Transport written question – answered am ar 14 Mawrth 2013.
Andrew Bridgen
Ceidwadwyr, North West Leicestershire
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on indoor and outdoor plants and trees in each year from 2005 to 2010.
Norman Baker
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
The requested information is provided in the following table. I have also provided information for the most recent years for the sake of completeness.
| £ | ||||||||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | |
| Central Department | ||||||||
| Headquarters(1) | 5,253 | 6,488 | 8,140 | 12,370 | 13,449 | 9,295 | 423 | 423 |
| Air Accidents Investigation Branch | (2)— | 1,214 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marine Accident Investigation Branch(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Rail Accident Investigation Branch(4) | 2,330 | 2,467 | 2,467 | 2,150 | 1,396 | 1,883 | 1,228 | 880 |
| Government Car Service(5) | 1,225 | 1,470 | 1,225 | 1,855 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Executive Agency | ||||||||
| Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency(6) | 2,535 | 2,015 | 2,071 | 5,361 | 2,421 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driving Standards Agency(7) | 3,346 | 3,346 | 2,933 | 7,500 | 8,420 | 6,110 | 1,925 | 1,764 |
| Highways Agency(8) | 61,451 | 84,216 | 74,300 | 57,862 | 46,645 | 10,741.24 | 0 | 0 |
| Maritime and Coastguard Agency(9) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Certification Agency | 0 | 0 | 0 | 280 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle and Operator Services Agency(10) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| (1) Expenditure on plants is set to be approximately £450 per annum with effect from March 2011. Data for 2005 to 2008 based on yearly costs as HQ facilities management contract runs from July to July. Costs previously covered cover site visits by an outside sub-contractor, as well as maintenance and replacement (where necessary) of plants located in the lobbies and public areas of Great Minster House, London. Expenditure in 2010-11 also includes termination cost of maintenance agreement (2) During 2005-06 AAIB spent £8,392.85 on landscaping. Costs included external plants and labour, with labour being the larger element. However, these costs cannot be separated. (3 )Relates to purchase of one plant for ‘Families Room’ (where MAIB speak to bereaved relatives etc). (4) Relates to hire and maintenance and not purchase at two sites, provided under two contracts, one of which has expired and the other will not be renewed upon expiry. (5) Relates to maintenance (6) The expenditure on pot plants relates to the interior landscaping of the Richard Ley Development Centre (RLDC) and some of the local vehicle registration offices. The RLDC hosts external events, which are income generating. As a consequence, interior landscaping (plants and flowers) are necessary due to the need to ensure the facility demonstrates a professional outlook and provides an image that is comparative with similar venues. The expenditure incurred for the RLDC relates to the rental of the displays. There are also interior plant displays in some of the public areas of the local vehicle registration offices. The expenditure on these is primarily for the maintenance of the displays. (7 )Data from 2008-09 are based on the contracted costs for the provision and maintenance of pot-plants. All figures are net of VAT. (8 )The above figures do not include costs incurred planting trees and plants as part of the environmental and screening works on major projects and schemes. The above costs are indicative of spend on outdoor and indoor plants and trees. The Highways Agency does pay additional ‘grounds maintenance’ charges to its landlords and managing agents, but any spend on plants or trees cannot be split out from the service charge. The increase in 2006-07 costs relate to Highways Agency Regional Control Centre estate coming on-stream and office relocation in Bedford that involved extensive planting as part of the ‘fit out’. All plant contracts have now expired and will not be renewed. (9 )Relates to winter bedding plants. Costs at agency HQ and training centre are built into the maintenance contract of the estate and to extract this level of information would be at disproportionate cost. (10) Not recorded. VOSA do not record this level of detail and to extract this level of information would be at disproportionate cost. | ||||||||
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