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Severn Bridge
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what repair work has had to be undertaken on the Severn bridge as a result of defective steel; what is the estimated cost of repair; and what has been the effect on traffic flows over the bridge. [33647]
Mr. Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. John Spellar, dated 24 June 1996:
24 Jun 1996 : Column: 33
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Second Severn Crossing.
The Second Severn Crossing is a private finance project operated by the Concessionaires, Severn River Crossing plc. The bridge was opened on 5th June 1996. We are not aware of any defective steel on the Second Servern Crossing.
Green Lane Industrial Estate, Featherstone
Mr. Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what sums from public funds have been spent on the access road into the Green Lane industrial estate in Featherstone. [33630]
Mr. Norris: The Green Lane industrial estate access road is a scheme promoted by Wakefield metropolitan district council. The Department of Transport has approved a grant of £113,765 under the Industrial Development Act 1982, and has authorised supplementary credit approvals in the sum of £590,931, in respect of the scheme.
Office of Passenger Rail Franchising
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total value of (i) payments made so far by the franchising director and (ii) all commitments so far made to (a) British Rail or (b) franchise companies and the latest estimate for the current financial year, including all consultancy payments and commissions payable by the franchising director. [33795]
Mr. Watts: Payments made by the franchising director are as follows:
| 1993-94 Outturn | 1994-95 Outturn | 1995-96 Outturn | 1996-97 Estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consultancy costs(17) | 1.5 | 13.1 | 27.0 | 16.8 |
| Support to BR(18) | -- | 1,783.0 | 1,650.1 | 1,626.0 |
| Support to franchisees(19) | -- | -- | 18.8 | (20)-- |
(17) All amounts are net of recovered VAT.
(18) Opraf took over responsibility for making support payments to BR from DOT on 1 April 1994.
(19) Payments have only been made to franchisees since 4 February 1996.
(20) The split of support for passenger rail services between BR and franchisees in 1996-97 will depend on the progress of franchising. The total is that included in the Supply estimates for class V, vote 7, passenger rail services.
Charter Aircraft
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what debts were owed to the Civil Aviation Authority by Sultan Air at the time of its receivership; and if these debts have now been recovered; [33534]
- (2) what action was taken by the Civil Aviation Authority as a result of the ruling by the High Court on 10 October 1994 in relation to flights operated by Air Operations of Europe; [33530]
(3) if he will list the occasions when aircraft operated by (a) Omega Air, (b) Sultan Air and (c) Air Operations of Europe have been detained by the Civil Aviation Authority at the request of Eurocontrol for non-payment of fees. [33532]
Mr. Norris: Sultan Air left no outstanding debts to the authority at the time of its receivership.
On 10 October 1994, the High Court ruled that Air Operations of Europe had been the operator of aircraft HR-AMC at the time of its detention. The CAA obtained an order of sale against the aircraft, and at a further hearing on 14 November 1994, the High Court ruled that unless payment of outstanding route charges and the
24 Jun 1996 : Column: 34
CAA's costs was made by 21 November 1994, the CAA would be at liberty to proceed with the sale of the aircraft. The route charges were paid and the aircraft was released from detention on 16 November, but remains grounded for safety reasons.
The CAA has no record of detention action against Omega Air at the request of Eurocontrol.
An aircraft operated by Sultan Air was detained for unpaid route charges on 16 October 1991, and released on 21 February 1992.
As I have explained, the aircraft detained on 22 October 1993 and released on 16 November 1994 was operated by Air Operations of Europe.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list (a) the customer charters which are currently in use within his Department and its executive agencies and (b) the charters which have been withdrawn. [32831]
Mr. Burt:
The Department's Benefits, Contributions, Child Support and War Pensions Agencies have published customer charters, all of which are currently in use.
Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what grades of civilian staff are employed at the vehicle depots at Ashchurch and Ludgershall. [33315]
Mr. Soames:
This is a matter for the Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Kevin Goad to Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, dated 24 June 1996:
The annex to this letter details the grades of the staff concerned.
I hope this fully answers your questions.
24 Jun 1996 : Column: 35
24 Jun 1996 : Column: 36
Mr. Soames:
This is a matter for the Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Kevin Goad to Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, dated 24 June 1996:
24 Jun 1996 : Column: 37
Mr. Soames:
This is a matter for the Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend.
I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence regarding how many and what grades of civilian staff are employed at the vehicle depots at Ashchurch and Ludgershall as this falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency. The figures, as at 17 June 1996, are as follows:
Ashchurch Ludgershall
58 non-industrial staff 24 non-industrial staff
147 industrial staff 56 industrial staff
Grade Total
Craft aux 3
Driver 5
Fitters 2
General hand (kennels) 1
FLTO 1
Spray painter 1
S/Storekeeper 6
Storekeeper 6
Labourer C/H 1
Labourers 7
SA1 2
L/H loco driver 1
Loco driver 1
Brakeman 2
LCH Sen Gen 3
Sen Gen 8
Gen 3
Gen hand 3
Total 56
Grade Total
HPTO 1
PTO 1
EO 1
AO 6
AA 3
TYPIST 2
AO (ADP) 1
P and GS 'C' 1
P and GS 'D' 2
P and GS 'E' 2
SOG 'C' 3
SOG 'D' 1
EGN 'F' 1
Total 25
MMGS
2 X CSO IV
20 X CSO V
MPC Strength
Grade 1995-96 Male Female Total
HEO -- -- 0 0
EO 3 2 0 2
RO2 1 1 0 1
SOG C 1 0 0 0
SOG D 4 3 0 3
P and GS C 0 1 0 1
P and GS D 3 2 0 2
P and GS E 1 0 0 0
SPTO 1 1 0 1
HPTO 2 2 0 2
PTO 6 8 0 8
Typist 3 0 3 3
AO (IT) 2 1 1 2
AO) 25 5 17 22
AA 1 0 -- 0
AA (IT) 9 3 6 9
RGN (F) 1 0 5 5
Nurse D 1 0 1 1
Totals 64.00 29.00 28.50 57.50
Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the terms of reference and time scale of the review of the investment appraisals for the Army's base vehicle depots at Ludgershall and Ashchurch. [33328]
MPC Strength
Grade 1995-96 Male Female Total
Head cook 1 1 0 1
Cook 3 1 2 3
CH STW I 1 0 1 1
CH STW II 1 0 1 1
STW I 1 0 1 1
STW II 2.5 0 2.5 2.5
Mess hand 4.5 0 4.5 4.5
Fitter MT 1 0 0 0
CH driver 1 1 0 1
LH driver 3 3 0 3
Driver 18 16 0 16
FLTO 2 2 0 2
Crane OP 1 1 0 1
LM Pt sprayer 1 1 0 1
Paint sprayer 2 2 0 2
Snr Stkpr 7 6 0 6
STKPR 16.5 15.5 2 17.5
Craft Aux 5 10 0 10
SA I 9 9 0 9
Messenger 1 0 0 0
LH Gen Hand 1 1 0 1
Gen Hand 8 4 0 4
LCH Sen Craftsman 3 3 0 3
CH Sen Craftsman 2 3 0 3
Total -- -- -- 93.5
MPC Strength
Grade 1995-96 Male Female Total
Progressor 2 2 0 2
LH Sen craftsman 2 1 0 1
Sen craftsman 15 15 0 15
CH craftsman 1 -- 0 0
LH craftsman 0 1 0 1
Craftsman basic 26 24 0 24
Apprentices 12 10 0 10
Total -- -- -- 53
I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence regarding the terms of reference and timescale of the review of the investment appraisals for the Army's base vehicle depots at Ludgershall and Ashchurch as this falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency.
The exercise being undertaken is a revalidation of the original Investment Appraisal which decided to concentrate all vehicles at Ashchurch and is re-examining all the aspects of this case to make sure it represents the best value for money to the taxpayer. The outcome of this work should be known by the end of July.
I hope this fully answers your question.
Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the investment over the last five years in the vehicle depots at Ashchurch and Ludgershall. [33314]
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