Written Answers to Questions
Monday 9 October 2006
Defence
“Preview”
[holding answer 18 September 2006]: The cost of the printing and publication of “Preview,” and its associated organisational wall charts covering the Defence Procurement Agency and the Equipment Capability Customer, in the financial year 2005-06 was £106,575 including VAT. Publication costs were fully met through advertising revenue, which in the financial year 2005-06 totalled £238,917 including VAT, generating a surplus income of £132,342. Preview is distributed to individuals and groups through individual and bulk circulation to the following organisations, bodies and individuals: the Defence Procurement Agency, the Defence Logistics Organisation, MOD Ministers' private offices, MOD senior officials' private offices, MOD central staffs, other Government Departments, units of the armed forces, defence industry bodies, defence contractors, defence attaches in UK-based embassies and High Commissions, UK defence attaches, foreign Government defence procurement organisations, UK media organisations and Members of Parliament.
Afghanistan
Elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade were deployed to Afghanistan as part of the UK force package in support of the UN-authorized, NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The ISAF is there to prevent Afghanistan from again harbouring terrorism, to build security and government institutions so that the progress of recent years becomes irreversible, and to combat Taliban insurgency and illegally armed groups, which remain threats to Afghan security and stability.
Aircraft
The number of helicopters deployed on enduring operations, as at 12 September 2006, are shown in the following table:
Total deployed Army Air Corps Apache Mk 1 AH 8 Gazelle AH 1 8 Lynx AH 7 16 Lynx AH 9 3 Royal Navy Sea King HC 4 6 Lynx HAS Mk 3 1 Merlin HM Mk 1 3 Royal Air Force Puma HC 1 7 Merlin HC 3 5 Chinook HC 2/2a 8 Total for each location 65
A breakdown by location of where these helicopters are deployed cannot be provided as to do so could compromise operational security.
Air-to-Air Refuelling
We have no such plans.
Armoured Vehicles
The RG31 is not in service with the UK armed forces and no research has been undertaken recently to evaluate its annual running costs. The full capitation costs for the Warrior armoured fighting vehicle (all variants) based upon peace time usage is calculated for financial year 2006-07 as £154.04 per kilometre. There is no requirement to hold specific cost data for replacement track set intervals for the Warrior.
I can confirm that out of a fleet of 794 Warrior armoured fighting vehicles (all variants) 735 are in use by the Army. Of these 109 are used in training and 626 are deployed with units. The remainder of the fleet is undergoing programmed maintenance and repair, in storage or with the design authority.
Christmas Leave
I fully appreciate the significance of ensuring that our people, who are on rest and recuperation, can return to the UK over the Christmas period and indeed throughout the year. We make exhaustive efforts to provide transport to enable personnel to travel to the UK and other destinations as planned and to accommodate each Theatre's requirements for personnel movements over the Christmas period.
Departmental Contracts
It is not possible to provide specific details on private companies with which the MOD holds contracts to develop weapons and technology without incurring disproportionate cost. However, based on the Type of Work Code classification, in this case “Demonstration”, allocated to each contract recorded on the Defence Bills Agency database, which covers 95 per cent. of MOD’s business, it has been possible to identify a list of all companies currently engaged in these contracts which include “development”. The details are as follows:
List of companies holding “Demonstration” contracts with MOD
Company name
Aerospace and Airworthiness
Aerosystems international
Agustawestland international
Aircontrol Technologies Ltd.
Akers Krutbruk Protection AB
Alstom Power Conversion Ltd.
Ansys Europe Ltd.
B D L Systems Ltd.
Babcock Design and Technology
BAE Systems (Defence Systems)
BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd.
BAE Systems Defence Ltd.
BAE Systems Electronics Ltd.
BAE Systems Integrated System
BAE Systems Land Systems
BAE Systems Marine Ltd.
BAE Systems plc
Blakley Electrics Ltd/
Carl Zeiss Optronics GMBH
Changeforce (UK) Ltd.
Chelton (Electrostatics) Ltd.
Controls & Enclosure Technik Ltd.
Converteam Ltd.
CSC Computer Sciences Ltd.
CTA International
Cubic Defense Applications Inc.
Denel (PTY) Ltd.
Diagnosys Ltd.
DRS Tactical Systems Ltd.
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Ltd.
Dytecna Ltd.
EADS Deutschland GMBH
Easy I Ltd.
Echelon Consulting Ltd.
EDM Ltd.
ERA Technology Ltd.
ESRI (UK) Ltd.
Fanfield Ltd.
FR Aviation Ltd.
G3 Systems Ltd.
GE Seaco Services Ltd.
General Dynamics Canada Ltd.
General Dynamics United Kingdom
GLS (Global Life Support)
Guartel Technologies Ltd.
High Integrity Solutions Ltd.
IABG
IBM United Kingdom Ltd.
Innovative Technology Projects
INSYS Ltd.
Intrinsyc Europe Ltd.
Kongsberg Maritime Ltd.
L-3 Communications Integrated
Lex Transfleet Ltd.
Lincad Ltd.
Lockheed Martin Canada Inc.
Lockheed Martin Systems
LogicaCMG UK Ltd.
Lucidus Ltd.
Luminova (UK) Ltd.
M J A Dynamics Ltd.
Marigold Industrial Ltd.
MAS Zengrange Ltd.
MBDA UK Ltd.
Meighs Ltd.
MMIC EOD Ltd.
N & M A Saville Associates
Northrop Grumman ISS
Pall Europe Ltd.
Panorama Antennas Ltd.
Pearson Engineering Ltd.
QinetiQ Ltd.
Rabintex Industries Ltd.
Rapco Electronics Ltd.
Raytheon Company
Raytheon Systems Ltd.
Reynolds Boughton Ltd.
RFD Beaufort Ltd.
Rheinmetall W&M GMBH
Rockwell-Collins (U.K.)
Roke Manor Research Ltd.
Rolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce Power Engineering
RRK Technologies Ltd.
Savil Ltd.
Selex Communications Ltd.
Serco Ltd.
Smith Myers Communications Ltd.
Stew Art Hughes Ltd.
Systems Consultants Services
Systems Engineering
Telemetry Consultants Ltd.
Thales Air Defence Ltd.
Thales Missile Electronics
Thales Optronics
Thales UK Ltd.
Thales Underwater Systems
The Boeing Company
TRL Technology Ltd.
Turbomeca Ltd.
TUV Product Service Ltd.
Ultra Electronics Ltd.
Vector Fields Ltd.
Vega Group plc
W.L. Gore and Associates (U.K.)
X P plc
Source:
Defence Bills Agency Database (Type of Work Code 03 (Demonstration))—30 August 2006
Departmental Lawyers
[holding answer 13 September 2006]: The work of civilian lawyers employed in the Ministry of Defence is to provide legal support and services to the Department across the range of its activities and business. The particular requirements of the Department for legal advice are necessarily dependent on the circumstances prevailing at any one time. The summary description of the current work of the various teams of lawyers based in the UK reflects the main areas of law on which advice is required, and is as follows:
Legislation
This team's primary responsibility is the production of, and advice on, the primary and secondary legislation governing the armed forces, apart from legislation on pay, pensions and other terms of service.
Operational and International Humanitarian Law
Provides advice within the Department on operational law issues including advice in relation to the legal basis for use of force, international humanitarian law, and associated domestic and international legal issues.
Personnel and Pensions Law
Advises on personnel employment questions (including personnel vetting), terms and conditions of service, redundancy questions, discrimination law and human rights issues affecting the Services and MOD civilian staff respectively. The team also advises on War Pensions, the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and Service and civilian pension issues.
General Law
Advises on information rights (including data protection, freedom of information, environmental information and matters relating to the law of privacy and confidence), Defence Estates, and other areas of law not covered by the other teams.
Commercial Law
Advises on a range of commercial matters including private finance initiative and public private partnership projects, the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, EU law questions, international contracting issues, commercial information rights, and general commercial law questions.
In addition to the UK lawyers there are two teams based overseas in Germany and Cyprus.
The team based in Germany provides legal advice to UK forces and their civilian component on all aspects of living in and operating in and from Germany. This includes advice on the application of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, its Supplementary Agreement relating to Germany, and other international and bilateral arrangements.
The Attorney General and Legal Adviser team based in the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA), Cyprus, provides legal advice to the SBA Administration. He has independent control of prosecutions before the SBA Court. He and his team draft legislation and provide advice to meet the needs of the SBA Administration, including the provision of advice on the Treaty of Establishment, on legal aspects of policy development.
The salary costs of civilian lawyers employed in the Department in each of the last 10 years is as follows:
£ million 1997-98 1.27 1998-99 1.31 1999-00 1.48 2000-01 1.53 2001-02 1.92 2002-03 2.52 2003-04 2.94 2004-05 1— 2005-06 3.29 2006-07 21.52 1 As a result of changes in accounting procedures and the transfer of the Department's lawyers from the Treasury Solicitor into the MOD during the course of 2004-05 an accurate figure for this year is not available. 2 Figures cover the period 1 April 2006 to 31 August 2006.
Departmental Travel
The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Environmental Policies
Recycling provision varies from site to site depending on the location and availability of local recycling facilities. Waste management activities, including recycling, are organised and managed through multi-activity contracts or through facility management companies. Usually facilities for the recycling of varying waste streams are provided. Site environmental advisors provide local guidance and instructions on waste management.
Recyclable material associated with domestic accommodation for service personnel is generally collected by the relevant local authority.
Waste awareness initiatives, such as site introductory briefs and presentations, are carried out to inform armed forces personnel of the most appropriate collection scheme and/or the whereabouts of the nearest recycling facility to their accommodation.
The Ministry of Defence’s non-operational vehicles are provided under the terms of two separate contracts, one for the UK and one for Germany. There are currently six liquefied petroleum gas vehicles available for use as part of the UK contract.
In line with the Government’s targets for sustainable development, the MOD is reviewing, with both contractors, a range of options, including increasing the availability of vehicles that use alternative fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas.
The MOD’s operational vehicle fleets are managed to comply with UK and EU legislation and the current NATO Single Fuel Policy. Since the acceptance and implementation of this policy in 1991, all operational vehicles procured will run on diesel or kerosene type fuels. For older vehicles, conversion programmes have been undertaken where this represents a cost-effective option for the remaining life of the fleet.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Andrew George) on 15 February 2006, Official Report, column 2094W.
The Ministry of Defence currently has a single global food supply contract with Purple Foodservice Solutions under which the supplier is responsible for supplying food to the armed forces both in the UK and on operations worldwide. In accordance with the MOD's procurement policy contractors are encouraged to purchase British produce whenever it is competitive and consistent with meeting the quality standards. The MOD is working with DEFRA and industry to maximise the competitiveness of British produce.
Falkland Islands
The units stationed in the Falkland Islands are as follows:
Joint Units
Falkland Islands Joint Logistic Unit
Falkland Islands Support Unit
Joint Communications Unit Falkland Islands
Joint Services Provost and Security Unit
Joint Services Signals Unit
Maritime Units
Falkland Islands Patrol Vessel: HMS Dumbarton Castle
Naval Engineering Falkland Islands: Supports HMS Dumbarton Castle and other Royal Navy assets that deploy to the Falkland Islands
Land Unit
Roulement Infantry Coy: Currently provided by 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh (Royal Welch Fusiliers)
Air Units
905 Expeditionary Air Wing, comprising:
1435 Flight: 4 x Tornado F3 Air Defence fighters
1312 Flight: 1 x VC10, supporting 1435 Flight with air-to-air refuelling
1 x C130, providing airborne maritime patrol capability
78 Sqn: 2 x RAF Sea King Search and Rescue helicopters
2 x Sikorski S61 helicopters (operated by British International for routine movements of personnel and freight)
Resident Rapier Sqn: 3 x RAF Fire Units
Falkland Islands Air Defence Ground Environment: Remotely deployed Early Warning Radars
Support Elements: Air Traffic Control, Fire and Meteorological Services
In addition to the permanent units listed above, Atlantic Patrol Task (South) deploys either a frigate or destroyer, supported by a Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel, into the Falkland Islands Joint Operations Area for the majority of the year.
Files (Asbestos Contamination)
My right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, wrote on 26 September 2006 with a response to your request.
Foreign Language Training
Approximately £7.7 million was spent on foreign language training for military personnel in financial year 2005-06. This figure includes the running costs of the Defence School of Languages at Beaconsfield.
Former Under-Secretary of State
(2) what understanding his Department had with the Under-Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans about how he would travel from his holiday in Scotland to his official engagements on 6 September.
The diary commitments for my predecessor the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the week commencing 3 September were:
Wednesday 6 September—Addressing the Veterans Scotland AGM in Glasgow followed by a visit to meet Veterans at the Forth Valley Sensory Centre, Camelon.
Thursday 7 September—Visits to the Earl Haig Poppy Factory and Whitefoord House in Edinburgh.
The Ministry of Defence did not arrange travel for his private engagements during the week commencing 3 September. The Department did organise official travel for the planned official engagements on the 6 and 7 September.
Hearing Loss
As my predecessor said, there are currently no specific measures in place to monitor the prevalence of noise-related hearing loss among servicemen and women serving in Iraq. This is also the case in Afghanistan—personnel deployed to either Iraq or Afghanistan do not undergo specific pre- or post-deployment hearing tests. No estimate has therefore been made of the number of personnel who have experienced hearing loss as a result of their service in those operational theatres.
However, hearing tests of all service personnel are carried out at periodic medical examinations, which will detect deployment-related hearing loss.
The MOD also has robust hearing conservation procedures in place across the services and I refer the hon. Member to my predecessor’s answer of 21 July 2005, Official Report, column 2114W to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) which gives information on these procedures.
Iraq
We work in close partnership with the Iraqi Security Forces and civil authorities, to support the development of robust, self-reliant and credible Iraqi security forces.
The UK is responsible for training and sustaining the 10th Division of the Iraqi army based in Multi- National Division South East (MND(SE)). Significant progress in reforming the Iraqi army has been made, with nine out of 10 Battalions for the Southern Division already formed and basic trained. The formation and training of the remaining Battalion is due to be completed by the end of the year.
The coalition targets set for the Iraqi army and Iraqi Police Service (including the Department of Border Enforcement) in the four provinces command of MND(SE) are set against a range of key capability areas, including leadership, command and control, intelligence and logistics.
Preconditions are also set, and jointly assessed with the Iraqi Government, of the necessary security and governance preconditions for the hand-over of Provinces to full Iraqi control. These assessments include: the insurgents' threat level; the Iraqi Security Forces' ability to take on the security task; the capacity of provincial bodies to cope with the changed security environment; and the posture and support available from Coalition Forces.
Available records show that one Iranian national was detained by UK forces in Multi-National Division (South East). He was interned in the divisional temporary detention facility in Shaibah in 2003 and subsequently released. We do not hold records on individuals arrested by the Iraqi Police Service.
Iraq Medal
Only Ministry of Defence accredited war correspondents who were deployed to Iraq during the period of fighting which took place from March to April 2003 are eligible to receive the MOD Iraq medal. The MOD currently have no other situations world-wide where accredited war correspondents are being deployed.
All applications for the MOD Iraq medal are processed, on an individual application basis, by the Ministry of Defence Medal Office which is part of the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency. Initially there were delays in issuing the Iraq medal, mainly due to the huge demand for it, but also because this coincided with the integration of the Department's individual service medal offices into one tri-service medal office. Currently, applications for the MOD Iraq medal are generally turned around within a period of six weeks.
ISAF
As of 26 September there were 821 British military personnel at Headquarters ISAF in Afghanistan. This number will fluctuate subject to usual operational factors, such as leave and post rotations.
The number of British military personnel will decrease significantly when the UK relinquishes the leadership of ISAF Headquarters in February next year.
Mechanised Infantry Battalions
The Army presently has four Mechanised Infantry Battalions: none of these operate Warrior armoured fighting vehicles and none are currently operating outside their Mechanised Infantry role. There are nine Armoured Infantry battalions which are Warrior-equipped. Their base and current locations are shown in the following tables:
Mechanised Infantry Battalions Base Location 1 LANCS Osnabruck, Germany 2RGJ Bulford, UK 1R ANGLIAN Pirbright, UK 1DDLI Catterick, UK1 1Currently in Iraq
Armoured Infantry (Warrior) Battalions Base Location 1 SCOTS GUARDS Munster, Germany 1 RRF Celle, Germany 4 SCOTS Fallingbostel, Germany 1 LI Paderborn, Germany1 1PWRR Paderborn, Germany1 2 R WELSH Tidworth, UK 1 STAFFORDS Tidworth, UK 3 YORKS Warminster, UK 2 LANCS Catterick, UK 1 Currently in Iraq
Meteorological Office and Hydrographic Office
Our examination of the future structure and ownership arrangements for the Meteorological Office has concluded that it should remain a trading fund for the present. In the longer term, we will keep open the option of possible conversion into a Government-owned company, but for now the priority for the Met Office is to build on its existing success, by delivering further improvements in its public sector services, and driving commercial growth.
I expect to reach a conclusion about possible changes to the future structure and ownership of the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) in the autumn.
It has, however, been decided that the two organisations should not be merged, although the possibility of co-location with the Met Office at Exeter is one of a number of options under examination for the future location of UKHO.
Middle East
Following discussions with member states, the UN decided to reinforce and adapt the mandate of its existing peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). It is for the UN to say which countries will contribute to this force.
The UK provided HMS York to a UN Temporary Maritime Task Force. This taskforce is expected to be replaced by a follow-on naval taskforce, under UNIFIL command, around mid-October, when HMS York will revert to operations in support of NATO.
Military Vehicles
We do not comment on the relative protection of our vehicles, or those used by our Allies, as to do so would prejudice the safety of our and our allies' personnel.
We do, though, make regular assessments of the threats facing UK forces and of the potential vehicles available from manufacturers around the world that might help us defeat those threats. We use these assessments to keep our force protection measures, including tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP), and equipment, under constant review.
On 26 June my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence informed the House that the Ministry of Defence was urgently reviewing the options for protected patrol vehicles, with a view to identifying what else could be done as quickly as possible and in the longer term. The RG-31 was considered, alongside a number of alternatives. On 24 July 2006, Official Report, column 75WS, he announced the results of the review.
[pursuant to the reply, 18 September 2006, Official Report, c.2483W]: I stated that weight constraints mean it is not possible to provide additional armour to the Land Rover fleet. This was inaccurate, and I should say that weight constraints on the Snatch Land Rover chassis mean it is not possible for the vehicle to carry significant additional armour.
Personnel Emergency Locator System
The Personnel Emergency Locator System programme is in its assessment phase. Work to define the user requirement is in the final stages and a broad supplier base has been identified. Initial trials will be undertaken with selected suppliers to assess the level of compliance of their product with the Ministry of Defence requirement. These are expected to take place during the latter part of next year. Further trials with a preferred bidder will aim to demonstrate satisfactory performance of the chosen equipment in realistic environments and full operation of the system, from emergency alert to recovery of the aircrew.
The 406MHz Personal Emergency Locator System will be used to assist in location of UK aircrew during peacetime (but not in hostile environments) in the event of a forced landing or evacuation from an aircraft. In specifying the new system, it was agreed by experts in the Equipment Capability Customer area and the Service front line Commands (including RAF aircrew) that a voice capability was not required. The decision was taken because it was assessed that a voice requirement would not enhance peacetime search capability, and could potentially (for example by reducing battery life) reduce the effectiveness of the system.
Pilot Training
The 2006-07 planned average flying hours per month per fast jet pilot on operational squadrons is:
Hours per month Harrier 17.5 Jaguar 16.5 Tornado F3 17.5 Tornado GR4 17.5 Typhoon 17.5
The figures do not include operational conversion unit (OCU) flying hours, which are calculated annually and are shown in the following table. As training needs vary considerably, these hours are allocated to the unit and not to individual pilots.
Hours per year Harrier OCU 4,290 Tornado F3 OCU 13,968 Tornado GR4 OCU 6,600 Typhoon OCU 3,998 156(R) Squadron flies an additional 411 hours in support of the Falkland Islands and other operations such as Quick Reaction Alert (QRA). Notes: 1. OCUs work on a ‘block’ number of hours allocated to them to accommodate course flying and provide Staff Continuation Training (SCT). SCT also includes teaching sorties. 2. With the continued drawdown of the fleet, there is no longer conversion training on the Jaguar.
(2) how much has been spent on the Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids platform for training Typhoon pilots.
The in-service date for Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids (ASTA) was achieved in August 2005 with the handover of the emulated deployable cockpit trainer at RAF Coningsby. Typhoon aircrew synthetic training demand is being met by these systems and is expected to be supplemented by the first ASTA cockpit trainer and full mission simulator from December 2006.
Approximately £200 million has been spent on ASTA to date.
(2) what the timetable is for completion of the maintenance SIM trainer for the Typhoon platform;
(3) how much has been spent on the maintenance SIM trainer for the Typhoon platform.
Maintenance SIM trainer (MST) has been developed as part of the ground training aids contract that was signed in December 2000. MST achieved type acceptance at an interim standard in 2005 and is planned to be delivered to an upgraded standard by the end of 2006. The total value of the MST contract to the four Typhoon partner nations is €26.7 million, of which €22.2 million has been spent to date.
Reservists
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my predecessor gave to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey) on 4 September 2006, Official Report, column 1712W.
Salaries
Other rank members of the SAS and SBS are on a single bespoke incremental pay structure. Minimum and maximum annual basic pay rates for troopers and sergeants for 2002-06 are shown in the following table. In addition, SAS and SBS personnel are paid specialist pay for recruitment and retention purposes. Minimum and maximum annual rates of specialist pay for SAS and SBS other ranks for the years 2002-06 are also shown in the table. The precise level of specialist pay received by individuals depends on their length of service in the SAS or SBS.
Trooper Sergeant Annual Specialist Pay—All Other Ranks 2002 25,944 to 29,244 33,189 to 36,730 3,745 to 7,884 2003 26,846 to 30,261 34,345 to 38,009 3,876 to 8,158 2004 27,521 to 31,025 35,212 to 38,967 3,938 to 8,442 2005 28,346 to 31,956 36,266 to 40,135 4,055 to 8,694 2006 29,196 to 32,916 37,354 to 41,340 6,369 to13,534
Services Medical Personnel
I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 24 July 2006, Official Report, column 71WS.
Given the significant recruitment and retention difficulties experienced by service medical and dental officers, the Government wanted to carefully consider the Armed Forces Pay Review Body report in order to ensure that it delivered an appropriate package which recognises the vital contribution made by these officers.
Trident
The increase is due primarily to the programme of additional investment in sustaining key skills and facilities at the Atomic Weapons Establishment announced by my right hon. Friend the Member for Airdrie and Shotts (John Reid) on 19 July 2006, Official Report, column 59WS.
Unauthorised Flights
There have been no unauthorised helicopter flights by UK forces in Iraq and Afghanistan in the last 12 months.
(2) what procedures are in place to minimise (a) equipment abuse and (b) unauthorised flights by UK forces.
The Ministry of Defence has procedures to ensure that all equipment is used and maintained correctly and appropriate training is provided in its use. The abuse of equipment can lead to disciplinary action being taken against individuals.
Procedures for authorising flights made by a UK military aircraft are laid down in joint service publications which require that all military flights are authorised by a suitably qualified authorising officer. All Boards of Inquiry into fatal aircraft accidents over the last 12 months have found that the flights were authorised. A Board of Inquiry is not held for every person hurt on a military flight.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agency Staff
The Department came into being in July 2001. Information is not held centrally on the average hourly rate paid by the Department to employment agencies for agency staff in each year since 1999, broken down by agency. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Animal Welfare
[holding answer 13 September 2006]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 25 July 2006, Official Report, column 1482W.
Asbestos
Where land contamination is being considered under the Town and Country Planning regime, it is recommended that guidance from the former Interdepartmental Committee on the Redevelopment of Contaminated Land and from the Health and Safety Executive, should be taken into account. Appropriate health protection professionals in local authorities, the Health Protection Agency, the Food Standards Agency and the Health and Safety Executive may also be consulted regarding the assessment of potential risks to human health from asbestos exposure. I understand this has been the case at Spodden Valley.
The Environment Agency has made asbestos a priority substance for review as part of its work on developing technical guidance for assessing risks to human health from land contamination. It is working with the Health Protection Agency, the Health and Safety Executive and the Health and Safety Laboratory to further understand the toxicology and behaviour of asbestos in soils. This work will help in developing a toxicological report in the Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment series, and more detailed qualitative risk assessment guidance. This material will support decision-making under part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (“Contaminated Land”), and in connection with planning applications on land affected by asbestos contamination, both of which entail risk assessment.
Reports were commissioned from Atkins by the local authority in connection with their decision on the planning application. They were not intended for submission to my Department, but copies have been provided to the agencies working with the council on this issue.
Beaches (Sewage)
The Environment Agency monitors water quality at bathing beaches, and in 2005, 99 per cent. of the 405 coastal bathing waters in England met minimum standards of the EC Bathing Water Directive and 85 per cent. met the stricter guideline standards. This compares to 2001 when 98 per cent. of the 397 bathing waters met minimum standards and 70 per cent. met stricter standards.
Data on the exact number of incidents of sewage pollution affecting beaches are not held by the Department. However, any reports of such pollution are investigated to identify the cause, and action is taken to control the sources of pollution.
The amount spent, or planned to be spent, by water companies for improvements directly to bathing waters in England and Wales, for the period 2000 to 2010, is £223 million. There have also been indirect benefits, mainly from Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive schemes, which have improved levels of sewage treatment. The Environment Agency continues to identify and tackle other problems such as unsatisfactory non-water company sewage discharges and misconnections to surface water drains.
Bovine Tuberculosis
The Citizens’ Panels are an integral part of the wider public consultation on badger culling. A decision on badger culling will be based on a sound scientific and practical foundation and will take into account all available evidence including the results from the public consultation.
[holding answer 18 September 2006]: At my request, the chief veterinary officer (CVO) carried out a review on the causes of the recent fall in the number of new TB incidents. Her report assessed a range of factors which may have reduced the risk of disease-spread or led to changes in behaviour among cattle farmers. It concluded that the new compensation arrangements were relatively recent and could not have had a significant effect on the reduction in TB we have experienced.
Additionally, it should be noted that while the table valuation system for determining TB compensation has not been adopted in Wales, the drop in new TB incidents has been experienced in both Wales and England.
The CVO’s report is available on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/pdf/cvo-tbstatement.pdf
Butter
Under Protocol 18 of the Treaty of Accession, the UK was authorised to import certain specified quantities of butter from New Zealand at a reduced duty. Following the Uruguay Round of negotiations, the quota was increased and became an EU current access quota. The rules for the administration of the quota are currently set out in Commission Regulation EC (No.) 2535/2001.
A judgment by the European Court of Justice on 11 July 2006, in case number 313/04 (Franz Egenberger GmbH Molkerei und Trockenwerk v. Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung), held some aspects of the administration of the quota discriminatory and therefore invalid. Following this judgment, the European Commission, under Commission Regulation EC (No.) 1118/2006, temporarily suspended the issuing of import licences for New Zealand butter imported under the current access quota. On 14 September, the Management Committee for Milk and Milk Products voted on a draft Regulation which will lift the temporary suspension and allow the remaining 14,294.6 tonnes of butter left under the 2006 quota to be imported before 31 December under a modified procedure. The Regulation is expected to be published shortly.
Discussions are ongoing between the European Commission and New Zealand on the changes necessary to Commission Regulation EC (No.) 2535/2001 for the 2007 quota year and beyond.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
DEFRA does not hold this information. However, emissions estimates are submitted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which is the parent treaty for Kyoto protocol and the Montreal decisions. These emissions data are available on the UNFCCC website at: http://unfccc.int/2860.php
Annex I Parties to the UNFCCC (including all EU countries, and Russia, the US and Japan from the G8) submit emissions inventories annually; the most recent year for which data are available is 2003.
The most recent data that non-Annex I Parties (including China from the G8) to the UNFCCC have submitted is for 1994.
The UNFCCC emissions data are not collected on a per capita basis.
Consultants
The costs of external consultants in establishing Natural England have come from DEFRA's budget and are as follows:
(£) 2003-04 — 2004-05 47,383 2005-06 2,067,565 2006-07 326,951
Correspondence
My right hon. and noble Friend Lord Rooker responded to my right hon. Friend’s letter on 13 September.
I apologise for the delay in replying to the hon. Member’s letter. A response was issued on 18 September.
I apologise for the delay. A reply was sent on 6 September 2006. I have arranged for a copy to be resent.
I apologise for the delay. A reply was sent on 13 September 2006. I have arranged for a copy to be resent.
Countryside and Rights of Way Act
The right of access under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 has been in place throughout England for nearly a year and implementation has been generally trouble free on the ground.
The results of the 2005 England Leisure Visits Survey, expected to be published later this year by Natural England, will provide information on the number of people using the right of access. The results will provide a baseline against which to measure any impact of the new access rights on walkers' use of open country and registered common land.
Crematorium Fees
Process Guidance Note 5/2 (04) did not specify major pollution control improvements for existing crematoria, beyond those contained in previous versions of the guidance issued in 1995 and 1991. It did, however, specify that new crematoria should have equipment fitted to abate mercury emissions.
Following two written consultations (available on the DEFRA website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/closed.htm), an amendment to Process Guidance Note 5/2 (04) was issued in January 2005 which specified that 50 per cent. of all cremations at existing crematoria should be subject to mercury abatement by the end of 2012.
The consultation papers estimated that the cost of fitting mercury abating equipment to all crematoria would be likely to increase cremation fees by £55 per cremation. Since the decision was to apply this to only 50 per cent. of cremations, using an innovative ‘burden sharing’ approach to regulation, it is estimated that the increase should be in the region of £25 to £30. To put this into perspective; figures from the Office of Fair Trading in 2001 put the average cost of a cremation funeral at £1,215 and £2,048 for a burial.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was created on 8 June 2001.
Annual carbon emissions from those buildings on the DEFRA and Executive Agency estate for which we have contractual responsibility for energy use are shown as follows:
Tonnes carbon 2001-02 12,063.0 2002-03 12,032.7 2003-04 11,887.9 2004-05 11,732.3 2005-06 12,547.6
These figures should be viewed in the context of changes in the structure of the estate and a 27 per cent. increase in staff employed in DEFRA and its Executive Agencies over the period 2001-02—2005-06.
The rise in 2005-06 is largely due changes in the structure of our HQ office estate. Several large new laboratory buildings were added during the year, and extended office opening hours at one of DEFRA’s Executive Agencies also affected energy use and carbon emissions.
Departmental Child Care Facilities
DEFRA’s child care provision, and the assistance available to the Department’s staff is set out in the following table.
Child care type Location Places Full-time costs/subsidies Workplace nurseries York 44 £325—£372 monthly Guildford 40 £241—£398 monthly Subsidised places in external nurseries London 11 £60 subsidy—costs vary dependent on location Bristol 3 £60 subsidy—costs vary dependent on location Discounted fees in external nurseries Newcastle London 1— 7 per cent. discount in chain of nurseries London 1— 10 per cent. discount in chain of over 44 nurseries Holiday play schemes London 1— £16.33 daily Guildford 1— £12.60 daily York 1— £18.70 daily 1 Dependent on demand
DEFRA employees are also able to use a salary sacrifice scheme to reduce their child care costs by up to £243 per month.
There are currently on-site childcare facilities at the DEFRA offices in York and Guildford, and at the Central Science Laboratory, Sand Mutton.
There are waiting lists for nursery places at all childcare facilities which DEFRA provides for its employees except the nursery on its Guildford site.
Departmental Contracts
DEFRA came into being in July 2001. From information held centrally, the Department has spent £1,951,164.92 with Infoterra Ltd. from financial year 2001-02 through financial year 2005-06 with the payments related to work on IT elements of the English Rural Development programme. No records of payments exist for BlueSky International Ltd.
Departmental Publications
A list of publications produced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (including those relevant publications from the Departments that formed DEFRA in June 2001) is detailed on the DEFRA website (“Publications” link on the main website ‘home’ page; http://www.defra. gov.uk/corporate/publications/default.htm).
The circulation and individual production cost of each of the publications could be collated only at a disproportionate cost.
Departmental Staff (Bicycles)
DEFRA does not operate any tax efficient schemes for the purchase of bicycles by its employees.
Advances of salary are available at the Department's discretion, to assist staff with the purchase of a bicycle and essential equipment, for travelling between home and office. This arrangement is also available to staff with disabilities requiring specialist equipment. The advance–above 50 and up to a maximum of 600–is repayable over a maximum period of 12 months.
Travelling by bicycle is strongly encouraged as part of DEFRA's sustainable travel strategy, and is promoted via dedicated pages on the DEFRA staff intranet, and some offices have their own bicycle user groups.
A large number of DEFRA offices offer a range of facilities for cyclists including: secure cycle storage; lockers; drying facilities; and showers.
Departmental Targets
No.
The Department provides regular performance updates against its outstanding Public Service Agreement targets through its annual departmental report and its autumn performance report published in spring/summer and autumn respectively. The 2006 version, which is the most recently published, is available in the House Libraries and online at http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/deprep/2006/index.htm.
DEFRA’s 2006 autumn performance report is due for publication in autumn 2006.
Emission Reductions
DEFRA continues to liaise closely with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), both at official and ministerial level, as we work to meet the challenges of climate change.
The package of measures in the 2006 UK Climate Change Programme (UKCCP), are projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 16.2 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010.
Moreover, the measures contained in both the 2006 UKCCP, and the Energy Review published by the DTI in July 2006, will ensure that we can make real progress towards the long-term goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. by about 2050, that we committed to in the 2003 Energy White Paper.
The UK Climate Change Programme is available on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/ukccp/index.html.
The Energy Review is available on the DTI website at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/energv/review/page31995.html.
Energy Rating of Dwellings
The fuel prices in table 12 of the Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Rating of Dwellings 2005 are derived from information produced at six-monthly intervals by Salkent (now Sutherland's Tables). The data given for different regions of the UK are weighted according to the population of the region, and the price of each fuel is averaged over a three-year period (to smooth the effect of short-term variations).
The prices in table 12 are updated when a new edition of Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) is prepared. The calculation of the SAP rating includes a deflator term to adjust for general inflation in fuel prices, thus an increase in price of say 10 per cent. in all fuels would have no effect on the SAP ratings following recalculation of the prices and the deflator term.
Environment Agency
DEFRA funding to the Environment Agency for flood risk management is as follows:
£ million 2002-03 66.7 2003-04 76.1 2004-05 358.6 2005-06 426.9 2006-07 413.0
Prior to 2004-05 the flood risk management function of the Agency was funded primarily through a combination of grants from DEFRA for specific projects and levies on local authorities. The latter, which were largely supported by Revenue Support Grant from the former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, are not included in the table. Both forms of funding were largely replaced by grant in aid from DEFRA from 2004/05 onwards.
Figures for 2004-05 and 2005-06 are outturn of DEFRA grant in aid and 2006-07 is a budget allocation. Funding for later years has yet to be decided.
Table 1 shows actual spending and funding figures for the Environment Agency in England. Table 2 shows approximate real-terms equivalents calculated using the Public Works Non- Road Inflation (PWNRI) index published by the Department of Trade and Industry, with 1996-97 as the base year. These latter equivalents should be viewed as a rough guide only because the PWNRI is unlikely to be an exact measurement of cost changes for the goods and services procured by the Agency, especially for the non flood risk elements.
Funding £ million Total EA expenditure1 Total grant in aid (GIA) Funding for flood risk management (GIA from 2004-05 onwards) GIA for other purposes (Environment Protection, Conservation, Recreation, Navigation and Fisheries) 1996-97 519.2 119.8 45.9 119.8 1997-98 558.2 119.2 43.0 119.2 1998-99 546.9 109.8 33.8 109.8 1999-2000 568.8 105.4 33.0 105.4 2000-01 589.2 110.2 41.9 110.2 2001-02 650.7 105.0 61.5 105.0 2002-03 723.2 118.6 66.7 118.6 2003-04 760.2 126.8 76.1 126.8 2004-05 811.4 482.9 358.6 124.3 2005-063 943.0 577.6 426.9 150.7
Funding £ million Total EA expenditure1 Total Grant in Aid (GIA) Funding for flood risk management (GIA from 2004-05 onwards) GIA for other purposes (Environment Protection, Conservation, Recreation, Navigation and Fisheries) 1996-972 519.2 119.8 45.9 119.8 1997-98 541.1 115.6 41.7 115.6 1998-99 509.4 102.3 31.5 102.3 1999-2000 519.1 96.2 30.1 96.2 2000-01 517.4 96.8 36.8 96.8 2001-02 555.1 89.6 52.5 89.6 2002-03 598.4 98.1 55.2 98.1 2003-04 611.1 101.9 61.2 101.9 2004-05 605.7 360.5 267.7 92.8 2005-063 689.1 422.1 312.0 110.1 1Includes funding from other sources. 2As the base year, 1996-97 values are actual. 3Total EA budget for 2005-06 is forecast pending finalisation of outturn spend figures.
Prior to 2004-05 the flood risk management function of the Agency was funded primarily through a combination of grant from DEFRA for specific projects and levies on local authorities. The latter, which were largely supported by Revenue Support Grant from the former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, are not included in the table. Both forms of funding were largely replaced by grant in aid from DEFRA from 2004-05 onwards.
Environmental Directives
Defra does not hold central records of environmental directives agreed and published between May 1997 and the formation of the Department in June 2001. The information requested could only be assembled at disproportionate cost.
However, details of all directives in force can be found on the Eur-Lex database available on the European Union's website at: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex.
EU Food Designations
The number of applications made for protection under the European Union’s Protected Food Names Scheme, under each designation, for 2006 and the last five years, is set out in the following table. Of these 30 applications, six have been forwarded to the European Commission to consider and 24 are at various stages of the UK assessment process.
(a) PDO (b) PGI (c) TSG 2006 (to date) 1 2 — 2005 1 8 — 2004 2 5 1 2003 3 — — 2002 3 1 1 2001 1 1 —
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 4 September 2006, Official Report, column 2017W.
Farm Subsidies
The figures were published on 5 July and showed that up to 30 June, the close of the regulatory Single Payment Scheme payment window, (a) a total of 107,888 full or partial payments had been made, (b) 8,500 customers had yet to receive a payment of which 460 had claims valued at more than €1,000 (£682), (c) the value of payments made was £1,438,233,836 and the value of outstanding payments was approximately £77 million.
The latest figures published on 27 September showed Single Payment Scheme payments totalling £1,497,691,761 had been made. It is not possible to give a regional breakdown of the remainder at this stage, but the intention is to publish full details of payments to farmers by region shortly after the conclusion of the payment cycle. These latest figures indicated that approximately £18 million of the £1.515 billion estimated total fund remained to be paid to farmers across England who are eligible for payment.
Farmers' Ages
The average age of agricultural holders is included in the Farm Structure Surveys. These surveys are held across all member states of the European Union four times every decade and are part funded by the European Commission. The latest Farm Structure Survey for holders in the UK is published on the DEFRA website http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/publications/FFS1/default.asp.
Data from the Farm Structure Surveys show that the average age of holders in England was 53 years in 1990, 53 years in 1993, 54 years in 1995, 53 years in 1997, 54 years in 2000 and 55 years in 2003. These figures exclude ‘minor’1 holdings.
1 ‘Minor’ holdings are holdings that fulfil ALL of the following criteria: less than six ha total area; fewer than 100 standard man days per year; no regular full time worker employed; less than 100 square metres of glasshouse area; and the occupier does not farm any other holding.
Flooding (Gloucestershire)
The UK faces rising sea levels and more frequent floods and storms as a result of climate change, although there is still considerable uncertainty about the extent and timing of these changes.
In 2004, the then Office of Science and Technology’s Foresight report “Future Flooding” examined future flood and coastal defence in the UK. It found that annual economic losses to flooding would increase by the 2080s, although there is considerable uncertainty about the extent of that increase.
The Environment Agency integrates climate risk into its decision-making on flooding. For example, the Agency allows for an increase of 20 per cent. in peak flood flows in its assessment of future flood risk along the rivers Severn and Wye. It also assumes an annual 5 mm increase in predicted water levels in the Severn estuary as part of its planning for the possibility of future sea level rise.
Gangmasters
The gangmasters licensing scheme applies to labour providers who supply workers to work in agriculture, horticulture and the food processing and packaging sectors. It also applies to the supply and use of workers to gather shellfish. The scheme does not apply to the supply of labour to work in retail establishments, such as supermarkets.
As at 3 October 2006, 36 licence holders or applicants with headquarters located in Kent were recorded by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority.
GM Crops
The separation distances we have proposed in our consultation paper on the coexistence of genetically modified (GM) and non-GM crops are based on a report by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB). Both the consultation paper and the NIAB report can be found on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate /consult/gmnongm-coexist/index.htm and http://www 2.defra.gov.uk/research/project_data/More.asp?l=CB0 2039&M=KWS&V=CB02039&SCOPE=0 respectively.
DEFRA commissioned a desk study from the University of Reading into technologies for Biological containment, which was published in June 2006. On receipt of the study DEFRA referred it to the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE). ACRE's advice on this report can be found on the ACRE website at the following link:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/acre/advice/pdf/acre_advice73.pdf.
DEFRA has conducted a significant number of studies around the environmental impact of agricultural production practice, including several at Rothamsted Research. Rothamsted Research is currently leading a research project to provide an evidence-based specification for the assessment of indirect effects of novel crops or production practices on farmland ecology and wildlife. The project title is ‘Assessing the environmental impact of crop production practice: beyond the GM farm-scale evaluation (AR0317)’.
This research is about the development of assessment methodology. Further details are available on the DEFRA website at:
http://www2.defra.gov.uk/research/Project_Data/More.asp?I=AR0317&M=KWS&V=ICE.
The research is ongoing and due for completion in early 2007. Thus, we have not yet made any assessment of conclusions.
DEFRA is currently consulting on proposed measures to ensure that GM, conventional and organic crops can coexist, should approved GM crops be grown here commercially in due course. Further details can be found on our website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/gmnongm-coexist/index.htm
DEFRA is also currently inviting comments on an application to conduct a research and development trial in England next year of a GM blight-resistant potato. Further background on this is available at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/regulation/applications/06-r42-01.htm
Detailed information on GM-related research projects funded by DEFRA is being placed in the Libraries of the House.
The following table contains information on research into genetically modified crops commissioned by DEFRA since its creation in 2001, and projects taken over by the Department from its predecessors, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions. Information on future years’ spend is included where commitments extend into future years. The funding for each of these research projects came from DEFRA’s central research and development budget.
Cost (£) Project code Project title 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 AR0317 Assessing the environmental impact of crop production practice: beyond the GM farm-scale evaluation 0 0 0 0 AR1001 Scale-up of Agrobacterium mediated transformation of oats to detect low frequency stable integrations 11,966 0 0 0 AR1002 Genetic transformation of wheat using Agrobacterium tumifaciens 14,093 0 0 0 AR1003 Reproducible Agrobacterium-mediated transformation systems for wheat and barley 15,068 0 0 0 AR1005 BRACT—Biotechnology Resources for Arable Crop Transformation 0 0 228,106 313,281 CB02001 Farm-scale evaluations of GM beet and farmland wildlife 485,517 501,052 0 0 CB02002 Farm-scale evaluations of GM maize and farmland wildlife 381,515 680,142 222,704 15,405 CB02003 Farm-scale evaluations of GM spring oilseed rape and wildlife 431,515 430,727 0 0 CB02004 Farm-scale evaluations of GM winter oilseed rape and wildlife 354,811 440,316 255,896 0 RG0116 Farm-scale evaluations—contribution from MAFF 50,000 50,000 0 0 CB02005 Monitoring gene flow from the GM crop to non-GM equivalent crops in the vicinity 76,406 90,340 12,772 25,544 CB02006 Gene flow monitoring: herbicide resistance genes to wild crop relatives 128,954 117,328 34,266 10,342 CB02007 Impact of Bt exudates from roots of GM plants 18,835 18,834 0 0 CB02008 Impact of transgenes for herbivore and virus resistance 104,830 0 50,142 0 CB02010 Modelling effects on farmland food webs of herbicide and insecticide management I 0 150,564 0 0 CB02011 Compositional traits—effect on GM survivability and persistence 0 14,981 34,964 0 CB02012 Modelling effects on farmland food webs of herbicide and insecticide management II 0 114,781 23,731 0 CB02013 Biodiversity effects of management associated with GM cropping systems 0 0 0 0 CB02014 Impacts of contemporary and alternative arable cropping systems 0 44,654 0 0 CB02016 Assessment of the distribution of GM material in kernel lots 0 0 14,000 21,020 CB02017 Non-target effects of transgenic crop plants resistant to virus diseases 68,756 72,383 0 0 CB02018 Determining risks to soil organisms associated with a genetically modified crop expressing a biopesticide in its roots 67,310 71,792 0 36,882 CB02019 Factors affecting rates of cross-pollination in maize growing under typical UK conditions 0 0 118,834 173,984 CB02020 Factors affecting cross-pollination in OSR growing under typical UK conditions 0 86,815 198,343 152,065 CB02021 Strategies for risk assessment, minimising the environmental impact of fungal disease-suppressing GM bacteria and plants 0 85,152 128,950 37,021 CB02022 Supply chain impacts of further regulation of products consisting of, containing or derived from GMOs 0 0 72,944 0 CB02023 Estimate consumer willingness to pay for reducing or eliminating GM products or derivatives in food and increasing robustness of the labelling regime 0 0 90,000 4,550 CB02024 Mechanisms for investigating changes in soil ecology due to GMO releases 0 0 24,892 24,892 CB02025 Insertion of cauliflower mosaic virus DNA into host genomes during natural viral infections 0 0 0 88,640 CB02026 Curation of the data collected in the farm-scale evaluations 0 0 0 82,731 CB02027 GM crop farm-scale evaluation results presentations and open meetings 0 0 60,105 0 CB02029 The statistical theory and analysis of GMO enforcement 0 0 0 24,779 CB02030 Support for the British Ornithologists’ Union conference on GM crops and birds 0 0 10,000 0 CB02031 Evaluation of the organisation and management of the GM farm-scale evaluations 0 0 16,000 0 CB02032 The potential for horizontal gene transfer from transgenic plants to fungi 0 0 0 86,273 CB02033 Monitoring occurrence of GM oilseed rape volunteers in subsequent oilseed rape crops at FSE sites 0 0 0 114,737 CB02034 Farm-scale evaluations: further sampling of soil seed bank and seedling emergence 0 0 0 229,117 CB02035 Sustainable introduction of GMOs into European agriculture (SIGMEA) 0 0 0 28,083 CB02036 Desk study on technologies for biological containment of GM and non-GM crops 0 0 0 0 CB02037 Farm-scale evaluations: further sampling of soil seed bank and seedling emergence—contract 2 0 0 0 0 CB02038 GM co-existence consultation—support for workshops 0 0 0 10,431 CB02039 Review of separation distances and buffer crops for co-existence between GM and non-GM crops 0 0 0 43,295 CB02040 Quantitative approaches to the risk assessment of GM crops 0 0 0 0 CB02041 RNA-mediated gene silencing mechanisms and their implications in plants 0 0 0 0 CB02042 Availability and use of general surveillance information for potential changes resulting from GM crop cultivation 0 0 0 0 CB02043 Agronomic and environmental implications of the establishment of GM herbicide tolerant problem weeds 0 0 0 0 CB02044 COEXTRA (GM and non-GM supply chains: their CO-EXistence and TRAceability 0 0 0 0 CB02045 Detection and traceability technologies to underpin GM inspection and enforcement 0 0 40,193 19,278 CB02046 Plasmid standards for real time PCR and UKAS accreditation of GM enforcement testing 0 0 33,056 11,645 CE0158 Transformation of wheat by Agrobacterium co-cultivation 0 0 0 0 CE0159 Development of a routine system for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of barley 17,334 0 0 0 CE0161 Agrobacterium mediated transformation of oats 0 0 0 0 CE0171 Gene regulation in transgenic wheat including methods to increase expression and/or reduce variation in expression 78,054 0 0 0 CE0172 Use of maize and rice MAR sequences to stabilise the expression of transgenes in wheat 87,865 80,610 45,000 0 CE0173 Nuclear and plastid transformation of wheat and tritordeum using the streptomycin—selectable aadA marker gene 26,083 0 0 0 H0909SFV Genetics of transformation and regeneration in horticultural brassicas. 90,155 37,634 0 0 H0915SMU Molecular analysis of integrative transformants of the mushroom 114,380 117,239 0 0 H1020THN Genetic modification of rootstocks for disease resistance in rose. 152,056 0 0 0 H1026SHN Conventional and biotechnological genetic improvement of hardy nursery stock 126,734 129,902 0 0 H1031SSF Tissue and plastid targeted transgene expression in a perennial plant, strawberry 82,068 94,777 183,528 0 H1616SPC Modification of chrysanthemum growth habit thorough genetic manipulation. 54,600 0 0 0 H2119SSF Control of transgene expression in strawberry. 36,846 0 0 0 H3706STF Examination of gusA transgene expression in the fruit of transgenic apple plants driven by plant promotors 29,398 0 0 0 L0110LFV Genetic modification of Brassica oleracea for resistance to turnip and cauliflower mosiac viruses. 38,454 21,556 0 0 HP0212 Suppression of sprouting in stored potato tubers by molecular manipulation of abscisic acid levels. 133,933 25,362 0 0 HP0218 Dormancy and water use effeciency in potato tubers 0 126,098 175,337 183,668 NF0507 Functional genomics in marine algae to discover genes that can be used to produce docosahexaenoic acid in oilseed crops 98,496 104,862 91,580 47,287 NF0511 Isolation, and expression in plants, of novel spider silk genes 69,061 63,300 32,518 0 NT2305 Developing wheat genotypes with reduced nitrogen requirement by manipulation to decrease Rubisco content 26,902 0 0 0 PH0301 Containment of GM plant viruses 0 0 0 10,038 RG0113 Risk assessment and hazard evaluation for GM bacteria used in the biological control of fungal disease of crops 64,696 0 0 0 RG0114 Consequences for agriculture of the introduction of GM crops 32,574 27,264 0 0 RG0115 A generic mathematical model for the integrated management of a crop containing antifeedant genes 59,050 14,912 0 0 RG0123 A desk study on the pollination distances of genetically modified crops 1,280 0 0 0 VS0123 Methods for the detection of adventitious GM material in non-GM seed 33,333 6,667 0 0 VS0126 Prediction, sampling and management of GM impurities in fields and harvested yields of oilseed rape 0 0 49,837 98,962 VS0130 Desk study to review methods for sampling seed lots to determine the presence of GM material 16,658 7,332 0 0
Project code Project title 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 AR0317 Assessing the environmental impact of crop production practice: beyond the GM farm-scale evaluation 409,703 380,972 0 0 AR1001 Scale-up of Agrobacterium mediated transformation of oats to detect low frequency stable integrations 0 0 0 0 AR1002 Genetic transformation of wheat using Agrobacterium tumifaciens 0 0 0 0 AR1003 Reproducible Agrobacterium-mediated transformation systems for wheat and barley 0 0 0 0 AR1005 BRACT—Biotechnology Resources for Arable Crop Transformation 287,581 69,500 0 0 CB02001 Farm-scale evaluations of GM beet and farmland wildlife 0 0 0 0 CB02002 Farm-scale evaluations of GM maize and farmland wildlife 0 0 0 0 CB02003 Farm-scale evaluations of GM spring oilseed rape and wildlife 0 0 0 0 CB02004 Farm-scale evaluations of GM winter oilseed rape and wildlife 0 0 0 0 RG0116 Farm-scale evaluations—contribution from MAFF 0 0 0 0 CB02005 Monitoring gene flow from the GM crop to non-GM equivalent crops in the vicinity 0 0 0 0 CB02006 Gene flow monitoring: herbicide resistance genes to wild crop relatives 0 0 0 0 CB02007 Impact of Bt exudates from roots of GM plants 0 0 0 0 CB02008 Impact of transgenes for herbivore and virus resistance 0 0 0 0 CB02010 Modelling effects on farmland food webs of herbicide and insecticide management I 0 0 0 0 CB02011 Compositional traits—effect on GM survivability and persistence 0 0 0 0 CB02012 Modelling effects on farmland food webs of herbicide and insecticide management II 0 0 0 0 CB02013 Biodiversity effects of management associated with GM cropping systems 37,064 0 0 0 CB02014 Impacts of contemporary and alternative arable cropping systems 0 0 0 0 CB02016 Assessment of the distribution of GM material in kernel lots 0 0 0 0 CB02017 Non-target effects of transgenic crop plants resistant to virus diseases 18,327 0 0 0 CB02018 Determining risks to soil organisms associated with a genetically modified crop expressing a biopesticide in its roots 0 0 0 0 CB02019 Factors affecting rates of cross-pollination in maize growing under typical UK conditions 174,722 179,880 183,995 0 CB02020 Factors affecting cross-pollination in OSR growing under typical UK conditions 324,116 238,239 0 0 CB02021 Strategies for risk assessment, minimising the environmental impact of fungal disease-suppressing GM bacteria and plants 104,277 0 0 0 CB02022 Supply chain impacts of further regulation of products consisting of, containing or derived from GMOs 0 0 0 0 CB02023 Estimate consumer willingness to pay for reducing or eliminating GM products or derivatives in food and increasing robustness of the labelling regime 0 0 0 0 CB02024 Mechanisms for investigating changes in soil ecology due to GMO releases 0 0 0 0 CB02025 Insertion of cauliflower mosaic virus DNA into host genomes during natural viral infections 87,451 27,446 0 0 CB02026 Curation of the data collected in the farm-scale evaluations 82,731 13,366 13,683 1,810 CB02027 GM crop farm-scale evaluation results presentations and open meetings 0 0 0 0 CB02029 The statistical theory and analysis of GMO enforcement 0 0 0 0 CB02030 Support for the British Ornithologists’ Union conference on GM crops and birds 0 0 0 0 CB02031 Evaluation of the organisation and management of the GM farm-scale evaluations 0 0 0 0 CB02032 The potential for horizontal gene transfer from transgenic plants to fungi 196,255 39,251 0 0 CB02033 Monitoring occurrence of GM oilseed rape volunteers in subsequent oilseed rape crops at FSE sites 385,263 0 0 0 CB02034 Farm-scale evaluations: further sampling of soil seed bank and seedling emergence 122,642 0 0 0 CB02035 Sustainable introduction of GMOs into European agriculture (SIGMEA) 28,083 28,082 0 0 CB02036 Desk study on technologies for biological containment of GM and non-GM crops 52,506 0 0 0 CB02037 Farm-scale evaluations: further sampling of soil seed bank and seedling emergence—contract 2 117,434 0 0 0 CB02038 GM co-existence consultation—support for workshops 0 0 0 0 CB02039 Review of separation distances and buffer crops for co-existence between GM and non-GM crops 6,655 0 0 0 CB02040 Quantitative approaches to the risk assessment of GM crops 100,000 0 0 0 CB02041 RNA-mediated gene silencing mechanisms and their implications in plants 24,452 0 0 0 CB02042 Availability and use of general surveillance information for potential changes resulting from GM crop cultivation 48,168 0 0 0 CB02043 Agronomic and environmental implications of the establishment of GM herbicide tolerant problem weeds 40,123 0 0 0 CB02044 COEXTRA (GM and non-GM supply chains: their CO-EXistence and TRAceability 23,523 33,098 30,000 31,094 CB02045 Detection and traceability technologies to underpin GM inspection and enforcement 6,611 0 0 0 CB02046 Plasmid standards for real time PCR and UKAS accreditation of GM enforcement testing 23,384 0 0 0 CE0158 Transformation of wheat by Agrobacterium co-cultivation 0 0 0 0 CE0159 Development of a routine system for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of barley 0 0 0 0 CE0161 Agrobacterium mediated transformation of oats 0 0 0 0 CE0171 Gene regulation in transgenic wheat including methods to increase expression and/or reduce variation in expression 0 0 0 0 CE0172 Use of maize and rice MAR sequences to stabilise the expression of transgenes in wheat 0 0 0 0 CE0173 Nuclear and plastid transformation of wheat and tritordeum using the streptomycin—selectable aadA marker gene 0 0 0 0 H0909SFV Genetics of transformation and regeneration in horticultural brassicas. 0 0 0 0 H0915SMU Molecular analysis of integrative transformants of the mushroom 0 0 0 0 H1020THN Genetic modification of rootstocks for disease resistance in rose. 0 0 0 0 H1026SHN Conventional and biotechnological genetic improvement of hardy nursery stock 0 0 0 0 H1031SSF Tissue and plastid targeted transgene expression in a perennial plant, strawberry 0 0 0 0 H1616SPC Modification of chrysanthemum growth habit thorough genetic manipulation. 0 0 0 0 H2119SSF Control of transgene expression in strawberry. 0 0 0 0 H3706STF Examination of gusA transgene expression in the fruit of transgenic apple plants driven by plant promotors 0 0 0 0 L0110LFV Genetic modification of Brassica oleracea for resistance to turnip and cauliflower mosiac viruses. 0 0 0 0 HP0212 Suppression of sprouting in stored potato tubers by molecular manipulation of abscisic acid levels. 0 0 0 0 HP0218 Dormancy and water use effeciency in potato tubers 191,205 198,673 51,083 0 NF0507 Functional genomics in marine algae to discover genes that can be used to produce docosahexaenoic acid in oilseed crops 0 0 0 0 NF0511 Isolation, and expression in plants, of novel spider silk genes 0 0 0 0 NT2305 Developing wheat genotypes with reduced nitrogen requirement by manipulation to decrease Rubisco content 0 0 0 0 PH0301 Containment of GM plant viruses 0 0 0 0 RG0113 Risk assessment and hazard evaluation for GM bacteria used in the biological control of fungal disease of crops 0 0 0 0 RG0114 Consequences for agriculture of the introduction of GM crops 0 0 0 0 RG0115 A generic mathematical model for the integrated management of a crop containing antifeedant genes 0 0 0 0 RG0123 A desk study on the pollination distances of genetically modified crops 0 0 0 0 VS0123 Methods for the detection of adventitious GM material in non-GM seed 0 0 0 0 VS0126 Prediction, sampling and management of GM impurities in fields and harvested yields of oilseed rape 132,006 51,710 0 0 VS0130 Desk study to review methods for sampling seed lots to determine the presence of GM material 0 0 0 0
The Department has received representations from various companies, environmental groups, research institutes and members of the public on the potential environmental impact of genetically modified crops in each of the last three years. These have taken the form of letters, facsimiles, emails, telephone calls, parliamentary questions and meetings. Precise figures are not available for the number of representations received from each sector mentioned in the hon. Member’s question.
DEFRA officials have had two meetings with stakeholders to discuss issues relating to the consultation on proposals for managing the coexistence of genetically modified (GM) and non-GM crops in England. The first was with representatives and interest groups from the organic sector, and the second was with the farming and industry group, supply chain initiative on modified agricultural crops. At present, no other meetings are planned for the remainder of the consultation period.
The DEFRA consultation paper was sent to all organisations considered to have an interest in the coexistence issue. The paper was also posted on the DEFRA website and publicised through a press notice and press briefing. We are happy to receive views on this issue from anyone:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/gmnongm-coexist/index.htm.
The science indicates that most cross- pollination takes place at relatively short distances. However, it is known that cross-pollination may occur infrequently over very long distances, depending on insect movements and the prevailing weather conditions.
Under EU law, GM crops will only be approved for commercial use if they pass a detailed assessment of their potential impact on human health and the environment. In this context, therefore, it would not be necessary to apply a crop separation distance for safety reasons.
We will consider and weigh up all the consultation responses very carefully before deciding how to proceed.
Coexistence is a devolved issue and the authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are responsible for determining their own consultation timetables.
The implementation of coexistence measures is a devolved matter. Therefore, while we are maintaining contact with the authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on this issue, each authority is responsible for reaching its own decisions on the way forward.
DEFRA has issued a consultation paper on proposed measures for England, and the other UK authorities are expected to issue their own papers in due course. So far there have not been any discussions on a coordinated implementation timetable.
Under EU law, products or individual ingredients are exempted from carrying a genetically modified (GM) label if they have an adventitious or technically unavoidable GM presence below 0.9 per cent. This provision must be interpreted in the wider context of the EU legislation on the authorisation of GM products, which clearly foresees farmers being able to choose whether to cultivate conventional, organic or approved GM crops. In the coexistence context, measures can therefore be imposed to minimise unwanted GM presence in non-GM crops, but they must not make it disproportionately difficult to grow authorised GM varieties.
The cost and burden to farmers of a detailed genetically modified (GM) crop register would depend on the form that it took and whether farmers had to bear the administration costs. The only advice we have received on the possible cost of a register was from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. It has developed a proposal for a web-based register that it estimated might cost £150,000 to establish and £40,000 a year to maintain.
Among other things, the current DEFRA consultation on proposals for managing the coexistence of genetically modified (GM) and non-GM crops seeks views on the pros and cons of establishing a public GM crop register.
(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that the results from last year’s genetically modified crop public consultation are incorporated into Government policy regarding the growing of genetically modified crops.
There is already strict European Union legislation controlling the release of genetically modified organisms, including genetically modified (GM) crops. This ensures that GM crops will only be approved for release if they pass a detailed case-by-case assessment of their potential impact on human health and the environment.
The Government sponsored a GM Dialogue which ended in 2003. This comprised a public debate, a science review, and a study on the costs and benefits of GM crops. Further information is available on the DEFRA website at: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/crops/debate/index.htm. After considering the findings of the dialogue process, the Government confirmed their overall policy on GM crops in a parliamentary statement from my right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) on 9 March 2004, Official Report, column 1379.
In addition, DEFRA is currently consulting on proposals for managing the coexistence of GM and non-GM crops in England, should approved GM varieties be grown here commercially in the future. We have set out proposed measures that aim to minimise any unwanted GM presence in non-GM crops as far as possible, so that people can make an informed choice between conventional, organic and GM products. The consultation paper is available on the DEFRA website at: www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/qmnongm-coexist/index.htm. Policy on coexistence is a devolved matter and the authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will be issuing their own consultation papers in due course.
Hampton Review
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Stephen Timms) on 9 October.
Hazardous Waste
The Environment Agency has not yet completed prosecutions for any offence resulting from the deposit of hazardous waste at landfill sites licensed only for non-hazardous waste in 2005 or 2006. There are ongoing investigations under way which may result in prosecution.
The Environment Agency does not have this data. Landfill sites are permitted only to receive either hazardous, non-hazardous or inert wastes. The Environment Agency regulates compliance at these sites and would consider taking enforcement action if hazardous wastes were being disposed of at sites permitted to receive only non-hazardous waste.
Horse Chestnuts
There are several diseases that affect the horse chestnut, of which the most serious is known from its symptoms as “bleeding canker”. Bleeding canker can have a number of causes, but the recent upsurge in prevalence of the disease appears to be associated with a bacterium (Pseudomonas syringae) although this has yet to be fully confirmed by the scientists working on it. The increase in disease has been noted in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands as well as Britain. Research into it is being led by scientists in the Netherlands. Though not necessarily fatal to infected trees, this is a widespread and serious disease. In common with other European countries, we are studying it to learn more about its origins, its impacts, and whether there are methods by which owners of trees could prevent or control infection.
We are also monitoring an insect pest, the horse chestnut leaf miner, which is present in southern Britain. This moth has spread across Europe since the late 1970s and appeared in Britain in 2002. Its larvae feed inside leaves with heavy infestations causing shrivelling and falling of leaves. We have no reports from Britain, or elsewhere, that it causes fatal damage on its own. As with bleeding canker, our scientists are in close touch with colleagues across Europe who are investigating this pest.
Advice to tree and woodland owners and managers on these and other pests and diseases is available on the Forestry Commission's Forest Research website http://www.forestresearch.gov.uk.
Household Rubbish
Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 both empowers local authorities to specify the conditions of the waste collection service they provide and requires them to inform the recipients of those conditions by way of a section 46 notice. Section 46(4)(d) is the section which allows the local authority to require householders to place specific materials in particular receptacles (or compartments of receptacles) for collection.
The degree of contamination has a big impact on the value of recyclates, even if the contamination is with other recyclates. It is for this reason that householders are often required to wash and separate their waste prior to collection.
Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, local authorities now also have the power to issue fixed penalty notices to those who fail to comply with section 46 notices.
Kyoto Protocol
At the December 2005 meeting of the United Nations Conference of parties of the Kyoto Protocol, in Montreal, parties established a process to negotiate further commitments for Annex I countries (industrialised countries that have ratified the Protocol) after 2012. At the next session of this process in Nairobi, in November 2006, parties aim to make progress on these negotiations. However, individual commitments of countries will not be discussed until after the November session.
The European Commission is currently working on a process to determine medium and long-term climate change goals, and will publish a Green Paper by the end of the year describing various scenarios for European Union (EU) action. Based on this, EU Member States will start the discussions on their individual commitments and the UK will be at the forefront of these.
Commitments for the next stage of the Kyoto Protocol must be negotiated through the formal United Nations process.
Marine Environment
[holding answer 13 September 2006]: Data routinely collected by both the Environment Agency and the Home Office are categorised by statute offence and those involving the marine environment cannot be separately identified.
Modulation
The Secretary of State has discussed voluntary modulation with the EU Farm Commissioner on a number of occasions, including the July Agriculture Council meeting.
Motoring Offences
I have been asked to reply.
Information on fixed penalty notices issued by the police and prosecution data taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by the office for Criminal Justice Reform from 2000 to 2004 (latest available) is given in the table. These data are available at police force area level only.
2005 data will be available early in 2007.
Number of notices and offences 2000 2001 2002 Police force area Fixed penalty notices issued Total prosecutions Fixed penalty notices issued Total prosecutions Fixed penalty notices issued Total prosecutions Avon and Somerset 36 195 44 149 27 115 Bedfordshire 5 17 9 9 6 19 Cambridgeshire 10 26 9 12 10 19 Cheshire 5 21 10 24 16 7 Cleveland 4 76 11 80 5 75 Cumbria 4 41 6 50 7 15 Derbyshire 18 128 13 129 9 130 Devon and Cornwall 26 152 28 105 47 106 Dorset 24 51 18 33 14 37 Durham 20 172 25 118 24 155 Essex 52 77 40 62 61 67 Gloucestershire 13 84 24 73 14 49 Greater Manchester 50 195 51 227 44 195 Hampshire 14 272 21 251 22 200 Hertfordshire 7 19 11 47 10 49 Humberside 10 66 11 42 8 53 Kent 34 249 24 180 36 152 Lancashire 93 175 51 119 49 108 Leicestershire 2 77 5 66 10 49 Lincolnshire 9 240 14 158 5 77 London, City of 1 8 4 7 1 10 Merseyside 13 36 22 17 31 22 Metropolitan Police 77 269 57 186 33 154 Norfolk 25 115 23 119 29 101 Northamptonshire 0 67 0 29 3 9 Northumbria 48 193 93 112 72 137 North Yorkshire 89 39 59 30 35 14 Nottinghamshire 3 141 2 78 1 64 South Yorkshire 9 150 21 137 11 95 Staffordshire 10 2n/a 12 42 10 45 Suffolk 24 107 20 86 22 75 Surrey 0 96 9 91 49 86 Sussex 13 68 17 76 32 81 Thames Valley 42 87 58 58 28 33 Warwickshire 4 65 5 72 3 26 West Mercia 26 89 45 68 51 96 West Midlands 19 146 23 102 7 99 West Yorkshire 13 125 16 120 17 104 Wiltshire 22 119 26 115 18 78 Dyfed Powys 5 58 10 51 8 78 Gwent 20 58 31 49 29 38 North Wales 0 62 0 59 0 60 South Wales 21 88 19 50 17 39 England and Wales 920 4,616 997 3,688 931 3,221
2003 2004 Police force area Fixed penalty notices issued Total prosecutions Fixed penalty notices issued Total prosecutions Avon and Somerset 31 122 26 97 Bedfordshire 4 16 6 3 Cambridgeshire 10 14 22 10 Cheshire 12 14 14 11 Cleveland 11 27 23 9 Cumbria 14 27 13 31 Derbyshire 16 101 16 78 Devon and Cornwall 35 83 56 78 Dorset 15 18 10 12 Durham 18 101 13 61 Essex 20 38 35 28 Gloucestershire 10 53 4 38 Greater Manchester 34 238 52 98 Hampshire 25 135 32 102 Hertfordshire 7 55 14 45 Humberside 12 50 5 25 Kent 38 97 34 116 Lancashire 85 100 81 37 Leicestershire 11 63 3 50 Lincolnshire 182 89 251 101 London, City of 86 15 32 12 Merseyside 8 20 17 15 Metropolitan Police 65 140 83 142 Norfolk 17 89 29 65 Northamptonshire 4 49 0 34 Northumbria 90 103 111 75 North Yorkshire 91 19 252 18 Nottinghamshire 5 35 7 21 South Yorkshire 11 53 23 28 Staffordshire 12 21 12 22 Suffolk 10 83 18 121 Surrey 35 37 33 40 Sussex 14 22 15 12 Thames Valley 39 47 90 27 Warwickshire 12 14 9 15 West Mercia 35 40 30 42 West Midlands 21 91 23 67 West Yorkshire 25 121 22 65 Wiltshire 38 56 25 50 Dyfed Powys 42 48 8 31 Gwent 31 20 34 19 North Wales 0 53 0 62 South Wales 10 36 27 35 England and Wales 1,291 2,653 1,610 2,048 n/a = Not available. 1 Aiding, abetting, causing or permitting a crime is shown under the heading of the crime itself. 2 Estimates made for Staffordshire Police Force who were only able to submit data for a sample of weeks in 2000, have been included in totals only. Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
Natural England
Natural England inherited its budget for 2006-07 from English Nature, the Rural Development Service and parts of the Countryside Agency, which came together to create the new organisation. It is therefore not strictly possible to make the comparison the hon. Member is looking for.
I cannot confirm Natural England's 2007-08 budget yet. In common with other non-departmental public bodies, they are preparing their corporate plan for discussion through the autumn.
Nuclear Waste
The Department spent £91,097 on direct research projects into radioactive waste disposal in the last financial year.
The UK Government and the devolved administrations are continuing to work together to develop policy in light of the recommendations from the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM). A full response will be made to the respective parliaments and the National Assembly for Wales when they are sitting after recess. CoRWM themselves undertook an extensive programme of engagement with the public and stakeholders in preparing their recommendations. Further information is available on their website at: http://www.corwm.org.uk
Recycling
Every English local authority with a standard waste collection authority responsibility operates a kerbside recycling scheme.
Under the Household Waste Recycling Act 2003, all local authorities in England will be required to collect at least two types of recyclable waste from all households in their area by the end of 2010.
Recycling continues to play an important role in diverting waste from landfill and recovering value from waste, in line with the Government's waste strategy objectives.
Household waste recycling and composting has doubled in the last four years since the publication of Waste Strategy 2000 (and tripled in the last eight years). In 1999, less than 11 per cent. of household waste was recycled; this now stands at 23 per cent. (2004-5), putting us well on course to meet the waste strategy targets of 25 per cent. by 2005-06 and 33 per cent. by 2015.
The recent consultation on the review of the waste strategy included proposals to raise the national targets for household waste recycling and composting to even more ambitious levels, to reach 45 per cent. by 2015 and 50 per cent. by 2020. The revised waste strategy is due to be published this winter.
Right to Roam
English Nature has carried out a strategic review of the environmental impacts of pedestrian access on nature conservation interests, including wetlands, to ensure that each of the options under consideration for improving public access to the coast meets the tests set out in the Habitat Regulations 1994. Its advice will be included as part of Natural England’s report to DEFRA.
Rural Payments Agency
All farmers receive a set of maps when their land is registered with the Rural Payments Agency. In addition, when a boundary change is notified, a revised map for the land parcel in question is issued. If land transfers are notified to the Rural Payments Agency on a RLE1 form a revised set of maps showing the additional land is also supplied.
There are currently no plans to issue a new set of maps to all farmers for land farmed as of 15 May 2006.
Rural Watercourses
(2)what steps he is taking to ensure proper maintenance of rural watercourses; and if he will make a statement:
(3) what assessment his Department has made of the economic and social significance to rural communities of watercourses; and if he will make a statement.
The primary responsibility for maintenance of all watercourses rests with the relevant riparian owner (a landowner with a frontage along a watercourse).
In England, the Environment Agency (EA) is the principal flood risk management operating authority with permissive powers for the maintenance of watercourses designated as ‘main river’. The EA has assumed responsibility for some 1,800 additional watercourse lengths transferred from other operating authorities over the last three years.
DEFRA is providing £413 million in grant in aid this year to fund the EA's flood risk management activities, which includes capital improvement projects, maintenance and operation of existing infrastructure, and associated activities such as flood warning and public awareness campaigns. The EA will also spend £53.7 million received from local levy, Internal Drainage Board charges, General Drainage Charges and other income. This figure includes £8.7 million planned use of balances. The total funding for 2006-07 is £466.7 million. This is targeted according to flood risk, rather than whether a watercourse is in an urban or rural area.
The EA uses the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (NFCDD) to monitor the condition of assets, and reviews progress on a quarterly basis. A nationally consistent method of classifying asset condition has been shared with other operating authorities. These other operating authorities are required to use NFCDD to record details of the assets that they manage.
Expenditure on the maintenance of watercourses is not held centrally and we could not seek to gather this information without incurring disproportionate cost. It is also the case that maintenance and capital works are not generally classified by rural or urban location and often the distinction will not be clear.
Economic considerations are integral to the implementation of the Water Framework directive, for which the EA is the competent authority in England and Wales. This explicitly requires economic considerations and social issues to be considered and taken into account when setting water management objectives. The Collaborative Research Programme is developing methodologies for ensuring a balance between the environmental, social and economic concerns during river basin planning decisions which are part of the Framework.
‘Making Space for Water’, our new cross-Government strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management, presents an approach that embeds the three pillars of sustainable development, and extends our risk management tools by expanding our flood warning and flood awareness activities. The strategy encourages measures to improve resistance and resilience to flooding, including scoping work on the development and delivery of a pilot on direct aid to individuals. The document is available on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/policy/strategv.htm.
Sea Fish Industry Authority
The following table shows the number of staff employed by the Sea Fish Industry Authority as at 31 March in each of the past five years.
Number of staff 2002 145 2003 145 2004 136 2005 117 2006 117
The Sea Fish Industry Authority has recently consulted on its strategic direction and has a restructuring programme in hand. This includes staffing changes (as mentioned in the Annual Report 2005-06 that was laid before Parliament on Wednesday 5 July 2006). The authority is in addition developing a costed forward work programme, on which it will formally consult. This will address issues such as future projected staffing levels.
Sewerage System (London)
(2) when he expects to reach a decision regarding the proposed Tideway sewerage scheme;
(3) how much sewage has entered the River Thames via storm overflows in each month since 2003;
(4) what measures are in place to assess the amount of sewage entering the River Thames via storm overflows.
The Department has received two letters (15 November 2004 and 20 June 2006) from the Mayor of London which raised the issue of funding for the London sewerage system.
I expect to decide on a scheme to limit pollution from some of the sewer overflows in early 2007. This will then be taken forward for planning and funding applications.
The Department has already been involved in decisions to address the issue of storm overflows at three London sewage treatment works. As a result, several major schemes, involving substantial expenditure, are planned through Thames Water over the next eight years, to significantly increase the secondary treatment capacity of these works (Beckton, Crossness and Mogden). These schemes will reduce overflow discharges, thereby protecting the fish species and environment of the River Thames.
It is estimated that the total annual overflow discharges from the sewers and the sewage treatment works are around 50 million cubic metres. It is calculated that 32 million cubic metres is discharged from the sewer overflows, and 20 million cubic metres from the sewage treatment works (Crossness and Mogden). As aforementioned, work is in hand to significantly reduce overflow discharges from these sewage treatment works.
For the monthly calculated volumes of untreated sewage discharged to the Thames from the sewer overflows from January 2001 to October 2004, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 December 2004, Official Report, column 1112W. The calculated monthly volumes of untreated sewage discharged to the Thames Tideway from sewer overflows from 2004 to October 2006 are as follows. It is estimated that these volumes represent 60 per cent. of the total discharged from London’s combined drainage system at these times.
Cubic metres 2004 2005 2006 January 9,281,000 288,200 1,289,002 February 3,240,000 300,024 2,252,695 March 44,000 1,933,298 841,200 April 3,665,000 1,203,959 497,881 May 3,268,000 n/a 4,570,477 June 3,047,000 1,453,368 1,780,518 July 1,260,000 744,100 n/a August 4,945,000 1,669,002 1,688,862 September 446,000 1,918,585 4,993,643 October 4,290,000 4,227,192 815,329 November 268,000 200,250 n/a December 4,437,960 2,581,888 n/a
For January to October 2004 the volumes in the table are as in the answer given on 15 December 2004, Official Report, column 1112W. November 2004 in the table represents a more up-to-date figure than that given in the answer of 15 December 2004.
Volumes are calculated from the pumping records of the five largest pumping stations during wet weather. The calculation is the duration of spill events multiplied by the pumping rate of each of the pumping stations.
Overflow discharges from the sewers are calculated from wet weather pumping records of the five largest pumping stations, and an estimate of the wet weather discharges from the other overflows. Flow monitoring at the sewage treatment works provide measurements of their overflow discharges.
(2) what recent estimates his Department has made of the number of fish killed by sewage entering the River Thames; and what assessment the Department has made of the broader environmental impact of such sewage.
Public health risk, fish kills and the broader environmental impacts of overflow discharges of sewage entering the Thames have been assessed by the Environment Agency in the development of the objectives for the Thames Tideway Strategic Study. The Steering Group Report, published in February 2005, provides the information and is available from the Thames Tideway Strategic Study website at www.thamestidewaystrategicstudy.co.uk
The Environment Agency continues to consider and assess these issues as part of the options assessment work, led by Thames Water, that I announced on 27 July 2006.
Special Protection Areas
A number of reports have been commissioned by English Nature to look at the ways in which increased access and disturbance may have affected sensitive species of breeding birds within special protection areas. The cumulative effect of these reports is to show that the impacts from increased access and recreational activities vary between species, habitats and areas. It was also recognised that it is still too early to be able to quantify these impacts on habitats.
Although there are concerns about the recreational impacts on breeding and wintering bird populations, it is not yet known whether the access provisions within the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 have led to, or will cause, adverse affects on special protection areas. Further research and monitoring is required to provide a clear assessment of the overall effect of the increased level of access and disturbance in special protection areas which were previously considered not to be at risk.
The information requested is set out in the tables placed in the Library, and is correct as of 22 September 2006.
Sugar Beet
The reform of the EU sugar regime is designed to favour efficiency and allow sugar growers and processors to take their own commercial decisions. The UK has one of the more efficient sugar industries in the EU. The Government, therefore, expect some redistribution of sugar production within the UK over the next three years, but little net change.
On 22 September, my noble Friend the Minister for Sustainable Farming and Food announced the detail of how almost £500 million of additional support arising from the sugar reform will be incorporated within the English model of the single payment scheme (SPS) over the next seven years. In particular, he confirmed that special arrangements will apply so that, among other things, all the support available in 2006 will be added to the value of entitlements held by UK growers on the basis of their contracted tonnage for quota sugar, for the 2005-06 marketing year. Individual business decisions will determine whether those concerned retain their entitlements or grow sugar beet in subsequent years. It is not, therefore, possible to make meaningful estimates of the sort the hon. Member asks about.
Timber
There is no scheme for funding timber transport infrastructure projects in England. Forestry and rural affairs are devolved and any financial assistance for projects of this type in Scotland would be the responsibility of the devolved Administration.
(2) how many cases of illegal tree felling have been prosecuted by the prosecuting authorities in each of the last five years, broken down by forestry district and what sentence was imposed in each case in which all proceedings are complete.
Forestry is a devolved matter and prosecution for illegal tree felling in Scotland and Wales is a matter for the respective Administrations. In England the Forestry Commission investigates reports of illegal tree felling and the decision to prosecute is made by the Commission.
The number of investigations, prosecutions, sentences imposed and Restocking Notices issues over the last five years by Conservancy (region) are set out in the following table. These are recorded against the year in which investigation commenced, although prosecution may have occurred in the following year.
Conservancy Number Sentence where prosecuted Restocking notice issued East of England Investigations 5 Prosecutions 3 1) Conditional Discharge Yes 2) £2,500 Fine Yes 3) Conditional Discharge Pending East Midlands Investigation 1 Prosecution 1 1) £1,600 Fine Pending North East Investigation 1 Prosecutions 0 North West Investigations 2 Prosecution 1 1) £1,200 Fine Yes South East Investigations 15 Prosecutions 7 1) £1,800 Fine Yes 2) Conditional Discharge Yes 3) £1,200 Fine Pending 4) Conditional Discharge Yes 5) Pending Court Hearing 6) Pending Court Hearing 7) Pending Court Hearing South West Investigations 2 Prosecution 1 1) Pending Court Hearing West Midlands Investigations 8 Prosecutions 0 Yorkshire and Humber Investigations 2 Prosecutions 0
Conservancy Number Sentence where prosecuted Restocking notice issued East of England Investigations 4 Prosecution 1 1) £800 Fine Yes East Midlands Investigations 2 Prosecution 1 1) £2,250 Fine Yes North East Investigations 2 Prosecutions 0 North West Investigations 5 Prosecutions 4 1) £2,000 Fine No 2) £1,000 Fine Yes 3) £750 Fine Yes 4) £1,000 Fine Yes South East Investigations 11 Prosecutions 3 1) £1,000 Fine Yes 2) £1,600 Fine Yes 3) Conditional Discharge Yes South West Investigations 3 Prosecution 0 West Midlands Investigations 3 Prosecutions 1 1) £4,000 Fine Yes Yorkshire and Humber Investigations 3 Prosecutions 1 1) £200 Fine Yes
Conservancy Number Sentence where prosecuted Restocking notice issued East of England Investigations 7 Prosecutions 2 1) 500 Fine Yes 2) 2,500 Fine Yes East Midlands Investigation 1 Prosecutions 0 North East Investigation 1 Prosecutions 0 North West Investigations 2 Prosecution 1 1) £300 Fine Yes South East Investigations 16 Prosecutions 2 1) Conditional Discharge Yes 2) Case Withdrawn No South West Investigation 1 Prosecution 1 1) £500 Fine Yes West Midlands Investigations 7 Prosecutions 2 1) £500 Fine No 2) £2,000 Fine Yes Yorkshire and Humber Investigations 3 Prosecution 1 1) £1,800 Fine Yes
Conservancy Number Sentence where prosecuted Restocking notice issued East of England Investigations 2 1) £1,000 Fine Yes Prosecutions 2 2) £500 Fine Yes East Midlands Investigations 3 Prosecutions 2 1 ) Absolute Discharge No 2) £750 Fine Yes North East Investigation 1 Prosecution 1 1) £2,000 Fine Yes North West Investigations 2 Prosecutions 2 1) £300 Fine Yes 2) Conditional Discharge Yes South East Investigations 8 Prosecutions 3 1) £750 Fine Yes 2) £2,500 Fine Yes 3) £300 Fine Yes South West Investigations 5 Prosecutions 3 1) £300 Fine No 2) £1,200 Fine Yes 3) £1,250 Fine Yes West Midlands Investigations 4 Prosecutions 0 Yorkshire and Humber Investigation 1 Prosecutions 0
Conservancy Number Sentence where prosecuted Restocking notice issued East of England Investigations 2 Prosecutions 0 East Midlands Investigations 2 Prosecutions 0 North East Investigations 0 Prosecutions 0 North West Investigations 2 Prosecution 1 1) £2,000 Fine Yes South East Investigations 9 Prosecutions 3 1) £1,300 Fine Yes 2) Conditional Discharge Yes 3) £1,800 Fine No South West Investigations 4 Prosecutions 2 1 ) Conditional Discharge Yes 2) Conditional Discharge Yes West Midlands Investigations 6 Prosecutions 2 1) £200 Fine Yes 2) £2,500 Fine Yes Yorkshire and Humber Investigation 1 Prosecution 1 1) £1,600 Fine Yes Note: An investigation takes place where tree felling has been reported on a site where no valid permission has been issued. This investigation is to ascertain whether an offence may have been committed. A high number of these investigations conclude that either no offence has been committed or there is insufficient evidence to warrant a criminal prosecution.
Tumble Dryers
Support for energy efficiency in households is available through a number of routes. Details of grants and offers for energy efficiency measures in a particular area are available, by postcode, on the website of the Energy Saving Trust (EST) at: www.est.org.uk/myhome/efficientproducts/. The EST is funded by my Department to promote and support energy efficiency in the household sector.
The EST also runs a network of Energy Efficiency Advice Centres, which provide advice to consumers to help them to assess their energy use and refer them to any available grants. These include offers by energy suppliers, who are required to meet targets under the Energy Efficiency Commitment for the promotion of improvements in household energy efficiency, and grants from local authorities for local residents to install energy efficiency measures in their home.
The Government’s Market Transformation Programme estimates that, on average, an electrically-powered domestic tumble dryer emits 277 grams of carbon each time it is used, and a gas-powered domestic tumble dryer emits 140 grams of carbon each time it is used.
Veterinary Practices
DEFRA has not carried out an assessment of the link between the level of farm incomes and the success of large animal practices. There are a wide range of other factors that are driving change within the veterinary profession. Rather than focusing on one single issue, we are working closely with the British Veterinary Association and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to gain a more strategic view of the problems facing farm animal practice.
Water Supplies
Since 2001, there have been 21 notifications to the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) of public tap water supplies being contaminated by cross-connection, or back-siphonage in England and Wales.
For the 14 notifications where details are available, none was caused by contamination by agricultural water supplies. For the remaining seven notifications, and any notifications for the year 2000, DEFRA does not hold the information and it would not be possible to ascertain the cause without incurring disproportionate cost. These figures are for England and Wales combined and relate to public supplies.
It should be recognised that the DWI regulates public water supplies. Many agricultural properties are supplied by private water supplies, such as boreholes, which are regulated by local authorities. Local authorities would hold records of any cross- contamination events related to private water supplies.
Wildlife Crime
DEFRA does not keep a record of the number of offences committed under Part 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Depending on the offence, any actions which may result in a prosecution are passed to the local police force, local authority, or non-government bodies such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, for them to investigate in their role as investigating authorities.
Transport
A10
None. The A10 between Tottenham and the M25 now forms part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN). Therefore, any improvement schemes for that stretch of road are a matter for the Mayor and Transport for London. Further information concerning this road may be obtained from:
Director of Street Management
Transport for London
Windsor House
42-50 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0TL
A2
The number of (a) slight and (b) serious personal injury road accidents reported to the police that occurred on the A2 in Bexley borough in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005 is given in the table.
Severity 2004 2005 Serious 2 7 Slight 24 32 Source: TfL London Road Safety Unit.
A21
A public consultation was held from November 2002 to March 2003 on proposals to upgrade the A21 between Tonbridge to Pembury, Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst and Flimwell to Robertsbridge.
The Highways Agency's costs on public consultations for the proposed A21 upgrade in 2005 was nil. Public consultation on this scheme was in previous years.
We announced our response to the advice from the south east region about its major scheme priorities to 2011 on 6 July. As part of this, we have accepted the region's advice to include the A21 Tonbridge Bypass to Pembury Dualling, the A21 Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst Bypass and the A21 Baldslow Junction Improvement within the programme of schemes that we expect to be taken forward in the south east in the next five years, subject to the completion of all the statutory procedures, available funding and compliance with the Department's scheme appraisal requirements.
The Highways Agency will publish draft Orders on behalf of the Secretary of State in accordance with the individual scheme programmes.
No Compulsory Purchase Orders have been published for the route of the proposed A21 upgrade.
A3
The responses to the public consultation on the cost increase of the published scheme and its change in economic benefits, referred to in the interim letter of 20 July 2006, are currently being considered. A final decision will be issued as soon as possible.
A303
Interpreting facilities to mean rest areas, there have been improvements to three picnic sites listed:
Cartgate near Martock:
2005-06: Improvements made to disabled access. New tables with hard standings for wheelchairs were installed and parking bays were improved.
2004-05: Courtyard was extended and cafe facilities were updated.
2002-03: A Tourist Centre was built by a partnership of the Highways Agency and South Somerset District Council.
2001-02: Toilets were cosmetically refurbished.
Devonshire House, near the A30 junction:
2003-04: Public conveniences were permanently removed due to vandalism and to deter regularly reported incidents of antisocial behaviour.
Willoughby Hedge, north of Shaftesbury:
2005-06: New public conveniences were installed.
Interpreting facilities to mean rest areas, proposals are in place to improve the Buck Services at Longparish on the eastbound carriageway of the A303, east of Andover. Access improvements from the A303 are planned and will be funded by the developer.
A36
The Secretary of State has no proposals for the A36 at this location.
Officials in the Highways Agency have recently been consulted by Salisbury district council about a planning application submitted by Wiltshire county council for a park and ride site at Petersfinger which is designed to relieve congestion on this section of the A36.
In July officials notified Salisbury district council that they were satisfied the park and ride scheme could be implemented without compromising safety on the A36 road thereby opening the way for the planning application to be decided.
The timing of any consent and subsequent construction of the park and ride site is now a matter for Salisbury district and Wiltshire county councils respectively. Wiltshire will also need to reach agreement with the Highways Agency about funding for the works to be carried out on the A36 required to implement any consent.
The announcement was made by my right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, East (Dr. Strang), the then Minister of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on 28 July 1997, Official Report, columns 34-35.
The Secretary of State has no plans to review the need for the A36(T) Salisbury Bypass.
The A36 is part of the “non core” network and caters more for regional and local needs. It is in the process of being de-trunked (i.e. management transferred to the local highway authorities). Until it has been detrunked, the Highways Agency retains responsibility for its maintenance and any safety improvements to it. Any other improvements in the Salisbury area would need to be promoted by Wiltshire county council.
If Wiltshire county council decided to promote such a scheme, the South West region would need to determine its position within their priorities for major transport infrastructure within a specified regional funding allocation (RFA). The Secretary of State would then consider the advice in light of available funding.
Departmental Agency Staff
The Department has call-off contracts with Adecco, Brook Street and Reed, who are contracted to provide temporary staff when required. This contract is also used by some of the Department's executive agencies. The following tables show the average hourly rates (across pay bands) for each agency. The information held is from 2002 onwards and hourly rates for each pay band are agreed with the agencies as part of their contract with the Department.
Adecco Brook Street Reed 2002 12.45 11.92 13.17 2003 12.79 12.32 13.62 2004 13.06 12.53 13.91 2005 13.61 13.10 14.50 2006 14.27 13.28 14.49
Adecco Brook Street Reed 2002 12.24 9.89 10.07 2003 12.24 10.25 10.40 2004 12.49 10.48 10.63 2005 13.02 10.93 11.06 2006 Not available Not available Not available
In addition some of the Department's executive agencies also use other agencies to provide temporary staff. Details of these are as follows:
Highways Agency—£13.19
GCDA (£) 2001-02 9.39 2002-03 10.31 2003-04 10.38 2004-05 11.32 2005-06 11.00
The use of temporary staff is something that the Department only considers to cover a short-term temporary period such as covering leave or while a permanent resource is found. The Department actively manages its headcount and will consider any displaced staff for temporary roles prior to obtaining a temporary agency worker.
Aircraft Noise
Clauses 3 and 4 of the Civil Aviation Bill currently before Parliament will have this effect. A detailed explanation of the provisions is available in the Explanatory Notes to the Bill available in the Library of the House or on the internet at:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldbills/021/en/06021x--.htm.
Airships
No studies have been undertaken in this area, but there are no specific restrictions on such operations. Any proposals by commercial companies would be considered under the normal licensing requirements of the Air Navigation Order and European Licensing Regulations.
BAe 146
Neither the Department for Transport nor the CAA hold this information. The BAe 146 engine and auxiliary power unit were manufactured in the United States and are US Type Certificated products. The Federal Aviation Authority may be able to assist.
Blue Badges
Information on the number of blue badges issued by individual local authorities in 2006 will be published on the DfT website on 19 October and I will write to the hon. Member with the data. Copies will also be placed in the Library of the House.
Information about the number of successful new blue badge applications in the periods 2003-04 and 2004-05 will be placed in the House Library.
The Department for Transport has published information about the number of blue badges on issue by each local authority in England on its website for the periods to the end of March 2004 and to the end of March 2005. This information is already available in the House Library. Data on the number of blue badges on issue by each local authority to 31 March 2006 are due to be published on 19 October.
Bomb Hoaxes
The Secretary of State has regular meetings with the Home Secretary to discuss, among other things, transport security matters. However, operational matters including the prosecution of individuals responsible for bomb hoaxes are a matter for the relevant chief constable.
British Transport Police
This information is not held by the Department for Transport but by the British Transport Police who can be contacted at: British Transport Police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, email:general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.
This information is not held by the Department for Transport. This information is held by the force, who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.
Bus Passes
This information is not held centrally, I would refer the hon. Member to the relevant local authorities who will be able to assist.
Cabin Baggage
The enhanced security measures at UK airports were adjusted from 22 September. Passengers are now permitted to take a large musical instrument into the cabin of an aircraft, in addition to their one item of hand luggage, which is subject to separate x-ray screening.
The enhanced security measures at UK airports were adjusted from 22 September. Passengers are now permitted to take a large musical instrument into the cabin of an aircraft, in addition to their one item of hand luggage, which is subject to separate x-ray screening.
Car Tax
Information is not available on car licences (i.e. vehicle excise duty discs) which are stolen in the post. Of the 4,087,784 car licences sent by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, 37,312 were reported as undelivered between 1 January 2005 and 2 October 2006.
Channel Tunnel
(2) what representations he has received from the Scottish Executive in respect of a new charging regime for freight trains using the channel tunnel from 1 December.
The Department has discussed these issues with officials from the Scottish Executive. We have a joint desire to see freight companies continuing to access the channel tunnel at a commercially viable rate.
We have received a number of representations from EWS about the future of channel tunnel freight. None has been specifically concerned with freight travelling to or from Scotland.
Coaches
The law does not specify a maximum number of seats, although seat numbers are constrained indirectly by regulations limiting vehicle weight and external dimensions, and specifying minimum requirements for seats and their spacing.
Typically, a 12-metre single deck, two-axle coach would carry around 50 seated passengers.
Congestion Charge
The Government Car Service (GCS) provides the Secretary of State for Transport with his official car and driver. During 2005-06 GCS incurred £1,655 in congestion charges for this service.
Cwmbran Driving Test Centre
The delivery of driving tests in Cwmbran will be transferred to a new multi-purpose test centre (MPTC) planned for Newport, eight miles away. The start of operations at Newport MPTC is planned for later in 2006.
No date has yet been agreed for the cessation of testing at Cwmbran. The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) will endeavour to give maximum notice to interested parties before driving tests in the area are transferred to Newport.
Cycling
The Department is in the process of letting two contracts which will give its employees access to cycles and associated equipment from a number of suppliers through a tax-efficient scheme. The scheme covers specialist equipment for staff with disabilities. A scheme was not in operation within the Department during 2005-06.
The Department does not collect borough-level data on the length of cycle lanes in London. Transport for London (TfL) is now the body responsible for providing capital funding to London boroughs for cycle lanes and other local transport initiatives. Further information concerning cycle routes may be obtained from:
Director of Street Management
Transport for London
Windsor House
42-50 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0TL
Departmental Drivers
The Government Car and Despatch Agency is responsible for providing a range of transport and mail distribution services to Government and the wider public sector.
The numbers of drivers and wages for each year since 2000-01 is as follows:
Cost (£000) Number of drivers 2005-06 7,305 210 2004-05 6,712 208 2003-04 6,916 211 2002-03 6,581 209 2001-02 6,090 198 2000-01 5,494 192
Information for earlier years can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Publications
The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Driving Licences
All applicants for a driving licence, irrespective of nationality, are required to meet the conditions specified in section 97 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, in order for the Secretary of State to grant a licence.
Section 97(1)(b) of the Act requires an applicant to provide the Secretary of State with such evidence or further evidence in support of the application as the Secretary of State may require.
Details of acceptable identity documents and photograph criteria can be found on www.direct.gov.gov.uk/motoring.
The Council of the European Union adopted its common position on the proposed Directive on driving licences on 18 September 2006. The United Kingdom abstained from the vote on the common position, as it did from the vote on political agreement in March 2006 and for the same reasons.
At the time of the political agreement, the UK requested a minutes statement as follows in order to record the reasons for its abstention:
"The UK abstains. It continues to believe that the measures proposed for staged access to motorcycles for younger riders are too complex and too rigid, and that they are likely to achieve little if any improvement in road safety. The UK therefore has proposed amendments to reduce the complexity and increase the flexibility of these measures at key points. It expresses disappointment that the Council has found it impossible to reach agreement on such amendments."
Driving Standards Agency
DSA staff have been involved in industrial action since 17 July 2006.
There have been two one-day strikes. On 17 July, 906 members of staff took action. This represents about 33 per cent. of the workforce of 2,750 and resulted in around 40 per cent. of the day's tests being lost. On 4 September, support for the strike was reduced and only 601 staff (22 per cent. of the workforce) took action which resulted in about 33 per cent. of tests being lost.
The industrial action has also included a work to rule since 17 July. This has led to some tests being cancelled at short notice.
There will be no loss of driving examiner posts as part of the restructuring of the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). The aim of the Driving Safety Forward programme is for DSA to have a more proactive and broader role in improving driver safety in support of the wider road safety agenda in order to:
lead the development and delivery of effective driving standards and testing regimes;
be recognised as a leading authority on the development of driver safety services and driver education;
co-ordinate the results of driver safety research currently undertaken in a wide number of places across government and industry.
The table shows driving licence acquisition tests conducted nationally during the period September 2004 to August 2006. The data includes practical and theory tests for car, motorcycle, bus and lorry driving tests.
Practical test Theory test September 2004 166,477 88,200 October 2004 169,366 123,247 November 2004 183,407 117,546 December 2004 153,553 91,490 January 2005 169,574 87,633 February 2005 157,761 112,470 March 2005 161,544 130,698 April 2005 184,081 128,258 May 2005 169,641 118,961 June 2005 183,896 126,857 July 2005 175,437 121,578 August 2005 167,773 134,733 September 2005 176,355 128,185 October 2005 172,555 115,489 November 2005 181,706 118,368 December 2005 149,389 88,678 January 2006 178,675 90,013 February 2006 171,057 107,450 March 2006 198,184 127,378 April 2006 151,943 120,939 May 2006 180,421 118,401 June 2006 185,221 119,349 July 2006 170,571 115,456 August 2006 165,045 130,501
East London Line
The Secretary of State has held no discussions recently with Transport for London (TfL) on the East London line extension. The delivery and route of the East London line extension are matters for TfL.
Flight Statistics
The number of flights that took off from UK airports in each of the last five years are as follows:
Thousand Short haul1 Long haul2 2001 942 100 2002 940 99 2003 967 101 2004 1,015 113 2005 1,068 123 1 Short haul includes flights within UK (domestic), to oil rigs and to Europe (includes EU-25, Norway, Switzerland, Gibraltar, Turkey and Former Yugoslavia). 2 Long haul includes flights to all countries outside of Europe. Source: Civil Aviation Authority
Flooding
These are operational matters for Network Rail, as the owner and operator of the national rail network. The hon. Member should contact Network Rail's Chief Executive at the following address for a response to his question.
John Armitt
Chief Executive
Network Rail
40 Melton Street
London
NW1 2EE
Government Cars
The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) fleet currently comprises of 41 cars and 18 light commercial vans capable of running on 5 per cent. biodiesel blend. GCDA has its own refuelling station at its London premises and all its drivers are required to refuel there whenever possible.
GCDA operates over 200 vehicles and it is targeted with reducing the environmental impact of its operations by reducing tailpipe emissions by 5 per cent. and to increase the use of alternative engine fuel technology by 10 per cent. compared with 2005-06. It is doing this by investing heavily in petrol/electric hybrid cars and replacing unleaded petrol powered cars with diesel powered cars. Its van fleet has always used diesel powered vans but in recent years has introduced a fleet of liquefied petroleum gas powered vans that operate in London and has also experimented with small electric vans.
Hampton Review
I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury today, 9 October (UIN 89473), Official Report, column 280W.
Haulage Industry
The European Commission is responsible for ensuring that each member state implements the European road transport working time directive 2002/15/EC. The Commission is currently pursuing infraction proceedings against those member states that have failed to notify full transposition of the directive.
The UK’s implementing regulations apply to any mobile worker operating in the UK provided they are employed by a haulier established in a member state of the European Union.
Highways Agency
There are no plans to give Highways Agency traffic officers any further powers beyond those already conveyed to them under Part 1 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 and those being developed in connection with the removal and disposal of vehicles.
It is envisaged that traffic officers may have similar powers to those which the police have under the Removal and Disposal of Vehicles Regulations 1986, and sections 99 to 102 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This will enable traffic officers to remove vehicles that are causing an obstruction or danger, supporting traffic officers in helping to keep traffic moving and freeing up police time.
Landslide (Boston Manor)
Boston Manor railway station is on the Underground’s Piccadilly line. Landslides are an operational matter for London Underground Ltd. and the right hon. Member should contact their managing director for further information at the following address:
Tim O’Toole
Managing Director
London Underground Ltd.
55 Broadway
London
SW1H 0BD
Landslides on the national rail network are an operational matter for Network Rail. The right hon. Member should contact their chief executive at the following address for further information:
John Armitt CBE
Chief Executive
Network Rail
40 Melton Street
London
NW1 2EE
M1
Measures are already being taken to relieve congestion on the M1 south of Milton Keynes where work to widen the motorway to four lanes is underway between Junction 6A (M25) and Junction 10 (Luton). This widening is due for completion in late 2008.
There are plans to widen the M1 from Junction 10 to 13, with construction scheduled to start in late 2008 and to complete in 2011. The M1 Junctions 10 to 13 Widening aims are:
To provide an additional lane of traffic in both directions on the M1 to relieve present congestion and to accommodate predicted future flows.
To improve the existing junctions to match the increased capacity of the motorway.
M42
I assume the hon. Member is referring to the M54 to M6/M6 toll link road as the M42 is not a toll road and the M6 toll road is not being extended.
Currently, the feasibility of options is being considered to support the case for the link road scheme to enter the Targeted Programme of Improvements. The new M54 to M6/M6 toll link road should open to traffic around 2012 (subject to the usual statutory processes), helping to free up current bottlenecks and to improve road travel through the region.
Melbourne Marine Services
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has the function of assessing whether the submitted oil spill contingency plan covering ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth and the amendments to the overarching Clearwater Forth contingency plan would adversely affect the integrity of designated nature conservation sites in the Firth of Forth. In doing so, the MCA took into account the global safety record of ship-to-ship transfers. This included the detailed risk assessments which formed part of the package for the consultation carried out by the MCA.
These documents can be located on the MCA website:
http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcqa-guidance-regulation/mcqa-consultations/mcqa-consultations-archive/archived consultations 2006/mcqa-consultations-sts forth.htm
Merchant Vessels
With the exception of the limited power available under the Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Act 1997, there is no specific legislation for the protection of merchant vessels lost during hostilities, and as such, the Secretary of State for Transport has no legislative powers to protect these vessels. Section 24 of the 1997 Act enables the Secretary of State to make an order relating to the protection of wrecks outside UK waters for the purpose of giving effect to an international agreement.
The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 deals with military remains of both aircraft and ships and is administered by the Ministry of Defence. All military aircraft are automatically designated under this legislation. The Act allows the Ministry of Defence to protect from unauthorised interference the remains of aircraft and ships lost while in military service. Whether or not an individual merchant vessel is eligible for designation under the Act depends on whether it can be said to have been in “military service”.
The Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 is designed to protect wrecks which are of historic, archaeological or artistic importance and is administered by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
It is the Department for Transport's present policy to refrain from selling the hull of any merchant vessel, owned by the Department and lost to enemy action, where there has been a recorded loss of life.
Mini Scooters
No data are available.
Motorised mini scooters involved in personal injury accidents reported to the police on public roads are recorded under the motorcycle category and cannot be identified as a distinct group of vehicles.
Ministerial Meetings
Ministers have regular dialogues with ministerial colleagues in the Scottish Executive, discussing a wide range of issues of mutual interest. It is not our practice to disclose details of such meetings.
Ministerial Transport
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 15 June 2006. I have nothing further to add.
Mobile Network
(2) what discussions he has had with (a) London and Continental Railways and (b) Cross London Rail Links Ltd. on the provision of mobile network coverage for business and consumers on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and Cross Rail, including tunnelled routes; and if he will make a statement.
The subject is raised from time to time in the course of meetings but the Department's view is that providing mobile network coverage is a matter for Network Rail and train operators.
Motorcycling
The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 prohibit the display of a front number plate on all motorcycles registered on or after 1 September 2001. Keepers of motorcycles registered before this date have the option of whether to display a front number plate or not. There are no plans to change the law. The Department has no figures on the number of motorcycles in England that do not display front number plates. Motorcycles displaying a front number plate can present a danger to their riders and to others and the 2001 changes are intended to increase road safety.
Motorcycle fatalities and casualties have fallen in each of the last two years, and in 2005 the fatality and casualty rates per 100,000 vehicle kilometres were at their lowest for many years.
In February 2005, the Department published the Government’s Motorcycle Strategy, which was developed with the full involvement of motorcycling industry and user groups. Copies are available in the Library of the House and also on the Department for Transport’s website, www.dft.gov.uk .
The strategy aims to facilitate motorcycling as a safe and sustainable choice of travel and it sets out a range of actions for central or local government, manufacturers, retailers, trainers and user groups, who we are working with to implement the strategy through the National Motorcycle Council.
In January 2006, we launched a new advertising campaign reminding car drivers to “take longer for bikes”, on TV, radio and posters. This followed the previous “Perfect Day” campaign aimed at leisure riders, which is still widely used.
Motorway Services
It is a Government requirement that all motorway service areas (MSAs) must provide parking for all classes of vehicle, including lorries, and must also be open 24 hours a day every day of the year. Truck drivers will therefore be able to park overnight at any MSA.
Currently the longest stretches of motorway between MSAs are:
Miles Clacket Lane (M25)—Oxford (M40) 71 Clacket Lane (M25)—South Mimms (M25/A1(M)) 66 Oxford (M40)—South Mimms (M25/A1(M)) 51 Chester (M56)—Birch (M62) 39 Warwick (M40)—Tamworth (M42) 38 Chester (M56)—Charnock Richard (M6) 34 Strensham (M5)—Michaelwood (M5) 34 Thurrock (M25)—South Mimms (M25/A1 (M)) 33 Reading (M4)—Heston (M4) 32 Thurrock (M25)—Birchanger Green (M11) 32
Since 1992 it has been Government policy that it is for the private sector to bring forward proposals for new MSAs through the planning process. Current policy aims to encourage a network of MSAs at intervals of roughly 30 miles. This network is broadly complete although there is still a noticeable gap on the western sector of the M25.
Following a public inquiry planning permission has been granted for two MSAs at Cobham (M25 J9-10) and Burtley Wood (M40 J2). Once these are open it will significantly reduce the gaps between Clacket Lane, Oxford and South Mimms MSAs listed in the previous table.
In addition, the Government are prepared to consider granting approval for the signing of good quality truck stops which are situated near to the motorway network.
Motorways
The Department’s measure of congestion on the Strategic Road Network in England is journey time reliability, measured by looking at the slowest 10 per cent. of journeys on each route and calculating the average vehicle delay (in minutes per 10 miles travelled) comparing observed journey times with reference journey times. The measure can only be calculated by looking at the distribution of journey times over a whole year, so figures are not available for individual months.
The Government are committed to using low noise surfacing materials on new strategic roads, and on existing strategic roads when resurfacing is required, to reduce road traffic noise levels and nuisance resulting from their use. The strategic road network includes all motorways in England.
As part of the 10-year plan, published in 2000, the Government proposed to install quieter surfacing on 60 per cent. of the strategic road network including all concrete stretches, dependent on funds available. To date the Highways Agency has resurfaced approximately 30 per cent. of the strategic road network with quieter materials.
In addition, on 22 March 1999, the Government announced a ring-fenced budget of £5 million a year to deal with the most serious and pressing cases of traffic noise arising from the existing strategic road network, where there was no early prospect of resurfacing with low-noise materials due to maintenance need. A list of 79 locations was published on 11 November 1999, Official Report, columns 681-83, and studies carried out to identify the most cost-effective measures to reduce noise. To date, 60 of these locations have been addressed.
Nuclear Waste
I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 16 June 2006, Official Report, column 1419W.
Post Office Closures
No assessment has been made.
Railway Crossings
Data on level crossing accidents for Great Britain are published in the annual report on railway safety published by the Office of Rail Regulation, copies of which are in the House Library. The figures do not separate out Greater London.
(2) how many accidents occurred at railway crossings in Beverley and Holderness in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.
Data on level crossing accidents for Great Britain is published in the annual reports on railway safety now published by the Office of Rail Regulation and previously by the Health and Safety Executive, copies of which are in the House Library.
Railway Security
This information is not held by the Department for Transport, in the specific format requested, but by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.
This information is not held by the Department for Transport, but by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enguiries@btp.pnn.police.uk
This information is not held by the Department for Transport. This information is held by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk
This information is not held by the Department for Transport but by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.
This information is not held by the Department for Transport but by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.
The company concerned, c2c is actively seeking to have all its stations accredited under the Secure Stations Scheme and has a target for this to be achieved by the end of 2006.
Railways
(2) how long the refurbishment of Sheffield train station is scheduled to take; what progress has been made with the refurbishment; and if he will make a statement.
These are operational matters for Network Rail, the owner and operator of the national rail network. The hon. Member is advised to contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a response to his questions:
John Armitt
Chief Executive
Network Rail
40 Melton Street
London
NW1 2EE
The changes referred to will have a negligible impact on ridership within the First Great Western franchise.
The moving annual average reliability figure for Silverlink’s Barking to Gospel Oak line was 97.1 per cent. in January 2004. This had increased to 97.8 per cent. by September 2006—an improvement of 0.7 per cent. since Transport for London sponsored additional services on the route.
Road Pricing
(2) what consideration will be given to providing for transparent pricing that will allow for ease of calculation of journey costs within the review of national road pricing.
The Government are exploring the scope for developing a national system of road pricing. We are focusing on local pilot schemes and providing support to local authorities as they develop schemes to tackle road congestion; this will test systems in different areas to establish what works and help understand how a road pricing scheme would operate in practice.
Issues such as the potential for diversion of traffic onto alternative routes and how information on the levels of charges might be communicated to road users will need to be considered as part of the detailed design of pricing schemes.
Road Safety
There were (a) 27 slight and (b) three serious personal injury road accidents reported to the police that occurred on the A102 between the A11 and the A13 in 2005. Data for 2006 are not available.
Source:
TfL London Road Safety Unit
The number of cyclists (a) injured and (b) killed in personal injury road accidents reported to the police in (i) the Metropolitan Police area of London, (ii) Southend, (iii) Essex and (iv) England and Wales in 2005 are given in the following table. Data for 2006 are not available.
Fatal Injured1 Total England and Wales 132 15,650 15,782 Metropolitan Police2 20 2,779 2,799 Southend 0 73 73 Thurrock 1 32 33 Essex County (excluding the unitary authorities of Southend and Thurrock) 2 342 344 1 Includes slight and serious injuries. 2 Excludes City of London Police.
TRL Ltd. undertakes regular observational seat belt wearing surveys for the Department. Information on the methodology employed by TRL Ltd. is given in their published annual leaflets. A copy of the most recent leaflet, LF 2099 of August 2006 has been placed in the Library. Information is also given in a 1990 report “Restraint use by car occupants, 1982-89” by J Broughton, TRL Research Report 289, which can be obtained from TRL Ltd., on 01344 770783, at a cost of £30. Thirteen female TRL employees undertook the most recent survey in April 2006.
No research has been commissioned by the Department for Transport into collisions resulting from cyclists going through red lights.
The number of serious personal injury accidents reported to the police on (a) the A406 North Circular Road between the Lee Valley at the junction of A1009 Hall lane and the A105 Green Lanes; and (b) the A10 between the junction of A109 at Tottenham and its junction with M25 for the last five years are given in the following table.
(a) (b) Junction included in both (a) and (b)1 2000 18 20 3 2001 14 23 2 2002 20 19 3 2003 20 24 a 2004 14 13 1 2005 3 17 0 1 The figures given in columns (a) and (b) have a junction which is common to both lengths of road and therefore the accidents on that junction will be included in both sets of figures. The separate figures for this junction are given in the main answer. Source: TFL LRSU
Estimates of personal injury road accidents reported to the police, involving illegal alcohol levels and the consequent casualties, in Great Britain are calculated on a national basis only. These estimates are published in an article in “Road Casualties Great Britain: 2005” published on 28 September 2006. Copies of the publication have been placed in the Library of the House.
The Department has monitored external research on the socio-economic groups most likely to be involved in a road traffic accident.
The most recent research of which we are aware was published in the British Medical Journal in July 2006 and examined socio-economic inequalities in rates of death of children from road accidents in England and Wales.
The research shows that in 2001 to 2003, compared with children of parents in class NS-SEC 11, the death rate of children with parents in class NS-SEC 82 was:
20.6 times higher for deaths as pedestrians;
5.5 times higher for deaths as car occupants; and
27.5 times higher for deaths as cyclists.
We have not made any assessment of the socio-economic groups most likely to be involved in a road traffic accident in Surrey in the last 10 years.
1 National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification Class 1: Higher managerial and professional occupations.
2 National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification Class 8: Never worked and long-term unemployed
Friday had the highest proportion of road traffic personal injury accidents in both (a) Surrey and (b) England for every year from 1996 to 2005.
The following table shows the number of speed camera sites, split by type of speed camera, in each safety camera partnership area in England and Wales as at 4 October 2006.
Partnership name Fixed Mobile Red light-speed Routes Average speed Total Avon and Somerset 67 176 — — — 243 Bedfordshire 44 70 — — — 114 Cambridgeshire 53 40 — — — 93 Cheshire 42 32 — — — 74 Cleveland 3 45 — — — 48 Cumbria 2 38 — — — 40 Derbyshire 47 81 — — — 128 Devon and Cornwall 75 80 — — — 155 Dorset 51 54 — — — 105 Essex 82 141 — — — 223 Gloucestershire 26 45 — — — 71 Greater Manchester 101 163 — — — 264 Hampshire 31 38 — — — 69 Hertfordshire 56 37 — — — 93 Humberside 3 79 — 2 — 84 Kent and Medway 73 56 — — — 129 Lancashire 272 74 — — — 346 Leicestershire 15 73 1 — — 89 Lincolnshire 45 19 — — — 64 London 401 — — — — 401 Merseyside 30 22 — — — 52 Mid and South Wales 111 263 — — — 374 Norfolk 11 24 — 8 — 43 North Wales 13 61 — — — 74 Northamptonshire 40 42 — — 2 84 Northumbria 43 86 — — — 129 Nottinghamshire 11 36 1 2 10 60 South Yorkshire 55 63 — — 1 119 Staffordshire 65 33 — — — 98 Suffolk 8 48 — — — 56 Surrey 17 4 — — — 21 Sussex 51 26 — — — 77 Thames Valley 216 60 — — — 276 Warwickshire 21 37 — — — 58 West Mercia 15 41 — — — 56 West Midlands 139 16 — — — 155 West Yorkshire 110 51 — — — 161 Wiltshire 8 60 — — — 68 Grand total 2,453 2,314 2 12 13 4,794
(2) how many road traffic accidents per registered vehicle there were in (a) Surrey and (b) England in 2005-06.
The number of personal injury road accidents per 1,000 registered vehicles was 9.0 in London (highest), 6.6 in Surrey, 2.6 in Western Isles (lowest) and 6.3 in England.
It should be noted that an accident may not occur in the same county as the one in which the vehicle is registered.
The Department's objective is to encourage and assist people to drive within the posted speed limit at all times. The purpose of deploying speed cameras is to further encourage them to do so at locations where excessive speed is a known danger. Consistent with this aim, cameras operating within the National Safety Camera Programme are required to meet strict visibility and conspicuity rules in order to enhance their deterrent effect.
No assessment has been made of the potential for speed cameras and speed camera warning signs to cause drivers to reduce speed recklessly when seen. We are aware that some speeding drivers check or reduce their speed on the approach to camera sites. However there is no evidence that this is done recklessly. Neither is there evidence that this is a cause of accidents. In any case, drivers who comply with the posted speed limit should not need to reduce their speed when they see a speed camera or camera warning sign.
The Government have no current plans to change the national speed limits for which we are responsible.
New guidance to traffic authorities on setting local speed limits was published by the Department on 8 August 2006. This requested authorities to review speed limits and implement any changes on their A and B roads by 2011.
This process is designed to improve speed limit consistency across the road network and as a result some speed limits may increase or decrease dependent on the local evidence and needs.
In 2005, there were 291 personal injury road accidents involving an ambulance that were reported to the police.
The dangers of drink driving, drug driving, speeding and driving while using a mobile telephone form part of the Government's THINK! road safety campaign. The Government are investing around £15 million in the THINK! campaign in this fiscal year.
The campaign advertising costs for the above campaigns since 2002-2003 fiscal year are as follows:
Campaign 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Drink Driving £1 .64 million £2.1 million £2.31 million £2.7 million 1£3.0 million Drug Driving nil £138,000 £150,000 £223,000 1£260,000 Mobile Phones £189,000 £900,000 £411,000 500,000 1£400,000 Speed £1.76 million £1.6 million £1.87 million £1.64 million 1£2.1 million 1 Expected outturn
Following departmental reorganisations, provision of total expenditure figures for the period prior to 2002 would involve disproportionate costs.
Roads (East Yorkshire)
Both the A166 and A165 roads in East Yorkshire are the responsibility of East Riding of Yorkshire council, as the local highway authority. The Department has received no representations to (a) widen or (b) improve the (i) A166 and (ii) A165 in East Yorkshire. The council’s second local transport plan (LTP2) does not include any future scheme for improving or widening these routes within East Yorkshire up to 2011.
Shipping Guidance (Oil Transfers)
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) document “Contingency Planning for Marine Pollution Preparedness and Response: Guidelines for Ports (March 2002)”, which includes consultation guidance for ports, including ship-to-ship oil transfer operations, can be located on the MCA website:
http://www.mcqa.gov.uk/c4mca/mcqa-oprc guidelines.pdf
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) document “Contingency Planning for Marine Pollution Preparedness and Response: Guidelines for Ports (March 2002)” includes environmental protection guidance for ports, which includes ship-to-ship oil transfer operations.
This document can be located on the MCA website:
http://www.mcqa.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-oprc_guidelines.pdf
Thameslink
The cost of building the Thameslink tunnels including the station box beneath St. Pancras was £155 million. This includes compensation to the train operating companies during the period of the works.
Transport (Seating)
The Department for Transport has undertaken no specific research on the extent to which people of above-average height have adequate seating on trains, aeroplanes and buses.
However, a range of regulations covering these modes set minimum requirements for seat spacing, which should enable the majority of passengers to travel safely and in reasonable comfort.
Unadopted Roads
There has been no recent estimate of the cost of bringing unadopted roads (roads not currently maintained at public expense), to the standard required that would allow them to be adopted by the local highway authority.
There are no estimates by individual authority. However, based on a 1972 survey (there are no more up-to-date statistics), it is thought that there are around 40,000 unadopted roads in the UK and that it would cost in the region of £3 billion at today's prices to make them up to an adoptable standard.
Vehicle Excise Duty
This information is not held in the format requested.
DVLA introduced its electronic vehicle licensing service in February 2004, which was nationally launched in January 2006. The following table provides a breakdown of re-licensing transactions made online in each quarter since its introduction.
Quarter 2004 2005 2006 1 266 76,424 526,054 2 1,455 102,327 755,548 3 3,962 240,153 1,222,169 4 34,644 260,773 —
Treasury
Absence Rates
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 9 October 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about days lost through absence in the private and public sectors. I am replying in her absence. (91871)
The number of days lost through sickness absence in a specific year is not available. However the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which is a continuous survey throughout the year, asks employed respondents for the number of working days lost due to sickness or injury during the week before the LFS interview. The attached table shows these estimates for interviews carried out between April and June 2005 and 2006. It is not possible to scale this data, which reflects specific points in time, to represent an annual period. In addition, different employment and working patterns affect whether the question is actually asked and the actual responses to the question.
These estimates from the LFS are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
Thousand LFS survey period April-June Private sector Public sector 2005 Number of days lost in the LFS interview week2 982 522 Absence rate3 2.4 2.8 2006 Number of days lost in the LFS interview week2 951 444 Absence rate3 2.2 2.6 1 Employees scheduled to work in the reference week for the survey period April-June. 2 Quarterly and annual estimates constructed by multiplying these data by 13 or 52 would not be representative of these periods because sickness absence over the period of a specific week is not representative of a longer period and different employment and working patterns affect the responses to the question. 3 Employees absent for at least one day in the LFS interview week due to sickness absence as a percentage of all employees in each sector. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS)
Access to Work Scheme
In the last year for which figures are available (2005) the Treasury received £650 funding from the Access to Work Scheme.
The Treasury, as an employer, has a central budget to ensure reasonable adjustments are put in place for disabled people joining, or in, the Department. This budget will meet the costs of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff.
Accidents (Graveyards)
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate the Office for National Statistics has made of the number of deaths from accidents in graveyards or cemeteries in each of the last three years. (89409)
The Office for National Statistics has not made any estimate of the total number of deaths from accidents in graveyards or cemeteries in the last three years. Although the place of accident is recorded at death registration it is limited to the following categories:
Home
Farm
Mine or quarry
Industrial place or premises
Place of recreation or sport
Street or highway
Public building
Resident institution
The option to specify other places is available but these are not coded to specifically allow graveyards or cemeteries to be identified.
Agency Staff
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 25 July 2006, Official Report, column 1341W to the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark).
Anniversary Celebrations
The Chancellor has served in his post for nine years and five months, not for 10 years.
Average Wages
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 9 October 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the (a) wage for (i) full-time male, (ii) full-time female, (iii) part time male and (iv) part time female employees and (b) average household income for working age households was in City of York council area in (1) cash and (2) constant price terms in each of the last 10 years. I am replying in her absence. (88725).
Currently average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was unaffected by absence during the pay period. This is the standard definition used for ASHE. The ASHE does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work. I have attached tables containing statistics on earnings from the ASHE for the years 1997-2005 which are all that is available. The second table shows these earnings statistics expressed in 2005 prices by using the Retail Price Index (RPI).
Average household income for working age households by council area is not available. Household income statistics for all households in the UK, based on the Family Resources Survey, are produced by the Department of Work and Pensions. Additionally the Office for National Statistics has produced statistics for wards for 2001-02 only. These estimates are based on a statistical model and are experimental statistics - they have been developed in accordance with the principles set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice but are not accredited as National Statistics.
The ASHE, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes, but because of its sampling frame, it has difficulty capturing data on people with very low pay. It is therefore likely to under-represent relatively low paid staff earning below the tax threshold.
£ Median Mean Full-time male Full-time female Part-time male Part-time female Full-time male Full-time female Part-time male Part-time female 1997 363 235 x 89 397 260 x 103 1998 372 250 x 95 420 284 x 106 1999 382 267 x 101 432 303 x 111 2000 403 286 x 117 462 320 93 126 2001 402 303 x 116 447 331 x 132 2002 448 306 x 125 475 349 x 138 2003 457 317 x 129 517 369 146 150 2004 472 342 x 130 526 399 158 150 20042 460 342 x 126 505 398 x 147 2005 455 359 x 134 508 401 141 155
£ Median Mean Full-time male Full-time female Part-time male Part-time female Full-time male Full-time female Part-time male Part-time female 1997 445 288 x 109 487 319 x 126 1998 438 294 x 112 495 335 x 125 1999 443 310 x 117 501 352 x 129 2000 454 322 x 132 520 360 105 142 2001 445 336 x 128 495 367 x 146 2002 489 334 x 136 518 381 x 150 2003 483 335 x 136 547 390 154 159 2004 499 353 x 134 543 412 163 155 20042 475 353 x 130 521 411 x 152 2005 455 359 x 134 508 401 141 155 1 Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. From1997-2005 estimates are based on the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. 2 In 2004 additional supplementary surveys were introduced to improve the coverage of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Figures are presented both excluding and including the additional surveys for comparison purposes. 3 Constant price terms have been uprated using the Retail Prices Index (RPI), re-based at April 2005. Guide to qualifyThe Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV e.g. for an average of 200 with a CV of 5 percent., we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220. The above estimates all have a CV of less than 5 percent. An x has been given for estimates with a CV of greater than 20 percent. Note:The median replaces the mean as the headline statistic. The weighted mean is the sum of the weighted values divided by the sum of the weights. The median is the value below which 50 percent. of employees fall. It is preferred over the mean for earnings data as it is influenced less by extreme values and because of the skewed distribution of earnings data. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.
Cancer
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people were diagnosed with any from of cancer in each year between 2000-01 and 2004-05. (91566)
The most recent available information on registration of newly diagnosed cases (incidences) are for the year 2004 and were published on 28th September 2006. Numbers of newly diagnosed cases of all malignant cancers registered in England between 2000 and 2004 are given in the table below.
Number 2000 223,609 2001 224,650 2002 223,789 2003 227,472 2004 233,621 1 ‘All malignant cancers’ are defined by codes C00-C97 excluding non-melanoma skin cancer code C44 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) Source: Office of National Statistics Years 2000-2003—Table1 ‘Cancer Statistics: registrations, England’ series MB1 http://www.statisitcs.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asap?vink=8843&Pos=1&ColRank=2&Rank=272 Year 2004—‘Cancer Registrations in England, 2004’ first release http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vink=7720
Civil Servants (Consultancy Firms)
We do not have details of the new employers of all civil servants who have left HM Treasury.
Civil Service Pension Schemes
The information requested was placed in the Library on 15 March 2006.
Climate Change
The final report of the review on the economics of climate change will be published in Autumn 2006.
The Government published an independent evaluation of the climate change levy (CCL), “Modelling the Initial Effects of the Climate Change Levy,” by Cambridge Econometrics at Budget 2005 which is available at www.hmrc.gov.uk. The evaluation concluded that the CCL package is expected to deliver emissions savings of over 3.5 million tonnes per annum of carbon by 2010, and with the accompanying reduction in national insurance contributions, to reduce overall unit costs for business by 0.13 per cent.
Clostridium Difficile
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for a statement on the outcome of the study conducted by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Health Protection Agency to identity the total number of deaths where Clostridium difficile was mentioned on the death certificate. (89862)
This study has now been completed and special analyses of deaths involving Clostridium difficile are undertaken annually by ONS for England and Wales. The results are published in Health Statistics Quarterly (HSO). The latest year for which such figures are available is 2004. Information on the numbers of deaths between 1999 and 2004 involving Clostridium difficile was published in HSO 30 in May 2006.! Please see also the replies to two other related questions you have asked.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many death certificates in England and Wales in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005 (i) mentioned Clostridium difficile and (ii) listed Clostridium difficile as the underlying cause of death. (89860)
Special analyses of deaths involving Clostridium difficile are undertaken annually by ONS for England and Wales. These are published in Health Statistics Quarterly. The latest year for which such figures are available is 2004. Information on the numbers of deaths between 1999 and 2004 involving Clostridium difficile was published in “Health Statistics Quarterly” 30 in May 2006. The table below is extracted from this report:
(a) 2003 (b) 2004 (i) Certificates mentioning Clostridium difficile 1,788 2,247 (ii) Certificates where Clostridium difficile was the underlying cause of death 958 1,245 1 Data includes non-residents who died in England and Wales 2 Identified using the methodology described in Office for National Statistics (2005) Report: Deaths involving Clostridium difficile England and Wales. 1999-2004. “Health Statistics Quarterly” 30, 56-60. 3 Excludes neonatal deaths 4 Deaths occurring in 2003 and 2004
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006
AsNational Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking in how many and what proportion of deaths (a) Clostridium difficile and (b) MRSA was recorded as a contributory factor in each year since 2002, broken down by hospital. (90344)
Special analyses of deaths involving Clostridium difficile and MRSA are undertaken annually by ONS for England and Wales. The results are published in Health Statistics Quarterly (HSQ). The latest year for which such figures are available is 2004. Information on the numbers of deaths between 1999 and 2004 involving Clostridium difficile was published in HSQ 30 in May 20061. Information on the number of deaths between 2000 and 2004 involving MRSA was published in HSQ 29 in February 20062.
The number of deaths in NHS Hospitals where Clostridium difficile was a contributory factor in the years 2001 to 2004 was 6,168 out of a total of 1,178,776 deaths in NHS Hospitals. This represents 0.5 per cent of all deaths in NHS Hospitals between 2001 and 2004. The number of deaths in NHS Hospitals where MRSA was a contributory factor in the years 2000 to 2004 was 3,830 out of a total of 1,467,116 deaths in NHS Hospitals. This represents 0.2 per cent of all deaths in NHS Hospitals between 2000 and 2004.
A breakdown of the figures for Clostridium difficile and MRSA by individual hospital could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Comprehensive Spending Review
The Treasury Group is in the process of planning for the CSR period, which will include proposals for activities to be funded from the Modernisation Fund. At this stage, an overall estimate of transitional costs is not available.
Corporation Tax
The 19 per cent. non-corporate distribution rate and the 0 per cent. starting rate of corporation tax have been replaced by a new single banding for small company profits, set at the current small companies’ rate of 19 per cent.
For 2006-07 the mean average annual amount of additional tax expected to be paid following this change is:
(a) £690 (median £475) by 720,000 companies affected;
(b) £665 (median £450) by the 370,000 companies within this total which make annual profits up to £10,000.
Correspondence
I have replied to the hon. Member.
I very much regret the delay in replying to the hon. Member’s letters. I have now done so.
Customs Officers
At present, HM Revenue and Customs has posts for 5,700 staff at UK Entry Points. Staff vacancies vary throughout the year with retirements, promotions and other staffing changes. It is the Department’s policy to maintain staffing as close as possible to the number of posts by filling vacancies as they arise or through grouped appointment exercises.
Cyclamen Technology
Once roll-out is complete Programme Cyclamen will provide a 24-hour screening capability at all UK container ports through a combination of fixed and mobile radiation detection systems. Deployment is intelligence-led and risk-based. For security reasons, the operation of this capability is not suitable for general disclosure.
I have been asked to reply.
Programme Cyclamen screens incoming sea traffic through a combination of fixed and mobile radiation detection systems. Fixed detection equipment is in operation at a number of sea ports and rollout across the UK will continue during 2006-07. For national security reasons, the operation of this capability, which is intelligence-led and risk-based, is not suitable for general disclosure.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Total carbon emissions from 1 Horse Guards road were calculated at 4,662 tonnes by the Carbon Trust in March 2005 based on energy consumption data for the first full year of occupation following the refurbishment of the building. Subsequent investment has been made in improving lighting and temperature controls to further reduce emissions.
Departmental Childcare Facilities
(2) which of his Department's premises have childcare facilities on site;
(3) whether there are waiting lists for places at childcare facilities which his Department provides for its employees.
The Treasury is a member of the Westminster holiday play scheme, which operates during school holidays and is open to children aged four years and nine months up to 12 years of age. The Treasury has two bespoke play scheme rooms, which can cater for up to 18 children. The scheme is advertised six weeks in advance. Staff have to submit an application form for places which are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Staff have been allocated their requested places for the last three play schemes.
The Treasury also supports the childcare cost of eligible staff. Staff who work full time receive childcare vouchers up to the value of £40.00 per week per family, part timers receive a pro-rata amount. Staff have the flexibility to use their childcare vouchers with any Ofsted registered or “Approved” childcare provider.
Currently 103 members of staff receive childcare vouchers.
Departmental Expenditure
Amounts spent annually on food and alcohol for HM Treasury staff working out of the office are not recorded separately from other subsistence costs and could be disaggregated only at disproportionate cost.
Subsistence costs are incurred in accordance with the rules set out in the “Civil Service Management Code” as well as the Treasury’s internal guidance.
Departmental Publications
Treasury publications are listed on the Treasury’s website. Details of command papers and parliamentary papers can be found on the website of the Stationery Office. Circulation figures and costs relating to individual publications are not readily available.
Departmental Staff
The Chancellor follows the practice of his predecessors. A private secretary assists in research on his speeches.
I refer the hon. Member to the Prime Minister’s written statement of 24 July 2006, Official Report, columns 86-91WS, which gives details about those employed on special adviser terms.
Information on the number of staff employed can be found in the Treasury departmental reports available from the Treasury website at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/about/departmental_reports/
Treasury employees may apply for interest free loans for the purchase of bicycles, including bicycles adapted for people with disabilities, and the Treasury has a designated bicycle parking area within the premises. Neither the loans nor the provision of bicycle parking normally count as taxable benefits. During 2005-06, three (less than 1 per cent.) Treasury employees were advanced bicycle loans. The loans are paid to the employee and are not provided through the supplier of the bicycle.
One employee in 1997 and one employee in 1999 were suspended whilst alleged criminal activity was investigated. Both were subsequently subject to disciplinary action and dismissed.
EDS (Compensation)
Under the terms of the settlement, EDS is required to make instalment payments to HMRC, and cannot offset these payments against any other contracts. The terms of the settlement have no part to play in whether or not a particular contract is awarded to EDS, which can only be determined by relevant Departments in accordance with the procurement rules.
Employer Provided Computing Scheme
[holding answer 25 July 2006]: The Government have no plans to implement an Employer Provided Computing Scheme. HM Treasury has discussed the Government’s digital strategy with the Department for Trade and Industry on a number of occasions.
Employment Equality Regulations
Further Education (FE) providers have the discretion to offer different levels of subsidy to different groups of FE learners. There is also a national fee assumption for FE courses. In 2005-06, it was assumed that adult learners in FE contribute 27.5 per cent. of the basic course cost of their learning unless they are entitled to free tuition. Cost information on the different levels of subsidies offered by FE providers is not compiled centrally.
Further education (FE) providers have the discretion to offer different levels of subsidy to different groups of FE learners. There is also a national fee assumption for FE courses. In 2006-07, it is assumed that adult learners in FE contribute 32.5 per cent. of the basic course cost of their learning unless they are entitled to free tuition. With the introduction of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, FE providers will need to ensure that their fees policy in relation to groups of learners of different ages is in line with the new regulations.
Employment Statistics
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 9 October 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about employment and unemployment. I am replying in her absence. (88924)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of employment and unemployment for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
Table 1, attached, shows the number of people in employment, by full-time and part time status, and the levels and rates of unemployment for people resident in the City of York Parliamentary Constituency for the 12 months ending in February from 1996 to 2004 from the annual local area LFS and for the 12 month periods ending in March 2005 and December 2005. Table 2, attached, shows corresponding data for the City of York Unitary Authority; Table 3 for the Yorkshire and the Humber region and Table 4 for the United Kingdom.
These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution
ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA). Table 5, attached, shows the number of claimants of JSA resident in the City of York Parliamentary Constituency, City of York Unitary Authority. Yorkshire and the Humber region and the United Kingdom for each June from 1996 to 2006 and as a proportion of the resident working age population.
Employment (16+) (000) Unemployment (16+) 12 months ending: 1Total Full-time Part-time Working age employment rate (percentage) Total (000) Rate (percentage) February 1996 51 38 13 75.3 n/a n/a February 1997 44 32 12 68.1 4 8.0 February 1998 45 31 14 68.9 4 7.3 February 1999 48 33 15 73.4 3 6.4 February 2000 45 34 12 76.7 2 5.2 February 2001 51 36 15 78.0 3 4.9 February 2002 51 36 16 76.5 2 4.3 February 2003 54 37 16 77.4 2 3.9 February 2004 53 37 16 76.6 3 4.7 March 2005 55 39 16 75.4 2 3.1 December 2005 52 38 14 76.1 2 2.9 1Includes people who did not state whether they worked full-time or part-time. n/a not available Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution. Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey: Annual Population Survey
Employment (16+) (000) Unemployment (16+) 12 months ending 1Total Full-time Part-time Working age employment rate (percentage) Total (000) Rate (percentage) February 1996 87 62 25 77.9 5 5.8 February 1997 82 59 23 75.4 4 4.7 February 1998 77 57 20 72.4 4 5.0 February 199S 83 59 24 76.4 5 5.7 February 2000 83 61 22 76.0 4 4.3 February 2001 93 64 29 81.0 4 3.8 February 2002 93 66 27 79.5 4 3.9 February 2003 93 65 28 79.1 3 3.1 February 2004 92 65 27 79.1 4 4.0 March 2005 92 65 27 79.0 2 2.2 December 2005 92 66 25 78.7 2 2.1 1Includes people who did not state whether they worked full-time or part-time. Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution. Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey: Annual Population Survey
Employment (16+) (000)| Unemployment (16+) 12 months ending 1Total Full-time Part-time Working age employment rate (percentage) Total (000) Rate (percentage) February 1996 2,173, 1,603 566 71.2 200 8.4 February 1997 2,151 1,590 560 70.4 198 8.4 February 1998 2,170 1,594 576 71.1 172 7.3 February 1999 2,212 1,616 595 72.6 164 6.9 February 2000 2,211 1,620 591 72.6 152 6.4 February 2001 2,259 1,634 624 73.6 140 5.9 February 2002 2,265 1,658 606 73.4 121 5.1 February 2003 2,280 1,664 616 73.3 119 5.0 February 2004 2,312 1,671 641 73.9 121 5.0 March 2005 2,320 1,696 623 74.1 105 4.3 December 2005 2,327 1,697 629 74.1 115 4.7 1Includes people who did not state whether they worked full-time or part-time. Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution. Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey: Annual Population Survey
Employment (16+) (000) Unemployment (16+) 12 months ending 1Total Full-time Part-time Working age employment rate (percentage) Total (000) Rate (percentage) February 1996 25,721 19,409 6,270 71.2 2,400 8.5 February 1997 26,011 19,482 6,520 71.9 2,207 7.8 February 1998 26,357 19,752 6,594 72.6 1,911 6.8 February 1999 26,659 19,996 6,655 73.3 1,730 6.1 February 2000 26,908 20,142 6,758 73.6 1,689 5.9 February 2001 27,180 20,283 6,887 73.9 1,518 5.3 February 2002 27,433 20,508 6,915 74.1 1,450 5.0 February 2003 27,566 20,484 7,067 74.0 1,494 5.1 February 2004 27,789 20,538 7,237 74.1 1,444 4.9 March 2005 28,039 20,836 7,184 74.3 1,381 4.7 December 2005 28,134 20,868 7,249 74.3 1,436 4.9 1Includes people who did not state whether they worked full-time or part-time. Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution. Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey: Annual Population .Survey
Enterprise Development Fund
I have been asked to reply.
An accurate assessment of the number of businesses that have requested assistance from the enterprise fund in each year since 1999 could only be determined at disproportionate cost.
The number of businesses that have received finance as a result of programmes supported by the enterprise fund in each year since 1999 are set out in the following table.
Number of businesses 1999-2000 4,279 2000-01 4,312 2001-02 4,350 2002-03 3,992 2003-04 6,100 2004-05 7,270 2005-06 6,109 Total 36,412
I have been asked to reply.
There is no enterprise development fund in DTI/SBS.
Following a review of SME finance markets, The enterprise fund (not the enterprise development fund) was created in 1999. This was designed to improve access to equity investment support, for SMEs with growth potential, and to improve the small firms loan guarantee.
The following table sets out Government’s total investment in SME equity programmes.
Allocated (committed) Awarded (drawn down) 1999-000 — — 2000-01 20,000,000 20,000,000 2001-02 37,375,000 2,100,000 2002-03 59,650,000 11,889,329 2003-04 23,875,000 28,367,661 2004-05 5,000,000 31,123,908 2005-06 - 22,898,829 Total 145,900,000 116,379,727
“Allocated” is the total amount of money committed for investment by Government, and “Awarded” is the total amount of funds drawn down against these commitments.
Venture Capital (VC) funds have an investment period of between five to six years. On signing the Limited Partnership Agreement with each investor, the Fund will typically draw down 10 per cent of each investor’s total commitment in the first instance and access further moneys as and when they are requested. Typically VC funds will not make their first investment until several months following the Funds’ launch. Investment levels tend to peak in years three to four.
The number of loans guaranteed, their value and that of the demands made against the guarantee in each year since 1999 are set out in the following table.
Loans guaranteed Value of loans (£ million) Value of demands (£ million) 1999-2000 4279 206.00 38.95 2000-01 4312 240.46 34.43 2001-02 4269 254.70 44.93 2002-03 3916 269.00 50.00 2003-04 5966 409.30 52.68 2004-05 7130 481.30 57.42 2005-06 5957 422.10 76.10 Total 35,829 2,282.86 354.51
Family Helpline
The Family Solutions Helpline (FLS) was introduced in 2003 for three years only and will not be continued after December 2006 when the contract ends.
The FLS formed a part of the Treasury’s work-life-balance policy supporting all employees especially those with childcare and elder care responsibilities. The helpline is administered by an external company and provides confidential advice. Information relating to the costs of the FLS is commercially confidential.
The FLS received 19 calls in 2003-04, five calls in 2005 and has not received any calls up to June 2006.
Financial Inclusion
The Financial Inclusion Task Force has commissioned research into how the financially excluded and others access cash and other financial services. Among other things, this work will identify the extent to which charging ATMs are being used by the financially excluded. The results of this work will be published in due course.
Financial Services Authority
There are no plans to change these costs arrangements at the present time.
This is an operational matter for the FSA. The Chairman of the FSA will write to the hon. Member directly.
None. This is an operational matter for the Financial Services Authority.
(2) what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet members regarding reform of the Financial Services Authority; and if he will make a statement.
The effectiveness of the regulatory regime for financial services was considered by the Treasury’s Two-Year Review of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA), the outcome of which was announced on 2 December 2004, and concluded that the framework established by FSMA is a resounding success.
Fuel Crime
The UK oils strategy, announced in 2001, introduced a number of measures designed to tackle all types of oils fraud including laundering and smuggling. These measures included the introduction of the registered dealers in controlled oils scheme, enhanced law enforcement activity and the creation of a specialist intelligence function. Further details on the UK oils strategy can be found on the HMRC website www.hmrc.gov.uk.
Oils fraud forms a profitable criminal enterprise in Northern Ireland, with the proceeds often used to fund other forms of serious crime. It undermines legitimate fuel retailers, and has a debilitating effect on respect for the law by encouraging members of the public into participating in an illicit activity. The latest estimates of revenue loss in the hydrocarbon oils sector are published in “Measuring Indirect Tax Loss-2005”, which was published alongside the PBR. All estimates for Northern Ireland relate to total non-UK duty paid consumption rather than the illicit market. This is because it is not yet possible to split revenue losses between those resulting from the illicit market and those from legitimate cross-border shopping.
Hampton Review
Philip Hampton and his review team carried out various consultations with key stakeholders including various Government Departments, agencies and associated non-departmental public bodies, through a series of meetings, seminars, focus groups, business case studies and in-depth studies. Those Government Departments that participated fully co-operated with the review and are listed in the final report which can be viewed at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov. uk./media/A63/EF/ bud05hamptonv1.pdf
Household Finance
The information falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on households saving ratio. (90454)
We are unable to provide households saving ratios, broken down by household type or band of income. The following table shows the households saving ratio for the whole of the UK.
Households saving ratio 1997 9.5 1998 7.0 1999 5.3 2000 5.1 2001 6.4 2002 5.0 2003 4.9 2004 3.7 2005 4.8 Note: When using Table A40 of United Kingdom Economic Accounts (weblink given below) the database identifier is NRJS.
The estimates of the households saving ratio are national accounts series for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. Estimates for households alone are not available. NPISHs are legal entities which are principally engaged in the production of non-market services for households and whose main resources are voluntary contributions by households. Examples of NPISHs are: charities; relief and aid organisations; educational establishments: trade unions; professional associations, political parties and religious organisations, and sports clubs and associations.
Further data are available from table A40 in United Kingdom Economic Accounts which is available at the following address: http://statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=1904&Pos=ColRank=1&Rank=422
Immigrants (Geographic Dispersal)
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what statistics are available on the geographic dispersal of immigrants who are of ethnic Kurdish origin in the UK between 2000 and 2005. (91572)
The most recent data was collected on both country of birth and ethnic origin in the 2001 Census. A person born outside of the UK can be said to have migrated to the UK at some point in their life but it should be noted that the ‘Country of Birth’ variable gives neither an indication of the nationality of the respondent (in 2001 or at the time of their birth) nor any information on when that person travelled to the UK.
The 2001 Census ethnic group question did not contain a separate tick-box response category for ‘Kurdish’, therefore the count is based on those who wrote in ‘Kurd’ or ‘Kurdish’ in the space provided for other ethnic groups. It may underestimate the total Kurdish population, because questions requiring a written response are more likely to be left blank than those with a tick-box.
Specially commissioned table C0741 has been run to identify the number of people who identified themselves as being of Kurdish ethnic origin who were born inside and outside of the UK. The results have been reproduced below for convenience and can also be obtained via a request to Census.customerservices@ons.gsi.gov.uk
Kurdish Area All Kurdish Born inside the UK Born outside the UK UK 12,405 1,564 10,841 England 11,894 1,521 10,373 North East GOR 158 0 158 North West GOR 398 51 347 Yorkshire and the Humber GOR 341 17 324 East Midlands GOR 146 11 135 West Midlands GOR 454 14 440 East GOR 407 28 379 London GOR 9,413 1,338 8,075 South East GOR 422 42 380 South West GOR 155 20 135 Wales 115 18 97 Scotland 379 25 354 Northern Ireland 17 0 17 Source: 2001 Census: Table C0741.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people of ethnic Kurdish origin live in (a) Greater London, (b) Manchester, (c) Birmingham and (d) Glasgow. (91573)
The most recent data available on people who identify themselves as Kurdish is from the 2001 Census. The ethnic group question did not contain a separate tick-box response category for ‘Kurdish’, therefore the count is based on those who wrote in ‘Kurd’ or ‘Kurdish’ in the space provided for other ethnic groups. It may underestimate the total Kurdish population, because questions requiring a written response are more likely to be left blank than those with a tick-box.
Specially commissioned table C0742 has been run to identify the number of people who identified themselves as being of Kurdish ethnic origin in (a) London GOR, (b) Manchester LAD, (c) Birmingham LAD and (d) Glasgow city. The results have been reproduced below for convenience and can also be obtained via a request to Census.customerservices@ons.gsi.gov.uk
Area All Kurdish London GOR 9,413 Manchester LAD 156 Birmingham LAD 206 Glasgow City 298 Source:2001 Census: Table C0742.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people of (a) black Carribbean, (b) black African, (c) Indian, (d) Pakistani, (e) Bangladeshi and (f) Chinese ethnic origin live in rural areas in England and Wales. (91621)
Figures on urban and rural areas are only available for 2001, Census year. In England and Wales urban areas are defined by Department of Communities and Local Government’s (DCLG) as settlements with a usually resident population of 10,000 or more people. Rural areas are not specifically defined but the remainder i.e. those people who live either in settlements of under 10,000 people or do not live in a settlement are generally considered to live in a rural area. The table below has been presented on this basis.
The figures have been extracted from Table KS06 on the CD supplement to the Census 2001 Rural and Urban Classification 2004, which is available on request from the Office for National Statistics Census Customer Services [census.customerservices@ons.gsi.gov.uk].
All people living outside settlements of 10,000 people or more Asian or Asian British Black or Black British Chinese or other ethnic group Area Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi Black Caribbean Black African Chinese England and Wales 23,692 7,508 3,119 9,008 7,227 16,795 Note: In England and Wales, settlements with 10,000 or more people are defined as urban and settlements with less than 10,000 people are defined as rural. Source: Table KS06 in the Census 2001 Rural and Urban Classification 2004.
Information Technology Projects
The information requested has been deposited in the Library of the House.
International Monetary Fund
The UK strongly believes that a more effective IMF serves both our national interest and the global good and welcomes the programme of governance reform agreed by Governors of the IMF on 19 September. The increased voting shares of China, South Korea, Mexico and Turkey recognise the changing weight of these economies in the global economy and are an important first step in strengthening the legitimacy, and hence effectiveness, of the IMF. The readiness of other members to accept offsetting reductions in their voting shares demonstrates the shared commitment to this goal. The UK’s voting share will fall from 4.93 per cent. to 4.85 per cent.
All EU member states supported the recent agreement to increase the voting shares of China, South Korea, Mexico and Turkey. This is an important first step in a programme of reform to strengthen the legitimacy, and hence effectiveness, of the IMF.
The UK strongly believes that a more effective IMF serves both our national interest and the global good.
These reforms to IMF governance have been, and will continue to be, discussed at meetings of European Finance Ministers.
Iraq
The Chancellor of the Exchequer answered the hon. Member's question on 25 July, Official Report, column 1375W.
IT Contracts
No IT contracts awarded by HM Treasury since 2003 have been abandoned. Information prior to 2003 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Correspondence
I replied to the right hon. Member on 13 September.
I have replied to the right hon. Member.
Land Value Tax
The Government keep all taxes under review. In addition, Sir Michael Lyons is considering reforms to council tax and business rates, and is including the merits of a land value tax amongst the options for future taxation of land and property. Sir Michael is due to report in time to inform the comprehensive spending review.
Landfill Tax
It is not possible using landfill tax receipts data to determine how much revenue is received from local authorities. This is because registered landfill site operators pay the tax to HM Revenue and Customs and pass on the cost to their customers through the disposal charges they set. The origin of the landfill waste is not recorded on the tax return.
Local Government Finance
Officials from HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs have met with members of the Scottish Local Government Finance Review Committee and its secretariat to provide factual briefings on the operation and delivery of the UK tax system.
Manufacturing Employment
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the level of employment in manufacturing. (89602)
The available statistics for the UK manufacturing industry are shown in the table below.
Thousand 1979 7,094 1997 4,514 1999 4,372 2004 3,545 2005 3,383 Note: Figures are seasonally adjusted.
These estimates are based on sample surveys and are therefore subject to a margin of uncertainty.
Ministerial Collaboration
Her Majesty’s Treasury and the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit are co-located in Horse Guards Road and work in close collaboration on many aspects of public service delivery.
Ministerial Meetings
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Ministerial Travel
The accounting system does not record domestic travel costs for individuals by mode. Costs could be disaggregated only at disproportionate cost.
Missing Trader Intra-Community Fraud
The Government are committed to working with our European partners to combat Missing Trader Intra-Community (MTIC) fraud across the EU.
The Chancellor attended ECOFIN in June, at which the European Commission’s Communication on tax fraud was discussed. The conclusions reached by the Council are set out in an Explanatory Memorandum submitted to the House by HM Treasury on 20 June (Communication from the Commission to the Council and European Parliament concerning the need to develop a co-ordinated strategy to improve the fight against fiscal fraud).
In order to strengthen further the Government’s strategy to combat VAT fraud, the Government announced on 26 January 2006 that it had written to the European Commission for a derogation to introduce a change in the VAT accounting procedure for certain goods. The request is progressing well through the EU process. There is no fixed timescale for that process but HMRC has recently advised businesses that, based on current progress with the derogation, it expects to introduce the accounting change on 1 December 2006. Finance Act 2006 includes an enabling clause for the introduction of the change.
Mortality Rates
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 9 October 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the mortality rate amongst a) men and b) women has been in each year since 1976, broken down by socio-economic group. I am replying in her absence. (92032)
Before 2001 ONS reported on socio-economic variations in mortality using the Registrar General’s social class classification (based on occupation of the deceased). Mortality rates by social class have been published by ONS using data from annual death registrations, and population figures from the decennial census. As populations by social class are only available every ten years, mortality rates based on them cannot be calculated every year. Rates for the periods 1970-1972, 1979-1983 and 1991-1993, were published in a table in the ONS Decennial Supplement, Health Inequalities, which is shown in the attached table.
Rates are reported only for men, as over half of deaths of women could not be classified to a social class using their own occupation. As the rates are based on occupations recorded in two different data sources (at death registration and in the census) there was also the potential that differences between the two could affect the results. This potential ‘numerator/denominator bias’ has been limited by restricting analysis to men aged 20-64.
From 2001 onwards the National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) has replaced social class as the classification used by ONS to routinely report socio-economic status. NS-SEC was also used to code results from the 2001 Census. ONS has not yet published mortality rates by NS-SEC.
Death rates per 100,000 population Social class 1970-72 1979-831 1991-93 I Professional 500 373 280 II Managerial and Technical 526 425 300 IIIN Skilled (non-manual) 637 522 426 IIIM Skilled (manual) 683 580 493 IV Partly skilled 721 639 492 V Unskilled 897 910 806 England and Wales 624 549 419 1 Excludes deaths in 1981 as the industrial dispute involving Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages in England and Wales produced occupation details of uncertain quality. Source: Table 8.5, Health Inequalities, Decennial Supplement No 15, Drever F and Whitehead M (1997) The Stationery Office, London
National Insurance
All claims for tax credits are subject to a risk assessment process which looks at the features of a claim against known risks of error and fraud.
New Enterprise Funds
I have been asked to reply.
The number of scholarships that have been allocated in respect of the new entrepreneur scholarship programme in each of the financial years since the programme commenced is as follows.
Number 2001-02 75 2002-03 296 2003-04 1,173 2004-05 995 2005-06 1,034 2006-07 1,610
In respect of Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs), 16 CDFIs allocated 1,180 loans between 2000 and 2003, 31 CDFIs allocated 1,632 loans between 2002 and 2005; and 55 CDFIs allocated 1,678 loans between 2003 and 2006. Funds are managed over a three year term and to provide an annual breakdown would be at disproportionate cost.
I have been asked to reply.
The amount allocated by the Learning and Skills Council since the inception of the new entrepreneur scholarship programme for delivering the scholarships is given in the following table.
£ million 2001-02 2 2002-03 4 2003-04 6 2004-05 5 2005-06 5 2006-07 7
The amount allocated by DTI to Community Development Finance Institutions for business loans is given in the following table.
£ million 2000-01 3.5 2001-02 10.9 2003-04 17.4
Office for Government Commerce
Core legal services are provided to OGC by an in-house team of Government lawyers, they have no other clients.
A framework agreement for the provision of Information and Communications Technology and commercial (non-core) legal services to OGC and its customer organisations was concluded with DLA in May 2003. This contract was awarded following a competition that complied with the EU public procurement regime. The terms of the competition were such that the contract would include advice to other government organisations.
No new work has been placed under this agreement since December 2005.
Oil Prices
(2) what effects his Department’s econometric model predicts of a sustained $10 per barrel rise in the world oil price caused by demand pressures in each of the five subsequent years compared with a base forecast on (a) gross domestic products (GDP), (b) GDP growth, (c) consumer price inflation, (d) the unemployment rate, (e) the employment rate, (f) Government borrowing as a percentage of GDP, (g) policy interest rates, (h) balance of trade as a percentage of GDP, (i) the current account of the balance of payments as a percentage of GDP, (j) public debt at end year as a percentage of GDP, (k) the effective exchange rate and (l) the real effective exchange rate; and what other economic assumptions are made in each case.
To estimate the effects of a sustained $10 per barrel rise in the world oil price would require a wide range of additional auxiliary assumptions to be specified such as, for example, the response of fiscal and monetary policy makers and any movements in the sterling exchange rate.
Therefore, the Treasury does not run simulations on its macro-economic model in response to parliamentary questions on grounds of disproportionate cost associated with such a wide range of assumptions needed in order to specify simulation design.
Outsourced Administration
No administrative functions for which HM Treasury are responsible are outsourced overseas.
Overpayments
HMRC’s policy on dealing with overpayments, including those caused by their mistake, is set out in their Code of Practice—COP 26—“What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?” The policy has been set out in every edition of the Code.
Pensions
[holding answer 13 September 2006]: The National Insurance system operates on a pay-as-you-go basis with the National Insurance Contributions that people pay funding payments to those currently in receipt of contributory benefits and helping to fund the NHS. Work is ongoing on the detailed implementation of the Pensions White Paper.
The Government intend to bring forward legislation on Pensions Reform during the second session of this Parliament.
The Treasury macroeconomic model is principally a model of the economic activity described and recorded in the National Accounts. As such it does not explicitly include pension deficits that are defined by accounting standards e.g. FRS17. However, in preparing the Pre-Budget Report and Budget forecasts careful consideration is given to the possible economic implications of pension fund deficits for corporate and household behaviour.
No such analysis has been carried out.
Planning Gain Supplement
The Government stated at Budget 2006 that it will ensure that a significant majority of planning gain supplement (PGS) revenues are retained for infrastructure priorities within the local authority area where the revenues derived. The remainder would be dedicated to strategic infrastructure of regional importance. Further announcements on PGS will be made by the end of the year.
The Government have proposed that planning gain supplement (PGS) be applied at the same rate on residential and non-residential development.
The Government consulted on the possibility of a lower rate for brownfield land, and will make further announcements on PGS by the end of the year.
The Government have stated that a significant majority of planning gain supplement (PGS) revenues would be retained within the local area where the revenues are derived. How much each community receives will depend on the level of development in their area that is subject to the planning gain supplement. Further announcements on PGS will be made by the end of the year.
The Government published a consultation on their proposals for planning gain supplement (PGS) alongside the 2005 Pre Budget Report. The Office of National Statistics have yet to take a view on the classification of PGS.
As set out in Budget 2006, planning gain supplement (PGS) revenues would be hypothecated for local infrastructure priorities and strategic infrastructure of regional importance. The Government have stated that a significant majority of PGS revenues will be retained within the local area where the revenues derived.
Planning gain supplement (PGS) revenues would be dedicated to financing additional investment in local and strategic infrastructure necessary to support growth. Further announcements on PGS will be made by the end of the year.
The Government will publish copies of the responses to the consultation alongside the summary of responses in due course. Further announcements on PGS implementation will be made by the end of the year.
Police Force Amalgamations
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State, Home Office on 15 August, printed on 4 September 2006, Official Report, column 1882W.
Private Finance Initiative
Aggregated information is not held centrally. Individual Departments may be able to provide data relating to their own PFI programmes.
All PFI companies are contractually committed to deliver their service subject to the UK tax regime.
Government’s policy in this area .is set out in the “Dear Accounting Officer” letter of 22 May 2003 issued to all government departments regarding Tax Planning and Tax Avoidance.
The full letter is available on the Treasury website at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
Public Expenditure
Information on total identifiable expenditure for each region of England and for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is set out in the HM Treasury publication, “Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) 2006”, May 2006. This provides outturn data from 2000-01 to 2004-05. Previous editions of “PESA” provide outturn data for years prior to 2000-01. “Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2002-03”, May 2002, provides outturn data from 1996-97.
The Office for National Statistics provides data on gross value added (GVA), the Government’s preferred measure of regional economic output, for each region and country of the UK on its website at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/NUTS1_Tables_1-8.xs.
Public Sector Employment
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about public sector employment by country and region. (89403)
The available estimates, which are annual averages of quarterly figures, are shown in the attached table. Figures by region are not available earlier than 1999.
These estimates are based on returns from public sector organisations, combined with approximate breakdowns from the Labour Force Survey for Wales and the English regions. As these figures are partly based on sample surveys, they are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
North East North West Yorks and Humber East Midlands East London South East Public sector employment level (thousand) 1999 238 593 440 321 435 413 710 2000 230 641 460 316 428 428 675 2001 244 663 439 319 448 430 706 2002 252 661 459 330 466 440 724 2003 252 680 496 340 467 468 711 2004 262 675 496 368 476 487 739 2005 260 683 492 360 495 470 751 Public sector employment as a percentage of all in employment 1999 23 20 20 17 18 17 19 2000 22 21 20 17 18 17 18 2001 24 22 19 17 18 17 18 2002 24 21 20 17 19 17 19 2003 23 22 21 17 19 18 18 2004 24 21 21 19 19 19 19 2005 24 21 21 18 20 18 19
South East South West England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland United Kingdom Public sector employment level (thousand) 1999 629 427 4,205 286 529 197 5,218 2000 638 451 4,266 297 532 200 5,295 2001 643 456 4,349 295 536 202 5,383 2002 644 472 4,448 304 545 206 5,503 2003 670 486 4,571 316 558 212 5,656 2004 696 483 4,682 303 571 216 5,772 2005 706 521 4,738 304 581 219 5,842 Public sector employment as a percentage of all in employment 1999 16 18 18 24 23 29 19 2000 16 19 18 24 22 29 19 2001 17 19 19 25 23 29 19 2002 16 19 19 25 23 29 20 2003 17 20 19 24 23 29 20 2004 18 20 20 23 23 30 20 2005 18 21 20 23 24 29 20
Red Diesel
I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 13 September 2006, Official Report, column 2340W, to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew).
Residential Property
The Government keep all taxes under review. In addition, Sir Michael Lyons is considering the merits of reforms to council tax. Sir Michael is due to report in time to inform the comprehensive spending review.
Spatial Data
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what research has been undertaken in relation to developing (i) a national property database and (ii) a national spatial data infrastructure. 89404
Neither HM Treasury nor the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has undertaken research into developing a national property database or a national spatial address infrastructure.
Currently two national address gazetteers are available. One has been developed by Ordnance Survey and forms part of their MasterMap product (and is referred to as ‘Address Layer 2’); the other is the National Land and Property Gazetteer developed by the Improvement and Development Agency.
ONS is beginning to conduct research into the suitability of the two products as an address source in the preparation and undertaking of the 2007 Census Test.
Student Loan Company
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not make payments to the Student Loans Company (SLC). Employers deduct student loans repayments from earnings exceeding £15,000 during the year and send these to HMRC who make payments to the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) every quarter. Borrowers get credit for repayments at the date they were made and no additional interest is charged as SLC credits their accounts retrospectively to the tax year in which deductions were made from their earnings.
Tax Credit Fraud
This information is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Tax Credits
(2) how many interim payments of tax credits have been made in each (a) month and (b) quarter since April 2003; and if he will make a statement.
The approximate numbers of automated tax credits payments made in each month since April 2003 are given in the following table.
Month/year Number of automated payments (Thousand) April 2003 8,500 May 2003 9,000 June 2003 9,650 July 2003 11,250 August 2003 10,450 September 2003 11,050 October 2003 11,700 November 2003 10,250 December 2003 13,000 January 2004 10,400 February 2004 10,400 March 2004 12,450 April 2004 12,650 May 2004 13,350 June 2004 13,650 July 2004 13,750 August 2004 12,450 September 2004 12,950 October 2004 12,250 November 2004 12,150 December 2004 14,350 January 2005 10,600 February 2005 11,450 March 2005 13,800 April 2005 14,250 May 2005 14,100 June 2005 14,900 July 2005 14,150 August 2005 14,100 September 2005 14,100 October 2005 12,950 November 2005 13,200 December 2005 15,300 January 2006 12,500 February 2006 12,800 March 2006 14,700 April 2006 13,950 May 2006 16,600
For the numbers of manual, including interim, payments made since April 2003, I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave him on 29 November 2005, Official Report, columns 343-44W and 5 June 2006, Official Report, columns 188-89W.
Tax Credit regulations confirm that tax credits will not be paid where the award is less than £26 a year. This is because it is administratively disproportionate to pay such small sums.
HMRC takes fraud very seriously and has a range of checks in place throughout the life of each claim. If fraud is suspected, payment is stopped. It would be inappropriate to give specific details as this could aid those seeking to gain through fraud.
I refer to the comments made by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary on 7 June 2006, Official Report, column 293 and to my own of the same date, Official Report, column 326-27.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to what I said about appeals in the Opposition day debate on tax credits on 7 June 2006, Official Report, column 327.
HMRC publishes a wide range of statistics about tax credits on its website, reports and annual accounts. They keep this under review and will continue to consider publishing additional data on the tax credits system as appropriate.
(2) whether the tax credit recipients who are challenging tax credit overpayments have been treated under different criteria since December 2004; what changes in criteria there have been; and if he will make a statement;
(3) for how long the streamlined procedure introduced in spring 2005 was used to clear the backlog of disputed tax credit overpayments; how many overpayments were written off under this procedure; what the value was; and if he will make a statement on how this procedure differs from that currently applied;
(4) how HM Revenue and Customs selected the criteria in relation to the streamlined procedure for clearing disputed tax credit overpayments introduced in spring 2005.
HMRC's policy on dealing with overpayments is set out in their Code of Practice - COP 26 - “What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?”
Details of the streamlined procedures have been published in the Supplementary memorandum submitted by HM Revenue and Customs published in the Treasury Committee's report: The administration of tax credits: sixth report of session 2005-06: Volume 2 Oral and written evidence (page Ev193), House of Commons papers 811-11 2005-06.
The procedures were applied between 1 April 2005 and 30 September 2005 and covered outstanding disputed overpayments for tax year 2003-04 and those for 2004-05 where the award had not been finalised . Around 139,000 disputed overpayments were remitted under the exercise at a value of around £156.8 million. HMRC's 2005-06 accounts were published on 11 July and gave the total amount of overpayments written off for 2003-04 and 2004-05. Amounts written off are included in the remissions figures for HMRC’s accounts.
The following table shows how many cases of tax credits fraud have been registered for a criminal investigation in each quarter since April 2003.
Quarter ended Number of cases June 2003 21 September 2003 61 December 2003 191 March 2004 341 June 2004 321 September 2004 400 December 2004 299 March 2005 212 September 2005 182 December 2005 153 March 2006 149
The information requested can be produced only at disproportionate cost.
This information is not recorded.
Customers have a right of appeal against decisions about their tax credit entitlement and are able to pursue with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) any disagreement concerning the recovery of an overpayment.
For the number of disputed tax credit overpayments Tax Credit Office (TCO) wrote off between May 2004 (when the Department began recording intake of disputed overpayment requests) and March 2006, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 18 July 2006, Official Report, columns 359-60W.
Research and development tax credits were extended to large companies in April 2002. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Burnley (Kitty Ussher) of 8 December 2005, Official Report, column 1454W, for the cost associated with claims received up to that point.
Updated estimates of the cost of support claimed under the large company scheme will be included in the National Statistics published on the HMRC website in December 2006.
The information requested is not available by parliamentary constituency and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Estimates of levels of error and fraud on finalised 2003-04 awards were published on 11 July 2006 at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/error-fraud.htm
The information is as follows:
(a) HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) only seeks direct recovery of tax credits overpayments and issues notices to pay where an award has ended. HMRC does not separately record details of direct recovery cases where some or all of an overpayment has been written off due to official error according to the criteria set out in code of practice 26 “What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?”.
(b) I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 4 July 2006, Official Report, column 998W.
The information requested is not available.
Tobacco
(2) if he will estimate the amount in (a) weight and (b) value of exports of hand-rolled tobacco from the United Kingdom to each of the Benelux countries in the most recent year for which figures are available;
(3) what estimate he has made of the (a) weight and (b) value of hand-rolled tobacco exported from the UK to each of the Benelux countries in the latest year for which figures are available.
HM Revenue and Customs publish estimates of revenue loss from legal cross-border shopping activity and the total UK illicit market in hand-rolling tobacco. The latest estimates were published in “Measuring Indirect Tax Losses – 2005”, published by HM Revenue and Customs in the pre-Budget report and is available from the House of Commons Library.
(2) what estimate he has made of the revenue which has been lost to the Government through (a) the smuggling and (b) the counterfeiting of (i) tobacco and (ii) tobacco products in each of the last three years;
(3) how much he estimates will be recovered as a result of measures to combat the counterfeiting of tobacco and tobacco products in each of the next three years.
The most recent HMRC estimate of the revenue lost to the UK Exchequer through the illicit trade in tobacco is for 2003-04. The latest estimates were published in “Measuring Indirect Tax Losses–2005” by HM Revenue and Customs in the pre-Budget report and is available from the House of Commons Library. The Government launched the original “Tackling Tobacco Strategy” in 2000 and successfully reduced the size of the illicit market by a quarter from 21 per cent. to 16 per cent in 2003-04. HMRC has a revised PSA target to reduce the illicit market to 13 per cent. by 2007-08.
At Budget 2006 the Government published “New Responses to New Challenges: Reinforcing the Tackling Tobacco Strategy” and announced new measures designed to tackle HRT smuggling and counterfeit cigarettes. These new measures include working with the tobacco manufacturers and the introduction of supply chain control legislation. A copy of “New Responses to New Challenges: Reinforcing the Tackling Tobacco Strategy” can be found on the HMRC website www.hmrc.gsi.gov.uk. This included a new operational target for HMRC to reduce the illicit HRT market by 1,200 tonnes by 2007-08.
Unclaimed Assets
The Government and the industry have agreed that the definition of an unclaimed asset should generally cover bank and building society accounts where there has been no customer activity for a period of 15 years as that will best identify those accounts that are genuinely unclaimed. On this basis, initial record searches by the industry suggest that several hundred million pounds may currently lie unclaimed.
National Savings and Investments estimate the value of its unclaimed assets in savings accounts with no customer activity for 15 years to be £439.4 million.
The Government have made no official estimate of the value of unclaimed assets held in life policies.
The Government have also made no official estimate of the value of unclaimed share dividends or proceeds. This information is a matter between companies and their shareholders and is not held publicly.
As set out in the PBR, the Government welcome the banking industry’s commitment to establish a scheme to allow genuinely unclaimed assets to be reinvested in the community. The Government and industry have agreed that the definition of an unclaimed asset should generally cover bank and building society accounts where there has been no customer activity for a period of 15 years as that will best identify those accounts that are genuinely unclaimed. The work on this scheme is ongoing.
The Government do not hold these unclaimed assets and so do not distribute them.
The Government and industry have agreed that unclaimed assets should generally cover bank and building society accounts where there has been no customer activity for a period of 15 years as that will best identify those accounts that are genuinely unclaimed.
The Government do not hold these unclaimed assets.
VAT Fraud
[holding answer 13 September 2006]: Estimates for the level of losses due to VAT fraud are not available. However, estimates of the VAT gap, which includes losses due to fraud and avoidance, are available in the paper “Measuring and Tackling Tax Losses-2005”, published in December 2005. A copy of this paper can be obtained from the House Library.
(2) what steps are being taken to counter VAT carousel fraud; and what mechanisms are being put in place to ensure that companies not under suspicion of fraud achieve prompt settlement of VAT repayment.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 2 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1455-456W. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has committed significant additional resources to strengthen its strategy for tackling MTIC fraud, and there are now over 1400 staff engaged in that work.
In recent months, the level of VAT repayment claims from those suspected of trading in supply chains associated with MTIC fraud has risen considerably without known economic or commercial reasons. It is therefore only right that HMRC continues to take all necessary and proportionate steps to protect the tax base and satisfy itself that these repayment claims are valid.
HMRC does not hold the historic data necessary to answer this question and would incur disproportionate costs in producing such data.
Winter Fuel Allowance
The Government have committed to winter fuel payments of £200 for households with someone aged 60 or over, and £300 for households with someone aged 80 or over, for the remainder of this Parliament.
Tax and welfare policy is reviewed annually as part of the Budget process.