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Supplementary Credit Approval, Hull
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce his response to the revised bid of the City of Hull for SCA 1996-97. [14965]
Sir Paul Beresford: An announcement will be made in the near future.
Local Government Reorganisation
Sir Colin Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what he intends to be the implementation date of the reorganisation of local government in areas for which orders have not yet been made. [15380]
Mr. Gummer:
As I said in my statement on 30 November 1995, Official Report, columns 1333-52, we envisage staging the implementation of reorganisation in England to take account of the resources available. We also needed to allow time to receive and consider representations on the Local Government Commission's final report which was submitted on 19 December, and, where we accept recommendations for change, to consult on draft orders. With these considerations in mind we have reluctantly concluded that implementation of reorganisation in the remaining areas for which we have
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not already laid orders cannot take place in 1997. I intend to make a further announcement setting out our decisions on the recommendations in the commission's final report, and the timing of the remaining orders, as soon as possible.
Mr. Nigel Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made in conducting the market test of the management of the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre. [15381]
Mr. Gummer:
I have now decided to award a five-year service level agreement to the in-house team, based on the existing executive agency for the conference centre. It will take effect from 1 April 1996. Having considered the advice of a steering group and of consultants, KPMG, I am satisfied that the bid submitted by this team offers better value for money than those received from elsewhere. It also satisfies the quality and security requirements set for the test.
Duchy Benevolent Fund
Mr. Pike: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the grants distributed from the Duchy benevolent fund in (a) 1993, (b) 1994 and (c) 1995. [14945]
Mr. Freeman: Lists of grants distributed from the Duchy of Lancaster benevolent fund for the last three years would run to several hundred items. A list of donations made to charitable causes in the County Palatine in 1993, before the fund became a registered charity, was placed in the Library on 2 February 1994.
I am not a trustee of the fund. As a properly constituted charity, the trustees produce an annual report and accounts to the Charity Commissioners which is open to public scrutiny. The accounts show all donations except the many grants below £1,000 which are made on behalf of the trustees by the lords lieutenants of Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside who are all trustees of the fund.
If the hon. Member would like details of donations made to organisations or individuals in his local area, I shall arrange for the secretary of the fund to provide the information.
Mr. Congdon:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals he has to change the 1995-96 cash limit for the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner and health service commissioners. [15285]
Mr. Freeman:
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner and health service commissioners--class XIX vote 4--will be increased by £702,000 from £9,000,000 to £9,702,000.
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The increase is in response to growth in the work load of the office and to prepare for the work which will be generated by the Health Service Commissioners (Amendment) Bill, which was debated in another place last night.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to support the President of the European Commission's policy of less but better legislation and to improve the operation of the fiche d'impact procedures. [13656]
Mr. Freeman:
Through my contacts with the Commission and with Ministers in other member states I have been pressing for improved regulatory systems at the European level, a rolling programme of regulatory reviews and action on a number of specific burdensome directives. At the informal meeting of the Internal Market Council to be held later this month, I shall share our experience of compliance cost assessment as a contribution to the current review of the Commission's impact assessment systems.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total amount of investment (a) estimated to be required to make lines suitable for the passage of European swapbody freight containers and (b) which has already taken place for such conversion, indicating the location, in respect of each main rail route and for Great Britain; and if he will make a statement. [14234]
Mr. Watts:
BR has upgraded existing railway infrastructure at a cost of some £26 million to facilitate the carriage of standard European swapbodies and containers between the channel tunnel and terminal sites at Glasgow Mossend, Liverpool Seaforth, Manchester Trafford Park, Wakefield Normanton, Birmingham Landor Street and London Willesden. It will be for Railtrack to consider the commercial case for undertaking further loading gauge clearance work in the light of demand for freight services.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has issued to personnel management staff within the Driving Standards Agency concerning retraining following a formal complaint under chapter 17 of his Department's staff handbook. [14440]
Mr. Norris:
The Driving Standards Agency is producing a revised course on new desk instructions.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each agency within his Department his plans for changes to annual staff reporting and promotion procedures. [14432]
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Mr. Norris:
I have none. However, where the chief executives of my Department's agencies have such plans, these are shown:
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has issued to staff in the personnel management section of the Driving Standards Agency on the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service guidance on disciplinary procedures. [14444]
Mr. Norris:
The Driving Standards Agency follows the Department of Transport's disciplinary procedures. They are aware of the ACAS guidance and the Department of Transport is reviewing its disciplinary procedures.
Ms Short:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contracts have been awarded by Railtrack to Hall and Tawse; and what work under these contracts has been subcontracted to British Rail maintenance departments. [14486]
Mr. Watts:
I understand that Railtrack plc has awarded contracts to Hall and Tawse for rapid response and planned maintenance work. Hall and Tawse have subcontracted two small specialised work packages (about 1 per cent. of total contract value) covering professional inspection and track possession management advice to BR infrastructure maintenance companies.
Mr. Wilson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the causes of the Chingford-Liverpool Street train crash on 19 September 1995 and the remedial action that has been taken. [14301]
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Mr. Watts:
The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate has conducted its investigation into this accident and is now considering what further action to take. It would be inappropriate to comment on the cause pending that decision.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Promotion
Planning to introduce changes to the internal job application and promotion procedures. A new application form covering both procedures will support more objective assessments of the skills required for the advertised post and the applicant's suitability for it.
Driving Standards Agency
Planning to review the current staff reporting and promotion procedures.
Highways Agency
Annual staff reporting
Will pilot a new staff appraisal system in 1996-97 with a view to introducing it in 1997-98. The new system aims to improve the accuracy and consistency of reporting standards, provide a more effective means for staff and their managers to identify development needs and to encourage a frequent and constructive dialogue on performance.
The Coastguard Agency
Annual staff reporting
Aiming to introduce changes from November 1996.
Vehicle Certification Agency
Annual staff reporting
Planning to introduce new appraisal and reporting procedures in 1997-98.
Vehicle Inspectorate
Promotion
Developing arrangements for selecting the most suitable applicants for posts by means of assessment centres.
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