§ Sue DoughtyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what total floor space area of buildings was owned or leased by her Department and its agencies in each year from 1997. [188161]
§ Alun MichaelThe Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was created on 8 June 2001. The total floor space area of buildings owned or leased by the Department and its agencies, including space occupied by other Government Departments or let to external organisations is:
Square metres 2001–02 415,939 2002–03 388,810 2003–04 383,184
§ Sue DoughtyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the most significant sustainable development impacts are which she has identified in relation to the operation of her Department's estate. [188162]
§ Alun MichaelThe most significant negative sustainable development impacts have been identified as: 1923W
Environmental—Use of land and associated landfill impacts (such as leachate and methane gas production) from waste disposal; Use of non-renewable resources; Contributions to global warming due to utility use and project management practices; Contributions to ground level ozone and greenhouse effects from the use of refrigerants and materials during maintenance of buildings; Land take for the development of new properties; Atmospheric emissions contributing to global warming associated with business travel, fleet cars and staff commuting.Social—Impact of landfill on local community from leachate and methane gas production, noise and visual impacts; Local and global health impacts associated with air emissions, global warming and volatile organic compounds (VOCs); Health, Safety and Welfare impacts of work practices and procedures.The most significant positive impacts have been identified as:
Environmental—Reduced air emissions from effective green travel and transport planning; Protection of biodiversity through land and ground management; Reduced need for landfill and associate emissions due to increased recycling and recovery of materials; Reduced use of non-renewable resources through appropriate procurement specification and management.Social—Reduced health, noise and visual impacts from waste disposal due to increased recycling and recovery of materials; Improved staff welfare and health benefits from effective green travel planning.Economic—Local job creation and Improvements to local transport provision resulting from office location, relocation and co-location projects.
§ Sue DoughtyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what parts of her Department's estate will not be covered by the commitments set out in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. [188255]
§ Alun MichaelOur aim is for as much as possible of the Defra estate to be covered by the Framework commitments. This means that different approaches may be appropriate for each part of the Framework.
Environmental Management Systems are being introduced at Defra sites except where there are plans for disposal, where we are a minor occupier sharing with another department, or where there are very few staff.
The waste targets currently apply to sites where Defra is the major or sole occupier and there are more than 50 staff.
The entire Defra estate is covered by Framework commitments on travel, energy, water, and biodiversity.
§ Sue DoughtyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes there have been in water consumption by her Department in each year from 1997. [188260]
§ Alun MichaelThe Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was created on 8 June 2001.
Total water consumption in buildings for which Defra has a contractual responsibility is shown below with details of performance against the Government target of 7.7 m3 per person per year.
1924W
Consumption Percentage change m3 per person p.a. 2001–02 434,613 — 8.11 2002–03 417,343 -4 8.00 2003–04 416,180 -0.28 7.54
§ Sue DoughtyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the non-office sites within the Department's estates which have been identified as being likely to provide opportunities for significant water savings. [188261]
§ Alun MichaelA detailed survey of Defra's non-office sites was conducted in 2000–01 to establish baselines against which water saving opportunities could he measured. The contractual nature of the work in the Department's laboratories precludes simple year-on-year savings, but during 2003–04 three non-office sites were identified as providing opportunities for significant water savings. They were the Veterinary Laboratories Agency Regional Laboratories at Winchester, Bristol and Exeter.