HC Deb 12 February 2002 vol 380 cc157-8W
Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what green travel plans are in place for(a) judges, (b) the Court Service, (c) magistrates' courts, and (d) staff in the Department, deployed on (i) freedom of information and (ii) data protection and identity. [33693]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The information is as follows:

  1. (a) My Department has no green travel plans in place for judges; our green travel plans are specific to an individual site rather than to any particular group of court users.
  2. (b) The Court Service has a green travel plan in place at its headquarters building. The Department and its agencies aim to reduce their environmental impacts, such as emissions from vehicles and congestion, from transport use across all its activities. These include travel on business, operation of the car fleet and pool cars, contractors, deliveries and visitors.
  3. (c) My Department is not directly responsible for magistrates' court buildings as they are owned by local authorities. Information on green travel plans put in place at magistrates' courts by local authorities is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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  4. (d) My Department has no green travel plans in place for staff in the Department, as deployed on (i) freedom of information or (ii) data protection and identity. Our green travel plans are specific to individual buildings rather than to any particular group of staff.

Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what green travel plans her Department has for(a) the Land Registry, (b) CAFCASS and (c) the Public Guardianship Office. [33663]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The information is as follows:

  1. (a) Of the 26 Land Registry offices, 13 have implemented site-specific green travel plans. The remaining 13 offices expect to implement plans before the end of this financial year. There are also Land Registry policies, covering all offices, providing interest-free advances of salary for the purchase of season tickets for travel to work using public transport and for staff wishing to purchase bicycles for travel to work.
  2. (b) Launched in April 2001, CAFCASS inherited staff with over 100 different terms and conditions. Travel policies for CAFCASS, including green travel plans, will be considered during the process of harmonisation of terms.
  3. (c) In line with departmental guidelines, the Public Guardianship Office (PGO) offers staff interest-free advances of salary for the purchase of season tickets and for staff wishing to purchase bicycles. To assist those staff travelling to work by bicycle, the PGO has installed a secure bicycle rack at Archway Tower together with shower and locker facilities. Details of public transport routes into Archway and the surrounding area are published on the PGO Intranet.

Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what green travel plans are in place for(a) the legal services ombudsman's office and (b) the Law Commission. [33681]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The information is as follows.

  1. (a) The legal services ombudsman has less than 50 people and so does not meet the target criteria for having a green travel plan.
  2. (b) The Law Commission does not currently have a green travel plan. However, introduction of the Lord Chancellor's Department's green transport plan to its other offices, including the Law Commission, is under consideration.