| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Sackville : Information is available centrally only on hospital closures since 1988 which were initially contested by community health councils and remained contested throughout the consultation period. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 23 March at cols. 231-32 .
Appointments (FHSAs)
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give details of all individuals appointed to chair family health services authorities and serve as non-executive directors, listing their occupation and sex ; and if she will list any known political affiliations of those appointed.
Dr. Mawhinney : The names of family health services authority chairmen and their occupations at the time of their appointment, where known, are listed. Regional health authorities are responsible for the appointment of the non-executive members. The political affiliation of chairmen and non-executive members of health authorities plays no part in their appointment and would be known at the time of appointment only if an appointee was pursuing a public career at that time. Current political affiliations are not known.
Column 463
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
East Anglian Region
Cambridge |Mrs. M. Scott |Business consultant
Norfolk |Mrs. J. Hopwood |Former research scientist
Suffolk |Mrs. J. Spicer |Housewife
Mersey Region
Liverpool |Mrs. R. Hawley |Housewife
St. Helens and Knowsley |Mr. J. Dray |Company director
Sefton |Mr. C. Darley |Former chief executive
Wirral |Mrs. M Pearce |Voluntary worker
Cheshire |Mr. R. Brown |Pharmacist
North East Thames Region
Barking and Havering |Lady C. Rhys-Williams |Housewife
Camden and Islington |Mrs. A. Burgess |Headteacher
City and East London |Mr. N. Warner |Management consultant
Enfield and Haringey |Mr. H. B. Blackler |Solicitor
Essex |Maj. Gen. R. Wall |Management consultant
Redbridge and
Waltham Forest |Mr. P. Brokenshire |Senior auditor
Northern Region
Cleveland |Mr. T. O'Connor |Company chairman
Cumbria |Mr. J. Wills |Company director
Durham |Mr. I. Bonas |Company chairman
Gateshead |Mrs. B. Balls |Economist
Newcastle |Mr. A. Griffiths |Marine consultant
North Tyneside |Mrs. K. Johnston |Company director
Northumberland |Dr. C. Robinson |Lecturer
South Tyneside |Mr. A. Brown |Solicitor
Sunderland |Mr. J. Brown |Solicitor
North Western Region
Bolton |Mrs. L. Pickford |Company director
Bury |Mr. B. Wood |University lecturer
Lancashire |Mr. C. Jeanes |Managing director
Manchester |Professor Joan Higgins |University professor
Oldham |Mr. M. Farrar |Headteacher
Rochdale |Mr. L. Price |Retired social services director
Salford |Mrs. B. Wilkinson |College lecturer
Stockport |Mr. S. McGeorge |Retired company director
Tameside |Mrs. A. Corrie |Lecturer
Trafford |Mr. D. Higginbottom |Solicitor
Wigan |Mr. B. Edmond |Chemical manufacturer
North West Thames Region
Barnet |Baroness Miller |Company chairman
Bedfordshire |Dr. A. Wood |Company director
Brent and Harrow |Mrs. S. Child |Former publisher
Ealing, Hammersmith and
Hounslow |Mrs. J. Stern |Company director
Hertfordshire |Lady J. Staughton |-
Hillingdon |Mr. D. Bucks |Businessman
Kensington, Chelsea and
Westminster |Mr. R. Davies |Company director
Oxford Region
Berkshire |Mr. G. Odds |Surveyor/estate manager
Northamptonshire |Mrs. S. Barnes |Company director
Buckinghamshire |Mr. P. Gell |Chartered accountant
Oxfordshire |Mrs. D. Levy |Chairman/chief executive
South East Thames Region
East Sussex |Mrs. J. Darlington |Company chairman
Greenwich and Bexley |Mrs. J. Rodin |Projects officer
Kent |Mr. M. Rowley |Company chairman
Lambeth, Southwark and |Mr. J. Fraser |-
Lewisham
Bromley |Mrs. C. McLoughlin |Management consultant
South Western Region
Avon |Mrs. M. Perriam |Teacher
Cornwall and
Isles of Scilly |Mr. M. Varcoe |Chartered accountant
Devon |Rev. Mrs. M. Gent |Parish deacon
Gloucestershire |Mr. C. Weaver |Funeral director
Somerset |(Vacancy) |-
South West Thames Region
Croydon |Mrs. M. James |Former teacher
Kingston and Richmond |Mr. D. Banks |Client services director
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth |Mr. J. Spiers |Managing director
Surrey |Mrs. M. McNaughton |Housewife
West Sussex |Mrs. A. Swain |Education consultant
Trent Region
Barnsley |Mrs. P. Acklam |Accountancy administator
Derbyshire |Mr. M. Boissier |Group personnel controller
Doncaster |Mr. K. Jones |Deputy director of mining
Leicestershire |Dr. G. Edmondson-Jones |Retired GP
Lincolnshire |Mr. P. Pumfrey |Retired chartered surveyor
Rotherham |Mr. P. Andrew |Chief executive
Nottinghamshire |Mr. M. Dassau |Retired clothes manufacturer
Sheffield |Mrs. L. Gladwin |Proprietor of independent social work practice
Wessex Region
Dorset |Mrs. W. Mulliner |Voluntary worker
Hampshire |Mr. D. Paterson |Barrister
Isle of Wight |Dr. Dale Ferguson-Hudson |Senior lecturer
Wiltshire |Ms. J. Gibbons
West Midlands Region
Birmingham |Mrs. C. Vaughan-Griffiths |Management consultant
Coventry |Miss C. Andrew |Solictor
Dudley |Mr. A. Waldron |Solicitor
Hereford and Worcester |Mrs. E. Metcalfe |Bookkeeper
Sandwell |Mr. A. Sealey |Company director
Shropshire |Mr. Z. Nilski |Lecturer
Solihull |Mrs. A. Woolley |Company director
Staffordshire |Mr. P. Jones |Managing director
Walsall |Mr. J. Howell |Chartered surveyor
Warwickshire |Mr. R. Gardener |Compliance officer
Wolverhampton |Ms T. Evans |Educationalist
Yorkshire Region
Bradford |Mr. J. Fergusson |Chartered accountant
Calderdale |Mr. B. Calverley |Retired NHS manager
Humberside |Dr. T. Bolton |General practioner
Kirklees |Mr. K. Sarathy |Deputy headteacher
Leeds |Professor B. Jewell |University professor
North Yorkshire |Mr. J. Whitworth |Managing director
Wakefield |Mr. D. Travis |Administrator
Directors
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give a breakdown, by health authority or NHS trust, of the numbers of directors, both executive and non-executive, and their chairmen who are currently aged over 70 years.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 24 March 1994] : Currently there are four chairmen and 12 non-executive directors of NHS trusts and four chairmen of national health service authorities who are aged 70 or over.
Regional Health Authority Headquarters
Mr. Lewis : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the tenure of the North West regional health authority headquarters premises, Gateway house, Piccadilly, Manchester ;
(2) what is the tenure of the Merseyside regional health authority headquarters premises, Hamilton house, Pall Mall, Liverpool.
Mr. Sackville [pursuant to his answer, 22 February, column 207] : I regret that my previous reply was incorrect. It should read "Hamilton house is the freehold property of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. Gateway house is held on lease until February 2010."
DEFENCE
AWE Aldermaston
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current total estimated cost of the new capital works projects at AWE Aldermaston.
Mr. Aitken : The current total estimated cost of the major programme of capital works at AWE Aldermaston is £1.2 billion.
Column 468
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the plutonium processing laboratories in the A90 complex at AWE Aldermaston are expected to become operational.
Mr. Aitken : The radioactive commissioning of the plutonium processing laboratories in the A90 complex commenced on 15 March 1994. This activity will be phased over some two years during which time plutonium processing will progressively transfer from existing facilities.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimated total cost of rectifying the problems in the A91 building at AWE Aldermaston.
Mr. Aitken : The cost of rectifying the problems in the A91 building at AWE Aldermaston is in the region of £15 million exclusive of value added tax.
It is not our normal practice to disclose commercially confidential information, which is given in this instance with the agreement of the contractor.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long the A1 building at AWE Aldermaston is to remain operational under current plans.
Mr. Aitken : Under current plans it is expected that the A1 building at AWE Aldermaston will remain operational until early 1996.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long the A45 building at AWE Aldermaston is to remain operational under current plans.
Mr. Aitken : The majority of work currently in progress at A45 will progressively transfer to A90, as it becomes operational over the next two years. Under these plans A45 will remain in operation for the foreseeable future.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the A91 building at AWE Aldermaston to become fully operational.
Mr. Aitken : The A91 building at AWE Aldermaston is expected to become fully operational in 1997.
Column 469
PINDAR Bunker
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the expenditure on the PINDAR bunker in each year of design and construction work.
Mr. Aitken : Details of expenditure for project PINDAR civil works by financial year are as follows :
|£ million
------------------------------
1984-85 |0.1
1985-86 |0.6
1986-87 |2.4
1987-88 |6.6
1988-89 |6.7
1989-90 |9.3
1990-91 |24.5
1991-92 |7.6
1992-93 |8.2
1993-94 |0.3
|-------
Total |66.3
Submarine Reactor Cores
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the expected timetable for the introduction into service of the replacements for the used core transport package flasks that were used by his Department for the transport of submarine reactor cores.
Mr. Aitken : The contract for the design and build of new purpose built transportation containers for the Royal Navy's nuclear submarine used fuel is expected to be placed later this year with the first delivery some three years later. For the interim period a contract was placed in December last year to procure two commercial containers which we expect should allow licensed transportation to resume later this year.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of delivery of vehicles and containers for the transport and storage of nuclear weapons in the former Soviet Union.
Mr. Aitken : Good progress is being made towards the provision of 250 nuclear weapons containers (supercontainers) and 20 vehicles which are being gifted to Russia to help with the disposal of surplus nuclear weapons. We expect deliveries of the first equipment to commence shortly. The estimated cost of the total package is £35 million at current prices.
Polaris
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any decisions have yet been taken on the methods of disposal for United Kingdom Polaris missiles and their components.
Mr. Aitken : Decisions have now been taken on the methods of disposal for most elements of United Kingdom Polaris missiles. Surplus components are being disposed of to best advantage ; where this involves disposal for scrap, relevant legislation and conventions are being fully observed.
Column 470
Strategic Weapons
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will define the terms strategic and sub-strategic as currently used by his Department.
Mr. Hanley : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on 23 March at column 290 .
European Fighter Aircraft
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current estimated cost of procurement of the European fighter aircraft for the Royal Air Force.
Mr. Aitken : The estimated total project cost comprising the costs of development, production and integrated logistic support, (assuming a United Kingdom offtake of 250 aircraft) is some £13.45 billion at September 1993 prices.
Ammunition
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to providing ammunition fitted with armour piercing, fin stabilised, discarding sabots to British tank and artillery forces ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : Fin stabilised, discarding sabot ammunition has been in service with British tank regiments since 1982. It is not suitable for use by artillery forces.
Defence Sales
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each Government-to-Government or memorandum of understanding defence sales agreement since 1979, with the date of signing and indicating in each case whether all or part of the sales under the agreement had Crown status and were exempt from export licence controls ; and in each such case how exemptions were reported to Parliament.
Mr. Aitken : Exports of defence equipment by Her Majesty's Government to : (a) the Government of Saudi Arabia, under the terms of the Al-Yamamah arrangement signed in 1985, 1986 and 1988, and (b) to the Government of Kuwait under the memorandum of understanding signed on 2 December 1992, have Crown status. As such, they do not require a licence. They are, however, assessed under the normal foreign and defence criteria.
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which defence sales carried out since 1979 on behalf of International Military Services Ltd., Defence Sales Export Organisation, or Royal Ordnance or British Aerospace whilst in public ownership, carried exemptions from export licence controls.
Mr. Aitken : Only those sales made by Royal Ordnance through the sales supply organisations of the Defence Export Services Organisation had Crown status. Although no export licences were required, such exports took account of foreign and defence policy considerations.
Column 471
Arms Transportation
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any Royal Air Force VC-10 cargo plane has been used to transport arms to Iran since 1979.
Mr. Aitken No.
Depleted Uranium Shells
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which countries the depleted uranium imported by his Department for use in anti- tank penetrator shells originated ; and what collaborative research is being undertaken with other countries that manufacture such shells.
Mr. Aitken : The depleted uranium used in my Department's anti-tank ammunition development programmes has been imported, by the contractors, from the United States of America.
My Department has undertaken a collaborative research programme with the United States, France and Germany to examine the feasibility of developing a 140 mm tank round. As part of the programme depleted uranium penetrators have been considered. This programme is now almost complete.
Chemical Weapons
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department gathered as a result of the research conducted by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment into prophylactic protection against chemical and germ weapons ; and how this was used to help protect British service men in Operation Granby.
Mr. Hanley : This is a matter for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from G. Pearson to Mr. Llew Smith, dated 25 March 1994 : 1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what information his Department gathered as a result of the research conducted by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment into protection against chemical and germ weapons ; and how this was used to help protect British Service Personnel in Operation GRANBY has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
3. Effective protective measures against chemical and biological weapons necessitate a portfolio of capabilities :
(a) Hazard Assessment. The implications and evaluation of the potential hazard should such agents and weapons be utilised against British forces.
(b) Detection and Warning. The detection of an attack prior to inhalation of a harmful concentration and the provision of warning to units located in the downwind hazard area. Identification of the nature of the particular agent facilitates the assessment of the downwind hazard area and of the duration of the hazard and enables appropriate medical countermeasures to be taken.
Column 472
(c) Physical Protection. The provision of effective protection for the respiratory tract and for the body. This may be provided either as individual protection or collective protection ie the provision of facilities supplied with filtered air in which individual protection does not need to be worn.(d) Contamination Control. Some agents such as mustard and some of the nerve agents are persistent and present a long term hazard. Action needs to be taken to decontaminate personnel and equipment contaminated with such agents.
(e) Medical Countermeasures. The provision of prophylactic or pretreatment measures which enhance the ability of the body to withstand attack by chemical orbiological agents and the provision of therapy after exposure to chemical or biological agents.
4. The Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has over the years built up a group of scientists with the expertise in these areas and skills to apply their scientific and technical knowledge to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with the best possible protective measures.
5. When the United Kingdom sent its forces to the Gulf in Operation GRANBY it was with the knowledge that they would be facing Iraqi forces experienced in the use of chemical weapons. It was also assessed that Iraq had the capability to manufacture and use biological weapons.
6. During the Gulf conflict of late 1990/early 1991 the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down was directly engaged in ensuring that the British Service personnel were as well protected as possible against the possible use of chemical or biological weapons by Iraq. Some two thirds of the senior staff of the Establishment were involved directly in providing advice at least part of the time.
7. Our assistance covered a wide range of areas :
(a) Hazard assessment. Advice was provided on the potential implications should Iraq use chemical or biological weapons. Information was provided for example on the effect of the local environment on the duration of the hazard and on the optimum deployment of detection systems to give the most effective warning of such attacks.
(b) Detection. The existing detection equipment was extended so as to provide audible warning should chemical agents be used against UK Armed Forces. The capabilities of in-service equipment were extended so that all chemical agents which Iraq was assessed to posses would be detected. An expedient biological detection system was developed and deployed to the Gulf together with a supplementary identification capability. In addition, kits for the sampling and identification of biological and chemical agents were produced and deployed so that in the event of an attack, appropriate samples would have been taken and returned to this Establishment for analysis. (
(c) Protection. Advice was given on the optimum use of available physical protective measures and on collective protection including the incorporation of air conditioning systems.
(d) Contamination management. Advice was provided on the likely duration of the hazard had chemical or biological weapons been used by Iraq and consequently on how that hazard might have been further reduced by appropriate decontamination techniques.
(e) Medical countermeasures. The effectiveness of existing medical countermeasures against agents assessed to be possessed by Iraq were evaluated and confirmed. In addition, advice was provided on appropriate medical countermeasures to be taken against the potential use of biological weapons by Iraq.
8. The contributions made by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment ensured that the protection available to the British Armed Forces was the best possible.
Malaysian Airlines
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates on which Ministers or officials from his Department, including his Department's agencies, have used the Malaysian airline MAS for each
Column 473
year since 1985, including this year to date, on official business ; and what was the cost to his Department of each flight.Mr. Aitken : Detailed information of this nature is not readily available without incurring disproportionate cost.
Atomic Weapons Research Establishment
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the contractorisation of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment is included in the £850 million of civil service work won by private companies which was announced on 7 March.
Tornado Aircraft
Mr. Thomason : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the leasing of Tornado F3 aircraft to Italy.
Mr. Aitken : We are discussing with the Italian MOD detailed arrangements for the lease of 26 RAF Tornado F3 aircraft to the Italian air force. I hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.
Quality Assurance
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to withdraw recognition of defence contractors claiming quality management assurance systems certification, which has been certified by institutions or companies which are not qualified to offer such certification by the National Association of Certification Control Bodies.
Mr. Aitken : The MOD recognises only contractors quality management system certifications which have either been :
(a) granted by certification bodies who hold appropriate accreditation through the National Accreditation Council for Certification Bodies (NACCB), or
Column 474
(b) subject to assessment by MOD, or(c) can be shown to be acceptable to another NATO MOD.
Armed Forces (Complement)
Dr. Reid : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what adjustments have been made to the size of the British armed forces since April 1992 due to changed strategic circumstances.
Mr. Hanley : The Government's plans for force restructuring over the time scale given in the question are detailed in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1992 (Cm 1981) and 1993 (Cm 2270) and subsequent ministerial statements.
Options for Change"
Dr. Reid : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a declassified version of the paper written by the former Minister of State for Defence Procurement, Mr. Alan Clark, as part of the "Options for Change" exercise.
Mr. Aitken : My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so.
TRANSPORT
British Rail Staff
Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total number of employees employed by British Rail in all staff categories in each financial year from 1990-91 ; and what are the projections for (a) 1994-95, (b) 1995-96 and (c) 1996-97.
Mr. Freeman : The table gives figures for 1990-91 to 1992-93 and the latest figures for 1993-94. Projections for future years are not available.
Column 473
BR staff numbers
|1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |As at
|26 February 1994
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Salaried
Administrative, technical and clerical staff |40,548 |49,068 |49,225 |49,711
Police |1,620 |1,644 |1,654 |1,729
|------- |------- |------- |----
Total Salaried |42,168 |50,712 |50,879 |51,440
|Wages
Drivers and other footplate staff |16,919 |16,675 |15,765 |14,968
Guards and other train staff |8,210 |7,679 |7,497 |6,887
Train catering staff |1,756 |1,686 |1,623 |1,847
Signalling staff (including crossing keepers) |5,554 |5,684 |5,523 |5,348
Staff employed in stations, yards and depots |16,438 |15,534 |13,780 |12,765
Staff employed on carriage and wagon examination |468 |441 |342 |305
Permanent way, signal and telecommunications staff |21,515 |16,370 |13,683 |12,414
Workshop staff |15,237 |15,090 |13,698 |13,090
Miscellaneous staff |3,165 |3,189 |2,002 |1,564
|------- |------- |------- |----
Total Wages |89,262 |82,348 |73,913 |69,188
|------- |------- |------- |----
Total all staff |131,430 |133,060 |124,792 |120,628
BR Property Board |651 |638 |581 |630
BR Maintenance Ltd. |3,908 |3,895 |3,413 |3,358
Transmark Ltd. |89 |109 |104 |0
Meldon Quarry Ltd. |64 |71 |47 |26
BR Pension Trustee Co. Ltd. |21 |21 |22 |22
BR Telecommunications Ltd. |17 |26 |704 |762
European Passenger Services Ltd. |97 |181 |327 |868
|------- |------- |------- |----
Group total |136,277 |138,001 |129,990 |126,294
Malaysian Airlines
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the dates on which Ministers or officials from his Department, including his Department's agencies, have used the Malaysian airline MAS for each year since 1985, including this year to date, on official business ; and what was the cost to his Department of each flight.
Mr. MacGregor : The information requested is not available in the form requested back to 1985. However, Ministers in this Department have not used Malaysian Airlines Services (MAS) during the last two years.
Rail Privatisation
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total cost to public funds of rail privatisation to date.
Mr. Freeman : At March 31, the total cost to public funds of rail privatisation incurred by the Department of Transport, the Office of the Rail Regulator, the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising, British Rail and Railtrack, is expected to be around £92 million. The Government have made full financial provision to BR and Railtrack to meet their costs so there is no question of these costs affecting fares or the quality of passenger services. Privatisation costs are small in relation to the size of the railway businesses involved, the massive reorganisation taking place and the benefits that this will bring.
Seat Belts
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the requirements laid down by United Kingdom and EC legislation for the fitting and wearing of seat belts in minibuses and coaches ; which legislation applies to each requirement ; and if he will make a statement on the possibility of further requirements being legislated for.
Mr. Key : Regulations 46 and 47 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (SI 1986/1078) as amended, have required seat belts to be fitted to the front seats of minibuses and exposed forward- facing seats of coaches, since 1 October 1988. EC directives 76/115, 81/575, 82/318 and 90/629 in respect of seat belt anchorages and 77/541, 81/576, 82/319 and 90/628 in respect of seat belts, make, for new vehicles, similar provisions on seat belt fitment to the current United Kingdom regulations.
United Kingdom legislation (SI 1992/3105, SI 1993/31 and SI 1993/176) requires seat belts to be used wherever they are available in the front seats of all vehicles and in the rear seats of minibuses with an unladen weight of 2,540kg or less. It is illegal to carry an unrestrained child in the front seat of any vehicle. EC Directive 91/671 requires seat belts to be used in the front seats of vehicles of less than 3.5 tonnes and, where fitted, in the rear seats of cars with up to 8 passenger seats.
Column 476
We are considering the technical and cost implications of fitting seat belts to all seats in minibuses and coaches and hope to publish the conclusions shortly.Passengers Charter
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 21 March, Official Report, column 104, concerning the passengers charter, whether rail franchisees will be required in their own passengers charters to commit themselves to standards of service, and levels of compensation to passengers when these standards are not met, that are no less favourable than those in the relevant British Rail passengers charter.
Channel Freight Services
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the cost advantage of the use of a through rail freight service for the journey across the channel compared to the costs of using (a) the conventional roll-on, roll-off ferry and (b) the road-rail ferry service ; and to what extent there are likely to be differences in cost for transporting goods from, rather than into, the United Kingdom.
Mr. Freeman : It is for industry to decide which mode of transport to use. Distribution costs are a matter for commercial negotiation and will depend upon individual circumstances, such as volumes carried and frequency of service.
| Next Section
| Home Page |