To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on the merits of including aviation in the European Emissions Trading Scheme, with particular reference to the likely effect of aviation’s demand for carbon permits on other sectors of the economy. (218522)

In formulating the collective Government position, a range of impacts of including aviation in the EU ETS has been considered, including the economic impact on other sectors of aviation being a net buyer of carbon allowances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of bus passenger numbers in each of the last five years, broken down by constituency. (217621)

The information requested is not available from the Department for Transport annual survey of bus operators, although local authority estimates of bus passenger journeys are published by the Audit Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department has spent on advertising the Cycle to Work scheme in each year since the scheme began. (215704)

In 2005-06 the Department spent £9,067 on producing the ‘Cycle to Work Implementation Guidance'. In 2006-07 the Department's cycling delivery body, Cycling England, produced two promotional leaflets, one for employers and one for employees, which cost £10,710. Cycling England promoted the scheme and leaflets through a marketing agency during the 2006 Bike Week, which focused on cycle commuting and although it is difficult to disaggregate each element of their promotion of Bike Week, we estimate that the cost in specifically promoting Cycle to Work was around £6,000.

Since 2006 the market has matured considerably with around a dozen commercial providers now in operation and it is therefore in the interests of these providers to promote the scheme. The Department has not incurred any further expenditure other than minimal storage and distribution costs of the guidance and leaflets as they are still available on request.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect on carbon dioxide emissions of the Cycle to Work scheme in each year since the scheme began. (215711)

There has been no assessment by the Department of the effect on carbon dioxide of the Cycle to Work scheme. The scheme is not run by the Department but was created by the bicycle industry to take advantage of the tax exemption provided in the Finance Act 1999 and the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003. The Department's role has purely been to assist the bicycle industry in its implementation of the scheme.

There is no requirement for employers to register the scheme with the Department or Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. As we do not impose a burden on business to register centrally this information, we are not able to determine the precise level of participation in the scheme and therefore its impact on carbon dioxide.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on which buildings occupied by her Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies the lease will be due for renewal in the next four years. (214700)

The requested information has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2008, Official Report, column 923W, on official cars, if she will require the Government Car and Despatch Agency to undertake an assessment of the effect of its purchasing patterns on the UK car manufacturing sector. (218124)

The ministerial car fleet represents an extremely small fraction (less than 0.0001 per cent.) of new cars sold in the UK each year. We do not consider that making an assessment of the impact of this procurement on the domestic car manufacturing industry would be productive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the average change in total costs for driving test candidates which will arise from (a) the relocation of the Trowbridge driving test centre in Chippendale and (b) the nationwide programme of test centre closures; and what costs to candidates have been taken into account in making decisions on closures. (218768)

[holding answer 14 July 2008]: No estimate has been made for changes in the total costs for driving test candidates when closing driving test centres in specific areas, or nationwide. This is due to the high number of variables that would have to be taken into account, such as where candidates live and the value they place on their time. Any estimated costs could be based only on assumptions and could result in inaccurate figures.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is a trading fund and costs are largely recovered through test fees paid by driving test candidates. In order to keep any fee increases to a minimum, DSA seeks economies in the way it conducts its business.

The existing driving test centre provision is constantly monitored to ensure that acceptable service standards are maintained but there is no wasteful over-provision of facilities. The right balance needs to be struck between the provision of a satisfactory level of public service and the cost that service incurs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the accident rate at (a) Junction 4A of the M3 and (b) all three-lane motorway junctions was over the most recent period for which figures are available. (217343)

Based on the three years of accident and traffic data up to 2006, the latest data available, the accident rate at (a) junction 4A of the M3 is 6.66 accidents per 100 million vehicle-km and (b) for all three-lane motorway junctions is 11.38 accidents per 100 million vehicle-km.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of vehicles which travel each day during peak periods between Bury and Manchester on the M66; and if she will make a statement. (217013)

Information from the Highways Agency is that during the period Monday 23 June 2008 to Friday 27 June 2008 inclusive, the traffic flows during peak hours on the M66 between Bury and Manchester were:

These figures represent typical vehicle volumes for that route.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of households in London who owned (a) one, (b) two, (c) three and (d) four or more cars in each of the last five years. (219048)

The following table gives estimated car ownership figures for households in London for the last five years, based on data from the National Travel survey.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her most recent estimate is of the percentage of towing mirrors on sale which have been E-marked. (218799)

The Department does not collect information on the number of towing mirrors on sale.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of costs to the economy of (a) the North West and (b) the UK arising from motorway closures in 2007. (219098)

Figures on the cost of motorway closures to the economy are not routinely calculated.

However, delays are calculated for 91 routes covering most of the strategic road network, including strategic motorway routes in the North West. An estimate of daytime delays (6 am to 8 pm) for each of these routes is available for the period January to December 2007. This information was placed in the House Libraries of the House in response to an answer on 2 April 2008, Official Report, columns 1029-30W to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker).

Figures are presented on a rolling year basis. Delay is calculated as the difference between observed journey time and a reference journey time (the time that could theoretically be achieved when the traffic is free flowing). Figures for average delays on motorways and trunk roads for individual regions are not calculated on this basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2008, Official Report, column 923W, on official cars, if she will make an assessment of the effects of procurement policies for ministerial cars on the domestic car manufacturing industry. (218005)

The ministerial car fleet represents an extremely small fraction (less than 0.0001 per cent.) of new cars sold in the UK each year. We do not consider that making an assessment of the impact of this procurement on the domestic car manufacturing industry would be productive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2008, Official Report, column 938-9W, on fixed penalties: appeals, what methods of redress are available to those whose parking contraventions have been observed or detected since 30 March 2008. (218785)

A motorist who considers that a penalty charge notice (PCN) served on or after 31 March 2008 did not contain the correct information may first make informal representation to the local authority. If this is rejected and the PCN is not paid, a notice to owner is served, against which a motorist may make a formal representation. If the formal representation is rejected, the motorist may appeal to a parking adjudicator.

Fixed penalty notices are only issued by the Police service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average charge for a two-hour stay during working hours in a municipal car park is in each English local authority area. (218842)

This information is not held by central Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what parking charges are applied at council-owned parking facilities in South Northamptonshire. (218843)

This information is not held by central Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance her Department has issued on the enforcement of parking restrictions in areas denoted by zig-zag road markings outside school gates. (218461)

The Department for Transport’s guidance about parking enforcement covers the theory and principles of the process. It does not advise on how the process might be applied in particular situations. Those are decisions for the local authority concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will instruct each safety camera partnership to publish the revenue resulting from fines attributable to each individual speed camera within their area on an annual basis. (218984)

There are no plans to instruct partnerships to publish details of fine revenue attributable to individual speed cameras. Since 1 April 2007 the individual local partnerships have had full responsibility for the deployment and operation of cameras, and publication of any such information is entirely a matter for them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment her Department has made of trends in occurrences of injuries to (a) children and (b) adults caused by traffic outside school gates. (218462)

Although the location of accidents is collected no work has been done centrally to match these against school addresses and no assessment of trends has been made. Data on injuries sustained by children and young people under 17 on the journey to and from school, some of which may have been outside the school gates, show a downward trend which mirrors the decrease in all children’s casualties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many reviews of regulation (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have conducted or commenced since July 2007; and in which areas. (215627)

Since July 2007 the Northern Ireland Office and its agencies have not conducted any reviews on regulation.

We are considering the appropriate timing for post legislative scrutiny of Northern Ireland Acts and Orders in Council on excepted and reserved matters that have received Royal Assent since 2005.

We will be agreeing the handling of these reviews with the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many receptions he has hosted and funded in his capacity as Secretary of State in the last 12 months; which individuals and organisations (a) were invited to and (b) attended each reception; and what the cost was of each reception. (203855)

Since my re-appointment as Secretary of State in January I have hosted one reception on 27 February to celebrate St. David’s Day. Approximately 150 guests attended, including parliamentarians from all parties in both Houses, journalists and others with an interest in Wales. The cost of the reception was £3,059.23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of people in Wales who smoked in the latest year for which figures are available. (218737)

The latest available statistics were published in “Smoking in Wales: Current Facts” published jointly by the Welsh Assembly Government and the Wales Centre for Health in November 2007.

Statistics show that in 2005-06, 25 per cent. of adults in Wales reported that they currently smoked, while regular smoking was reported by 19 per cent. of 15-year-old boys and 28 per cent. of 15-year-old girls in 2004.

However, in 2006-07, more than 12,000 people contacted smoking cessation services and the percentage of adults in Wales who smoke has fallen 15 per cent. over the last 30 years.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics what recent assessment she has made of the potential economic effects of the 2012 Olympic Games on each region. (215284)

Businesses around the UK will win contracts in the London 2012 supply chains, but there are many other ways in which each region will gain economic benefits from the 2012 games. These include the boost to the tourism industry, the opportunity to inspire people to develop their skills, and using volunteering to improve skills. The pre-games training camps will enable regions to attract inward investment and showcase themselves on an international stage, and UKTI are developing programmes to use the games as a springboard for export.

There is no detailed breakdown of how much each region will benefit in each of these areas. However, the Government and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) are working hard to ensure the benefits of 2012 are realised across the UK and have established a Nations and Regions Group (NRG).

All regions, working through the NRG, have now published their own plans to maximise the benefits and opportunities of the 2012 games. Full details of the plans are available via the Nations and Regions pages on the London 2012 website at:

http://www.london2012.com/in-your-area/index.php

To ask the Minister for the Olympics to which location contaminated soil or other contaminated material found at the Olympic Park site has been transported for disposal; what volumes of material are involved; and what contaminants have been discovered. (214313)

The ODA had calculated that earthworks totalling 1.6 million tonnes of soil is necessary in preparing the Olympic Park site for construction of work. Of this, around 1 million tonnes will require treatment.

To date, less than 2 per cent. has been transported off-site for landfill disposal at Environment Agency approved sites across the UK. The locations of those sites are:

Kings Cliff, Cambridgeshire (Augean Kings Cliff);

Dudley, West Midlands (Himley Quarry);

Teesside, North Yorkshire (Impetus Waste Management ICI 3);

Barling Magna, Essex (Barling Landfill);

Purton, North Wiltshire (Parkgate Farm Landfill);

Middlesbrough, Cleveland (Augean Middlesbrough).

Also, a small percentage of asbestos-contaminated material has been removed off-site during the demolition phase to approved specialist sites for safe disposal. Those sites are:

Kings Cliff, Cambridgeshire (Augean Kings Cliff);

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire (Biffa Waste);

Dartford, Kent (Pinden Plant and Processing);

Taunton, Somerset (Viridor Waste Management);

Teesside, North Yorkshire (Impetus Waste Management ICI 3).

Other contaminants discovered on-site include hydrocarbons, industrial chemicals, heavy materials and a very small amount of low level radioactive material. A report on the radium find from the ODA’s specialist contractor stated that

“no worker or member of the public has been unnecessarily exposed to ionising radiation”

which registered low or very low levels of radioactivity. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was consulted immediately following the find, with the Environment Agency, Newham Environmental Health and the planning authority informed and consulted on safe transit and disposal.

Much of the other contaminants are treated at source and the cleansed material, where appropriate, reused in the landscaping and foundations work of the Olympic Park.

The ODA is currently exceeding its 90 per cent. target of reclaiming material for recycling or reuse from its demolition and remediation works.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether she has approved a draft costed security plan for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. (218386)

The Home Secretary is responsible for the security in the London 2012 Olympic games. The security plan is in the course of preparation by a process which, in relation to the overall objective of a safe and secure games, is proportionate and affordable. The plan is being developed in close discussion with all relevant stakeholders and will be delivered with costs at the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the Answer of 8th February 2007 by Lord Triesman, PQ HL1749, what his most recent estimate is of the costs of producing morphine in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Australia; and on what bases the costs are estimated. (215441)

[holding answer 1 July 2008]: In 2008, we estimate that it costs US$385 to produce one kilogram of morphine equivalent¹ in Afghanistan. However, this is the ‘farm gate’ cost of illegal opium production, not the manufacturing cost of the final morphine product. This does not therefore include the following: regulation and security (policing of product, security of product transport from farm to factory); processing; equipment; chemicals; labour costs; and other business costs. These costs are unknown for Afghanistan. We estimate that the breakdown of costs for opium production in Afghanistan (per hectare) is as follows: production costs include fertiliser (estimated at 250 kilograms of urea and 250 kilograms of diammonium phosphate per hectare at a cost of US$210); oxen (at a rate of 10 days per hectare at a cost of US$8 per day); 350 labour days, including 200 days for harvesting (at an estimated wage rate of US$4 per day); and 150 days for land preparation; sowing; weeding; field clearance and seed collection (at an estimated rate of US$2.80 per day).

The Australian Crime Commission advise that it costs a licit manufacturer in Australia approximately US$300 (as at 30 June 2008) to produce one kilogram of morphine. This is the cost of the final product, not the ‘farm gate’ cost. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of these data, a breakdown of the Australian Crime Commission figures is not available. In 1999 the International Narcotics Control Board stated that the price paid to growers was US$56 for each kilogram of morphine equivalent. The breakdown of these costs is also confidential.

¹ This assumes opium production of around 40 kilograms per hectare and that 10 kilograms of opium is required to produce one kilogram of morphine equivalent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking together with its international partners to ensure that the Government of Democratic Republic of Congo complies with the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for Bosco Ntaganda. (216746)

The UK is ready to provide whatever assistance may be required to ensure that those accused of the most serious crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC) are brought into custody. Co-operation between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the ICC has already led to the arrest of three DRC nationals, as part of the ICC's investigations into the situation in the DRC. We expect the Government of the DRC to provide the same level of co-operation over the arrest of Bosco Ntaganda.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of relations between China and Taiwan. (217423)

As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said publicly on 22 March, the change of administration in Taiwan is a real opportunity to renew efforts to improve cross-Strait relations. We hope that the Chinese Government and Taiwan President Ma Ying-Jeou’s administration will continue to engage in direct dialogue to resolve differences and strengthen cross-Strait stability, with a view to finding a peaceful solution to the Taiwan issue, acceptable to the people of both sides of the Strait. We support the EU declaration of 26 May and the EU presidency statement of 13 June which similarly sought to encourage this dialogue and welcome the practical results seen so far. These include the institution of regular direct weekend charter flights between mainland China and Taiwan, which started on 4 July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on consultancy fees in each of the last five years. (215283)

[holding answer 30 June 2008]: Annual expenditure on consultants is published in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s annual departmental reports, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. The two most recent departmental reports also contain details of expenditure on the top five consultancy contractors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in his (a) Department and (b) Department's agencies have taken early retirement in the last two years. (217387)

A total of 305 staff in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have taken early retirement in the two years up to 1 July 2008, of whom 19 were FCO services staff. The reasons for granting early retirement range from redundancy to ill health. During this period, there were two restructuring exercises which led to a higher than expected number of early retirements: one reduced the size of the FCO's senior management structure by almost 20 per cent.; and the other involved the closure of a number of business units in preparation for the launch of FCO Services as a Trading Fund from April 2008.

All payments to those who took early retirement with compensation were made in strict accordance with the terms of the Civil Service Compensation scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place a copy of his Department’s most recent annual staff survey in the Library. (218645)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) most recent annual staff survey was concluded in December 2007. The results are already available in the public domain. They have been published on two sites: the civil service website at:

http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/documents/staff-survey/FCO2007.pdf

and the FCO’s website at:

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/departmental-report/part2/public-diplomacy/.

I will also arrange for a copy to be forwarded to the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Thurrock of 20th May 2008 on the visit to the US of HRH the Prince of Wales in 2006; and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply to the letter. (218927)

I replied on 9 July to my hon. Friend’s letter of 20 May on the visit to the US of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in 2006. The delay in replying was caused by the length of time needed to research the response thoroughly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the highest 10 payments made by his Department in settlement of personal injury claims brought against it were over the last 12 months for which figures are available; which of those cases were (a) contested and (b) uncontested by the Department; and what the nature of the incident was in each case. (216687)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have settled two personal injury claims in the last twelve months. Neither claim was contested by the Department. The payments were:

£4,000.00—Not contested—for fingers trapped in door; and

£3,871.02—Not contested—for manual handling accident.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborourgh (Mr. Bone) of 1 July 2008, Official Report, column 779W, on the Republic of Ireland: Lisbon Treaty, under what circumstances the Government can withdraw an instrument of ratification in respect of an international treaty once it has been deposited with the treaty depositary; and if he will make a statement. (218172)

[holding answer 14 July 2008]: The EU (Amendment) Bill received Royal Assent on 19 June. We are proceeding to ratification in the usual way; once prepared, the instrument of ratification will be deposited with the Italian Government in Rome. Once deposited, it will not be withdrawn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many trade inquiries were handled by the British high commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department has incurred on the promotion of trade with the Maldives in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. (216260)

I have been asked to reply.

The UKTI Trade and Investment team in Colombo handled 241 trade inquiries for the period from April 2007 to March 2008.

UKTI has neither a presence in the Maldives nor financial resources specifically dedicated to the promotion of trade with the islands. No change in this position is currently envisaged.

The British high commission in Colombo (Sri Lanka) however handles inquiries about trade with the Maldives on a reactive basis and companies interested in trading with the islands have access to background information via the UKTI website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding his Department has provided to the Westminster Foundation for Democracy in the last three years; and how many days of training for parliamentarians from developing countries the Foundation has delivered in that period. (216780)

From 2005-08 the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) received £4.1 million annually in grant-in-aid from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). In addition to this, from 2006-08 WFD received £432,000 from the FCO's Global Opportunities Fund to implement regional projects on behalf of the FCO.

WFD has delivered 192 framing days for parliamentarians in the following countries:

Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kyrgyzstari, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Bahrain, Peru, Yemen, Chile, Namibia, Belarus, Turkey and Palestine and regional projects in the Balkans, the Caribbean, Central Europe and Africa.

To ask the Leader of the House which make and model of car she has chosen as her ministerial car to be provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency. (217767)

The Leader of the House’s current ministerial car is a Toyota Prius leased under agreement by the Government Car and Despatch Agency.

To ask the Leader of the House how many hon. Members claimed additional costs allowance in respect of a second home (a) in London, (b) in the hon. Member’s constituency and (c) elsewhere in the last period for which figures are available. (218857)

Hon. Members are entitled to claim the additional costs allowance when staying away from their main home on parliamentary business. The allowance may be used for help with the cost of purchase or rental of a property, or for hotel or other overnight costs. Currently 441 Members claim the allowance for staying in London and 148 in their constituency.

Of the 148 Members claiming the allowance for staying in the constituency, 34 have homes that fall outside the constituency boundary. All of these are within 20 miles of the boundary, in accordance with the rules that allow second homes to be located up to 20 miles outside the constituency.

To ask the Leader of the House what the median relevant increase for the public sector groups which will in future be used in the uprating formula for the salaries of hon. Members was in each of the last 10 years. (217714)

The information requested is not easily obtainable within the normal timescales for answering written parliamentary questions. I will write to the hon. Member with the information shortly.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government have evidence that Bank Melli plc has been in breach of UN Security Council resolutions 1737, 1747 and 1803. (217079)

[holding answer 8 July 2008]: The Government expect all financial institutions in the UK to comply with financial sanctions and any evidence of a breach would be investigated. We cannot comment on individual cases.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the EU designation and his Department's asset freeze imposed on Bank Melli plc is (a) related to Bank Melli plc's activities or (b) aimed at the holding company in Iran; and if he will make a statement. (217080)

[holding answer 8 July 2008]: The financial sanctions imposed on Bank Melli plc are directly applicable EC sanctions which the UK has an obligation to enforce. The EC sanctions designated Bank Melli Iran and its branches and subsidiaries abroad, including Melli Bank plc and Bank Melli Iran Zao. As the relevant Council Decision makes clear, Melli Bank plc is designated for financial sanctions as a part of the Bank Melli group and as a subsidiary of Bank Melli Iran.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the withdrawal of capital allowances on buildings in rural areas. (217954)

The phased withdrawal of agricultural buildings allowances (ABAs) is part of a package of measures which also saw the reduction in the main rate of corporation tax and the basic rate of income tax and the introduction of a £50,000 annual investment allowance, allowing 95 per cent. of businesses to write-off all their expenditure on plant and machinery (apart from cars) in the year in which it is made. An impact assessment in respect of the business tax reform package as a whole was published as part of the December 2007 technical note on the capital allowances changes. A link to that document is as follows:

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/crannelsPortalWebApp/channels PortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=page_Library_ ConsultationDocuments&propertyType=document& columns=1&id=HMCEPROD1_028217

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 6 May 2008, Official Report, column 818W, on council tax: valuation, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's (a) guidance and (b) manual in relation to using the TENET software. (218311)

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 9 January 2006, to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), Official Report, column 250W.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2008, Official Report, column 1622W, on council tax: valuation, which external contractors assisted with the development of the council tax banding support tool. (218316)

The Valuation Office Agency's council tax banding support tool was developed with assistance from CapGemini, SAS and Cole Layer Trumble/Tyler Technologies.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2008, Official Report, column 1622W, on council tax: Wales, how many households moved (a) up and (b) down bands consequent on the 2005 council tax revaluation in Wales. (218313)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 May 2008, Official Report, column 1622W.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of his Department's computer systems (a) was at the time of purchase and (b) is now. (214710)

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the published Annual Report and Accounts of the Treasury 2006-07 (HC 518), pages 135 and 136.

To separately identify the value at purchase and value now of each component of the Treasury's computer system could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether projects or research have been commissioned from the Institute for Public Policy Research by (a) his Department or (b) the Valuation Office Agency in the last 12 months; and on what topics. (211924)

No. HMRC does not hold the requested information centrally and it could be collated only at disproportionate cost. None has been commissioned by the VOA.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many sick days were taken by employees in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility due to (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders in each of the last 10 years; what proportion of sick days taken this represented in each case; and if he will make a statement. (216091)

Information relating to the Treasury and its agencies for 2004, 2005, 2006-07 can be found on the Civil Service website:

http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/sickness.asp.

All three illnesses are grouped together under the ICD code 'Mental and Behavioural Disorders'.

Data for 2007-08 are not yet available but will be published later in the year. Information for years prior to 2004 data is not held electronically and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the £200 million funding for the new Financial Capability Action Plan has not been previously announced. (218247)

The Financial Capability Action Plan, published jointly by HM Treasury and the Financial Services Authority, made reference to various different projects to improve financial capability in the UK. This included over £200 million Government funding for debt advice, to help people in serious financial difficulty, which had been previously announced.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much foreign direct investment into the UK was from Indian investors in each of the last five years. (219118)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes data on foreign direct investment (FDI) annually in the “Business Monitor MA4: Foreign Direct Investment”. The latest available data on FDI are for 2006, as follows, and available at:

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/MA42006.pdf

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answers of (a) 17 March 2008, Official Report, column 899W and (b) 14 May 2008, Official Report, column 1628W, on the Valuation Office, what the value impact is, in numerical terms, of each of dwelling house codes 01 to 09, as identified during the calibration of the Valuation Office Agency's automated valuation model. (218264)

This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2008, Official Report, column 1635W, on housing: valuation, if he will outline each substantive change to the coding guide made since January 2005; and on what date each change was made; (218317)

The Dwellinghouse Coding Guide currently shown on the Valuation Office Agency website is the most up to date version. The majority of the changes to the guide since January 2005 have been of a minor nature, and a compiled list could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue from each (a) London borough area and (b) metropolitan authority area which would accrue from the addition of one penny to the basic rate of income tax. (219090)

Information on the mean and median tax liability of taxpayers living in the London boroughs and metropolitan authorities can be found in table 3.14 “Income and tax by borough and district or unitary authority” on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu-by-year.htm#314

The information is based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and 2005-06 is the latest year available.

The yield for the UK from a 1p change in the basic rate of income tax can be found in table 1.6 “Direct effects of illustrative tax changes” on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/menu.htm

A breakdown of the yield by borough and district or unitary authority is not available as sample sizes at these levels of geography are small and can demonstrate a large variability from year to year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of (a) the average tax overpayment and (b) the average tax underpayment for each PAYE account following clerical review in the latest period for which figures are available. (216621)

Approximately 70 per cent. of PAYE records clear automatically each year with no need for clerical review.

Of the remainder, it is estimated that in 77 per cent. of cases the tax has been correctly paid, in 17 per cent. of cases customers are owed an average of £350 and in 6 per cent. of cases HM Revenue and Customs is owed an average of £300.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the highest 10 payments made by his Department in settlement of personal injury claims brought against it were over the last 12 months for which figures are available; which of those cases were (a) contested and (b) uncontested by the Department; and what the nature of the incident was in each case. (216688)

There were no personal injury claims brought against the Treasury in the last 12 months, April 2007-March 2008 for which figures are available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the relative performance against objectives of HM Revenue and Customs staff at (a) Chorley, (b) Bolton, (c) Blackburn and (d) St. Helens; when a Minister from his Department last visited each such office; and what (i) timetable and (ii) details for re-organisation of these offices (A) were originally announced to staff and (B) are now in place. (218858)

I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave on 2 July 2008, Official Report, column 966W. The reasons for offices being either retained or closed under HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) work force change programme is not a reflection on the current performance of staff working in those offices.

I have not visited the HMRC offices in Chorley, Bolton, Blackburn or St. Helens.

Announcements of decisions on those offices were made on 29 February 2008. In those announcements staff were informed that some movement of work and staff would commence in spring 2008 and continue as alternative accommodation became ready.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date the decision was taken to extend the HM Revenue and Customs and Valuation Office Agency contract with Rightmove.co.uk plc; and what the estimated cost is of the extension. (218295)

A decision to extend the contract has not yet been taken.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the status of the contract between Rightmove.co.uk plc and HM Revenue and Customs and the Valuation Office Agency is; and what the termination date of the contract is. (218421)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 22 May 2006, Official Report, column 1444W.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a full equality impact assessment was carried out on the effects on (a) staff and (b) service users of the proposal to close the HM Revenue and Customs office in Weston-Super-Mare. (218319)

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is restructuring its business and estate across the whole of the UK in order to achieve business efficiencies and customer service improvements, and release surplus accommodation. On 11 June 2008, proposals were published for the HMRC office in Weston-Super-Mare, which envisage withdrawal from that office. These proposals are under consultation and no final decision has been made. An overview impact assessment which included the Weston-Super-Mare office was published on the same day. Feasibility work undertaken by HMRC before recommendations are made include assessment of the impact of closure on staff, customers and the wider community. This includes any equality impacts.

If the final decision is to withdraw from Weston-Super-Mare, an impact assessment will be published at that point, with an Equality Impact Assessment as an appendix to this document.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the business case for the proposal to close the HM Revenue and Customs office in Weston-Super-Mare. (218320)

HM Revenue and Customs do not produce a single business case document for any specific building or location. The overall business case within which HMRC's regional review programme operates is its need to restructure in order to achieve the required efficiency savings and customer service improvements. Most of these savings are realised at business unit or even departmental level, and cannot realistically be apportioned to particular offices.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of registration of a private hire vehicle is in each local authority. (218784)

I have been asked to reply.

There are 342 taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing authorities in England and Wales. Under the relevant legislation each authority is permitted to set its licence fees at such a level as to enable it to cover the costs of administering the licensing system. Fees therefore vary from area to area depending on the administrative costs incurred.

Information is not collected centrally on the fees charged by each authority. However, a small-scale sample survey of authorities we undertook in 2006 indicated an average fee of around £200 for a vehicle licence. Fees are also charged for the award of a PHV driver’s licence and an operator’s licence.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2008, Official Report, columns 1628-9W, on the Valuation Office, on what date in each month between March 2003 and November 2005 the Council Tax Revaluation Programme Board (England) met. (218266)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) on 25 June 2008, Official Report, column 341W.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times the Valuation Office Agency Local Authority Liaison Group has met since April 2006. (218418)

The Local Authority Liaison Group has met five times since April 2006.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2008, Official Report, column 1629W, on Valuation Office: Cole Layer Trumble, if he will place in the Library copies of the OASIS training manual and supporting documentation held by the Valuation Office Agency. (218267)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 9 January 2006, to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), Official Report, column 250W.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2008, Official Report, column 1629W, on Valuation Office: ICT, how many localities there are in each billing authority area in London. (218270)

The number of localities in each billing authority area in London at 2 April 2008 was as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funding the Valuebill project has received from the Invest to Save budget. (218424)

The Invest to Save budget has not provided funding for the Valuebill project.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which projects sponsored by the Valuation Office Agency have been subject to Gateway reviews since 1997. (218416)

The postponed Council Tax Revaluation Programme.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's guidelines on travelling and subsistence contained in Section 7 of The Guide publication on the Agency's intranet. (218321)

A copy of section 7 of the Valuation Office Agency's guide has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which rural and agricultural shows Ministers from his Department (a) have attended in 2008 and (b) plan to attend before 31 September 2008. (215368)

The rural and agricultural shows that Ministers from my Department have (a) attended so far in 2008, and (b) plan to attend before 31 September 2008 are tabled as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects of changes in the price of agricultural land on the (a) profitability and (b) productivity of English agriculture. (217272)

DEFRA have not made a specific assessment on the effects of changes in the price of agricultural land on the profitability and productivity of English agriculture.

DEFRA publish aggregate balance sheets for agriculture in “Agriculture in the United Kingdom”. The balance sheet shows the value of fixed assets at a point in time (December each year) and the value of liabilities at a point in time. Fixed assets are dominated by land. As the volume of land is unchanging, the trend in the value of land and buildings is dominated by the effect of land prices. The latest balance sheet shows the value of UK agricultural land and buildings increasing by 40 per cent. at current prices, between 2003 and 2006.

Changes in profitability of farming are measured by changes to Farm Business Income. Data on Farm Business Incomes are provided by the annual Farm Business Survey conducted in England. These figures are for March/February years. The most recent published figures show Farm Business Income in England at the all types level falling by 2.5 per cent. at current prices, between the years 2003-04 and 2006-07 (to then increase sharply in 2007-08).

Productivity for UK agriculture, measured by Total Factor Productivity, is published in “Agriculture in the United Kingdom”. The latest publication shows UK agricultural productivity increasing by 5 per cent. between the years 2003 and 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice his Department provides to British farmers to assist them in supplying fruit and vegetables to the public sector. (216791)

There is a page on the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative web site that is devoted to providing advice to UK farmers on how to supply fruit and vegetables and other produce to the public sector. The page can be found at:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/procurement/sellingpublic.htm.

The page, for example, contains the guide “Selling to the public sector” which explains how growers (and farmers) can take advantage of opportunities to supply food to the public sector either directly or indirectly via the supply chain of a primary supplier. The guide also includes short case studies showing how small and local producers have worked successfully with the public sector and lists useful sources of further information and advice.

DEFRA is also funding the Government offices for the regions to undertake workshops and projects to improve the supply of domestically grown fruit and vegetables into the public sector. It is also working through key stakeholders such as the NFU and English Farming and Food Partnerships to provide advice and support to producers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will consider increasing his Department’s spending on bee health research. (217020)

An additional £90,000 has been allocated to the National Bee Unit this financial year to expand investigations started last year under a Horizon Scanning project into significant colony losses and to meet the demand for increased inspections of bee imports consequential to the colony losses.

Research priorities are addressed in the draft Bee Health strategy which has recently been published for public consultation. Commissioned research in later years will be considered in the light of priorities identified in the agreed strategy and the resources available from DEFRA and elsewhere.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of those cattle slaughtered as reactors and inconclusives under the bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme, how many (a) were found to be free of tuberculosis through (i) visual inspections of lesions and (ii) culturing of tissue samples after death and (b) entered the human food chain in each of the last three years. (217160)

The following table shows the number of cattle slaughtered under bovine tuberculosis (TB) control measures in England in each of the last three years, and details the number of cattle where infection with Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) was not confirmed at post mortem examination.

Following a TB breakdown, we aim to carry out post-mortem inspections of all the slaughtered cattle. Tissue samples are taken from the reactor (or if several animals must be removed, from a representative subset of those), to attempt isolation and molecular typing of the causative organism in the laboratory. This is done to support epidemiological investigations and management of the incident, rather than to validate the ante-mortem test results.

Failure to detect lesions of TB by post-mortem examination, or to culture M. bovis in the laboratory, does not imply that a test reactor was not infected with bovine TB. With TB in cattle, it is frequently not possible to observe lesions during abattoir post-mortem examination and, due to the fastidious nature of this organism, it is very difficult to isolate it from tissue samples without visible lesions.

Meaningful confirmation proportions for TB test reactors cannot be provided, as substantial numbers of skin and gIFN positive animals are not subject to laboratory culture, for example, once infection has already been identified in other cattle from the same herd.

Responsibility for inspecting TB carcases and their associated offal rests with the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS). Under the EU Food Hygiene Regulations, all animals herds with no visible tuberculosis lesions, plus any cattle with visible tuberculosis lesions localised in one organ or one part of the carcase, will have been considered fit for human consumption by the MHS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what income to the public purse resulted from cattle that were slaughtered as reactors and inconclusives in the tuberculosis eradication scheme entering the human food chain in each of the last three years. (217842)

The amount of money received by the Government from the sale of the cattle slaughtered as reactors and inconclusives in England, as a result of bovine tuberculosis control measures from 2004-05 to 2006-07 is set out in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department plans to spend on research for a (a) wildlife and (b) cattle vaccine against bovine tuberculosis in 2008-09; and what plans he has for such spending in the next two years. (217776)

[holding answer 10 July 2008]: As part of DEFRA's commitment to tackling the issue of bovine TB (bTB), we have invested in a significant research programme looking into the development of vaccines for both cattle and badgers. The total investment (since 1998) in vaccine development reached more than £17.8 million by March 2008, with over £5.5 million invested in cattle and badger vaccine research last financial year (2007-08).

On 7 July 2008, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced a commitment to additional funding over the next three years. During this time period, £20 million will be spent on vaccine development to strengthen the prospects of successfully developing a usable vaccine.

The increased funding will not result in a vaccine being available sooner. While the programme of research has been designed to minimise the time required to deliver licensed vaccines, research by its nature takes time and a significant proportion of the work can only be addressed sequentially.

The exact scope and cost of the research projects is in the process of being finalised, approximate projected spending is shown in the following table:

The larger budget for cattle research reflects the high costs of keeping infected cattle under stringent biosecurity containment in the laboratory.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were employed by his predecessor Department in Cumbria in 1997; and how many were employed by his Department in Cumbria at the most recent date for which figures are available. (216277)

The number of staff employed by DEFRA’s predecessor Department in Cumbria in 1997 is unavailable.

The number of staff (in full-time equivalents) employed at DEFRA’s offices in Cumbria as at 30 June 2008 was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many individual domestic air flights were undertaken within Great Britain by representatives of (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in the most recent year for which figures are available; and at what cost. (215556)

From information held centrally and for the period April 2007 to March 2008 inclusive the information requested is as follows:

Expenditure on travel is undertaken in accordance with departmental travel policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on (a) new capital investment and (b) refurbishment of property in each of the last 10 years, broken down by project. (212869)

Information for the period requested, broken down for the period from June 2001 onwards, being the inception of DEFRA, could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The Department did not have systems in place to record all the information in the format requested and it would take several days to review systems and track all individual projects.

However spend, excluding property disposal income, against the Department’s capital investment programme, on new and refurbishment projects but excluding projects for a number of its agencies (VLA, VMD, CSL, CEFAS) for the period 2001 has been identified as (rounded to the nearest £1 million):

During this period the following specific projects in excess of £0.5 million were undertaken and completed:

Spend in the period 2005-08 period also includes circa £40 million value of projects currently in progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) new builds and (b) major refurbishments were completed by his Department for a cost in excess of £0.5 million in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08 to which the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method or equivalent was applied; how many such buildings were assessed as (A) pass, (B) good, (C) very good and (D) excellent; and if he will make a statement. (213697)

The Department, excluding a number of its agencies (VMD, CSL, CEFAS) have undertaken and completed BREEAM assessments on a number of new builds and major refurbishments with a value of exceeding £0.5 million as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) new builds and (b) major refurbishments for a cost in excess of £0.5 million were completed by his Department in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08. (213733)

The Department, excluding a number of its agencies (VMD, CSL, CEFAS) completed new builds and major refurbishments with a value exceeding £0.5 million as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) scheduled date and (b) title was of each conference proposed to be hosted by his Department and its agencies which was cancelled before taking place in each of the last 10 years; and what costs were incurred in respect of each. (215176)

This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department spent on consultancy fees in each of the last five years. (215378)

[holding answer 1 July 2008]: I refer the hon. Member to Figure 18, page 141 of the Departmental Report 2008 for DEFRA presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for DEFRA in May 2008. Figures for the financial year 2007-08 are being finalised and will be available in September 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which make and model of car he has chosen as his ministerial car to be provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency. (217769)

DEFRA's official ministerial cars are all hybrid, with two Toyota Prius cars (1.5 litre petrol/electric) and two Honda Civic Hybrid cars (1.4 litre). The Secretary of State's car is a Toyota Prius.

The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) is responsible for providing ministerial cars in line with the Ministerial Code and the Prime Minister's guidance ‘Travel by Ministers’.

GCDA advises the Prime Minister on the suitability of cars for inclusion in his guidance, taking into account a number of criteria when assessing suitable cars including their environmental impact, running and maintenance costs and overall suitability as a ministerial car.

Lord Rooker and Helen Ghosh have both given up their GDCA allocated cars, but occasionally use GDCA pool cars and green cars where necessary, and there is no viable public transport alternative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2007, Official Report, column 34W, on departmental official hospitality, when he expects the list of hospitality received by senior civil servants in his Department in 2007 to be published. (215247)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster gave him on 7 May 2008, Official Report, column 885W.