House
of Commons Debates, Written Answers & Written Statements
Week
Ending 17 June 2011
Debates
15 June 2011
8. Charlie Elphicke (Dover)
(Con): What recent representations he has received on the provisions of the
Public Bodies Bill. [59577]
The Parliamentary Secretary,
Cabinet Office (Mr Nick Hurd): As my hon. Friend knows, the Bill has completed a tortuous but
constructive passage through the other place, and we hope for a Second Reading
in this place soon. In the meantime, the Cabinet Office and other relevant
Departments are holding information sessions for colleagues who want to discuss
this important Bill.
Charlie Elphicke: I thank the Minister for his reply, his
hard work and the excellent job he is doing on the Bill. Under the Bill, public
statutory corporations such as British Waterways will be reformed and become
mutuals. Have Ministers considered other similar public bodies, such as trust
ports, for inclusion in the Bill?
Mr Hurd: I understand that my hon. Friend is
frustrated by the pace of progress in his committed and spirited attempt to allow
the people of Dover to take over the port. He will know that the Transport
Secretary, who is sitting alongside me, has announced a consultation on the
criteria for assessing the sale of trust ports in England and Wales, largely to
reflect the Government’s
15 Jun 2011 : Column 766
localism and big society agendas.
It is right for that consultation to conclude before further decisions are
taken.
Tessa Jowell (Dulwich and West
Norwood) (Lab): In March,
the Minister for the Cabinet Office claimed that he would make £30 billion of
savings from his quango reform programme embodied in the Public Bodies Bill, so
that he could
“protect jobs and
front-line services.”
My freedom of information
requests show, however, that nearly £25 billion of this £30 billion comes from
front-line cuts to housing and our universities, including teaching and
research. Will he apologise for these misleading statements about protecting
front-line services?
Mr Hurd: No—and I am surprised by the line of questioning,
because this programme of very overdue reform to the complex landscape of
quangos and non-departmental public bodies goes exactly with the grain of the
reforms proposed by the previous Government. We are going further in trying to
deliver much greater accountability in government, and, on the way, delivering
what we believe will be about £2.6 billion in communicative and administrative
savings over the spending review period.
Written
Answers 14 June 2011
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Forestry Commission has
allocated for the acquisition of forestry land in each of the next four
financial years. [58207]
Mr Paice: The independent panel on forestry will be advising the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), on the role of the public forest estate in England. The Government look forward to receiving the panel's advice which will inform our future approach to the acquisition of forestry land. No specific resources have been allocated for the acquisition of forestry land in 2011-12 but, should a suitable opportunity arise, the Forestry Commission could consider reallocation of any available funds.
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 7 June 2011, Official
Report, column 33W, on energy performance certificates, for what reasons
his Department transposed into legislation requirements in respect of holiday
lets arising from the energy performance of buildings directive. [59429]
Andrew Stunell: The energy performance of buildings
directive requires that an energy performance certificate is produced on the
construction, sale or rent of a building, including some buildings which are
rented out as holiday homes. These requirements have been transposed into
domestic legislation because the United Kingdom is obliged to implement
European Union directives.
Westminster
Hall 14 June 2011
Property Regulation (Holiday Lettings)
Written Answers 13 June 2011
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contracts her Department holds
with Crown Relocations; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary
value is of each such contract. [58644]
Richard Benyon: The Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs and its Executive Agencies hold no contracts with Crown
Relocations.
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on proposals to
extend the boundaries of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
into the Lune Valley. [59235]
Richard Benyon: Natural England has no plans to amend the
boundaries of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Current
efforts focus
13 Jun 2011 : Column 560W
on consulting on proposals for
the Lune Valley to the north of Kirkby Lonsdale to form part of an extension to
the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff of (a) her
Department, (b) Animal Health, (c) the Centre for Environment,
Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, (d) Forest Research, (e)
Forest Enterprise (England), (f) the Food and Environment Research
Agency, (g) the Marine and Fisheries Agency, (h) the Rural
Payments Agency, (i) the Veterinary Laboratories Agency and (j)
the Veterinary Medicines Directorate are entitled to work (i) full-time as
trade union representatives and (ii) part-time on trade union activities; how
many such staff are paid more than £25,900 annually; and what the cost to the
public purse of employing such staff on such duties was in the latest period
for which figures are available. [56441]