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Written Answers to Questions

Tuesday 26 January 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Magistrates Courts

Mr. Hendry : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what information he has on the proportion of cases postponed by magistrates because of the non-appearance of essential people or documents.

Mr. John M. Taylor : The information is not collected centrally.

Legal Aid

Mr. Michael : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department into which category of offence the six most expensive legally aided cases or groups of cases fell in each of the last five years.

Mr. John M. Taylor : Information is available for only the last four years. An analysis of criminal legal aid payments in respect of cases heard in the Crown court indicate that the six most expensive cases fell into the following offence categories :


Offence type         |1988-89     |1989-90     |1990-91     |1991-92                  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fraud                |2           |2           |4           |4                        

Obtaining by                                                                          

  deception          |1           |2           |1           |1                        

Handling stolen                                                                       

  goods              |1           |1           |-           |-                        

Revenue law offences |1           |-           |1           |-                        

Murder               |-           |-           |-           |1                        

Drugs offences       |-           |1           |-           |-                        

Other offences       |1           |-           |-           |-                        

Mr. Milburn : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will estimate for each area committee the number of applicants who will no longer be eligible for legal aid after 1 April.

Mr. John M. Taylor : Whether or not an individual is eligible for legal aid depends both on the details of his or her financial means and the merits of the case he or she wishes to bring or defend. The only estimates that are made are of the number of certificates likely to be issued in England and Wales as a whole.

Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce new rules regarding the granting of legal aid in complex fraud cases ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John M. Taylor : Legal aid will continue to be granted, subject to the applicant's means, where the court considers that it is in the interests of justice.

Mr. Milburn : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list for each area


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committee for each year since 1985 (a) the annual budget for legal aid in current and 1985 prices, (b) the number of legal aid cases granted aid and (c) the number of legal aid cases not granted aid.

Mr. John M. Taylor : It has not been possible to obtain the information requested in the time available. However, I will write to the hon. Member.

Fraud Trials

Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to reduce the time taken to conclude long fraud trials ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John M. Taylor : The Lord Chancellor's Department, the Home Office and the Law Officers' Department issued a consultation paper on 3 December seeking views on how to reduce the length of criminal trials, particularly those involving fraud. The consultation paper considers the causes of all types of long trials and seeks views on a wide range of options available which might help to reduce their length. The paper asks for responses by 28 February 1993. A view will then be taken as to which particular proposals and options commend themselves. In addition, we await with interest the report of the Royal Commission on criminal justice.

Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to introduce a properly structured system of plea bargaining, with safeguards, for long fraud trials ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John M. Taylor : I refer the hon. and learned Member to my reply to him on 7 July 1992, at columns 93-94. The Lord Chancellor and I are considering the matter, but there are no plans to introduce a structured system of plea-bargaining in long fraud trials, or any others, at the present time. However, our recent evidence to the Royal Commission on criminal justice has explored the issues raised by this suggestion.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Recruitment and Assessment Services

Mr. Hanson : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give details of the cost per job created in the civil service by the use of Recruitment and Assessment Services in Basingstoke.

Mr. Robert Jackson : Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the chief executive of Recruitment and Assessment Services. I have asked him to write in reply.

Letter from Michael D. Geddes to Mr. David Hanson, dated 25 January 1993 :

I have been asked to reply to your recent question to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster enquiring about the cost per job created through the use of this Agency. I assume that you are referring to the cost per vacancy filled.

It is not possible to give a precise answer to your question as RAS provides a wide range of recruitment and related services. In some cases we prepare only further particulars of a post and place an advertisement ; in other cases we provide a full service including perhaps an individual assessment service or a full-scale Assessment Centre. Departments and the Civil Service Commissioners are not required to use the


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services of RAS. We negotiate an agreed price for each particular project which we undertake which reflects the amount of work requested by the customer department.

In 1991/92 we processed more than 100,000 applications as well as over 150,000 general enquiries. We filled 2,989 vacancies through the provision of comprehensive recruitment schemes (Many of which were for multiple vacancies) and participated in one way or another in a further 66 partial schemes. We also provided 803 consultancy days. The total cost of the Agency, including overheads, was £11.9 million. Statistics for the current year will be given in our 1992/93 Annual Report, which will be published in the middle of the year. I hope that this provides you with the information which you require, but please let me know if you would like any further details.

Her Majesty's Stationery Office

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those occasions in each of the past five years in which officials with responsibility for placing printing contracts in (a) HMSO headquarters and (b) HMSO, Llanishen, Cardiff, have been subject to disciplinary proceedings leading to (i) suspension on full pay,(ii) suspension without pay, (iii) summary dismissal and (iv) criminal proceedings.

Mr. Robert Jackson : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to HMSO under its chief executive. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member direct.

Letter from Paul Freeman to Mr. Rhodri Morgan, dated 25 January 1993 :

As you are aware, your Parliamentary Question to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, about disciplinary action against officials with responsibility for placing printing contracts, has been referred to me for reply.

There has been just one such case at HMSO Headquarters during the past five years. The officer concerned was dismissed, and criminal proceedings are pending. There was also one such case at HMSO Cardiff. In this case the officer concerned was also dismissed, but I understand that the police, who have seen the papers, are not pursuing the matter further.

I should add that both officers were dismissed for using their official position to personal advantage, and not for any improprieties in the placing of printing contracts.

Research Council

Mr. Duncan : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the meeting of European Research Ministers on 9 December 1992 and on the United Kingdom's presidency of the Research Council.

Mr. Waldegrave : I am pleased to report that following the meeting of Research Ministers on 9 December under my chairmanship, member states were able to reach agreement on a common orientation to supplement the funding of the third R and D framework programme by 900 million ecu in the years 1993 and 1994. This supplement increases the total funding guaranteed from 5.7 becu to 6.6 becu and represents an important interim measure to ensure the continuity of R and D activities under the objectives for the third framework programme, in the approach to the implementation of a successor programme, thereby avoiding a potential reduction in R and D funding over this period.


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In addition, I chaired an in-depth discussion at the Council meeting on 12 October, on the evaluation of the second framework programme on the basis of a report prepared under United Kingdom chairmanship, in preparation for a first orientation debate on the fourth framework programme at the Council on 9 December.

There was also an informal discussion at the December Council of how to improve the management of EC research programmes on the basis of a paper presented by the United Kingdom. The Commission agreed to respond to these ideas before the next Council of Research Ministers.

ENVIRONMENT

Housing, Sandwell

Mr. Snape : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total provision from central funds received by the Sandwell metropolitan borough authority in support of capital expenditure on housing for each year since 1979.

Mr. Baldry : The amounts of capital grants paid to Sandwell MBA in the years 1981-82 to 1991-92 in support of housing capital expenditure, including any adjustments for over or under payment in previous years, were as follows :


Years      |£ thousand           

---------------------------------

1981-82    |110                  

1982-83    |233                  

1983-84    |328                  

1984-85    |187                  

1985-86    |119                  

1986-87    |238                  

1987-88    |88                   

1988-89    |94                   

1989-90    |-5                   

1990-91    |3,826                

1991-92    |8,360                

Figures for earlier years could be provided only at

disproportionate cost. The significantly higher payments in 1990-91 and 1991-92 reflect the revised arrangements for private sector renovation grants introduced on 1 April 1990.

The Government also influence housing capital expenditure by local authorities through housing investment programme--HIP--allocations and supple-mentary credit approvals. Those for Sandwell for the years since 1979-80 are given in the table, which also gives total housing capital expenditure by Sandwell MBA in these years.


Housing investment programme allocations           

and supplementary credit approvals and capital     

expenditure                                        

for Sandwell metropolitan borough authority        

1979-80 to 1992-93                                 

£ thousand                                         

<1>Housing                      Housing capital    

investment                      expenditure        

programme                                          

allocations and                                    

supplementary                                      

credit approvals                                   

---------------------------------------------------

1979-80              |18,119   |n/a                

1980-81              |19,869   |n/a                

1981-82              |14,684   |n/a                

1982-83              |15,834   |18,004             

1983-84              |16,668   |22,728             

1984-85              |14,664   |22,390             

1985-86              |13,153   |17,597             

1986-87              |13,382   |20,898             

1987-88              |12,057   |24,079             

1988-89              |10,849   |41,287             

1989-90              |10,124   |42,058             

                                                   

New capital finance system<2>                      

1990-91 20,431       |26,659                       

1991-92              |<3>23,229|<3>22,140          

1992-93              |<4>21,156|<5>32,866          

<1>Allocations for 1989-90 and earlier years are   

final allocations, i.e. the initial allocation     

plus any increases to the initial allocation made  

in-year. The figures for 1990-91 and subsequent    

years cover the housing investment programme       

allocations (housing annual capital guidelines and 

specified capital grants) issued prior to the      

start of the financial year and any supplementary  

credit approvals subsequently issued.              

<2>From 1990-91, under the new capital finance     

system, the housing investment programme           

allocation is an assessment of relative need for   

housing capital expenditure rather than a direct   

borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now      

conveyed by the single, all service, basic credit  

approval.                                          

<3>Provisional.                                    

<4>Includes only supplementary credit approvals    

for 1992-93 already issued.                        

<5>Estimated.                                      

n/a-Not available.                                 

Local Government Finance

Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will recalculate his proposals for 1993-94 standard spending assessments for every authority


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on the notional basis of the Isle of Wight becoming a unitary authority comprising the present county council and district councils from 1 April 1993 ; and if he will make a statement on the effects on SSAs of local government reorganisations, in particular any changes in SSAs of those authorities not being reorganised being brought about by the impact on non-linear SSAs of data in respect of reorganised authorities being aggregated or disaggregated.

Mr. Howard : No ; it is too early to produce such figures. The detailed implications of local government reorganisation for standard spending assessments will be discussed with representatives of the local authority associations in due course.

Standard Spending Assessments

Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the increase in the area cost adjustment factor compared to the overall increase in standard spending assessment for 1993-94.

Mr. Robin Squire : These figures are not yet available. I will write to the hon. Member when final 1993-94 standard spending assessments are announced.

Mr. Pope : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list (a) the total number of pupils used in the calculation of standard spending assessments, (b) the allocation of standard spending assessment for primary, secondary and post-16 pupils and (c) the standard spending assessment per pupil for (i) Essex,(ii) Hampshire, (iii) Kent, (iv) Lancashire and (v) all shire county education authorities.

Mr. Robin Squire : The information requested is as follows, on the basis of provisional SSAs for 1993-94.


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Local authority     |Total pupils       |Primary Education  |Secondary Education|Post-16 Education  |Total of primary                       

                                        |SSA                |SSA                |SSA                |secondary and                          

                                                                                                    |post-16 Education                      

                                                                                                    |SSA                                    

                                        |£ million          |£ million          |£ million          |£ per pupil                            

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Essex               |205,308            |203.468            |240.749            |34.788             |2,333                                  

Hampshire           |191,786            |203.178            |219.978            |11.352             |2,266                                  

Kent                |206,183            |201.057            |235.907            |47.953             |2,352                                  

Lancashire          |190,639            |193.978            |211.551            |18.347             |2,223                                  

                                                                                                                                            

All shire counties  |3,900,976          |3,827.319          |4,317.165          |658.495            |2,257                                  

Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates of the number of elderly people on income support for each local authority area in 1992-93 and 1993-94 were used in determining standard spending assessment levels.

Mr. Robin Squire : Estimates of the number of elderly people on income support in shire counties, metropolitan districts and London boroughs are produced by the Department of Social Security from its quarterly 1 per cent. sample inquiries of claimant records for use in the calculation of standard spending assessments. The estimates relate to the average number of persons over eight quarters who are, or whose partner is, aged 60 years and over and in receipt of income support. For 1992-93 SSAs, the eight quarters cover the period May 1989 to February 1991 ; and for 1993-94, they cover the period May 1990 to February 1992.


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Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to change the standard spending assessment formula to include direct measures of unemployment and proxies for wealth, including levels of car ownership.

Mr. Robin Squire : The Secretary of State will shortly be announcing his final decisions regarding the 1993-94 revenue support grant settlement. For 1994-95 there will be a review of the indicators used in the calculation of standard spending assessments as a result of the new information available from the 1991 census.

Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the area cost adjustment factor as a percentage of the standard spending assessment for each year from 1990-91 to 1993-94.


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Mr. Robin Squire : The total amounts allocated on the basis of the area cost adjustment factor as a percentage of standard spending assessments for each of the last three years is as follows :


                     |Total SSA           |Total allocated on  |Percentage allocated                     

                                          |area cost           |on area cost                             

                                          |adjustment factors  |adjustment factors                       

                     |£ million           |£ million                                                     

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1990-91              |29,805.3            |836.5               |2.8                                      

1991-92              |35,586.7            |1,152.1             |3.2                                      

1992-93              |37,992.7            |1,314.5             |3.5                                      

Final standard spending assessments for 1993-94 will be announced shortly. I will write to the hon. Member with the corresponding figures for 1993-94 when these are available.

Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average standard spending assessment for each year from 1990-91 ; and which local authorities and by how much in each case benefited from the area cost adjustment factor in that year.

Mr. Robin Squire : The total of standard spending assessments and the average per head of resident population for each year since 1990-91 is as follows :


T

                     |Total SSA (£        |Average per head (£)                     

                     |million)                                                      

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1990-91              |29,805.3            |627                                      

1991-92              |35,586.7            |746                                      

1992-93              |37,992.7            |794                                      

1992-93<1>           |35,584.3            |744                                      

1993-94<2>           |36,622.2            |762                                      

<1> Adjusted.                                                                       

<2> Provisional.                                                                    

There was a reduction in SSAs between 1992-93 and 1993-94 because of the transfer of some local authority responsibilities, mainly in respect of further education. The table also, therefore, shows 1992-93 figures on an adjusted basis, taking account of these transfers for comparison with the 1993-94 figures. The 1993-94 figures are based on those announced on 26 November for the purposes of consultation. Final settlement figures will be announced shortly. On the area cost adjustment, I have placed in the Library a table showing the figures requested in respect of the three years 1990-91, 1991-92, and 1992-93. Corresponding figures for 1993-94 are not yet available. I will write to the hon. Member with final figures for 1993- 94 shortly.

Urban Programme

Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what central Government support Coventry can expect in addressing its inner-city problems.

Mr. Robin Squire : My Department and others have a range of complementary programmes to address the problems of Coventry and other urban priority areas totalling some £4 billion a year. As far as my own Department's programmes are concerned, in addition to substantial resources to tackle housing problems, in the


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current financial year, Coventry has been allocated £4.6 million under the urban programme and task force funding of almost £1.3 million.

Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the urban programme as a source of support for voluntary organisations in Coventry working in the poorer areas ; how much has been provided to those organisations under the urban programme ; and what arrangements he has made to continue support for voluntary organisations when the urban programme is phased out.

Mr. Robin Squire : The urban programme--UP--has, and will continue to, support in Coventry and other urban priority areas some excellent projects developed by voluntary sector and other organisations. The city council's annual report indicates that £2.1 million was spent on voluntary sector projects in Coventry in 1991-92. Commitments arising from voluntary sector projects approved as part of Coventry's UPs in 1992-93 and previous years will be honoured in full. In addition, the urban partnership fund, part of the capital partnership programme, will provide up to £20 million in 1993-94 in uncommitted UP resources to support capital and directly linked revenue projects in the 57 urban priority areas. It is open to local authorities to involve voluntary organisations in particular projects.

Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy that Coventry will be granted inner area status from 1994-95 onwards.

Mr. Robin Squire : The circumstances of Coventry and all other authorities in England will be considered as part of a review of urban priority areas later this year using 1991 census and other data. The review will inform decisions on geographical targeting and the balance of programmes required to tackle the needs of urban areas.

Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what detailed studies were conducted prior to the Government's decision to wind up the urban programme ; and if he will place copies of their findings in the Library.

Mr. Robin Squire : There will continue to be a substantial urban programme--UP--in 1993-94 amounting to £176 million which will fund existing commitments and provide £20 million for the urban partnership fund. Decisions on the new UP arrangements were taken having regard to all the relevant factors.

Repair Grants

Ms. Coffey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 19 January, Official Report, column 167, what steps he takes to monitor the effectiveness of the mandatory repair grant scheme in improving unfit houses.

Mr. Baldry : The Department collects regular quarterly and annual statistics of the number and value of mandatory renovation grants approved and paid by local authorities. It has recently completed research to monitor the early operation and effectiveness of the new grant system, including the extent of targeting of expenditure on unfit houses. The 1991 English house condition survey will also provide data on the impact of mandatory grant expenditure in improving housing conditions.


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Crown Land (Planning Procedures)

Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment has been carried out by his Department concerning the effectiveness of the non-statutory planning procedures which have been operating over the development of Crown land ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Baldry : The non-statutory procedures for Crown development are generally considered to work well in practice. But in the interests of greater accountability and openness, the Government believe that a more formal system is now appropriate.

In reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Colchester, South and Maldon, (Mr. Whittingdale) my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning announced on 24 June 1992, Official Report, column 202, that the Government believe that it is now appropriate to bring Crown exemption under the planning system largely to an end. A public consultation paper on the removal of Crown immunity from planning law was issued on 5 November 1992 and we are currently considering responses. Any changes will be embodied in primary legislation when a suitable opportunity arises.

Empty Homes

Mr. Simpson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to allow local authorities to buy empty housing properties from the private sector ; and what evaluation he has made of the comparative cost-effectiveness of doing so as against using temporary accommodation.

Mr. Baldry : The provision of new social housing is now mainly the responsibility of housing associations, with local authorities concentrating on the management of their existing stock and on their broad enabling role. The Government expect local authorities to make the most efficient use of all permanent housing stock available to them, so as to reduce to a minimum the need for temporary accommodation. Nevertheless, authorities are able to acquire empty private sector housing, in line with their priorities for the use of available resources.

Building Regulations

Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to amend part L of the Building Regulations 1991 to encourage the conservation of fuel and power ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Baldry : I am today issuing a consultation paper setting out proposals for strengthening the requirements of part L of the Building Regulations 1991 for the conservation of fuel and power. The aim is to reduce the CO emissions from buildings by incorporating cost effective measures, but to do so in a way which does not introduce unacceptable technical risks and maintains some flexibility for designers. We estimate that adoption of these proposals would improve the energy performance of space and water heating in houses by some 25 to 35 per cent. compared with current building regulations standards, with similar improvements in the non-domestic sector. Among the proposals is one to require an energy rating for all new dwellings and house conversions. This would


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be a major step forward in increasing energy awareness among house buyers. A copy of the consultation papers has been placed in the Library of the House.

Education Spending

Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each education authority in England the standard spending assessment for education per pupil, the actual spending per pupil, the cash difference and the percentage of education SSA this difference represents for the last three years for which figures are available.

Mr. Robin Squire [holding answer 21 January 1993] : The standard spending assessment for education consists of five sub-blocks, only three of which concern pupils--primary, secondary and post-16. It is not possible to provide expenditure figures on a basis which would allow comparison with these three elements.

TRANSPORT

Aircraft (Smoking)

Mr. Fry : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is Her Majesty's Government's policy with respect to the International Civil Aviation Organisation's recommendation to ban smoking in aircraft from 1996.

Mr. Norris : The Government believe that the question of smoking on aircraft should remain a matter for the airlines, which would have to implement any ban.

Nuclear Material (Transport)

Mr. Horam : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the safety of the arrangements for nuclear waste to be transported by train ; and if he will make it his policy to collect information about the quantity of nuclear material transported through each parliamentary constituency.

Mr. Freeman : Safety regulations for the transport of all radioactive materials in this country are based on stringent internationally agreed standards laid down by the International Atomic Energy Agency. These require safety to be "built in" to the design of the container used for transport, so that the contents would not present a significant radiological hazard even in the event of a severe accident. The IAEA standards are kept under continuous review, and major revisions take place every 10 years, the most recent one being in 1985. I have no plans to collect information about the quantity of nuclear material transported through each parliamentary constituency.

Plutonium

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms. Walley), Official Report, 11 January, column 531, on what basis he described the quantities of plutonium exported, to which he refers, as small.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Individual shipments of radioactive material are not notifiable to the Department when transported in type B(U) packages containing an


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activity equal to or less than 3000 A or 3000 A , as appropriate, or 1000 terabecquerels, whichever is the lower. The terms A and A are defined in the International Atomic Energy Agency regulations for the safe transport of radioactive material, a copy of which is available in the library of the House.

Fishing Vessels

Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what inquiries are made in respect of fishing vessels requested to be registered as British to establish that beneficial ownership resides in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Norris : The registrar has to make such inquiries as he considers necessary to establish that ownership of the vessel meets the qualifying criteria and that the vessel is operated and managed from within the United Kingdom.

For the latter he will usually look to any existing management agreement to see that the basic requirements of section 14(1)(b) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 are met.

Merchant Ships

Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the registration of merchant ships under flags of convenience ; and what steps he intends to take to assist the development of the British register of merchant ships.

Mr. Norris : The issue of flag state responsibility is better tackled by effective international action in the International Maritime Organisation and elsewhere aimed at ensuring that all flag states discharge their responsibilities properly. This is already in hand.

As for assisting the British register, we are implementing the recommendations of the joint working party on British shipping of 1990, and to this end the Government will be supporting the Merchant Shipping (Registration etc.) Bill of my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Page) at its Second Reading next month. We shall also continue to press in the European Community for measures to increase commercial opportunities for EC merchant fleets and to remove their competitive disadvantages.

Greater Manchester Buses

Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further representations he has had about the future of Greater Manchester Buses from the Greater Manchester passenger transport authority ; what reply is being sent ; what action he will be taking ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Freeman : Since the Secretary of State issued a direction that Greater Manchester Buses--GMB--should be split, I have met the chairman and other representatives of the Greater Manchester PTA and the chief executive of GMB. There has also been a meeting at official level. We discussed the reasons for requiring GMB to be split, possible options, and how the splitting and subsequent sale might be progressed.

I am keeping in touch with the PTA.


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Motorways

Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those instances where two motorways travel side by side in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Many interchanges between motorways involve motorway slip roads running alongside the main carriageway with which they merge. In addition a skewed interchange between two motorways such as the M6 and M42 near Coleshill, or motorways merging such as the M26 where it joins both the M20 and the M25, can result in a short distance of parallel running.

M62, Ferrybridge

Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what will be the length of the proposed route of the A1 from the M62 junction 33 to the next proposed interchange with the M62 at Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire.


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