| Previous Section | Home Page |
Small Claims
Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to amend paragraph 4a of order 19, rule 2 of the county court rules, in line with Lord Woolf's recommendation on the scope for district judges to transfer difficult cases of the small claims procedure. [35231]
Mr. John M. Taylor: The Lord Chancellor considers it would be appropriate to widen the discretion of the district judge to transfer cases out of the small claims jurisdiction when the new "fast track" procedure recommended by Lord Woolf is implemented. To make this amendment prior to the introduction of the "fast
Column 1014
track" would reduce litigants' certainty as to the level of costs for which they may become liable.Mr. Banks: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the new measures he intends to introduce in line with Lord Woolf's recommendations to ensure that district judges are properly trained to handle small claims; when these measures will start to take effect; and what account will be taken of increases in the small claims limit in determining the date of commencement. [35232]
Mr. Taylor: The Judicial Studies Board is responsible for the training of district judges. It is currently considering the need for training in handling small claims.
Legislative Plans
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what legislation he plans to introduce; and if he will make a statement. [35301]
Mr. John M. Taylor: The Government's plans for legislation will be announced in the Queen's Speech at the start of the 1995 96 Session.
TRANSPORT
A303 (Stonehenge)
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on setting up a round table conference to consider improvements to the A303 at Stonehenge. [36209]
Mr. Watts: We are currently approaching suitable candidates for the chairmanship for the conference and I will make an announcement shortly. An exhibition showing all the routes which have been identified as possible solutions, including those shown at the earlier public consultation, will be held in Amesbury in late September. The chairman, when appointed, will make the detailed arrangements for the conference.
National Rail Timetable Information
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it an essential requirement for a successful franchise bid for a rail service that the operating company participates in a national timetable information system for passengers. [34857]
Mr. Watts: Yes. Operators will be required to participate in a national telephone inquiry service to ensure that there is clear and accurate information about train services available nationwide. In addition, all operators will be required to make available at each station clear and up-to-date information about all rail services that use the station and all stations that they serve.
M3 (Bar End-Compton)
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the most recent estimate he has made of the number of vehicles using the M3, Bar End-Compton section. [35228]
Column 1015
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. John Denham, dated 11 July 1995:
As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the number of vehicles using the M3, Bar End-Compton section.
In the week beginning 3 July 1995, about 684,000 vehicles used the section of M3 between junctions 10 and 11 (an average of about 97,700 vehicles per day).
Legislative Plans
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what legislation he plans to introduce; and if he will make a statement. [35306]
Mr. Norris: The Government's plans for legislation will be announced in the Queen's Speech at the start of the 1995 96 Session.
Public Service Vehicles
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the total number of journeys made each year by public service vehicles. [35350]
Mr. Norris: The total number of passenger journeys made each year on public service vehicles, up to 1993 94, is listed in tables 10.5 and 11.1, in the HMSO transport statistics report "Bus and Coach Statistics Great Britain: 1993 94". These figures are collected in annual surveys of public service vehicles.
Passenger journey data on non-local services--tours, excursions, express services and private hire, shown in table 10.5--were not collected after 1990 91 as they were considered less reliable than those for local bus and coach services.
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many roadside examinations of public service vehicles took place in the most recent year; and how many were found to have safety defects. [35349]
Mr. Norris: This is an operational matter for the Vehicle Inspectorate Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ron Oliver to Mr. John Denham dated 18 July 1995: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question on the number of roadside examinations on public service vehicles. In 1994/95 29,831 public service vehicles were inspected at roadworthiness spot checks (including special checks on smoke emissions). Of these 3,315 were found to have defects which warranted the issue of a prohibition notice.
Vehicle Emissions
Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals the Government have to limit vehicle emission. [35382]
Mr. Norris: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Mr. Miller) on 17 July.
Column 1016
Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department attaches a higher priority to action against the worst offenders of vehicular emissions; what variation in emissions he has identified according to vehicle type and vehicle age; and what estimates have been made as to the contribution of older cars to the overall emissions. [35383]
Mr. Norris: The Government attach high priority to ensuring compliance with emissions standards for vehicles in service. Emissions are checked both at annual test and at roadside checks. Recent emissions blitz campaigns are evidence of our commitment. Particular attention is given to the worst offenders, who face automatic prosecution. Vehicles of different ages are subject to different legal standards as shown in the table:
Petrol engined cars, light goods vehicles and other vehicles in the
main MOT testing scheme:
|Carbon monoxide |Hydrocarbons
Application |Per cent. |Parts per million
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First used on or after
1 January 1983 |4.5 |1,200
First used on or after
1 August 1975 and before 1 January 1983 |6 |1,200
For diesel-engined vehicles:
|Smoke opacity
|in non-turbo |Smoke opacity
Application |engine |in turbo-engine
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First used on or after
1 January 1979 (except taxis) |3.2m<-1> |3.7m<-1>
Taxis since 18 April 1995 |ditto |ditto
No precise estimates have been made of the contribution of older vehicles to overall emissions, but it should be noted that well-maintained older vehicles will be no more polluting than a similarly maintained three-year- old engine and, typically, have a lower annual mileage than new vehicles.
Automatic Train Protection Systems
Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all system-wide automatic train protection systems currently under examination by his Department with the name of their manufacturer and the projected cost of installing these systems across the rail network. [35277]
Mr. Watts: My right hon. Friend expects to receive shortly a progress report from the Health and Safety Commission on the British Rail and Railtrack strategy for tackling ATP-preventable accidents. The strategy will identify the devices or systems which could eventually be used more widely on the rail network, either singly or in combination, subject to the outcome of trials or assessments.
Departmental Contracts
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures have been taken by his Department to ensure that contracts awarded by his Department represent value for money. [35059]
Column 1017
Mr. Norris: In purchasing goods and services, key measures applied are careful specification of requirements, securing appropriate competition and prices offered, including any maintenance costs.
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations exist regarding the awarding of contracts by his Department to firms that are not limited companies. [35061]
Mr. Norris: No regulations exist. Contracts are awarded taking into account the financial stability of a supplier and his ability to undertake the work required.
Double-decker Buses
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect the extension of the whole vehicle type approval framework directive 70/156/EEC as amended by directive 92/53/EEC will have on double-decker buses. [34848]
Prestwick Airport
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the restoration of controlled airspace around Prestwick airport. [34350]
Mr. Norris: The Civil Aviation Authority, CAA, has responsibility for airspace planning in the United Kingdom. It has no plans to review the requirement for controlled airspace around Prestwick airport at current traffic levels.
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the costs of
Column 1018
constructing an international and domestic station on the channel tunnel rail link at Stratford after the line has become operational. [34538]Mr. Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage share he intends to take from the development gain arising from the disposal of the King's Cross railway lands in connection with the channel tunnel rail link. [34278]
Mr. Watts: The Secretary of State intends to take a share in development gain from or benefits accruing on disposal of the King's Cross railway lands.
Swindon Development Agency
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of all papers which were presented to the British Railways Board and/or the BREL board about the case for establishing the Swindon development agency at the time of closure of the Swindon BREL works, together with the minutes of all the decisions about this matter taken by the British Rail Board and the BREL board. [34660]
Mr. Watts: These are internal management documents of the British Railways Board and are not for disclosure.
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when British Rail established the Swindon development agency; how much money has been invested in the agency (a) by BR and (b) from other public sources; how many former BR and BREL employees have been found alternative employment by the agency; and how many jobs for other people in the Swindon area the agency has created. [34453]
Mr. Watts: The information requested is as follows:
Column 1017
Name of agency |Type of agency |Investment |Other funding |How many former |How many other
|when established |by BREL |sources |BREL employees |jobs created
|found employment
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Swindon development agency |Enterprise Agency |£1.25 million |£120,000 from local |Numbers not available,|To date over 3,000
1989 merged with Swindon |May 1986 | business and 2 |but 6 ex-BREL staff |Business assisted job
Ent.g Trust became Great |seconded Railway |still on payroll |numbers not available
Western Enterprise |Managers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the funding and activities of agencies similar to the Swindon development agency
Column 1018
established by the British Rail Board of BREL in other towns or the cities affected by railway job losses. [34461]Mr. Watts: Details are given in the following table:
Name of agency |Type of agency |Investment by |Other funding |How many former |How many other
|when established |BREL |sources |BREL employees |jobs created
|found employment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bolton Bus Ventures |Enterprise Agency |£500,000 |£50,000 revenue funding |At least 173 |823 jobs to October
for Horwich Works |November 1984 |p.a. for 3 years plus |1987 3,000 businesses
|£50,000 from Bolton |assisted to date. Job
|Metropolitan B Council |numbers not available
Crewe Dev Agency |Development agency |£1.25 million |£50,000 revenue funding |Numbers not to hand |800 jobs to date
|April 1988 |p.a. for 3 years plus
|£50,000 from Crewe and
|Nantwich Borough
|Council p.a. for 3 years
Doncaster Bus Advice |Enterprise agency |£1.65 million |1 Seconded Railway |Survey reveals most |1,000 jobs to date
Centre now Business |March 1987 |Manager |pre-retiremant former
Link Doncaster |staff gained
|employment
Glasgow Street Rollox |development agency |£1.1 million |3 seconded Railway |- |-
(STRIDE) |1988 |Managers
Derby and Derbyshire |Enterprise agency |£1 million |£50,000 revenue funding |30 businesses Jobs |420 jobs to date
Business venture |April 1988 |p.a. for 3 years plus 2 |Numbers not available
|seconded Railway Staff
Shildon and |Development agency | £2 million | £50,000 revenue funding |Not specifically |400 projects 3,500 new
Seddgefield Dev |August 1984 |p.a. for 3 years from |identified |jobs
Agency (SASDDA) |Sedgefield DC plus
| £25,000 p.a. for 3 years
|from Shildon Town
|Council
York Innovation Ltd. |Innovation agency | £300,000 |Nil |Other details |-
|1988 |unavailable at
|unavailable at short
|notice possible 25
Wolverton Employ |Employ Project |153,000 |Nil |214 |1,250
Project (previously |November 1896
Milton Keynes
Manpower Forum)
World Wide Web
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the work his Department has carried out in the past 12 months in making information about his Department available to the public via the Government world wide web server known as www.open.gov.uk and his plans and policies to make additional and new information available electronically on the server in the next 12 months. [34677]
Mr. Hanley: From 1 May 1995, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, diplomatic wing, began publishing a range of regularly updated information material on the world wide web, including speeches and statements, press releases, consular and travel advice and a selection of other material on international issues. The service can be accessed under the address http://www.fco.gov.uk.
The Overseas Development Administration makes available material on development issues through the "one World Online" web site at the address http://www/oneworld.org/oda/. It is also actively considering ways of publishing more general information through either the Government world wide web server www.open.gov.uk or the Foreign and Commonwealth Office server detailed above."
Mr. Harry Wu
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Chinese People's Republic on the arrest of Mr. Harry Wu; and if he will make a statement. [34839]
Mr. Hanley: Mr. Harry Wu is a United States citizen, and the US Government are in contact with the Chinese authorities about his arrest. We share American
Column 1020
concern about this case and hope that Mr. Wu will soon be released.We are in discussion with European Union partners and the United States about the next steps.
Exports
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of his Department's annual budget is spent on the promotion of British exports; and if he will make a statement. [34936]
Mr. Hanley: I refer the hon. Member to pages 32 37 of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 1995 departmental report, Cm 2802, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The cost of commercial activity is given in table 11 therein.
Pitcairn Island
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which British mission is responsible for the protection of the dependent territory of Pitcairn island. [35167]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The British high commissioner in Wellington is Governor of Pitcairn.
United Nations Special Commission
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what resources are currently committed to the United Nations special commission on Iraq; and what plans he has to increase United Kingdom payments to UNSCOM. [35162]
Mr. David Davis: The UK makes a significant contribution to the work of the special commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency in Iraq by putting at their disposal a wide range of expertise and equipment. At the moment, four British nationals are in Iraq on UNSCOM inspections, a further seven are seconded to the Baghdad monitoring centre for periods of up to six months, and four are seconded to UNSCOM in
Column 1021
New York. In the financial year 1994 95 the total cost of UK support for UNSCOM was £1.1 million.There are no plans to change the level of our support.
Weapons Tests
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 10 July, Official Report , column 394 , if he will commission an evaluation of the report prepared by Stephen Hughes MEP and C. L. Beaver for the European Parliament's environment committee on the environmental and health effects of French nuclear testing at Mururoa and Fangataufa in French Polynesia, to assess its relevance to British dependent territories in the region. [35166]
Mr. David Davis: We are naturally concerned to ensure the environmental protection of British dependent territories, but note the assurance given by President Chirac that the proposed programme of nuclear tests will cause no damage to the environment.
Mr. Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will assess the relevance to British policy of the written reply, number 1519/95 EN by the EU Environment Commissioner on 28 June to Nuala Ahern MEP, on the notifications made by France to the European Commission on nuclear testing under Article 34 of the EURATOM Treaty. [35168]
Mr. Davis: We have no current plans to carry out any further nuclear tests. The Commission's reply, to which the hon. Gentleman refers, therefore has no consequences for British policy.
Mr. Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received regarding the welfare of British nationals on board the Greenpeace ship "Rainbow Warrior II" near the Mururoa atoll in the Pacific ocean. [35154]
We have reminded the French authorities of their obligations towards us in respect of any British nationals they detain.
Mr. Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what treaty restrictions exist on the ability of Her Majesty's Government to share with another nuclear weapons power data on nuclear weapons simulations obtained by use of the Nevada test site either independently or in collaboration with the United States Government. [35153]
Mr. Davis: In the event that such information were obtained from US sources, article VII of the 1958 UK/US mutual defence agreement states that it could not be communicated to third parties without the approval of the US Government.
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Governments have made representations to him concerning the proposed French nuclear testing at Mururoa atoll; and if he will make a statement. [35416]
Column 1022
Mr. Davis: We have discussed this question with a number of Governments, particularly those in the south Pacific. We have made clear our own views on several occasions.
East Timor
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 5 July, Official Report , column 264 , for what reasons his answer excluded the issue of discussion about the export of British arms to Indonesia. [34855]
Mr. Hanley: We do not wish to prejudice our contacts with Timorese representatives by revealing the precise nature of our discussions.
Antarctic Secretariat
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects agreement to be reached on the future siting of the Antarctic secretariat. [35432]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The siting of the Antarctic treaty secretariat was discussed at the XIXth Antarctic treaty consultative meeting in Seoul in May. Treaty parties noted that there was still no progress on reaching a consensus on this issue. The next consultative meeting will take place in the Netherlands in April 1996, when it is expected that the matter will be taken forward.
Legislative Plans
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what legislation he plans to introduce; and if he will make a statement. [35315]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The Government's plans for legislation will be announced in the Queen's Speech at the start of the 1995 96 Session.
Western Sahara
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects that the referendum on the future of the western Sahara will be held; and if he will make a statement. [35433]
Mr. Hanley: We hope that the referendum will be held early next year. We welcome Polisario's decision to resume its participation in the voter identification process. We call on both parties to the dispute to co- operate fully with the United Nations Secretary-General in the implementation of the UN's settlement plan for the territory, and to refrain from any further actions which may hinder implementation of the plan.
Consultants
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 12 July, Official Report, column 590, if he will indicate the nature of the diplomatic wing's consultancy service and those involved in the aid programme. [35488]
Mr. Hanley: Consultancies carried out in both the diplomatic and aid wings in 1994 95 would involve some or all of the elements of consultancy contained in the Cabinet Office definition.
Column 1023
Westminster Foundation for Democracy
Mr. Patrick Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the annual report of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy will be available. [36081]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: Copies of the foundation's annual report for 1994 95 will be placed in the Libraries of the House during the week beginning 17 July.
The foundation received £2.2 million from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for its activities in 1994 95. With this grant, it has supported 244 projects, compared with 236 projects last year. This has included a significant contribution to a wide range of media organisations in the former Soviet Union, a comprehensive programme of political party training with a range of parties throughout central and eastern Europe undertaken by UK political parties, and provided on-going support to the post-electoral structures in the new South Africa.
The foundation continues to make a valuable contribution to the promotion of democracy worldwide.
Foreign Affairs Council (Geneva)
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held in Geneva on 30 June. [36166]
Mr. David Davis: A Foreign Affairs Council was called at short notice in Geneva on 30 June to consider how the Community should respond to developments in the final stages of negotiations in the World Trade Organisation on the liberalisation of financial services. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Technology represented the United Kingdom.
The Council noted with regret that the WTO was unable to conclude an agreement containing a high degree of commitments to multilateral and non- discriminatory liberalisation on trade in financial services and expressed concern about the position taken by the US Government in the final stages of the negotiations. The Council agreed that European Union negotiators should support the extension of the deadline for completion of the negotiations on both financial services and the movement of persons until 28 July 1995.
The Council agreed that the Community and its member states should work during this extra period to achieve maximum liberalisation on a multilateral and non-discriminatory basis, thus preserving the benefits of the great efforts made in earlier rounds of the negotiations, and called on other parties to work for the same objective.
The Council discussed how best to achieve this objective and agreed to return to the matter at its meeting in Brussels on 17 July 1995.
| Next Section
| Home Page |