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Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the total proposed expenditure for the next three fiscal years on railways in (a) Greater London and (b) Scotland.
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Mr. Portillo : Separate figures for railways investment in Greater London alone are not available. BR plans to invest some £65 million in its Scottish region infrastructure over the next three financial years, and the region will also benefit from wider programmes of investment in new rolling stock.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make it his policy to encourage use of British Rail by increasing the public subsidy ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to maintain the real value of the public subsidy to British Rail over the next five years ;
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(3) what assessment he has made of the environmental implications of a reduction in the public subsidy to British Rail ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Portillo : Our policy on subsidies for British Rail remains as set out in the Government's response (HC420) to the Transport Select Committee report on the financing of rail services (HC 383). My right hon. Friend plans to announce shortly new three-year objectives for British Rail.
Vehicle Emissions
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to discourage emissions of carbon dioxide from tranport sources.
Mr. Atkins : Congested road traffic emits more carbon dioxide than traffic moving smoothly. Congestion will be eased by my Department's £4 billion programme of new construction and improvement of motorways and other trunk roads over the next three years. In urban areas we encourage the development of traffic management measures to keep traffic moving. And we are committed to massive investment in railways--£3.7 billion in British Rail and at least £1.7 billion in London Underground over the next three years. However, motorists themselves can make a significant contribution to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by keeping their vehicles well tuned and by avoiding driving practices which waste fuel.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his oral reply to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford of 4 December, Official Report, column 3, what mechanical means are to be introduced to limit emissions of carbon dioxide from cars ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : When new gaseous emission limits were agreed for small cars at last June's Environment Council the Commission undertook to examine the question of reducing carbon dioxide emissions. It is too early to say what they are likely to propose. Meanwhile, carbon dioxide emissions can be minimised by improving fuel consumption. We urge motorists to keep fuel economy in mind. Smooth careful driving and good regular vehicle maintenance are the key.
London Underground
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints he has received concerning the operation of automatic ticket barriers at London Underground stations.
Mr. Portillo : Four in the last three months.
Marine Archaeology
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants in his Department work (a) full time and (b) part time on marine archaeology.
Mr. Atkins : The Department of Transport's only responsibility concerning marine archaeology is through its administration of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, on which five of the Department's civil servants work for a part of their time, amounting in total to about man/year per annum.
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Uranium Hexafluoride
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the quantity of uranium hexafluoride which has been imported through Newhaven for each of the last three years ; whether East Sussex county council is notified in advance of shipments ; if he expects the level of trade to increase ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : [holding answer 6 December 1989] : There are over half a million movements of radioactive material annually. The Department does not collect information on a routine basis on the ports or airports used for imports and exports of such material. All movements of nuclear material are conducted in full compliance with the relevant regulations. In the particular case of uraniun hexafluoride through Newhaven there is no statutory requirement for East Sussex county council to be informed.
ENERGY
Public Appointments
Mrs. Roe : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many persons above the age of (a) 60, (b) 65 and (c) 70 years he has appointed to public bodies in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Wakeham : The figures are as follows :
|Over 60|Over 65|Over 70
----------------------------------------
1980 |2 |- |-
1981 |- |- |-
1982 |3 |- |-
1983 |2 |- |1
1984 |- |- |-
1985 |3 |- |-
1986 |3 |- |-
1987 |1 |- |-
1988 |- |- |-
1989 |5 |- |-
<1> In the case of the electricity
supply industry data on appointments
made prior to 1985 would be available
only at disproportionate costs.
<2> The basis of the calculation is to
take account of age at initial
appointment only. The figures cover
only those industries for which the
Department has retained responsibility
throughout the period.
Selby (Mineral Transportation)
Mr. Lofthouse : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the various costings borne by British Coal North Yorkshire for the transportation of minerals from Selby coal field to the Drax power station.
Mr. Michael Spicer : This is a matter for the British Coal Corporation. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.
Combined Heat and Power Schemes
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the Government's current policy on combined heat and power schemes.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The Government fully recognise the environmental and fuel efficiency benefits of CHP and continue to promote and support the technology under the best practice programme of the Energy Efficiency Office.
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The Government are committed to removing legal and institutional barriers which impede the further implementation of CHP. Under the provisions of the Electricity Act licensed CHP operators will have new powers to break streets to lay heat mains. The Act also enables the Director General of Electricity Supply to collect information to monitor the use and application of CHP. The output fom CHP schemes based on non-fossil fuels such as waste or landfill gas will count towards the non-fossil fuel obligation.Investment in CHP is a commercial matter for the operators concerned.
Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will review the terms of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946.
Mr. Michael Spicer : We plan to change the basic legislative framework of the coal industry after the next general election.
French Nuclear Reactors
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what analysis his Department has made of the safety of French nuclear reactors.
Mr. Michael Spicer : The safety of nuclear reactors in France is the responsibility of the French operators. The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate maintains regular contact with the French regulatory authority, the Service Central de Surete des Installations Nucleaires.
Selby (Colliery Spoil)
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what information he has received from British Coal about sites in the north Yorkshire area for the disposal of waste from the Selby coalfield ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what information he has received from British Coal concerning the threatened closure of the Selby coalfield because of land disposal problems ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Michael Spicer : The disposal of colliery spoil is a matter for British Coal, and I am asking the chairman to write to the hon. Member.
SCOTLAND
Water
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the leakage levels from the Scottish water distribution system.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The level of leakage was estimated in 1984 to be around 40 per cent. of the total water put into supply for Scotland as a whole, but there were substantial regional variations. It is not practicable to eliminate leakage entirely and depending on local circumstances there will be a level which is acceptable in economic terms.
Guidance on leakage is given in standing technical committee report No. 26, "Leakage Control Policy and Practice", published by the Department of the Environment and the National Water Council in 1980, but policies are determined locally by the water authorities. A report on public water resources by the Scottish Development Department in 1985 proposed that authorities should aim to reduce leakage by a quarter over a period of 10 years. Progress towards this aim depends on the priority authorities give to the task.
Motorways (Accidents)
Mr. Hayes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many road accidents have been reported involving stationary vehicles on motorway hard shoulders in each of the years 1980 to 1989 ; and how many people were (a) injured and (b) killed.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The number of accidents and casualties in Scotland involving stationary vehicles on motorway hard shoulders for the period 1980-1989 (up to July) are as follows :
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|1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |<1>1989
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Accidents |10 |7 |7 |7 |5 |8 |7 |3 |4 |2
Number of Casualties |14 |12 |11 |12 |9 |11 |14 |3 |4 |2
Number Killed |2 |0 |0 |1 |1 |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
<1>Up to July.
Road and Rail Accidents
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the total economic costs in Scotland of (a) road accidents and (b) railway accidents for each calendar year since 1978.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information on the economic cost of road accidents in Scotland for years 1979 to 1988 is as follows. Information is not available for 1978 nor on the cost of railway accidents.
Estimated costs of injury and non-injury road accidents in Scotland 1979- 1988.
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|<1>£ million
---------------------------------------
1979 |757
1980 |680
1981 |666
1982 |682
1983 |602
1984 |593
1985 |601
1986 |589
1987 |544
1988 |547
<1>1988 prices.
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Gaelic Language
Sir Russell Johnston : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what delays have been experienced in meeting demands for Gaelic medium education in Scotland ; what steps are being taken to deal with this ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : The inter-authority standing group on gaelic education has pointed to teacher supply problems as a source of occasional delay for education authorities wishing to meet local demand for Gaelic medium education. The Northern college of education offers a module in bilingual education as part of its primary teaching degree course and is able to accommodate the small number of students who wish to take it. I understand that other colleges of education are considering the introduction of similar modules. As the total number of teachers being trained increases substantially over the next few years, it is hoped that a greater number will opt to study bilingual education.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what account he has taken of public feeling, as expressed in a recent referendum, when deciding his current and future policy on borehole drilling at Dounreay ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : I set out the Government's position on radioactive waste disposal in my reply of 9 November to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) column 740. Public concern locally is certainly one of the factors which my right hon. and learned Friend will take into account when making his decision on the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's appeal against Highland regional council's refusal to grant planning permission for test boring at Dounreay.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Textile and Footwear Industries
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) textile clothing and (b) footwear firms he and his predecessor have visited over the last 10 years ; and if he will name them and the dates of such visits.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : This information is not available. However Ministers in my Department are fully aware of the concerns of both industries, and in recent months there have been a number of meetings with their representatives.
Rover
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much had been paid by British Aerospace for the purchase of Rover (a) on 1 January 1989, (b) on 1 June 1989 and (c) on the latest date for which figures are available.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : No payment of the £150 million consideration for the Government shareholding in the Rover Group has yet been received. Payment is due by 31 March 1990 at the latest, following the clarification of certain tax matters.
New Companies and Liquidations
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the number of new companies established in (a) Yorkshire, (b) Humberside, (c) the Northern region and (d) the south-east region in 1981, 1987, 1988 and to date in 1989 ; and how many companies went into liquidation in each of these categories in each year.
Mr. Forth : On the basis of current registered office addresses, the information requested is as follows :
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x
Yorkshire Humberside North South East
|Inclusion |Liquidation|Inclusion |Liquidation|Inclusion |Liquidation|Inclusion |Liquidation
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1981 |1,800 |120 |310 |30 |800 |110 |20,000 |1,600
1987 |4,200 |180 |820 |50 |2,500 |170 |71,200 |2,200
1988 |3,800 |140 |680 |60 |2,000 |170 |62,300 |1,980
1989 (Q1) |770 |60 |120 |<1>- |300 |20 |22,000 |600
<1>- nil or negligible.
Regional analysis of voluntary liquidations not available.
More information about companies is available in "Companies in 1988-89" published by HMSO.
Futures and Options Market
Mr. Butterfill : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has regarding the total volume traded in the futures and options market for each of the last three years ; and what proportion of this was in foreign currency earnings.
Mr. Forth : A total of 20.1 million contracts were traded on the six London exchanges in 1986, 33 million in 1987, 38 million in 1988, and 38.7 million in the first nine months of 1989 (51.6 million at annual rate). These volumes refer to contracts cleared by the London clearing house and are the most comprehensive measure of turnover. It is not known what proportion of that volume is transacted in foreign currency.
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WALES
Valleys Initiative
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will identify those developments in the Rhymney valley which he considers to be directly and exclusively the result of his valleys initiative.
Mr. Peter Walker : The following projects and activities, which formed part of the key programmes and initiatives identified in "The Valleys : A Programme for the People", have benefited Rhymney valley in 1988-89 and 1989-90.
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Welsh Development Agency (WDA) programmesRhymney valley projects have been supported to date under the new valleys small loan scheme and the valleys enterprise loan scheme. The advance factory and workshop programme includes the following projects which are recently completed or nearing completion : Two 3,000 sq ft factories and two 5,000 sq ft factories at the Heads of the Valleys industrial estate.
One 10,000 sq ft factory at the Penallta industrial estate. The Following bespoke factories have been recently completed or are nearing completion at the Heads of the Valleys industrial estate :
A 16,500 sq ft extension to the Massilly UK Ltd. factory. A 10,000 sq ft extension to the Britcair Ltd. factory.
A 75,000 sq ft new factory for Klockner Pentapack Ltd.
Further developments are proposed at the Heads of the Valleys industrial estate, Penallta and New Tredegar. Work will commence on the provision of 20,000 sq ft of workshops at the Bowen industrial estate in the spring of 1990.
The land reclamation programme includes six schemes totalling 58 acres currently under way at :
Windsor colliery 1 and 2
Bedwas colliery surfaces
Berth Gron quarry
Bedwas colliery tips
Groesfaen remedial works
St. Cenydd school
A further 15 schemes involving over 500 acres are planned for future years.
The agency is supporting environmental improvement schemes at : Dafydd Williams park, Caerphilly
Nelson square
Llanbradach
A further eight schemes are planned throughout the Rhymney valley in the coming years.
The Welsh Development Agency's urban renewal unit are currently undertaking the following projects :
Environmental improvements to :
New Tredegar
Caerphilly town centre
Ystrad Mynach
Rhymney town centre
Environmental action plans are being prepared for New Tredegar, Rhymney- Pontlottyn and the Aber valley.
Welsh Office Support for Industry
During 1988-89, 49 projects in the Rhymney valley received offers of RDG II and 13 projects received offers of regional selective assistance or regional enterprise grant with associated investment costs of £19.4 million and the prospect of some 1,000 jobs. During 1989-90, to the end of October, two projects have received offers of RDG II and 11 projects received offers of regional selective assistance or regional enterprise grant with associated investment costs of £7.3 million and the prospect of some 200 jobs. Urban Programme
Welsh Office urban programme allocations made in 1988-89 and for 1989-90 include the following projects in the Rhymney valley : Redevelopment of Bargoed bus station
Provision of small workshops, Dyffryn industrial estate Provision of small workshops, Lawn industrial estate
Provision of grants and loans within commercial and industrial improvements areas
Valley youth enterprise centre, Tredomen workshops
Provision of workshop units at Bowen industrial estate
Provision of headquarters for Pontlottyn boys club
Improvements to Bargoed citizens advice bureau
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Rhymney valley environmental clean-up campaignRhymney valley enterprise agency
Tyr-y-Berth IT centre
Rhymney valley handicapped transport association
Rhymney valley home start
Restoration of Llancaiach Fawr
Construction of community centre at Phillipstown, New Tredegar Refurbishment of Ystrad Mynach boys club
Dial-a-ride Rhymney valley
Grants and loans in Rhymney and Pontlottyn commercial improvement areas.
Urban Development Grant
Welsh Office gave final approval of one project for UDG support in 1988-89 :
Development of 23 houses at Cambrian street/Hill street, Rhymney. Since the scheme's introduction in April 1989 urban investment grant has been awarded for the conversion of the former Whitbread brewery in Rhymney into 32,000 sq ft of office space.
Welsh Office Support for Housing
In 1988-89 the Welsh Office approved special allocations for the following enveloping schemes :
Brithdir (185 houses)
Various block schemes throughout county (342 houses)
In 1989-90, support has been given for block schemes at Pontlottyn involving 109 houses, and at various other locations throughout the county involving 181 houses.
Welsh Office Support for Health and Social Services
Support has been given to the community nursing in the valleys scheme, with two staff operational in the Rhymney valley, with the assistance of 50 per cent. Welsh Office funding.
This is not a comprehensive list of activities. Further projects are being considered under the headings listed above. In addition the area stands to benefit from initiatives which have a wider geographical coverage and from other ongoing main programmes.
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