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Local Development Agencies
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what guidelines his Department issues to local development agencies in respect of them approaching companies in other areas to propose expansions or relocations away from their home areas; and what proposals he has to change these guidelines; [15645]
- (2) what rules govern the operation of local development agencies. [15655]
Mr. Greg Knight: My Department does not provide grants or operate guidelines to local development agencies for domestic promotional activities. It does give grants to regional development organisations in England, whose task is to assist the Invest in Britain Bureau in promoting the benefits of the UK and their regions as a location for inward investment. Where investment grants may be available under the regional selective assistance scheme, there are guidelines which rule out support simply for jobs being transferred from one part of the country to another. Assistance would be available only to eligible expansion projects which led to a net national benefit.
TRANSPORT
Driving Standards Agency
Sir John Cope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his plans for establishing the Driving Standards Agency as a trading fund. [16140]
Sir George Young:
I have today laid an order in draft which, subject to the approval of the House, will establish the Driving Standards Agency as a trading fund from 8 am on 1 April 1997.
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Although driving test fees are set at a level to cover DSA's full costs, the agency currently surrenders all fee receipts to the Consolidated Fund and its expenditure is financed from my Department's vote. As a trading fund, the test fee receipts will become DSA's income.
Driving test candidates pay test fees several weeks in advance of taking the driving test. The DSA has estimated that it will be liable to conduct £7 million worth of driving tests from 1 April 1997 for which it will have surrendered test fee receipts to the Consolidated Fund. In order to establish the DSA as a trading fund with sufficient assets to cover its liabilities, some £7 million--equivalent to the fees paid in advance and surrendered to the Consolidated Fund--will be paid to the DSA on 1 April before the trading fund order takes effect.
Parliamentary approval of this payment will be sought in the main estimates for 1997-98 for the Department of Transport vote, class 5, vote 6. Pending that approval, the necessary sum will be met by a repayable advance from the Contingencies Fund.
Mr. Dykes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with London Transport Underground management the introduction of the same system of random blood and alcohol level testing of staff members with safety responsibilities as is applied to railway company services. [15465]
Mr. Bowis:
This is a matter for London Underground, which I understand already has a very comprehensive system of alcohol and drugs testing for employees with safety responsibilities, using breath and urine tests. This includes screening of all new employees as well as a programme of unannounced tests on a selected sample of safety critical staff.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussion his Department has had with Kvaerner about the construction of a Thames bridge to be funded by continuing the tolling on the existing Dartford-Thurrock crossing; and if he will make a statement. [15687]
Mr. Watts:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 10 February, Official Report, column 62.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many British-based companies operate (a) passenger aircraft more than (i) 20 years old and (ii) 25 years old and (b) freight aircraft more than (i) 20 years old and (ii) 25 years old; and if he will make a statement; [15272]
Mr. Bowis:
As of 10 February 1997, there were only four aircraft on the UK register of civil aircraft holding current transport category (cargo) certificates of airworthiness. Aircraft with transport category (passenger) certificates of airworthiness may be operated for any
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purpose, including the carriage of cargo; for this reason, the table does not distinguish between passenger and freight aircraft.
(2) if he will make a statement on the safety record of aircraft operated by British-based companies. [15224]
| Construction date | Number of aircraft | Number of owners |
|---|---|---|
| 1972-76 inclusive | 37 | 24 |
| Pre 1972 | 72 | 20 |
The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for the safety regulation of UK registered aircraft. The CAA has comprehensive maintenance requirements which ensure the continued airworthiness of all aircraft and especially older aircraft which may need more intensive maintenance. The CAA has played a major role in identifying maintenance requirements for ageing aircraft and in helping to ensure that these steps are implemented internationally. The very high standards of safety which all UK operators must attain have resulted in a very good aviation safety record.
Railways (Targets)
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received in respect of setting targets for (a) increasing rail freight and (b) levels of investment in the railways; and if he will make a statement. [15342]
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Cyprus
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the Government's policy on the export of military equipment to Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [15203]
Mr. David Davis: We fully support United Nations Security Council resolution 1062 which expresses "serious concern about the modernisation and upgrading of military forces" on Cyprus. We will therefore grant licences for the export of equipment only to the military forces of either side on the island of Cyprus which we are satisfied does not fall within the following categories as defined by the EU common embargo list:
- (a) Weapons designed to kill and their ammunition; or
(b) Weapons platforms; or
(c) Ancillary equipment which is specifically designed for use in conjunction with either (a) or (b).
- Note: Among other items category (a) includes guns, bombs, torpedoes, rockets, missiles, fire control systems and tanks. Category (b) includes armed and armoured vehicles or vehicles with fitted mountings for arms, vessels of war, aircraft and helicopters.
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HEALTH
Nerve Gas Attack (Japan)
Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what ways the Department of Health is intending to review and assess the clinical data of the long-term health effects arising out of the nerve gas attacks on the Tokyo subway and Matsumato in 1994 and 1995. [14417]
Mr. Horam: Department of Health officials have examined available published papers on the health outcomes of the incidents in Tokyo and Matsumoto, and will continue to do so as further work appears.
Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 5 December, Official Report, column 758, what was the title of the conference attended by the official of his Department in July 1995; who were the organisers of this conference and where this conference was held; when the small working group is expected to finalise the guidance on managing the effects on health of incidents where chemicals have been deliberately released; and if this guidance will be made public. [14416]
Mr. Horam: The conference in question was the seminar on responding to the consequences of chemical and biological terrorism. It was sponsored by the United States public health service's office of emergency preparedness and was held at the uniformed services university of health sciences, Bethesda, Maryland. The small working group is aiming to complete its work by the end of July. The intention is to distribute the guidance to the national poisons information service and those who need it in the national health service, including public health and accident and emergency departments.
Data Collection (Postcodes)
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what use his Department and its agencies make of postcode areas for the collection of data and in formulas for the distribution of grants and awards; and when such usages were last reviewed. [14799]
Mr. Horam: Postcode areas are used in the analysis of data collected centrally in order to identify the health authority or local authority to which the data relates. The national health service uses a patient's postcode to identify which health authority is responsible for funding health care. Different data sets are reviewed on a regular basis, when the business need for the information is fully considered.
Neither the Department of Health nor any of its agencies use postcode data in formulae for the distribution of grants or awards.
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