HC Deb 27 July 1999 vol 336 cc345-6W
Mr. Grieve

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of the budget of the Energy, Environment and Waste Directorate is allocated specifically to the promotion of energy-efficient street lighting on main trunk roads and motorways. [93359]

Ms Glenda Jackson

The Energy, Environment and Waste Directorate funds a number of programmes aimed at improving energy efficiency, including the efficiency of lighting. In particular the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme has supported a research and development project aimed at developing new energy control equipment for street lighting.

Mr. Grieve

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much has been spent by local authorities on the maintenance of existing street lighting outside built-up areas in the past financial year; [93349]

(2) how much has been spent by local authorities on the maintenance of existing street lighting in built-up areas in the past financial year; [93350]

(3) how much has been spent by local authorities in providing new and additional street lighting outside built-up areas in the past financial year; [93353]

(4) What statistics his Department collects on the (a) installation and (b) maintenance of street lighting carried out by local authorities each year. [93343]

Ms Glenda Jackson

This information is not available centrally.

Mr. Grieve

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what were the values of the contracts awarded to each manufacturer who has supplied street lighting equipment to his Department and local authorities in the past financial year; [93344]

(2) if he will list the manufacturers who have supplied street lighting equipment to his Department and local authorities in the past financial year. [93345]

Ms Glenda Jackson

The Highways Agency, the executive agency responsible for trunk roads in England, does not award contracts directly to manufacturers of lighting equipment.

On new schemes, street lighting is installed by sub contracts working to a main contractor.

On existing roads, street lighting is installed and maintained by our managing agents. We do not keep, centrally, records of their expenditure.

Information on local authorities contracts is not kept centrally.

Mr. Grieve

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much his Department has spent on the new and additional street lighting outside built-up areas in the past financial year; [93354]

(2) how much his Department has spent on the maintenance of existing street lighting outside built-up areas in the past financial year; [93351]

(3) how much his Department has spent on the maintenance of existing street lighting in built-up areas in the past financial year; [93352]

(4) how much his Department has spent on new and additional lighting of motorways outside built-up areas in the past financial year. [93355]

Ms Glenda Jackson

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

Mr. Grieve

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list Government initiatives currently underway to correct existing poorly designed and installed street lighting in rural and urban streets. [93356]

Ms Glenda Jackson

The Highways Agency are to issue advice on the renovation of street lighting schemes and although written for trunk roads and motorways it will be equally applicable to local authority roads. Some central Government funding is available to local authorities, for new street lighting schemes under the Private Finance Initiative. Where local authorities apply for this funding, proposals should be appraised in line with the Department's "New Approach to Appraisal" to ensure that the benefits and costs (including the environmental and safety benefits) are presented in a consistent way.

Mr. Grieve

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to promote the use of energy-efficient street lighting to local authorities. [93346]

Ms Glenda Jackson

The Department funds a number of programmes aimed at improving energy efficiency, including the efficiency of lighting. In particular the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme has supported a research and development project aimed at developing new energy efficient control equipment for street lighting. Some central Government funding is also available, to local authorities, for new street lighting schemes under the Private Finance Initiative. Where local authorities apply for this funding, proposals should be appraised in line with the Department's "New Approach to Appraisal" to ensure that the benefits and costs (including running costs) are presented in a consistent way.