. Acquisitions may only be restricted or prevented in accordance with the applicable law. The EU treaty provides for the free movement of capital between EU member states. EU states may not adopt measures that are incompatible with their EU treaty obligations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the ownership of airports operated by the British Airports Authority. [60167]

I refer the hon. Member to the written statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on 21 March 2006, Official Report, columns 20–21WS, on the Government's response to the Civil Aviation Authority's price control review consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect of road congestion on the reliability of bus services outside London. [60700]

The Department has not commissioned research of this kind. However, it will be publishing later this year the results of a national survey of bus punctuality.

Local transport authorities are required to monitor bus punctuality as part of the Local Transport Plan process. They and bus operators are encouraged to form Punctuality Improvement Partnerships to address issues of poor punctuality due to factors such as traffic congestion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of cyclists who use the railway network daily in each region; what action he is taking to encourage more cyclists to make part of their longer journeys by train;what improvements in facilities for cyclists using the rail network are planned; and if he will make a statement. [61113]

Data are not collected in the form requested.

Each train operating company (TOC) is responsible for both their policy on the carriage of bikes on trains and the provision of cycle parking at stations.

The Government have adopted the Cycling Policy document produced in 2004 by the Strategic Rail Authority. This encourages all TOCs to carry folding bikes at all times, to carry non folding bikes wherever possible, while recognising that in peak periods there may be circumstances where it is in the best interests of the majority of passengers not to do so. The policy recommends that TOCs provide sufficient cycle parking at stations so that 95 per cent. of all rail journeys start from a station with adequate cycle parking by 2009. To support this policy the DfT recently funded an additional 2,900 cycle parking spaces at stations where demand exceeded capacity.

The franchise replacement process provides an opportunity to improve cycle facilities at stations, and to address the requirements of cyclists who wish to use trains. Bidders for the imminent South Western franchise will be asked to consider cycle-rail integration matters in their bid submissions.

As part of our ongoing commitment to bike and rail journeys I am discussing with our advisory body on cycling, Cycling England how we might further encourage such journeys.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the merits of the provisions contained in the Harbours Bill. [60277]

The Government's position in respect of the Harbours Bill was set out by my noble Friend Baroness Crawley during the Second Reading debate in the House of Lords on 27 October 2005, Official Report, columns 1382–85. We support the principle of the Bill which we believe would make a useful contribution to our policy of streamlining planning, and planning related, procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Article 14 directions relating to planning permissions have been issued by the Highways Agency in Northamptonshire since 1997. [60653]

holding answer 22 March 2006

An Article 14 Direction is any type of formal restrictive response given by the Secretary of State for Transport to a planning application, be it refusal, conditions on approval, or restricting grant of permission.

The current database for monitoring Article 14 directions does not contain this information prior to 2003. Since 2003, the Highways Agency has issued the following Article 14 directions relating to planning applications in Northamptonshire.

Directions restricting the grant of permission (holding directions) direct that planning permission not be granted, usually for a specified period of six months or less. These directions are usually imposed where developers have not provided sufficient information for the Agency to assess the impact of their proposals on the trunk road network.

Directions restricting the grant of permission are only recorded if extant. Such directions are superseded on the monitoring system by the final response. This final response may be refusal, conditions on approval, or consent.

Analysis shows that five directions of refusal were made, with details as follows:

The three applications refused due to insufficient information arose from the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) (England) Order 2005, which came into force on 24 August 2005. This Order requires statutory consultees to respond within 21 days, provided that sufficient information is available to provide a substantive response. In each of these cases the local planning authority has acknowledged that insufficient information has been submitted with the application, and has requested that the Highways Agency direct refusal in order that they might determine the application within their statutory deadlines.

Seven directions restricting the grant of permission are extant, with details as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what rehearsals have taken place to prepare for a terrorist attack on (a) the Merseyrail in Liverpool and (b) the Tyne and Wear Metro in Newcastle. [60530]

Merseytravel, with its partners at Merseyrail Electrics, the local police and other emergency services undertake exercises to ensure preparedness for a terrorist attack. They are working with the Department to implement the lessons learnt from the last exercise in January 2006.

The Tyne and Wear Metro took part in a series of desk top exercises in 2005 involving emergency evacuation in restricted access locations. The exercises were co-ordinated by the Tyne and Wear Emergency Planning Unit and involved Network Rail and all five local authorities in Tyne and Wear.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances Government funding may be (a) withheld and (b) reduced when a local authority has failed to consult properly on the introduction of a local transport plan. [61605]

holding answer 27 March 2006

The effectiveness of consultation and involvement of stakeholders is one of the criteria against which the quality of local transport plans will be assessed. The overall assessment of the Plan will influence integrated transport allocations for the years 2007–08 to 2010–11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation a local authority is required to carry out before introducing a local transport plan. [61606]

holding answer 27 March 2006

Advice to local authorities on consultation was included in the Full Guidance on Local Transport Plans" issued in December 2004, available on the DfT website: www.dft.gov.uk

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms are in place to ensure the independence of the Office of the Rail Regulator from (a) Government and (b) private companies. [61181]

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is the independent regulator of the rail industry in Great Britain.

The ORR is required to make its decisions on the basis of a range of public interest duties set out in UK and European Union legislation. Any party who believes ORR has not acted in accordance with its statutory duties can seek a review by the courts.

A further safeguard of ORR's independence is that it is a statutory board appointed by the Secretary of State in consultation with the chairman. Members must be appointed or removed in accordance with statutory criteria. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I have given to the hon. Member for Stroud today (UIN 60600).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many penalty fare schemes on trains have been suspended under Rule 13 of the Penalty Fares Rules; and what the reason was for each suspension. [61205]

The Department for Transport has not had to suspend a penalty fares scheme under Rule 13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list railway stations which do not have (a) waiting rooms, (b) toilets and (c) disabled access, broken down by train operating company. [61739]

Information on the facilities available at individual stations is available at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on capacity on the East Coast Main Line. [60840]

A large number of representations have been received from organisations and individuals, both within the railway industry and outside, about the allocation of capacity on the East Coast Main Line.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with GNER on the East Coast main line franchise. [60985]

holding answer 27 March 2006

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 16 March 2006, Official Report, column 2403W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the East Coast main line franchise. [61157]

holding answer 27 March 2006

The Secretary of State has had no recent meetings with theScottish Executive on the East Coast Main Line franchise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likelyimpact of EU Directive 2004/49/EC on heritage railways; and if he will make a statement. [61152]

holding answer 27 March 2006

I laid before Parliament on 17 March 2006 the proposed Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations (ROGS) which implement the safety management aspects of EU Directive 2004/49/EC. An explanatory memorandum, transposition note and regulatory impact assessment for all sectors of the railway, including heritage railways, accompany the proposed regulations. A copy has been placed in theHouse Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how regularly inspections are made by HM Railway Inspectorate of fencing along the Swansea Relief line in Morriston; and whether recent recommendations have been made for action by Network Rail as a result of such inspections. [60805]

The Health and Safety Executive's HM Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) has no programme for the regular inspection of fencing in the Morriston area of Swansea and has made no recommendations to Network Rail about fencing in this area. However, HMRI would expect Network Rail's risk assessment to consider the maintenance of fencing as a means of reducing the risks associated with trespass.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which rail operators are required under their franchise to pay a premium to Government on profits above a threshold; how many payments have been paid to the Government under these requirements; and by which operators such payments were made. [59871]

holding answer 20 March 2006

The Department for Transport currently manages 21 franchise agreements. The following 13 operators are required to pay a premium on profits above a threshold: Arriva Trains Wales, Central Trains, Chiltern Railways, First Great Western Link, Island Line, Midland Mainline, Silverlink, South West Trains, Southern, Thameslink, Transpennine Express, WAGN and Wessex Trains.

Such premiums have been received from seven operators: Central Trains, Island Line, Silverlink, South West Trains, Thameslink, WAGN and Wessex Trains.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what terms and conditions apply to curtailment of the contract for the rail regulator. [60600]

Under the terms of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, a regulatory board superseded the post of rail regulator on 5 July 2004. The Office of Rail Regulation consists of a chairman and at least four other members appointed by the Secretary of State.

The chairman or another member may not be appointed for a term of more than five years (but may be reappointed), may resign by notice in writing to the Secretary of State and shall hold and vacate office in accordance with the terms of his appointment.

The Secretary of State may dismiss a member of the office by notice in writing on the grounds that the member:

(a) has been absent from meetings of the office without permission of the office during a period of more than three months,

(b) has a financial or other personal interest which is likely to influence the performance of his functions as a member,

(c) is the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order (or interim order),

(d) has had his estate sequestrated in Scotland or, under Scots law, has made a composition or arrangement with, or granted a trust deed for, his creditors,

(e) has misbehaved, or

(f) is unable, unfit or unwilling to perform his functions as a member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much subsidy his Department has paid to (a) the St. Ives Bay Line, (b) the Tamar Valley Line, (c) the St. Albans Abbey Branch, (d) the Grantham-Skegness Line, (e) the Penistone Line, and (f) the Esk Valley Line in each of the last five years. [61213]

Where services are subsidised as part of a franchise, the subsidy is not broken down on a line-by-line basis. The information is therefore not available in the form requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on marketing strategies by his Department to promote increased passenger volume on (a) the St. Ives Bay Line, (b) the Looe Valley Line, (c) the Tamar Valley Line (Plymouth-Gunnislake), (d) the St. Albans Abbey Branch, (e) the Grantham-Skegness Line, (f) the Penistone Line and (g) the Esk Valley Line in each of the last five years. [61217]

The marketing of railway services is the responsibility of train operating companies. The Department does not therefore hold information on spending in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce rail journey times between Polegate and Lewes and London. [61254]

The Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy, recently published, proposed that rail journey times from East Sussex to London would be improved by means of eliminating the practice of splitting and joining trains at Haywards Heath. A programme for implementation of the RUS recommendations is now being prepared.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what rules apply to the provision of air conditioning on new railway rolling stock. [61243]

There is no requirement to fit air conditioning on trains. The general requirements for ventilation of passenger areas and cabs on trains are covered in part 2f, sections 192 to 197 of the Railway Safety Principles and Guidelines published by Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate.

If air conditioning equipment is fitted, there are standards which ensure that, in an emergency, adequate ventilation is provided and, should a fire occur, there is the opportunity to evacuate the vehicle safely. These are set out in the Association of Train Operating Companies' Good Practice Guides 003 and 004 and in standards GM RT 2120 (a Railway Group Standard) and AV/ST 9002 (an Association of Train Operating Companies standard).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce electricity consumption of new railway rolling stock. [61259]

The Department is taking forward a range of initiatives to reduce electricity consumption—and energy consumption more generally—from new rolling stock. These include enabling the wider use of regenerative braking on electric trains, which can offer electricity consumption savings of around 20 per cent., and working with the manufacturers and operators to trial hybrid train technology. The Department is also working with the rail industry to identify measures to reduce the weight of new trains which has a key impact on energy consumption.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list each motorway and trunk road building project undertaken since 1997; and what the (a) tender cost and (b) outturn cost was in each case. [62182]

A table listing works tender cost against works outturn cost for each publicly funded major project completed, since 1997 has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms are in place to measure congestion on the road network; and if he will make a statement. [61114]

Information on congestion data sources, indicators and targets is contained in the document Congestion on the strategic road network: 2004–05 target baseline figure and methodology" at www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_transstats/documents/downloadable/dft_transstats_611157.pdf and Technical Notes for Spending Review 2004 PSA Targets" at www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_about/documents/pdf/dft_about_pdf_030578.pdf (sections PSA Target 1 and PSA Target 4). For the target on urban congestion (PSA 4) the Technical Note is provisional and we expect to set final targets in July 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has conducted on the impact on road casualties of the removal of road humps. [61509]

The Department has not conducted any specific research into the impact on road casualties of the removal of road humps. However, research does show road humps can achieve significant reductions in vehicle speeds, and that a 1 mph reduction in average speed can reduce accident risk by 5 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission research into the cost of removing all road humps in England. [61659]

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) of 19 December 2005, Official Report, columns 2318–2319W, on road improvement costs, how much compensation has been paid under part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 in each case; and what other costs in each case have been incurred by the Highways Agency which are not paid to the scheme contractor. [61750]

The latest agreed budget costs for schemes in the TPI, represent the current approved estimate of the full outturn costs and include land acquisition and compensation, VAT and the cost of statutory undertaker diversions in addition to payments to the contractor/designer.

No compensation has yet been paid under part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973, in relation to any of the projects listed. This is because such compensation can only be claimed from one year after road opening, and none of the schemes listed have reached this stage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve network capacity around East Croydon. [61253]

Future plans for network enhancements will be determined in the High Level Output Specification for the railway to be published in summer 2007. Network Rail is also about to commence the South London Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) which will inform this process and investment decisions.

Additional passenger carrying capacity in the Croydon area is being progressed as part of the implementation of the Brighton Mainline RUS and as part of other projects such as the East London line extension to West Croydon.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department will take steps against planners and forecasters who consistently and foreseeably produce erroneous transport forecasts; and if he will make a statement. [61598]

The forecasts used to establish the design and the value for money of transport schemes are made by the sponsors of the schemes following guidance provided by the Department. We monitor the accuracy of transport forecasts and issue guidance to address factors which lead to inaccurate forecasts. The forecasts supporting bids for funding are scrutinised carefully by the Department. Those which do not follow the Department's guidelines or which appear to be biased are routinely challenged, leading to revisions in the analysis before funding is agreed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Vehicle and Operator Services Agency test stations are owned by the Government; what the location of each station is; how many tests each conducted in the last 12 months; and what the estimated value of each test station is. [61740]

The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency owns 68 testing stations by way of freehold ownership, 19 by way of long ground leases and two by way of short ground leases.

A table has been placed in the Libraries of the House which gives the information requested for each testing station operated by VOSA in the last financial year for which records are available.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary about improving the support and assistance given to the victims of trafficking who agree to help the authorities in a prosecution case against those who trafficked them. [60375]

As a Member of the Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking, I work closely with Home Office colleagues to ensure that provision for victims is sensitive to women's needs.

The UK is sympathetic to the needs of victims of trafficking. The POPPY Scheme already provides a supporting and protective environment in which victims can receive care and support while deciding whether to assist the authorities.

We propose to increase the geographical coverage of support services for victims and introduce support at varying levels of intensity according to individual need. We will use the evaluation of the POPPY scheme and the responses to the consultation on the proposed UK Action Plan on human trafficking to inform our decisions on the nature and scope of future support.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary about the number of victims of trafficking who have been brought into the United Kingdom to be sold into the vice trade. [60376]

As a Member of the Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking, I work closely with Home Office colleagues to ensure that provision for victims is sensitive to women's needs.

We do not have the evidence base to enable us to estimate the number of trafficking victims brought into the UK to be sold into the vice trade. We are seeking more evidence of all human trafficking, including trafficking for sexual exploitation, as part of our current consultation on the proposed UK Action Plan on human trafficking. In that consultation, we state that we will publish research into the harms caused by organised immigration crime, including trafficking. This research will provide a better understanding of the trafficking problem faced in the UK and will be updated annually. This year we will commence a scoping exercise focused on trafficking and the off-street prostitution market.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Government policy is on the marking and traceability of small arms and light weapons. [60939]

I have been asked to reply.

The UK remains committed to international criteria on marking and tracing of small arms and light weapons (SALW). This is key to tackling the problem of illicit trade in SALW. The UK played a lead role formulating a politically binding UN instrument on the marking and tracing of SALW that was finally adopted in June 2005. We continue to work towards making this instrument legally binding. The UK is fully compliant with strict EU marking and tracing standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the reasons were for the decision to withdraw the Clearskies grant programme; and if he will make a statement on the low carbon building plan that is due to replace it. [59481]

The Clearskies programme was originally a 3-year programme and was extended with extra funding for a further year to finish in March 2006. It has been completed rather than being withdrawn.

The Renewables Innovation Review (Feb 2004) recommended that the best way to support the installation of micro generation technologies would be through a technology blind low carbon buildings programme. The new low carbon buildings programme, which will start in April this year, will thus supersede both the Clearskies and Photovoltaics demonstration programmes. It will continue to offer grants for the installation of renewable technologies to both householders and larger organisations.

The new programme will seek to take a more holistic approach to energy consumption in buildings and will focus on energy efficiency measures as well as the installation of renewable technologies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much his Department allocated to Consumer Direct across all regions in each year from 2004–05 to 2006–07; and what estimate he has made of the figure for 2007–08. [61019]

The total funding allocation for Consumer Direct over the period 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2008 is as follows:

⁽⁷⁾Actual

⁽⁸⁾Forecast

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much capital grant his Department spent on all micro renewables in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005. [60844]

Under the grants support programmes Clear Skies and the Photovoltaics Demonstration Programmes the following has been spent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards the final establishment of an alternative disputes resolution body to enable consumers to pursue disputes with energy suppliers. [61899]

In July 2005, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, which is responsible for the regulation of gas and electricity supply, instructed gas and electricity suppliers to establish, within a year, an independent body to deal with billing disputes that had not been resolved by standard complaints processes. Gas and electricity suppliers continue to work towards the establishment of such a body in July 2006, and are in discussion with the Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman (OTELO) with a view to its providing this service under contract.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the November 2005 Carbon Trust preliminary report on the Trust's micro-combined heat and power field trials; and if he will make a statement. [60886]

holding answer 23 March 2006

The Carbon Trust's preliminary report on micro-combined heat and power provides interim results on extensive field trials, which are yet to complete. We are awaiting the final conclusions which should help to develop understanding on the low carbon potential of micro-combined heat and power.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the use of iTrips and similar devices; and if he will make a statement. [61542]

I have received no representations on the use of iTrips and similar devices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration he has given to the exemption of iTrips and similar devices from the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949; and if he will make a statement. [61543]

None. Such regulations are the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom) which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry how much low carbon buildings programme capital grant will be available in the first year of the programme. [60843]

Of the initial budget of £30 million, approximately £11 million will be available for grants across all streams of the programme during the first year of the programme. The scheme will be launched in April on this basis.

On 23 March the Budget 2006 announced an additional £50 million for the programme. The Department will be considering urgently with Treasury colleagues how this money should be allocated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry what assessment he has made of the systems compatibility of large base-load power generation plants with small-scale micro-generation power systems. [60618]

Issues relating to the compatibility of large generating plant and micro-generation are primarily a matter for the UK System Operator, National Grid. However, in 2004, the DTI in conjunction with Ofgem and National Grid established the Electricity Systems Technical Issues Steering Group to investigate the performance of the electricity networks given likely longer term changes in the UK generation portfolio and to ensure that any technical issues that might arise were recognised in good time. The group published an interim report, which can be found at www.dti.gov.uk/renewables/publications_pdfs/estiginterimreportfinal.pdf and is currently working with National Grid to undertake more detailed studies that should be completed late summer 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have been refused insurance claim payments under regulation 15 of the Package Travel, Package Holidays, Package Tours Regulations Act 1992 since they were introduced. [61248]

Regulation 15 of the Package Travel, Package Holidays, Package Tours Regulations 1992 places responsibility on package holiday organisers for the satisfactory delivery of the package, including services provided by third party providers (hoteliers etc.), except in the circumstances set out, also in regulation 15. While this liability may not actually be set out in a contract, it is nevertheless implied in each contract for a package holiday. It is not an insurance policy. Consumers who remain dissatisfied having sought recompense from the organiser for failure to deliver the contracted services may have recourse to the civil courts.

The Government do not maintain statistics of requests to package holiday organisers for compensation, or of cases in the civil courts, relating to these provisions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in the case of (a) insolvency and (b) bankruptcy or liquidation, how workers' pensions rank in priority for payment against payments to (i)shareholders, (ii) tax collecting authorities, (iii) staff, (iv) secured creditors and (v) unsecured creditors; and if he will make a statement. [61769]

The distribution of assets in insolvency proceedings follows an order of priority. There are threecategories of creditor—secured, preferential and unsecured. In insolvencies commencing on or after 15 September 2003 (when the Crown gave up its right to claim unpaid taxes preferentially) the only amounts which may be claimed preferentially are amounts due in respect of recent unpaid wages and holiday pay, sums owed in respect of recent unpaid contributions to occupational pension schemes or state scheme premiums, and levies on coal and steel production.

Any shortfall on the realisation of property subject to a charge and amounts due to employees or pension schemes that is not preferential is unsecured. Generally speaking, unsecured creditors rank equally.

A return of capital to a shareholder can only be made if all the costs of the insolvency and all of the creditors have been paid in full, including statutory interest on their debts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are using the Post Office card account to receive (a) pensions and (b) other benefits in (i) Lancaster and Wyre and (ii) Lancashire; and how many transactions there were in relation to such payments in each of the last two years. [61321]

I have been asked to reply.

Information showing the number of DWP benefit and pension payment accounts paid by direct payment into a Post Office card account for each parliamentary constituency has been placed in the Library.

The information on the actual number of transactions for payments made into a Post Office card account broken down for (i) Lancaster and Wyre and (ii)Lancashire is not available within DWP.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much his Department has allocated to renewable energy in the last five years. [61247]

The DTI spend on renewable technologies for the five years from 2000–01 to 2004–05 is set out in the following table.

DTI new and renewable energy programme—external spend for each technology area by financial year from 1990–91 -- Rounded to nearest thousand