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Marine Pollution

19.

Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he intends to take to improve the protection of the marine environment from accidents to oil tankers. [18011]

Sir George Young: In addition to our policies to improve vessel safety, we are committed to ensuring that the United Kingdom has the resources to respond quickly and effectively to marine pollution incidents. We have accepted the vast majority of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson's inquiry into the protection of the marine environment from pollution from ships, and we are implementing those recommendations vigorously.

Mrs. Jane Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his assessment of the danger of marine pollution arising from the presence of oil tankers off British coasts; and if he will make a statement. [18018]

Sir George Young: The carriage of any hazardous or polluting cargo by any transport mode inevitably involves some element of risk. The Government remain committed to reducing that risk so far as is possible.

Trunk Road Construction

20.

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made on attracting private finance initiative bids to assist trunk road construction. [18012]

11 Mar 1996 : Column: 468

Mr. Watts: We have made excellent progress in attracting private finance initiative bids to assist trunk road construction. Industry enthusiasm for the DBFO programme has meant there has been no shortage of bidders and we have already awarded the contract for the A69 and expect to announce the award of other tranche 1 projects shortly.

Royal Train

21.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Wisconsin Central paid for the royal train. [18013]

Mr. Watts: Wisconsin Central Transportation has not bought the royal train.

Mr. Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the date of manufacture of the royal train locomotive and rolling stock; and what was the purchase price in current prices. [18910]

Mr. Watts: One of two class 47 locomotives--built in the 1960s--owned by Rail Express Systems Ltd, is generally used to haul the royal train, and they are also used for other purposes. The royal train coaches are owned by Railtrack, and were originally manufactured between 1969 and 1986. Apart from four which entered royal train service from new in the mid-1980s, they are all conversions from prototype or redundant coaches. The conversions took place in 1976-97 and between 1988 and 1991. The cost was approximately £10 million at historic prices. The purchase price at current prices is not available.

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, in order of precedence, those members of the royal family entitled to use the royal train on official business. [19343]

Mr. Watts: If on official business, the following members of the royal family are entitled to use the royal train: the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke of York, the Prince Edward, the Princess Royal, the Princess Margaret, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy.

Birmingham Northern Relief Road

22.

Mr. Mike O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how long after the inquiry has closed it has taken on average in each of the last 10 major road inquiries for the decision to be announced; and when he expects to announce the decision into the Birmingham northern relief road. [18014]

Mr. Watts: Sixteen months. The decision on the Birmingham northern relief road will be announced when my by right Hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport, have received and considered the inquiry inspector's report.

Railway Investment

23.

Sir David Madel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans next to meet the chairman of Railtrack to discuss future investment; and if he will make a statement. [18015]

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Mr. Watts: My right Hon. Friend has regular meetings with the chairman of Railtrack to discuss all aspects of Railtrack's business. Railtrack's plans for its expenditure on the network are set out in its network management statement, published on 20 December 1995. This document shows that Railtrack is planning to spend over £1 billion per year over the next 10 years.

Bus Deregulation

25. Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to review the impact of bus deregulation. [18017]

Mr. Norris: Bus deregulation outside London has meant more bus operators running more bus miles at lower cost than previously, with new buses on many routes, and with greatly reduced public subsidy. The bus working group, which I chair and on which are represented bus operators, local authorities and bus users, has been reviewing the scope for further enhancement of the role of buses in meeting public transport needs, within the deregulated framework. I announced its initial conclusions and a further programme of work on 8 January.

Vehicle Emissions

29. Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met representatives of the Freight Transport Association to discuss exhaust emissions from heavy goods vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [18021]

Mr. Norris: My right Hon. Friend has met the Freight Transport Association twice in the past six months but has not discussed with it the subject of exhaust emissions from goods vehicles. Officials of the Department and the Vehicle Inspectorate do, however, hold regular meetings with the FTA to discuss matters of mutual interest, including exhaust emissions.

Blind People (Public Transport)

Mr. Booth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on Government assistance towards access for blind people to all means of public transport. [18016]

Mr. Norris: The needs of blind and partially sighted people have, over a number of years, been an integral part of the work to improve access to transport for disabled people. Many of the features which are now commonplace on our public transport systems--colour-contrasted step edges and handrails and the use of tactile indicators--have been developed and introduced in consultation with visually impaired people. The regulations which will be introduced under the transport section of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 will build on current developments to ensure that the needs of people with sensory impairments are addressed, in the same way as those of people with physical disabilities. Consultation with disabled people will be an essential element in the development of those regulations.

11 Mar 1996 : Column: 470

Rail Safety Standards

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that adequate safety standards are maintained by Railtrack. [18009]

Mr. Watts: We have implemented in full the health and safety commission's recommendations for an enhanced safety regime. The independent Health and Safety Executive will continue to ensure that standards and commitments are met, and will react as necessary.

Chiltern Line

Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of rail services on the Chiltern line; and if he will make a statement. [18382]

Mr. Watts: None. Current levels of service are a matter for Chiltern. The franchising director has invited indicative bids for the Chiltern franchise by 22 March. The passenger service requirement, which is the contractually agreed level of service that the franchise operator will be required to provide, was finalised on 22 January following consultation between the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and relevant local authorities--including the London boroughs of Ealing and Brent--and rail users' consultative committees.

London to Colchester Rail Services

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the train operating companies running services between London and Colchester will be taken over by the private sector. [18596]

Mr. Watts: Services between London and Colchester are currently operated by Great Eastern and Anglia. The franchising director issued invitations to pre-qualify for the Anglia franchise on 22 February, and the deadline for expressions of interest is 22 March. Invitations to tender will be issued as soon as is practicable. The Great Eastern franchise will be offered to the private sector in due course.

Guidance Notes

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pages of guidance notes have been issued by (a) his Department, (b) regulatory authorities and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last three years. [18647]

Mr. Norris: This information is not collected.

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