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Community Care

Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the costs of preparing and producing the report on the provision of community care services in Angus, Dundee and Perth and Kinross. [7815]

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The costs of preparing and producing the report on the provision of community care services in Angus, Dundee and Perth and Kinross were as follows:

Item	£
Report preparation
Manager's time	7,700
Inspectors' time (includes 20 per cent. overhead costs)	26,250
Administrative support	1,000
Consultancy (Price Waterhouse)	19,364
Market research costs	2,643
Research assistance	1,865
Total	58,822
Report production
Production of summary report	295
HMSO	17,953
Total	18,248
Combined total cost	77.070

6 Dec 1996 : Column: 799

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

Iraq

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his current estimate of the number of children dying of hunger and disease each week in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [7522]

Dr. Liam Fox: We do not have reliable estimates. Figures produced by the Government of Iraq cannot be relied upon, given their history of deceit.

This year we have spent some £6 million on emergency assistance for Iraq through non-governmental organisations and United Nations agencies. Of this, some £1.6 million was targeted on children's needs--£0.5 million in northern Iraq and £1.1 million in Baghdad-controlled Iraq.

The Government are pleased that Iraq has now finally agreed to the implementation of Security Council resolution 986, as we have urged them to do since its adoption in April 1995. Saddam Hussein's refusal to implement it for so long has caused much unnecessary suffering for the Iraqi people.

Paraguay

Ms Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government of Paraguay are required to settle the indigenous peoples' land claims in the Paraguayan Chaco before the second phase of the EU project on sustainable development in the Paraguayan Chaco begins; and if this is a precondition for the United Kingdom Government voting for the second phase to proceed. [7704]

Dr. Liam Fox: With other EU member states, we approved a proposal for the sustainable development of the Chaco region of Paraguay in September 1994. Approval was given subject to several conditions, one of them being that the Government of Paraguay would be required to settle the indigenous peoples' land claims in the project region before the start of the second operational phase. UK support for the second phase of the project remains conditional on this requirement being met.

Indonesia

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions since 1980 the prospect of arms sales for United Kingdom companies has been a factor in the granting of aid to Indonesia. [7527]

6 Dec 1996 : Column: 800

Dr. Liam Fox: In no instance has the prospect of arms sales been a factor in decisions by the Overseas Development Administration concerning the granting of aid to Indonesia.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Yorkshire County Cricket Club

Mr. Batiste: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the eligibility for EU and lottery funds of the proposed move of Yorkshire county cricket club to Wakefield. [7037]

Mr. Sproat: It would not be appropriate for me to comment at this stage on the eligibility of possible applications by Wakefield metropolitan city council for European and national lottery funding for the proposed new ground for Yorkshire county cricket club in Wakefield. Any such applications will be treated on their merits. In general terms, applications to the European structural fund must demonstrate that new investment will be attracted to the region in which the project is sited, while applications for lottery moneys for sports projects must demonstrate that the proposed facilities will benefit the whole community. The Sports Council has already advised YCCC that applications to the lottery sports fund for spectator accommodation currently have relatively low priority, but the policy is under review, in discussion with a number of sports including cricket.

TRANSPORT

A205, Catford

Mr. Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the status of the A205 Catford town centre improvement within the trunk roads programme; and when he expects construction to start. [7385]

Mr. Bowis: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Jim Dowd, dated 6 December 1996:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question about the A205 Catford Town Centre improvement scheme.
The Secretary of State announced on 26 November that this scheme has been retained in the trunk road programme. However, the planning consent which was granted to the Greater London Council has lapsed and we propose to publish fresh draft Orders under the Highways Act 1980. It is therefore too early to say when construction will start. That will depend upon the satisfactory completion of the statutory planning procedures and the continuing availability of funds.

Publicity

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what promotional and public information campaigns his Department is (a) currently running and (b) planning to run during the next six months; and for each campaign (i) how much it will cost, (1) in total and (2) to his Department, (ii) what agencies or bodies are undertaking the work and (iii) what is its planned duration. [7407]

6 Dec 1996 : Column: 801

Mr. Bowis: Information relating to the promotional and public information campaigns run by the Department of Transport through its agencies is not collected centrally. The information below relates to the central transport group of the Department of Transport only.

The bulk of the Department's promotional and public information work concerns continual campaigns to encourage safer road use.

(a) The annual Christmas drink drive advertising campaign is currently running. It will run throughout December and will cost £1.2 million.


(b) Child pedestrian safety advertising will run in January and February 1997 costing £800,000. Over the next six months it is planned to spend a further £400,000 to publicise various road safety topics.

The Department works with advertising agencies Abbot Mead Vickers and D'Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles to secure creative advise in addressing its road safety messages through advertising campaigns to the public; it works with the Central Office of Information to ensure that it secures effectiveness and value for money in the purchasing of advertising media. In other areas of providing information for the public--advice on transport security, mobility for disabled people, vehicle emissions etcetera--it works with various suppliers of design, print, and other media.

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on promotional or public information campaigns in each of the last five years; and how much he estimates will be spent on these campaigns during the (i) current and (ii) next financial years. [7539]

Mr. Bowis: Information relating to the promotional and public information campaigns run by the Department of Transport and its agencies is not collected centrally. The figures relate to the central transport group of the Department of Transport only.

The figures for the last five years are as follows:

1991-92: 8,270,000
1992-93: 8,760,000
1993-94: 8,275,000
1994-95: 8,039,000
1995-96: 8,356,000 ¹
(i) estimate for current financial year:
1996-97: 9,648,000 ¹
(ii) detailed budget estimates for the next financial years have not yet been finalised. ¹ Expenditure for 1995-96 and 1996-97 includes advertising in respect of the flotation of Railtrack.

Channel Tunnel (Safety)

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 27 November, Official Report, column 265, what is the estimated time delay between an incident in mid-channel tunnel and the arrival of firefighting teams during the night. [7663]

Mr. Watts: During normal operations, firefighting teams are usually based at night in the fire equipment management centres at either end of the tunnel. The maximum estimated attendance time for teams to reach the middle of the tunnel from the FEMCs is about 20 minutes. Under the current temporary arrangements, Eurotunnel has assured the Channel Tunnel Safety

6 Dec 1996 : Column: 802

Authority that firefighting teams will maintain a permanent 24-hour presence in the service tunnel while the damaged section of the southern tunnel is repaired.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 27 November, Official Report, column 265, what inspections have been undertaken by the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority since the tunnel became operational. [7662]

Mr. Watts: Numerous regular inspections have been undertaken both by members of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority and by inspectors from national authorities.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the members of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority, together with the organisations that they represent. [7651]

Mr. Watts: There are 10 full members of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority. They are:

Roger Lejuez (current chairman of the Safety Authority), Inspecteur General des Transports et des Travaux Publics, Ministere des Transports; Claude Charmeil, Ingenieur General des Ponts et Chausees, Ministere des Transports; Pierre Desfray, Ingenieur Divisionnaire des Travaux Publics de l'Etat, Ministere des Transports; Francois Barthelemy, Chef de la Mission du Transport des Matieres Dangereuses, Ministere des Transports; and Jean-Pascal Cogez, Sous-Prefet du Pas-de-Calais.
Edward Ryder CB (current head of the UK delegation), formerly HM chief inspector of nuclear installations, Health and Safety Executive; Peter Moss, head of channel tunnel division, Department of Transport; Sandra Caldwell, head of division A--safety policy directorate, Health and Safety Executive; Jeremy Beech CBE, QFSM, chief fire officer of Kent; and Victor Coleman, deputy chief inspector of railways, HM railway inspectorate, Health and Safety Executive.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Kent fire brigade took part in the safety evacuation exercise carried out by Eurotunnel on Sunday 1 December. [7666]

Mr. Watts: Yes.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances decisions taken by the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority can be vetoed by individual members. [7652]

Mr. Watts: Decisions by the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority are taken by agreement between the UK and French delegations. There is no power to veto by individual members.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the minutes of the last three meetings of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority. [7650]

Mr. Watts: The Anglo-French Channel Tunnel Safety Authority does not publish the minutes of its meetings. A summary of the safety authority's proceedings is published in the annual reports of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority, which are placed in the Library of the House.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) pursuant to his answer of 27 November, Official Report, columns 264-66, if he will place in the

6 Dec 1996 : Column: 803

Library the inspection reports on the maintenance checks undertaken on the decoupling device involved in the fire on 18 November; [7661]

(2) pursuant to his answer of 27 November, Official Report, columns 264-66, if he will place in the Library copies of all incident reports not yet in the public domain; [7646]

(3) if he will make public the findings of safety checks conducted by Eurotunnel; [7667]

(4) pursuant to his answer of 27 November, Official Report, columns 264-66, what factors preclude him from placing in the Library correspondence between Eurotunnel and the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority relating to the design of wagons; [7664]

(5) what independent research was conducted by the Fire Research Station on the safe design of the channel tunnel; and if he will place copies in the Library. [7653]

Mr. Watts: This is precluded under the terms of the channel fixed-link concession agreement dated 14 March 1986, which states "Each of the parties hereto and the Intergovernmental Commission and the Safety Authority shall hold in confidence all Documents and other information whether technical or commercial supplied to them by or on behalf of any other party hereto relating to the Fixed Link and shall not save as required by law or procedural practices publish or otherwise disclose the same otherwise than for the purposes contemplated by this Agreement."

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representatives from (a) his Department, (b) the Health and Safety executive and (c) the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority attended the recent evacuation exercise staged by Eurotunnel; and if he will list the independent observers attending the exercise. [7648]

Mr. Watts: Two representatives from the Department of Transport, three representatives from the Health and Safety Executive and three from the Channel Tunnel safety Authority attended the evacuation exercise staged by Eurotunnel on 1 December 1996. Representatives from Kent fire brigade, Kent county constabulary and Her Majesty's fire inspectorate were also present.

Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations there have been between the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority and people with experience in fighting fires in coal mines with particular reference to those familiar with the foam plug technique. [7462]

Mr. Watts: The Channel Tunnel Safety Authority is able to obtain information and advice from a number of sources, including the Health and Safety executive and Kent fire brigade.

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