In Parliament
Written Questions To Ministers 13 March 2008
Recent Written Questions & Ministers Answers
Public Transport: Sight Impaired
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of enforcement procedures under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 relating to the rights of blind or partially sighted people to travel with their guide dogs.
Ms Rosie Winterton: Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 enables regulations to be made requiring all new land-based public transport vehicles to be accessible to disabled people. Regulations have been made for trains, buses and coaches (used on local and scheduled services), though there are no specific regulations which make provision for guide dogs. However, Part 5 of the Act also places a duty on licensed taxi drivers, operators and drivers of licensed private hire vehicles in England and Wales to carry guide, hearing and other prescribed assistance dogs in their taxis and to do so without charge. We have made no specific assessment of the effectiveness of enforcement procedures.
Animals in Research
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to identify alternatives to the use of animals in research. [187379]
Ian Pearson: DIUS is spending close to £5.5 million this year on research into the replacement, refinement and reduction of animals in research via the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Medical Research Council (MRC). Of this £2.4 million goes to the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research NC3Rs.
Sport: Young People
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to promote opportunities for young people to participate in competitive sport. [182038]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The 2006-07 School Sport Survey showed that:
98 per cent. of schools held a competitive sports day;
58 per cent. of pupils were involved in intra-school competition; and
35 per cent. of all pupils were involved in inter-school competition.
We are committed to increasing the number of children and young people involved in competitive sport as part of our plans to offer five hours of sport for all five to 16-year-olds and three hours for young people aged 16 to 19.
We are working with governing bodies and school sport associations to improve their competition frameworks and we are also establishing a national network of competition managers to implement our plans at a local level.
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Television: Licensing
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the percentage of households which (a) have no television licence, (b) do not have a television and (c) have a television but are unlicensed. [178422]
James Purnell: This is a matter for the BBC. I have, therefore, asked the BBC's Head of Revenue Management to consider the question raised by my hon. Friend and to write to her direct. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Postal Services
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the extension of free postal services to service personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence and Royal Mail jointly announced on 12 November that the freepost scheme for the Iraq and Afghanistan theatres will continue as long as we have personnel deployed in those areas. The Department keeps the details of the scheme under continuous review but no further changes are currently planned.
CCTV
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for future funding to police authorities to update CCTV schemes.
Mr. McNulty: On 6 December, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, announced the provisional police grant settlement for the next three years.
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Carers - Census 2011
Jessica Morden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that no change is made in information requested about carers in the 2011 census return from that requested in the 2001 census return.
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 7 January 2008:
As National Statistician I am replying to your recent question asking that no change is made in information requested about carers in the 2011 census return from the 2001 census return. The value of the information on carers provided by the 2001 Census is well recognised. However, such a question is competing for space on the questionnaire with a number of other questions such as second residence, citizenship, year of entry, qualifications, industry, income and language.
Our current funding for the 2011 Census allows for 3 pages of questions per person. We are at present investigating the potential for obtaining increasing funding for a 4th page which would allow for the inclusion a question on carers.
A White Paper setting out the Government's proposals for the 2011 Census is scheduled to be published in autumn 2008. However, it will not be possible to confirm what questions and response categories are to be included in the 2011 Census until the consultation and question testing programme is complete and formal approval is given by Parliament in 2010.
Police: False Alarms
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate her Department has made of the average cost per incident incurred by the police in attending false call-outs triggered by security alarms.
Mr. McNulty: No estimates have been made. The information for all police forces in England and Wales is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Avian Influenza: Pigeons
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of whether pigeons can (a) catch and (b) carry the H5N1 virus.
Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA takes a science-based approach to all bird gatherings, including those that involve pigeons (both for showing and racing). A Veterinary Risk Assessment (VRA) using the best available scientific evidence is carried out to assess the risk of avian influenza (Al) specifically in relation to pigeons.
The VRA cites evidence available that pigeons can be susceptible to the disease and in particular a study by the European Food Safety Authority in 2006 concluded that pigeons may have the potential to act as a "bridging" species between waterfowl and poultry. However, available evidence on the ability of pigeons to spread the Al viruses is limited and contradictory. It is likely that the susceptibility of pigeons (and other species of birds) to Al, and the clinical picture caused by infection, is strongly associated with genetic and biological variations between different strains of the virus.
There is research available which suggests that pigeons have limited susceptibility to some virus strains (mainly isolated some years ago), but other more recent publications suggest the contrary and demonstrate that recently isolated strains of HPAI H5N1 could infect pigeons. This later study indicates that pigeons may be asymptomatic carriers of the Al virus.
Pigeons could also spread Al mechanically through infective material on their feet and feathers, and there is potential, especially in long races, for pigeons to land and mingle with wild birds while still on the continent.
Courts: Gwent
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to provide new court buildings in Gwent.
Maria Eagle: The provision of new court facilities in Newport, Gwent is a priority for Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS). HMCS are developing proposals on how best to deliver these facilities to ensure they are both affordable and represent value for money.