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Supertram, Sheffield
Sir Irvine Patnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on current progress in respect of the supertram in Sheffield. [16960]
Mr. Watts:
Privatisation of South Yorkshire supertram is a matter for South Yorkshire passenger transport executive, which I understand is continuing to make progress towards a sale. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Local Government, Housing and Regeneration announced the issuing of £20 million in supplementary credit approval on 14 February, Official Report, column 319. I understand that South Yorkshire passenger
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transport authority is in contact with officials of the Department of the Environment about the practicalities of issuing this credit approval, and other financial matters.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department estimates it cost to establish each executive agency set up by his Department since the start of April 1992. [16963]
Mr. Bowis:
This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Mr. Ian McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the cost and number of items of equipment and furniture that (a) have been stolen and (b) are otherwise unaccounted for from his Department and its agencies during the past 12 months, listing by name any such items valued at £5,000 or more, and showing information technology material separately. [17065]
Mr. Bowis:
The equipment is as follows:
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| Theft, fraud and | Number of items | Other causes | Number of items | Items at £5,000 or more | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| arson | Amount | Details | |||
| £31,265 | 80 | £13,364 | 37 | Nil | Nil |
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| Theft, fraud and | Number of items | Other causes | Number of items | Items at £5,000 or more | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| arson | Amount | Details | |||
| £54,999 | 43 | Nil | Nil | 1 | Lap-top computer--stolen from office |
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Vehicle Emissions
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the possible contribution which the conversion of diesel and petrol engines to run on road fuel gases could make to achieving reductions in emissions of SO2, PH10, NO2 and O3. [17121]
Mr. Bowis: An assessment of the potential of road fuel gases to reduce pollutant emissions can be found in the "Alternative Road Transport Fuels--A Preliminary Life Cycle Study for the UK, Volumes 1 and 2". This was produced by the energy technology support unit on behalf of the Departments of Transport and of Trade and Industry and published by HMSO in 1996 (ISBN 0 11 515410-8/0 11 515411-6). Copies are available in the House Library. A further study quantifying the viability and benefits of vehicles running on alternative fuels compared with petrol and diesel will be published later this year.
A406-A13 Bridge
Mr. Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 10 February, Official Report, column 61, what assessment he has made of the need for a bridge to carry the A406 over the A13 at Bedston to facilitate access to the millennium festival. [17042]
Mr. Bowis: None, but I understand that consultants working for Millennium Central Ltd. are undertaking some preliminary investigations.
Emergency Towing Vessels
Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the English coast in each direction is covered by the emergency towing vessel stationed at Dover. [17302]
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Mr. John Bowis:
The emergency towing vessel based in the Dover strait covers an area which extends from Harwich in the north of the Thames estuary to the Greenwich meridian in the English channel.
Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated time which the emergency towing vessel stationed at Falmouth is expected to take to travel to the north Devon coast. [17301]
Mr. Bowis:
The emergency towing vessel is not stationed at Falmouth, but spends nearly all of its time at sea, patrolling as far west as the Portland bill and as far north as Pembroke.
Mr. David Marshall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve road markings and signposting; and if he will make a statement. [17363]
Mr. Watts:
The placing and maintenance of road signs and markings is the responsibility of the traffic authority--in England, the local traffic authority for local roads, and the Highways Agency on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport for trunk roads and motorways. The signs and markings used are required to conform with regulations, principally the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994, made jointly by the Secretaries of State for Transport, for Scotland and for Wales, or to be specially authorised by the Secretary of State. My Department is currently preparing a statutory instrument to amend the TSRGD to include new sign designs in response to changing traffic management needs and techniques. Work is also in hand to update the joint guidance published by the three Departments on the correct design and use of signs.
Mr. Olner:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many kilometres of motorway are currently (a) open,
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(b) under construction and (c) planned in England (i) as new motorway and (ii) as existing motorway being widened. [17266]
Mr. Watts:
The figures for trunk road are as follows:
In addition, there are about 50 kms of non trunk motorways.
Mr. Barry Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the minimum age requirements enforced by his Department. [15914]
Mr. Hanley:
The only minimum age requirement enforced by this Department is the minimum age for the secret intelligence services, which is 21 years.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when (a) the British high commissioner and (b) his officials last visited the Jaffna area of Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement., [16935]
Dr. Liam Fox:
Our high commissioner last visited Jaffna on 31 October 1996. Officials from the high commission, including the deputy high commissioner, visited on 28-29 January this year.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the activities of the BP company in Colombia; and if he will make a statement. [16661]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
We have received three letters from human rights organisations and members of the public about the activities of BP in Colombia. Two questions have been tabled in the European Parliament. No reliable evidence has been put forward to substantiate the allegations made against BP.
Mr. McKelvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Ministers attended the Rio summit in 1992. [16825]
Dr. Liam Fox:
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, then Secretary of State for the Environment, my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State for Overseas Development and my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Department, then Minister of State for Environmental Protection, attended the Rio summit in 1992.
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Mr. Ian McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the cost and number of items of equipment and furniture that (a) have been stolen and (b) are otherwise unaccounted for from his Department and its agencies during the past 12 months, listing by name any such items valued at £5,000 or more, and showing information technology material separately. [17070]
Mr. Hanley:
The following items of equipment have been reported stolen or unaccounted for in the past 12 months:
Motorways currently
(a) open: 2,725 km
(b) under construction: 108 km
(c) planned in England
(i) as new motorway: 67 km
(ii) as existing motorway being widened: 313 km
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Stolen | |
| 20 general items | 2,576 |
| 5 IT items (laptop PC, printers and modem) | 3,995 |
| Unaccounted for | |
| 1 item (answerphone) | 35 |
| Total | 6,606 |
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