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TRANSPORT
Executive Agencies
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by each division in his Department and for each executive agency their running costs budget for this financial year and the budget allocation for the next financial year.
Dr. Mawhinney: The information requested for 1994 95 is as follows:
|Current
|Budget £
|thousands
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Headquarters Directorates in Central Transport Group |117,407
Gross Running Costs Agencies
DVLA |177,063
The Highways Agency |89,173
Marine Safety Agency |14,806
The Coastguard Agency |24,857
Net Running Costs Agencies
Vehicle Certification Agency |2,629
Transport Research Laboratory |17,000
Trading Fund (off Vote)
Vehicle Inspectorate |44,600
Trading Fund (on Vote)
Driving Standards Agency |49,3000
Budget allocations for 1995-96 have not yet been made.
British Rail Employees
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British Rail freight services employees are being removed from York to Doncaster; and when these posts will leave York.
Mr. Watts: This is a commercial matter for British Rail. I am not aware of any such proposal.
Channel Tunnel Link
Mr. Roy Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with the chairman of British Rail the timetable for connections from south Wales to Waterloo to join Eurostar trains to Paris and Brussels.
Mr. Watts: The timing of the connecting services from south Wales is a matter for British Rail, in consultation with European Passenger Services. It is intended that as the Eurostar frequency builds up in 1995, the three trains from south Wales to Waterloo each weekday will connect with the Eurostar service.
Live Railtracks (Accidents)
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have (a) died and (b) been seriously injured by stepping on live railtracks in the United Kingdom in the last 10 years; and what steps are being taken to prevent such accidents from happening, with particular reference to east Dulwich station.
Mr. Watts: Details of electrocutions both fatal and seriously injured, are given in appendices 7 and 8 of the "Annual Report on Railway Safety in Great Britain"
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copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library. The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate is discussing with Railtrack whether any reasonably practicable measures can be taken to prevent a recurrence of the type of accident that occurred at east Dulwich on 9 July.A249 Iwade Bypass
Sir Roger Moate: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his decision on a preferred route for the A249 Iwade bypass to Queenborough improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Watts: I am pleased to announce the preferred route for this scheme. It is the route on which the public were consulted last November.
This scheme, which includes a second crossing of the Swale on a high level bridge, will greatly assist the development and expansion of industry and commerce and increase competitiveness and employment on the Isle of Sheppey. I am confident that this much-needed improvement of the A249 will be welcomed by all those whose lives are affected daily by the existing, wholly inadequate link with the mainland and the lifting bridge across the Swale.
In choosing a route we have had the difficult task of balancing the needs of people and the local economy with important environmental considerations. I believe we have struck the right balance. The preferred route will avoid the key areas of ecological importance and make the best use of the existing road corridor.
Airports
Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what are the differences between the current Civil Aviation Authority and the proposed joint airworthiness authority specifications concerning permissible duty hours by aircraft flight deck and cabin crew; and which specifications will be applied in the United Kingdom if there is any disparity between the joint airworthiness authority specifications and the Civil Aviation Authority specifications currently in force;
(2) on how many occasions one aircraft bound for a United Kingdom international airport has declared a low fuel emergency when its airport of intended landing has been closed to normal operations; on how many occasions two or more aircraft bound for any United Kingdom international airport have simultaneously declared a low fuel emergency when their respective airports of intended landing have been closed to normal operations; on how many occasions one aircraft bound for Heathrow has declared a low fuel emergency when Heathrow airport has been closed to normal operations; and on how many occasions two or more aircraft bound for Heathrow airport simultaneously have declared a low fuel emergency when Heathrow airport has been closed to normal operations;
(3) what procedures exist to ensure the safe landing of two or more aircraft which have simultaneously declared a low fuel emergency within any one terminal control area, control zone or control area (a) when all suitable airports are operative and (b) when a designated airport or one or more designated runways has been closed to normal operations;
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(4) on how many occasions over the last five years and for what reasons (a) one of the United Kingdom international airports has been closed to all normal operations, (b) Heathrow airport has been closed to all normal operations and (c) more than one of the United Kingdom international airports have been closed to all normal operations at any one time;(5) what consideration he has given to the United Kingdom to the minimum fuel advisory system as practised in the USA; and if he will make a statement;
(6) on how many occasions during the last five years a low fuel emergency has been declared by (a) one aircraft, bound for a United Kingdom international airport (b) more than one aircraft bound for any United Kingdom international airport at any one time, (c) one aircraft bound for Heathrow airport and (d) more than one aircraft bound for Heathrow airport at any one time.
Mr. Norris: This is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.
Public Appointments
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department organises receptions for those expressing an interest in public appointments for the first time; how often they are held; what is the annual cost; and how many people attend.
Ministerial Travel
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions in the past year the spouse of a Minister in his Department has travelled abroad at public expense to accompany a Minister on public duties, and what has been the total cost to public funds; and on how many occasions such travel has been undertaken at own cost.
Dr. Mawhinney: In the past year--1 October 1993 to the present--the spouse of one Minister in this Department travelled abroad once to accompany that Minister on public duties. The total cost to public funds of the spouse's travel was £923.66. There were no occasions when such travel was undertaken at own cost.
Press Officers
Mr. Grocott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of press officers currently employed by his Department who are normally based (a) in the Department in London, (b) in the House and (c) at each other location.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 25 October 1994]: (a) Thirteen, excluding press officers employed by executive agencies directly accountable to the Department. (b) None. (c) Regional services in England are provided by the Central Office of Information.
Mineral Oil Excise Duty
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations are being carried out on EC directive 92/82; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: I have been asked to reply.
Article 10 of the directive requires that every two years, and for the first time not later than 31 December 1994,
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the Council, acting on the basis of a report and where appropriate, a proposal from the Commission, shall examine the rates of mineral oil excise duty laid down in the directive and, acting unanimously after consulting the European Parliament, shall adopt the necessary measures. No report has yet been produced and no proposal has yet been put forward by the Commission.Road Surfaces
Mr. Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of (a) the current noise comparisons between porous asphalt and whisper concrete; and (b) how they compare with conventional asphalt and concrete as presently used in road construction.
Mr. Watts: This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend. Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Richard Page, dated 26 October 1994:
The Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts MP, has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning comparisons between porous asphalt, whisper concrete and conventional road surfaces.
We have in hand trials comparing whisper concrete with conventional asphalt and concrete road surfaces. Also, data is available on the comparative performance of porous asphalt and conventional asphalt and concrete road surfaces. From the trials some early indications are available of the noise performance of whisper concrete. These are that for surfaces with equivalent skidding resistance, overall noise levels for whisper concrete are slightly less than for conventional hot rolled asphalt. They are significantly less than for some of the more heavily textured concrete surfaces provided in the past.
In the case of porous asphalt as used in the United Kingdom, noise levels are about 5 dB(A) less than for a hot rolled asphalt surface initially, although this difference may reduce to about 3 dB(A) as the pores become clogged. The relative noise performance of porous asphalt compared with concrete surfaces is the same as that given above for hot rolled asphalt where skidding resistance characteristics are similar. However, the texture provided on concrete roads to date has tended to be deeper than the minimum required under the specification with the result that the difference in noise with porous asphalt would be greater in the early life of the road.
We have not made any direct comparison of the respective noise performance of porous asphalt and whisper concrete. However, from the data available so far, we can infer the likely relative noise performance of these two surfaces. The picture emerging is that traffic noise levels attributable to whisper concrete are higher than those achieved with porous asphalt.
M3/M27 Link
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the M3/M27 link to be completed; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Watts: This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Atkinson, dated 26 October 1994:
The Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the expected completion of the final section of the M3 between Bar End and Compton.
No firm date has yet been fixed for the completion of the motorway but we expect it to be ready before the end of the year.
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Associated work on local roads, landscaping and restoration of the old A33 Winchester Bypass will continue until early next year.NATIONAL HERITAGE
Tourism
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what has been the role of independent consultants in the formulation of tourism policy since his appointment.
Mr. Dorrell: My officials are working closely with the British Tourist Authority and the English tourist board on the development of a tourism strategy for the next 10 years. Consultants are assisting with the analysis.
Specialist Advisers
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what plans he has to appoint specialist advisers to his Department;
(2) if he has appointed a specialist adviser to his Department.
Mr. Dorrell: My Department has access to specialist advice from a wide range of sources. I have no current plans to recruit a personal special advisor.
Public Appointments
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage whether his Department organises receptions for those expressing an interest in public appointments for the first time; how often they are held; what is the annual cost; and how many people attend.
Mr. Sproat: My Department does not organise such receptions.
Ministerial Travel
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on how many occasions in the past year the spouse of a Minister in his Department has travelled abroad at public expense to accompany a Minister on public duties, and what has been the total cost to public funds; and on how many occasions such travel has been undertaken at own cost.
Mr. Dorrell: There have been no occasions on which the spouse of a Department of National Heritage Minister has travelled abroad at public expense. Such travel has been undertaken on two occasions at own cost.
PRIME MINISTER
United States (National Performance Review Team)
Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister what contact his Government have had with Vice-President Gore's national performance review team; and will he make a statement.
The Prime Minister: My right hon. Friend, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, met Vice-President Gore and members of his national performance review team. The citizens charter unit has also had discussions
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with the national performance review team, and continues to keep in touch with it.Public Appointments
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Prime Minister whether his Department organises receptions for those expressing an interest in public appointments for the first time; how often they are held; what is the annual cost; and how may people attend.
The Prime Minister: No such receptions have been held.
Departmental Documents
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of all documents, letters, or accounts he has signed which are written in a language he does not understand.
The Prime Minister: It is my policy to allow photographic reproductions of my signature to appear on official documents translated into languages other than English. However it is not my normal practice to place such documents in the Library.
Prevention of Terrorism Acts
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has for the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Acts.
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden), Official Report , 24 October, column 492 .
Mark Thatcher
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Prime Minister on what occasions Ministers in Her Majesty's Government have been informed of payments made to Mr. Mark Thatcher or to companies associated with him in relation to defence contracts.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 21 October 1994]: As far as I am aware, no credible information of this kind has been submitted to Ministers.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Cider Apple Trees
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy towards planting cider apple trees in set-aside areas.
Mr. Jack: The rules of the Community's arable area payments scheme do not permit the growing of food crops on land set aside under the scheme. Cider apple trees are viewed as a food crop. Crops for non-food use, such as biofuels, are allowed to be grown on set-aside land.
Public Appointments
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department organises receptions for those expressing an interest in public appointments for the first time; how often they are held; what is the annual cost; and how many people attend.
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Mr. Jack: No receptions have been organised by this Department for people expressing an interest in public appointment.
Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of spongiform encephalopathy have been established in (a) kudu, (b) nyala, (c) eland, (d) gemsbok, (e) Arabian oryx, (f) puma and (g) cheetah in each of the last four years, with the age of each animal involved and the suspected cause of transmission.
Mrs. Browning: The following numbers of cases have been confirmed in Great Britain in the species listed in each of the last four years.
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Kudu |(19) 1 |(37,36*) 2|- |-
Nyala |- |- |- |-
Eland |- |(27, 28) 2|(24) 1 |-
Gemsbok |- |- |- |-
Arabian Oryx |- |- |- |-
Puma |- |(62) 1 |- |-
Cheetah |- |- |(96) 1 |(91) 1
Classification is by year of death: ages in months at the time of
death are shown in brackets. Animals marked with an asterisk showed
no clinical signs when they were euthanased. Disease may have
spread between kudu by contact or possibly environmental
contamination after being introduced in feed and transmission
between eland is also possible. The puma and cheetahs were fed
parts of bovine carcases, including central nervous tissue, which
were deemed unfit for human consumption.
European Funding
Mr. Harris: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list in pounds sterling the allocations from PESCA for the United Kingdom and the other eligible member states and the proposed allocations to the regions in the United Kingdom which are highly dependent on fishing;
(2) what is the basis for proposed allocations of PESCA funding for (a) member states and (b) regions which are highly dependent on fishing.
Mr. Jack: The Commission has allocated PESCA funding between member states as follows:
|£ million (converted
|at £1 = 1.319 ecu)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Belgium |1.52
Denmark |12.3
Germany |17.44
Greece |20.55
Spain |31.46
France |21.15
Ireland |2.80
Italy |25.55
Netherlands |7.73
Portugal |19.41
United Kingdom |25.70
This breakdown is based on employment in the fisheries sector as a whole, and on the fleet reductions required by member states' multi-annual guidance programmes.
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Sir Peter Emery: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what actual or previous sums of money have been allocated to the British fishing industry under the Pesca initiative; what proportion of the total EU allocation is allocated to each of the receiving nations, approximately in each European nation; how much will be allocated per person employed in the fishing industry; and what are the funds to be made available in total and per person for Devon.
Mr. Jack: The Commission has allocated Pesca funding between member states as follows:
|£ million (converted
|at £1 = 1.319 ecu)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Belgium |1.52
Denmark |12.3
Germany |17.44
Greece |20.55
Spain |31.46
France |21.15
Ireland |2.80
Italy |25.55
Netherlands |7.73
Portugal |19.41
United Kingdom |25.70
This breakdown is based on employment in the fisheries sector as a whole, and on the fleet reductions required by member states' multi-annual guidance programmes.
Public Opinion Surveys
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list each public opinion survey commissioned by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies since 1 October 1992, showing for each, the subject, objectives, total cost, the period in which it was conducted and the organisation from which it was commissioned.
Mr. Jack: Seven surveys seeking public opinion have been commissioned by MAFF and its agencies since 1 October 1992. Details of these surveys are as follows. It is not possible for commercial reasons to give the cost of each survey individually. However, in total these surveys cost £190,000.
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Subject |Objectives |Organisation |Period Conducted
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.Leaflet communication Research |Response to proposed new |Reflections |Start: July 1993
|leaflet on fridge use and |End: December 1993
|maintenance
2.Foodsense Awareness Research |Response to awareness leaflet |RSGB |Start: July 1993
|End: July 1993
3.Foodsense strategy Research |1.Knowledge of food hygiene |Andrew Irving and Associates |Start: September 1993
|issues |End: October 1993
|2.Existing anxieties regarding
|food hygiene
|3.Awareness of existing
|foodsense leaflet
|4.Awareness of alternative
|sources of information
|about food hygiene
|5.Perceived area of
|uncertainty/ignorance
4. Improved methods of food preference |Consumer response to foods |Mobile sensory Testing |Start: October 1993
mapping |Services Ltd |Expected end: October 1996
5.MAFF Exhibition Evaluation |Response to the MAFF |Martin Hamblin |Start: June 1994
|Exhibition | |Expected end: January 1995
6.Exhibition Research |Appreciation of Exhibition at |Diagnostics |Start: August 1994
|the National History Museum |End: October 1994
|in South Kensington
7.Valuation of Non-use Benefits |1.The extent to which the |University of Portsmouth |Start: October 1994
|surveyed population values |Expected end: October 1996
|natural areas.
|2. The populations' willingness
|to pay for environmental
|benefits.
|3. The socio-economic
|background of the population
|4. The cultural and social
|characteristics of the population
Badgers
Mr. Roy Hughes: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many licences have been granted for interference with badger setts following the Badgers Act 1991, now the Protection of Badgers Act 1992; and for which purposes listed in section 10 of the 1992 Act such licences were issued.
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Mrs. Browning: Under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, this Department is responsible for issuing licences to interfere with badger setts for the purposes specified in sections 10(2) and 10(3). The Badgers Act 1991 came into force in October 1991 and the first licences were issued in February 1992. The number issued since then and the purpose for which they were issued are as follows:
Licences issued to interfere with Badger Setts
Purpose for which Number of
interference licences issued for
licence was issued each period
|February- |January- |January-
|December 1992 |December1993 |September 1994
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preventing the spread of disease |- |- |-
Preventing serious damage |115 |236 |205
Agricultural or forestry operations |27 |46 |58
Maintenance etc of watercourse or drainage work |9 |20 |28
Controlling foxes |- |- |-
Rabbits
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on outbreaks of viral haemorrhagic disease amongst the wild rabbit population and on the availability of vaccines to treat it.
Mrs. Browning: Viral haemorrhagic disease has been confirmed as the cause of death of four wild rabbits whose bodies were found near Tenterden in Kent--one--and Exeter in Devon--three. The presence of VHD in our wild rabbit population had been suspected for some time but only recently confirmed. The disease has been notifiable in Great Britain since 1991 and a total of 50 outbreaks in domestic and commercial rabbits have been confirmed up to 24 October this year. There were 10 outbreaks in 1993.
No vaccines to protect rabbits against VHD are currently licensed for use in the United Kingdom. Two applications for licenses have however now been received by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and are urgently being assessed under the provisional licence arrangements that came into effect on 8 September 1994.
VHD is endemic in all rabbits, including wild rabbits, in much of the rest of Europe.
Research and Development
Dr. Strang: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest available figure for his Department's total research and development expenditure for 1993 94 in (a) cash and (b) constant terms.
Mr. Waldegrave: I refer to the answer given by my predecessor on 20 July 1994, Official Report, column 350 51.
Dr. Strang: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest figures available for the number of personnel employed in his Department's research and development programme for (a) 1993 94 and (b) the latest available date.
Mr. Waldegrave: The latest available figures are those given by my predecessor on 20 July 1994, Official Report, column 350 .
Ministerial Travel
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in the past
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year the spouse of a Minister in his Department has travelled abroad at public expense to accompany a Minister on public duties, and what has been the total cost to public funds; and on how many occasions such travel has been undertaken at own cost.Mr. Jack: Over the last year, there have been no occasions in which public funds have been used to finance the cost of spouses accompanying Ministers on overseas visits, and no occasion on which such travel took place at own cost.
Agriculture Council
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Luxembourg on 24 and 25 October; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldergrave: This meeting of the Agriculture Council, at which I represented the United Kingdom, again discussed the question of stronger rules for the protection of animals in transport. Member states' views continue to diverge substantially and no agreement was reached. I made clear the importance I attach to limits on travelling time and proper enforcement.
The Council also discussed a proposal from the Commission for a reduction in the required rate for set-aside for arable crops to be harvested in 1995. In the absence of an opinion from the European Parliament, no formal decision could be taken. But it was established that a qualified majority of the Council existed in favour of a reduction of three percentage points. I supported this reduction, which the Commission has assured the Council will be budget-neutral, and which will help to keep cereals market prices down and thus benefit the livestock sector.
The Council considered a discussion document from the Commission on reform of the support system for fruit and vegetables. I regard its ideas as a step in the right direction but hope that more radical changes can be agreed. The Commission intends to present detailed proposals shortly.
Finally, the Council adopted by unanimity various detailed amendments to the rules for granting aids of a structural nature. Among other things, these make it optional, rather than obligatory, for member states to operate schemes of aid for investment on farms.
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