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Ammonium Nitrate
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the compliance of the arrangements for the onward movement of the ammonium nitrate at the port of Tilbury with (a) the regulations concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by rail, (b) the European agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road and (c) EC directive 80/876, as amended; and if he will make a statement. [13533]
Mr. Watts: Compliance with the regulations for the transport of dangerous goods buy rail and road is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive. Health and Safety Executive inspectors are scheduled to visit the port of Tilbury next week to inspect the arrangements for the onward transport of ammonium nitrate.
Transport Study, Leicestershire
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the costs to date of the central Leicestershire strategy transport study--carried out jointly by Leicestershire county council and Leicester city council.[13282]
Mr. Watts: The information is not held by the Department of Transport.
FirstBus
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons undertakings relating to fares, service quality and cost of tendered services were not sought from FirstBus before issuing the contract to FirstBus in respect of bus services in Glasgow. [13808]
Mr. Watts: The terms and conditions of contracts let for the running of subsidised bus services in Glasgow are matters for the Strathclyde passenger transport executive.
Boeing 737
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for transport what deadline he has set aircraft operators to carry out modifications to the rudder of Boeing 737 aircraft. [13184]
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Mr. Bowis: Under the Chicago convention, the United States of America is responsible, as state of design, for the continued airworthiness of Boeing 737 aircraft. I understand that the US Federal Aviation Administration intends to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking on modifications to the Boeing 737 in February. It is likely that the FAA will require modifications to be made within three years. The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority will consider these proposals when published.
Passenger Rail Fares
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the total annual revenue from United Kingdom domestic passenger rail fares in the last year for which statistics are available; if he will estimate the effects on revenue of a 25 per cent. reduction in fares; and if he will indicate the assumptions regarding the elasticity of demand in relation to price which he is using. [13326]
Mr. Watts: "Transport Statistics Great Britain", 1996 edition, published by the Government statistical office, gives ticket receipts for all British Rail and franchised passenger rail services in 1995-96 as £2,379.4 million--at 1995-96 prices.
Elasticity of demand estimates are commercially confidential within the railway industry. Further, elasticity values are affected by many different factors and only hold for small real changes. It is therefore not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the effects on revenue of a 25 per cent. reduction in fares.
Airline Safety
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish airline safety league tables on a six-monthly basis. [13183]
Mr. Bowis: No. In order to hold an air operator's certificate, all United Kingdom airlines must attain the high standards of safety required by the Civil Aviation Authority. I do not therefore believe that there are any significant differences in the safety standards of UK airlines which would warrant the compilation of a safety league table.
Foreign airlines flying into the UK are regulated by the aviation authority of their home state in accordance with minimum safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. It would not therefore be possible or appropriate for the UK Government to produce a safety league table.
British Railways Board
Mr. Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the contracts of the directors of the British Railways Board he plans to terminate early; and how much compensation each will be entitled to. [13426]
Mr. Watts: My right hon. Friend will be reviewing the size and composition of the BR board in the light of its reduced responsibilities following the sale of most of the BR businesses, but he has taken no decision on the early termination of existing board appointments.
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Wheelock Bypass
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent representations he has received concerning the proposed start date of the Wheelock bypass; what funds have been allocated for the scheme in the next financial year; and what commitments have been given to fund the scheme in the future; [13185]
- (2) what criteria were used to assess competing bids for road construction projects under the transport policies and programme submissions; to what extent the proposed Wheelock bypass met those criteria; and if he will make a statement; [13186]
(3) what representations he has received concerning the difficulties experienced by local highways authorities in entering into contracts for construction of major road projects without resources of funding beyond the initial year (a) in respect of the proposed Wheelock bypass and (b) in general; and if he will make a statement. [13187]
Mr. Watts: I have received six written representations concerning the start date of the Wheelock bypass.
For 1997-98, £2 million of expenditure on the Wheelock bypass has been accepted for transport supplementary grant. Previous allocations for this scheme are £0.75 million for 1995-96 and £2 million for 1996-97. TSG is payable at a rate of 50 per cent. of the accepted expenditure, with the balance allocated as borrowing approvals.
No specific commitment about future funding have been given in respect of this scheme. Local authority circular 2/96 repeated the message that major road improvement schemes--those costing over £2 million--which have been accepted for TSG are normally funded through to completion. This is dependant upon progress and costs remaining broadly in line with those when the scheme was first accepted for TSG. The circular further explained that it might be necessary to restrict funding and spread support over a longer period.
If Cheshire county council let a construction contract before the next local transport capital settlement, then subject to these caveats it may expect funding for 1998-99 to follow.
In assessing bids for major road construction projects which had been accepted for TSG in the 1996-97 local transport capital settlement, the following points were taken into account:
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I have received only one recent representation from a local authority seeking assurances regarding future allocations before entering into a contractual commitment. This was not in relation to the Wheelock bypass.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what support is currently provided to those with learning disabilities, mental health and other problems who live in sheltered accommodation in the community. [11821]
Mr. Burt:
Social security assistance with day-to-day living costs may be available from income support, which recognises the additional costs faced by some people with special needs whilst housing benefit can assist with reasonable accommodation costs and benefits such as attendance allowance and disability living allowance can help towards the extra costs of disability.
It is the Government's policy to encourage the development, at a local level, of a range of appropriate and co-ordinated health and social services for people with learning difficulties, mental health and other problems. Local authorities are responsible for assessing need on an individual basis and for arranging appropriate care.
Mr. Austin-Walker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department from the reduction in housing benefit subsidies to 95 per cent. in England in each of the years from 1991-92 to 1997-98. [13308]
Mr. Roger Evans:
Until 1990-91, local authorities received 97 per cent. as direct subsidy for the majority of their private sector housing benefit expenditure; a further sum of 3.5 per cent. of estimated expenditure being fed into the revenue support grant. When this direct subsidy was reduced to 95 per cent. in 1991-92, the amount funded through the revenue support grant was increased to 5.5 per cent.
Spending on the Wheelock bypass scheme in 1995-96 was only £0.374 million, and for 1996-97 only £0.75 million is budgeted. In the light of this, I could not be certain that any allocation for the Wheelock bypass 1997-98 would be used in full for the scheme.
whether the bid is for a relatively small amount which it would be reasonable for a local authority to fund;
whether it is for residual expenditure (later than the second year after the scheme is complete);
whether cost increases are fully justified;
whether progress on part or all of a scheme has been maintained according to earlier forecasts;
whether it appears to represent a realistic view of possible progress; and
whether, where a scheme or part had yet to start, it is imperative that the scheme go ahead without delay.
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