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Mr. Freeman : British Rail proposes to have a terminal on Merseyside for international freight services. Passengers between Liverpool and the continent will need to change in London or at Crewe.
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has met the chairman of British Rail to discuss rail links between Scotland and the channel tunnel.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. and learned Friend last met Sir Bob Reid on 12 December when a number of issues, including channel tunnel services running north of London, were discussed.
21. Mr. Jacques Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the environmental aspects of the proposed high-speed rail link.
Mr. Freeman : British Rail intends to publish a full environmental statement for its final preferred route, taking into account the representations received in the course of public consultations.
Transport Policy
13. Mr. Adley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role he envisages for the railway within transport policy.
Mr. Freeman : British Rail's network is an important part of the transport system in this country. It will benefit from our policy of aiming to improve all forms of transport. Railways can make their contribution to a safer, more efficient and less environmentally damaging transport system. They will do this by providing a service that people choose to use on the grounds of convenience and cost.
Midland Main Line
14. Mr. Tredinnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last discussed the midland main line with the chairman of British Rail ; whether he discussed possible improvements to the Leicester to St. Pancras section ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : I welcome the improved service which British Rail now offers on the midland main line, and I am keeping in touch with British Rail about plans for possible further improvements.
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Road Safety
15. Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Government intend to take additional measures to improve existing road and rail access to the channel tunnel from Wales and the west of England.
Mr. Freeman : The national roads programme includes major schemes to improve access from Wales and the west of England to the tunnel and channel ports. British Rail has announced investment of over £1.4 billion in tunnel-related improvements for freight and passenger services.
London Underground
16. Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of London Underground track are currently in use for passenger services north of the River Thames, and how many are in use south of the River Thames.
Mr. Freeman : London Underground has 438 miles of track north of the Thames and 33 miles south of the Thames that are currently in use for passenger services.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether London Underground has sought any additional funding to cover the projected shortfall of £52 million in the current financial year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : London Transport has requested additional funding this year. We are considering its request.
Public Transport (Hackney)
17. Ms. Abbott : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to visit Hackney to discuss public transport.
Mr. Freeman : I discussed public transport matters with representatives of the London borough of Hackney when I visited Tower Hamlets on 27 September. I have no plans to visit Hackney at present ; if the hon. Member has a specific concern, perhaps she could write to me.
London Regional Transport
20. Mr. Carrington : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of London Regional Transport to discuss performance targets.
Mr. Freeman : I meet the chairman of London Transport regularly to discuss a variety of issues, including performance targets.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in his consideration of the appointment of a chairman of London Regional Transport, he takes into account his ability to be financially competent and to manage senior staff to ensure their financial competence.
Mr. Freeman : Yes ; my right hon. and learned Friend would take account of these and many other relevant factors.
Bathgate Station
22. Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his predecessor's official visit to Bathgate railway station in November.
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Mr. Freeman : My right hon. Friend was impressed by the success of the Edinburgh-Bathgate line since its re-opening to passenger services.
Dial-a-Ride
23. Sir Michael Neubert : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he intends to respond to representations about the reorganisation of Dial-a-Ride in London.
Mr. Freeman : I am still considering representations received from my hon. Friend and others. I expect to give my hon. Friend a written answer shortly.
Rail Services (South-East)
24. Mr. Madel : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss extending the passenger service to towns in the south-east that are not yet linked into Network SouthEast ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : It is a matter for British Rail to come forward with proposals for opening lines where there is a commercial case. I understand that Network SouthEast is currently consulting interested parties about various proposals for public transport in the Luton-Dunstable corridor.
Transport Supplementary Grant
25. Mr. Viggers : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the criteria for payment of transport supplementary grant for road development.
Mr. Chope : The criteria for payment of transport supplementary grant to local highway authorities in support of their capital expenditure on highways and the regulation of traffic are set out in a local authority circular No. 1/90, a copy of which is in the Library. TSG in 1991-92 will be 17 per cent. higher than in 1990-91, and in addition £45 million TSG will be made available for work on bridges making a total of £318 million.
Mr. Amess : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the transport supplementary grant settlement for Essex in the last two years.
Mr. Chope : Essex received £5.1 million net transport supplementary grant in 1989-90 and £6.7 million in 1990-91. In 1991-92 it will receive £6.4 million.
Parking (London)
26. Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has had any recent discussions on the problems of parking in London.
Airline Security
Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps have been taken by his Department to tighten airline security in respect of the continuing dangers posed to British interests by the crisis in the middle east.
Mr. Rifkind : All practical and possible steps are being taken through British airlines and the Governments of
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countries to which they fly, to tighten aviation security. We and other Governments have developed contingency plans for further measures in the event of hostilities. Aviation security is at an unprecedentedly high level. It would not be in the public interest to reveal details.Vehicle Exhaust Pollution
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any proposals to reduce the level of vehicle exhaust pollution in London ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : Our proposals to reduce vehicle exhaust pollution are not specific to London. We have participated actively in discussions within the EC about controls on vehicle emissions. I am pleased to say that following a decision in the EC Environment Council on 20 December 1990, strict new emission standards will apply to all new petrol driven cars from 31 December 1992 and as a result such cars will have to be fitted with catalytic convertors. We are now pressing for strict standards for gaseous and particulate emissions from goods vehicles and buses. In 1991, for the first time, we also propose to include an emissions check in the annual MOT test. Duty differentials in favour of unleaded petrol are encouraging its widespread use and it now accounts for almost 40 per cent. of all petrol sold in this country.
British Rail
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy in respect of the requirement for British Rail to publish an annual corporate plan ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : There is no requirement for British Rail to publish an annual corporate plan. I understand that the chairman of British Rail aims to publish a longer term strategy document for the railway later this year.
Railway Accidents
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he published the report into the railway accident at Walton on the Naze in 1987 ; whether the contents of that report have been taken into account in respect of any later incidents ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : The railway inspectorate has not yet completed its report on the Walton on the Naze accident, partly because the inspecting officer was involved as an assessor to Sir Anthony Hidden's investigation into the Clapham junction accident, but it has already ensured that the lessons learned have been put into practice. The report will be published at the earliest opportunity.
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requirements are made by his railway inspectorate concerning provision of hydraulic buffer stops or sand drags at frequently used terminal platforms.
Mr. Freeman : Her Majesty's railway inspectorate, which is now part of the Health and Safety Executive, has no requirement for railway operators to provide particular types of buffer stops at terminal stations. Buffer stops are generally designed to minimise injury to train passengers and damage to railway vehicles where impact is slight. If
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impact is made with greater force, the buffer stop should prevent a train overrunning onto the station concourse. I am advised that it would not be practicable to specify the impact loading that individual sets of buffer stops should withstand since most stations are used by a variety of rolling stock with differentcharacteristics.
EC Regulations
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons Her Majesty's Government agreed at the European Council on 15 December 1990, that the Commission proposals on excise duties on fuel, taxes, tolls, etc., should be resolved by the Council on 30 June 1991 ; and if he will make a statement summarising the proposals submitted by the Commission on these matters.
Mr. Chope : These issues have been identified as among those to be addressed before completion of the internal market in 1992. The Commission proposals for the charging of transport infrastructure costs to heavy vehicles will be the subject of an explanatory memorandum to be laid before the House in the usual way.
Drivers (Health)
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what medical advice is available to him on the health of drivers and motorcycle riders and on those in charge of the various forms of public transport for which he is responsible.
Mr. Chope : [pursuant to his reply, 17 December 1990 c. 125] : The health of railway employees is a matter for individual railway operators.
The statutory responsibility for the safety regulations of United Kingdom civil aviation rests with the Civil Aviation Authority. This includes the medical standards for the issue of appropriate flight crew and air traffic controller licences.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Occupational Health Services
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements exist for the provision of an occupational health service for employees within his Department, stating (a) how many staff are employed to provide occupational health services, (b) how many of those staff are qualified nurses and (c) how many employees work in his Department in total.
Mr. Hanley : For its home civil servants, the Northern Ireland Office has access to the services of the Civil Service occupational health service which employs some 100 fully qualified occupational health professionals and operates via a network of regional offices throughout the United Kingdom.
An occupational health service was established within the Northern Ireland Civil Service in 1988. Its primary responsibility is the occupational health care of all civil servants. At present there are three doctor posts, one nurse post and four administrative posts providing the occupational health services.
There are just under 28,600 employees in the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments combined.
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Rural Development
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why he has decided not to publish the report of the
Inter-Departmental Committee on Rural Development which will soon be completed.
Mr. Hanley : The report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Rural Development will provide advice to Ministers on ways in which the delivery of the Government's social and economic policies in the most deprived rural areas of Northern Ireland might be improved. It would not be appropriate to publish internal advice of this nature. However, I acknowledge the continuing interest of the hon. Gentleman and others in the work of the Committee and on receipt of its report I will be considering whether and in what form more detailed information about its work and conclusions might be released.
Moyle Hospital
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the length of waiting lists for patients seeking admission to Moyle hospital, Larne ; and what is the average figure for similar hospital provision within Northern Ireland.
Mr. Hanley : The information requested is as follows :
Number on Waiting List at 30 September 1990
Specialty |Moyle |Average of similar
|Hospital Provision
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Surgery |148 |138
Ear, Nose and Throat |142 |<1>
Gynaecology |36 |120
<1>Specialty not provided.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his Department's assessment of the cost-effectiveness of basic acute specialty provision for patients admitted to Moyle hospital, Larne.
Mr. Hanley : No such assessment has been made by the Department of Health and Social Services since this is a matter for the Northern health and social services board.
Acute Hospital Beds
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many acute hospital beds pro rata to its population each health board in Northern Ireland provides ; and whether he will take steps to remove any inequality of provision.
Mr. Hanley : The figures requested are as follows :
HSS Board |Available Acute Beds per
|1,000 population (1989-90)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern |5.1
Northern |2.5
Southern |2.8
Western |2.7
The high level of provision in the Eastern board area reflects the inclusion of beds for regional medical services there. All hospitals often provide care to patients outside own board areas.
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Health Policies (East Antrim)
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to ensure that the Northern health and social services board implements the policies of Her Majesty's Government for the 1990s at Moyle hospital, Larne, and for the east Antrim area.
Mr. Hanley : Under the Government's proposals set out in "Working for Patients" responsibility for the provision of services to the population of Larne, and the East Antrim area falls to the Northern health and social services board. Implementation of the Government's policies by the Northern board will continue to be monitored through the annual accountability review process.
Housing Executive (Garages)
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the garages owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive at the rear of Wellington avenue, Larne, have tenants ; and what assessment has been made of the effect the present rent level charged by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for garages on incentives to car-owning tenants of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive properties to use garage space available.
Mr. Needham : The chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has advised me that there are 19 garages owned by the Executive at the rear of Wellington avenue, Larne, seven of which are rented. The Executive has given consideration to the rent levels for garages and is satisfied that they are appropriate. No incentives are offered to Housing Executive tenants in respect of the rental of available garage space.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many garages are in the ownership of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in Northern Ireland ; and for how many garages the Northern Ireland Housing Executive receives rental payments.
Mr. Needham : The chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has advised me that the Executive owns 11,283 garages and rental payments are received for 7,185 of these garages.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many garages have been demolished by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each of the last three years.
Mr. Needham : The chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has advised me that the number of garages demolished in each of the last three years is as follows :
|Number
----------------------
1987-88 |118
1988-89 |77
1989-90 |135
Primary School Pupils
Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of primary school pupils in each education and library board area over the last ten years.
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Dr. Mawhinney : The numbers are as follows :Column 403
Year |Belfast |Western |North-Eastern|South-Eastern|Southern -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1981 |31,708 |36,113 |44,336 |35,559 |41,862 1982 |30,491 |35,609 |42,645 |34,882 |41,111 1983 |29,200 |35,165 |41,389 |34,010 |40,481 1984 |28,825 |35,015 |40,725 |34,183 |40,310 1985 |28,461 |35,194 |40,085 |34,509 |40,425 1986 |28,509 |35,254 |39,788 |34,672 |40,519 1987 |28,690 |35,512 |39,517 |34,954 |40,844 1988 |29,158 |35,541 |39,390 |34,935 |41,098 1989 |29,411 |35,979 |39,491 |35,290 |41,562 1990 |29,988 |36,212 |39,687 |35,516 |41,877
School Inspectors
Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many school inspectors have been employed by the Department of Education in each of the last five years ; and what has been the cost of employing each of these inspectors in each of the last five years.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information is as follows :
---------------------------------------------------- 1986-87 |53 |2,004,822 1987-88 |57 |2,448,024 1988-89 |57 |2,432,807 1989-90 |57 |2,646,122 1990-91 |60 |<1>2,987,429 <1> Estimated.
Education and Library Boards (Administration)
Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on administration by each of the five education and library boards in each of the last five years.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information is as follows :
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Education and Library Boards' Administration Expenditure
|Belfast |North-Eastern|South-Eastern|Southern |Western |Total
Year |£000s |£000s |£000s |£000s |£000s |£000s
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985-86 |4,328 |3,796 |3,580 |3,574 |3,427 |18,705
1986-87 |4,609 |4,207 |3,928 |3,968 |3,709 |10,421
1987-88 |4,994 |4,606 |4,360 |4,509 |4,118 |22,587
1988-89 |5,237 |5,294 |4,839 |5,460 |4,735 |25,565
1989-90 |5,898 |6,056 |5,651 |6,250 |5,445 |29,300
Tobacco Industry
Mr. A. Cecil Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of employed persons in the tobacco industry in the Province (i) at the latest date and (ii) five years ago.
Mr. Needham : I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
Housing
Mr. A. Cecil Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of housing executive properties (a) demolished and (b) replaced in each of the polling wards in Belfast for each year including and since 1979.
Mr. Needham : This is a matter for the chairman of the Housing Executive who has informed me that the information is not available in the form requested and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.
Pupil Costs
Rev. Ian Paisley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the unit cost per pupil for each secondary school in each education and library board area.
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Dr. Mawhinney : Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Red Foxes
Rev. Ian Paisley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons the Royal Ulster Constabulary require those engaged in the shooting of red foxes for control purposes to do so with .22 rimfire rifles.
Dr. Mawhinney : The chief constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary has informed me that he does not require the use of .22 rimfire rifles for the shooting of red foxes.
Rev. Ian Paisley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he intends to offer financial compensation to sheep farmers and game preservers for depredations by red foxes.
Mr. Hanley : There are no grounds for claiming compensation for loses due to a natural predator such as a fox.
Rev. Ian Paisley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who is responsible for firearms policy in Northern Ireland in relation to rimfire and centrefire rifles suitable for vermin destruction ; and what is that policy in relation to requests for .22 centrefire rifles for fox control. Dr. Mawhinney : Responsibility for firearms licensing policy rests with the chief constable of the Royal Ulster
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Constabulary but, as appeals under the firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 are to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, the chief constable consults him from time to time on aspects of firearms policy.As part of that policy, the chief constable would not normally authorise the use of .22 centrefire rifles for fox control.
Rev. Ian Paisley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland upon what expert evidence and research his policy in respect of the firearms to be used for controlling red foxes is based ; and what representations he has had on this subject.
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