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Teesside Benefit Areas
Dr. Kumar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the current targets for the North Tees and South Tees benefit areas are for meeting (a) delivery and (b) accuracy for benefits administered.
Miss Widdecombe : The setting of targets for district offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
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Severe Hardship Allowance
Dr. Kumar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many severe hardship allowance payments were made to young people for the year 1990-91 (a) in the North and (b) in South Tees benefit area ; and how many have been made in the first six months of 1991-92.
Mr. Jack : The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Disability Benefits
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the figures (a) by region and (b) nationally for each year from 1987 onwards of the number of people applying for (i) mobility allowances and (ii) attendance allowances ; and the actual numbers granted in each case.
Mr. Scott [pursuant to his reply, 27 January 1992, c. 467-68] : I regret that the figure for 1991 was incorrect. The correct information is as follows :
Regional figures are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Available national figures are given in the table :
AA initial and subMobA initial and
claims<1> (roundedsubsequent claims<1>
thousands) (rounded thousands)
Year |Number |Awards |Number |Awards
|received |received
------------------------------------------------------
1987 |320 |209 |182 |92
1988 |362 |208 |200 |92
1989 |365 |229 |200 |93
1990 |409 |274 |198 |130
1991 |539 |348 |231 |109
<1> Claims received in any year are not necessarily
processed in that same year. Figures for renewals are
not included.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
East Timor
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss the resolution of the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly calling on Indonesia to withdraw from East Timor with the Indonesian Foreign Minister at his meeting in London on 5 February.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made clear to the Indonesian Foreign Minister that we continue to support the United Nations Secretary-General in his efforts to promote contacts between Indonesia and Portugal to reach a settlement satisfactory to both sides, as called for in a United Nations General Assembly resolution of 1982.
Data Information Systems
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what data information systems his Department has (a) agreed and (b) been
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consulted about with a view to taking part in ; what are the criteria for inclusion in such systems ; whether they will be linked to (i) the police national computer and (ii) other computer systems ; what data protection provisions apply to them ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Lennox-Boyd : In common with many other Departments, the business of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is increasingly conducted with the use of data information systems. It would not be possible to document them fully other than at a disproportionate cost. Systems are registered under the terms of the Data Protection Act, under which the FCO has eight registrations, at present encompassing 1,194 applications. None of these is linked to the police national computer, or to other external systems.
Aung San Suu Kyi
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the case of Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We deplore the continuing failure of the Burmese authorities to respond to our own and other international calls for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, including the United Nations General Assembly resolution on human rights in Burma which we co-sponsored and which drew attention to her plight. With our EC partners we have called on the Burmese authorities to allow Aung San Suu Kyi access to her family and to permit her to receive proper medical attention. We have urged other countries to make similar approaches to the regime in Burma.
Albanians, Kosovo
Mr. Norris : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to monitor how recognition of Slovenia and Croatia may alter the prospects for ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We will continue to monitor closely the situation in Yugoslavia and the impact which recognition of Slovenia and Croatia has had there.
Arms Sales (Definition)
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his proposed definition of arms for the purposes of the establishment of an arms sales register as required by United Nations resolution will cover (a) the sales of designs, technology and project management expertise, (b) military end-users of dual-use machine tools, and electronic equipment, (c) radar, communications and energy option equipment and (d) bunkers, testing facilities and target- hardening equipment.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on 12 December 1991, at column 499.
Nuclear Materials
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries over which Her Majesty's Government have concern
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arising from the buildup of fissile nuclear materials capable of being diverted to military use in nuclear warheads.Mr. Douglas Hogg : Any country failing to accede to the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons or to other similar nuclear non- proliferation agreements involving the safeguarding of all their fissile nuclear materials must expect to be viewed with some concern.
Council of Ministers
Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers.
Mr. Garel-Jones [pursuant to his answer, 5 February 1992, c. 199] : The Foreign Affairs Council met on 3 February and a statement on its outcome was made on 7 February.
The Economic and Financial Council will meet on 10 February. Ministers will consider multilateral surveillance of the economies of member states, including the Irish convergence programme, and also the formal adoption of the Commission's annual economic report. The Council will also consider aid to central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The Council may also consider the revision to the financial perspective for 1992, the investment services directive and the legislative programme relating to economic and monetary union arising from the treaty on European union. Ministers may also formally adopt the legal text of the draft directive on the commercial movement of excise goods in the single market which they agreed at the Economic and Finance Council on 16 December 1991. It is also expected that Ministers will formally adopt a new regulation for enhanced administrative cooperation between member states. This will provide for the automatic exchange of information between EC tax authorities.
The Agriculture Council will meet on 10 and 11 February. Ministers will discuss reform on the common agricultural policy, agricultural aspects of the GATT Uruguay round, public health problems affecting the killing of wild game and the marketing of wild game meat. The internal market council will meet on 25 February. Ministers may consider the final adoption of the public procurement directive for remedies in the utilities sectors, and the adoption of common positions on the third non-life insurance directive. Consolidation directives on tractors and on units of measurement, and a directive on veterinary homeopathic medicines will also be discussed by Ministers. There may also be further ministerial discussions on frontier controls, and draft legislation on data protection, precursor chemicals, food colourings and food irradiation.
TRANSPORT
Light Dues
12. Mr. Moate : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to abolish the system of light dues.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Government have no plans to abolish the system of light dues.
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British Rail
13. Sir Michael Neubert : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects to publish proposals for the privatisation of British Rail.
19. Sir Robert McCrindle : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects to publish his White Paper on the privatisation of British Rail.
Mr. Rifkind : We are making very good progress in developing our proposals to expand the use of the railways through the ending of the rail monopoly and involving the private sector in providing rail services.
22. Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to improve the commercial responsiveness of British Rail.
Mr. Freeman : Privatisation will improve the commercial responsiveness of British Rail. Meanwhile, the passengers charter, BR's response to the citizens charter, which will be published later this month, will signal a better deal for rail users.
Greenford-Paddington Line
14. Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss investment in a direct line from Greenford to Paddington ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. and learned Friend and I meet the chairman of British Rail regularly to discuss current issues. Substantial investment in the Greenford to Paddington corridor is planned over the next few years as part of the total modernisation of Network SouthEast's Thames line.
Network SouthEast
15. Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss the running of Network SouthEast ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. and learned Friend and I meet the chairman of British Rail regularly to discuss current issues.
Lorries (Lateral Spray)
16. Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made by his Department on identifying the cause of lateral spray from large lorries and other heavy vehicles during wet conditions on motorways ; and what means he has identified to reduce such spray.
Mr. Chope : Research at the Transport and Road Research Laboratory into quantifying the danger caused by loss of vision as a result of spray is continuing. A new EC directive at a slightly higher standard than, and operating as an alternative to, the existing national regulations will come into force from April 1992. I hope that a revised British standard, reflecting the improvements in the directive, will be available by the middle of this year so it can then be incorporated in national regulations.
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Blight Notice Regulations
17. Mr. Page : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will extend the scope of the blight notice regulations.
Mr. Chope : I announced on 17 January the rules which will govern the exercise of the additional discretionary powers conferred by section 62 of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991.
A11
18. Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the dualling of the A11 between Newmarket and Four Wentways to be completed.
Mr. Chope : Tenders for the work were received on 4 February. Assessment, award of contract and mobilisation of the successful contractor normally take about two months. The period for completion in the tender documents is two years, which means the road would be dualled by spring 1993.
Citizens Charter
20. Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what redress under the citizens charter he proposes to make available to passengers on public transport.
Mr. Freeman : British Rail and London Underground are to publish their customer charters shortly. Both charters will introduce new systems of redress.
A5
21. Mr. Tredinnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has plans to upgrade the A5 from Hinckley--M69/A5 junction--to Nuneaton--A47/A5.
Mr. Chope : No schemes are currently included in the roads programme to upgrade this section of the A5.
A scheme identification study has been carried out to examine the length of the A5 betwen Old Sleaford, Bucks and the M42, to identify viable options for improving this route. The study report is now being evaluated. Any suitable schemes arising from this will be considered for inclusion in the roads programme when it is next reviewed.
Fenchurch Street Line
23. Mr. Janman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what priority is now being given to improving rail services on the Fenchurch Street line.
Mr. Freeman : British Rail is treating plans for modernisation of the Fenchurch Street line as a matter of high priority. It will shortly let a contract for the £50 resignalling programme which should be completed during 1995. British Rail sees this as the key to improving services. British Rail's rolling stock proposals are currently under discussion with the Department.
Motorist Courtesy Campaign
24. Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce a motorist courtesy campaign, including television and cinema advertising, to enforce respect for the rights of pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.
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Mr. Chope : As part of our wider policy initiatives to improve the safety of vulnerable road users we are currently running a series of campaigns to make motorists more aware of their responsibility for the safety of others, particularly children. These campaigns focus on the need to slow down in residential areas, where inappropriate speed is a major contributory cause of accidents.
Midland Line
25. Mr. Skinner : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent meetings he has had with local authorities to discuss electrification of the midland line ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : I met representatives of the midland main line consortium of local authorities on 4 November. I understand that the consortium has commissioned consultants to examine the case for electrification of the line. Their final report is awaited. It would be for British Rail to bring forward an investment submission if it believed that the project deserves priority within the resources available to it.
Docklands Light Railway
26. Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he expects the Beckton extension of the docklands light railway to be opened for passenger traffic.
Mr. Freeman : Good progress has been made so far on the construction of the Beckton extension. However, the exact date of the opening of the passenger service will be dependent upon the satisfactory commissioning and clear demonstration of reliability of the new signalling system. An announcement will be made by the DLR as soon as a firm date is known.
Alternative Rail Services
27. Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with possible providers of alternative rail services.
Mr. Freeman : A number of private companies have expressed interest in providing rail services, including Virgin, Stagecoach, Badgerline, National Power, Hunslet Barclay and others. This is very encouraging evidence of the opportunities which exist for private sector participation in the passenger and freight railway.
Roads (North-East England)
28. Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Government have spent on road construction and maintenance in the north -east of England since 1979 ; how much the Government plan to spend in 1992 -93 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : Since 1979 the Government have spent some £412 million in cash terms on road construction and maintenance of trunk roads and the motorways in the north-east of England.
Additionally over the last six years the Department has provided transport supplementary grant for local authority road schemes amounting to some £73 million.
The total provision for 1992-93 has not yet been decided.
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London Underground (Disabled People)
29. Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what survey has been made of the access available for disabled people to travel on London underground ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : The unit for disabled passengers at London Transport works closely with London Underground Ltd.--LUL--and representatives of people with disabilities on improvements in access to the underground system. A guide is produced by the unit which gives information on access at all stations.
LUL has also recently commissioned a report on safety aspects of wheelchair users travelling in deep sections of the system, and that report is currently under discussion with the railway inspectorate.
Rail Services (Swansea)
30. Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to provide further funding for rail services to and from Swansea ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : It is for British Rail to determine future investment priorities within the funds available. Any investment in the south Wales line would have to be considered in the light of investment needs elsewhere on the network, as well as the merits of the actual case.
Agricultural Vehicles
Mr. Stevens : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to rationalise the handling of European type approval applications for agricultural vehicles.
Mr. Chope : In order to reduce the burden on manufacturers and to improve the efficiency of type approval procedures, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has approved the transfer of responsibility for agricultural vehicle type approval matters from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the Department of Transport. Subject to parliamentary approval, the relevant regulations will be amended to bring this into effect from 10 February 1992.
River Safety Inquiry
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that adequate resources for legal advice and assistance are available to those seeking to make representations or give evidence to the inquiry set up into river safety.
Mr. McLoughlin : My right hon. and learned Friend has asked Mr. John Hayes, secretary general of the Law Society, to carry out an independent investigation into river safety. Mr. Hayes has already asked for written representations, through advertisements in the press and letters to those with a known interest. I understand that he also intends inviting some individuals to discuss their evidence with him. These discussions will be totally non-adversarial and held in private. In the circumstances I do not think that those who choose to give evidence should have any need of legal advice and I do not propose to use public funds to meet any costs they might incur.
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Coastguard
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the proposed changes in coastguard service provision on the ability of auxiliary staff to provide an effective service.
Mr. McLoughlin : The sector review provided inter alia an in-depth assessment of the ability of the auxiliary coastguard service to provide an effective service. Proposals put forward as a result aim further to improve this ability, including the establishment of 68 additional auxiliary coastguard companies around the coast at locations where there previously were none ; by doubling numbers of pagers and portable radios ; by improving remuneration, equipment, and training of auxiliaries ; and by way of an extensive station building and upgrading programme to provide the coastguard with modern bases from which to operate.
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide a breakdown by United Kingdom county and region of the finance being allocated for the implementation of the proposed changes in coastguard provision ; and how much of this will be offset by planned disposals.
Mr. McLoughlin : The internal structure of the coastguard service is not organised along United Kingdom county/regional boundaries. The financial allocation for the whole of the United Kingdom for the implementation period of the sector review is in the region of £1,430,000. I would refer the hon. Member to an earlier reply I gave him concerning the disposal of assets, where I stated that no significant income is expected, and that annual running cost savings of over £50, 000 will be achieved once the programme of disposals is complete.
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from members of the public expressing dissatisfaction with the effectiveness of the coastguard service in responding quickly to reported incidents ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Secretary of State for Transport has received no representations from members of the public expressing dissatisfaction with the effectiveness of the coastguard service in responding quickly to reported incidents in the past year. Her Majesty's coastguard has received expressions of dissatisfaction over the handling of four incidents--out of over 7,200--in the past year. Her Majesty's coastguard constantly seeks to improve availability, readiness and resources in order to provide the best possible search-and-rescue service in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 22 January, Official Report, columns 216-17, if he will specify the meetings, including dates, he has had with the representatives of coastguard auxiliary staff on the proposed changes to coastguard service provision.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Secretary of State for Transport has not had any meetings with representatives of the auxiliary coastguard concerning proposed changes
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resulting from the sector review. The coastguard management structure is in place to fulfil the Secretary of State's remit to provide a search-and-rescue organisation within the United Kingdom and auxiliary coastguards have formal access to this management to communicate their views, opinions and concerns.The hon. Member will be aware that all auxiliary coastguard companies had ample opportunity to communicate their views and opinions on the sector review proposals to district and regional management before final regional implementation plans were submitted to coastguard headquarters.
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from chief coastguards on the proposed changes in coastguard service provision ; how many expressed (a) approval and (b) disapproval with the proposed changes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Secretary of State has received no representations from regional controllers on the sector review. Regional controllers have had, apart from frequent written consultations and coastal visits by the chief coastguard, six meetings between January 1989 and May 1991 with the chief coastguard to discuss and formulate recommendations, and to put forward their local implementation plans. All expressed approval of the proposed changes.
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he received from representatives of the auxiliary staff of the coastguard service on the review of the service ; and how many indicated (a) approval and (b) disapproval.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Secretary of State has received no direct representation from representatives of the auxiliary staff of the coastguard service on the review of the service. Auxiliary coastguards were given ample opportunity to express their views and opinions concerning the sector review through local line management during the consultative period in 1991 before final regional implementation plans were submitted to coastguard headquarters. The vast majority of auxiliary coastguards and regular officers are in favour of the review and its proposals. There are, exceptionally, a few localised areas where disapproval has been expressed.
A6M/A627 Junction, Stockport
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish details of the junction proposed for the A6M/A627 junction at Offerton road, Stockport, mentioned in his letter of 27 January to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove.
Mr. Chope : The junction proposals were published in November as part of the supplementary line and side roads orders.
Catalytic Converters
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has of the effects of the fitting of catalytic converters to vehicles in terms of noxious emissions, other emissions and fuel consumption.
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Mr. Chope : On the basis of road tests carried out by the Government's Warren Spring laboratory, a typical vehicle equipped with a catalyst in good condition will reduce its emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen by approximately 90 per cent. in each case. On the other hand, fuel consumption will increase by 3 to 9 per cent., and there will be an increase of 9 to 23 per cent. in carbon dioxide emissions.
Smoke Hoods
Mr. Day : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will obtain confirmation from the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority that where smoke hood manufacturers can demonstrate that their smoke hoods meet the requirement of the internationally agreed EUROCAE standard for passenger protective breathing equipment they will be deemed to have satisfied the Civil Aviation Authority's requirement that their smoke hoods do not hinder escape.
Mr. McLoughlin : I am advised by the Civil Aviation Authority that the best strategies to protect passengers in an aircraft fire are rapid evacuation and prevention of the spread of fire. The CAA believes that smokehoods, whether to the EUROCAE standard or otherwise, are likely to give rise to an unacceptable delay in evacuation.
London Underground (Policing)
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the manning levels of British Transport police on the Central line ; and what arrangements there are for compensating shopkeepers for criminal damage to shops on London Transport premises.
Mr. Freeman : More than 160 officers are stationed at British Transport police stations in the geographical area covered by the Central line. The terms of leases between LT and its tenants are a commercial matter for the parties involved, but I understand that LT's normal practice is to advise shopkeepers to take out insurance against criminal damage.
Bypasses and Motorways
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) bypasses and (b) motorways have been constructed by his Department since 1972 ; and if he will list for each of those bypasses and motorways the estimated traffic flows (i) at the time of design, (ii) on completion, (iii) after the first year of operation and (iv) at present.
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