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Eurostar Services
Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the start dates for Eurostar services north of London. [2177]
Ms Glenda Jackson: I understand form Eurostar (UK) Ltd. that it plans to start running regional Eurostar services later this year.
Rail Improvements
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on plans for improvements to railway signalling and tracks; and what plans he has to meet officials of Railtrack to discuss these issues. [2454]
Ms Glenda Jackson: Plans for improvements to track and signalling are a matter for Railtrack. We have made it clear that we expect higher levels of investment in the network and are considering whether the current regulatory regime is strong enough to secure that. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has met the chairman of Railtrack to discuss a range of issues.
Public Transport
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he plans to take to promote leisure travel by public transport. [2456]
Ms Glenda Jackson: On 5 June my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions announced a fundamental review of transport policy--Official Report, column 226. The review will include measures to reduce car dependency and promote the use of public transport for all types of journey.
Light Rail Schemes
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to increase the funds available within his budget for the promotion of light rail schemes. [2405]
Ms Glenda Jackson [holding answer 6 June 1997]: Bids for funding light rail systems will be considered, on their merits, as part of the allocation of resources for funding transport capital expenditure by local authorities.
But, as my right hon. Friend The Deputy Prime Minister said recently, there needs to be a co-ordinated approach to transport infrastructure. Light rail will not work in isolation but needs to be part of an integrated package of measures to achieve our overall objectives including the reduction of car dependency.
Railtrack
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he last held meetings with representatives of Railtrack plc; and if he will make a statement. [2697]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister met the chairman of Railtrack on 21 May. The Government have made it clear that we expect higher
9 Jun 1997 : Column: 318
levels of investment in the network. We are considering whether the current regulatory regime is strong enough to secure that.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects the Rail Regulator to complete his report into impartial ticket sales; and whether this report will be published. [2661]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Rail Regulator is still considering how and when to publish the results of his "mystery shopping" surveys on rail ticket outlets.
Sir George Young:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has imposed a moratorium on the letting of new road contracts. [2298]
Ms Glenda Jackson
[holding answer 6 June 1997]: No, but no new starts on national schemes are planned for this financial year. We are committed to a review of the roads programme, the details and scope of which will be announced shortly.
Mr. Cotter:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he will take to improve the monitoring and regulation of shipping movements in the Bristol channel. [2638]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The marine Safety Agency will continue to keep under review the need for additional routeing measures around the United Kingdom coast through its programme of maritime traffic surveys. however, the Bristol channel was not an area of concern in Lord Donaldson's report "Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas" and there are no immediate plans for a traffic survey.
A comprehensive database--the COAST Ship Traffic Database--indicates an average of 22 merchant shipping movements daily through the Bristol channel comprising four tankers, 17 other cargo ships and one ferry. This is a low density compared to the 440 daily shipping movements in the busy Dover strait.
Ships in the Bristol channel, as elsewhere, must navigate in accordance with the detailed Rules of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
Mr. Howard:
To ask the President of the Council on which previous occasion or occasions a Bill of constitutional significance has been made subject to a timetable motion before the commencement of the Committee stage. [2153]
Mrs. Ann Taylor:
The Scotland Bill and the Wales Bill were the subject of allocation of time orders made on 16 November 1997, having been given a Second Reading on 14 and 15 November respectively.
9 Jun 1997 : Column: 319
Ms Southworth:
To ask the President of the Council what plans she has to establish a review of parliamentary privilege. [3046]
Mrs. Ann Taylor:
The Government believe that, in the context of their initiative to modernize Parliament, the time is now ripe for a general review of parliamentary privilege. Various aspects of the relationship between Parliament and the courts have given rise to difficulties in recent years, and the boundaries between them have been redrawn without any fundamental reappraisal of the kind of legal immunities which Parliament and its Members ought to enjoy at the end of the twentieth century.
The need for a review has become more pressing with today's announcement by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary of proposals for taking forward a general reform of the corruption statutes, which will include clarifying the law relating to bribery of Members of Parliament, as recommended by the Nolan Committee. The implications for parliamentary privilege, which would clearly be considerable, would need to be considered carefully in advance of the introduction of legislation.
Since this is a matter for Parliament and one which affects both Houses the Government believes that such a review could be undertaken most appropriately by a Joint Committee. Consultations are taking place about setting up the committee and about the terms of reference it might have.
The Government hope that it might be possible to complete this review by early next year.
Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to ensure the enforcement of existing legislation to outlaw the illegal employment of school age children. [1540]
Mr. Wilson:
We are considering how the existing system for protecting children who work might be improved.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) the name, (b) the salary, (c) the previous occupation and salary and (d) the terms and conditions of each political and special adviser in his Department; and what was the selection process used to appoint these persons. [2423]
Mr. Dewar
[holding answer 6 June 1997]: My Department employs 2 Special Advisers, Miss Wendy Alexander and Mr. Murray Elder. Immediately prior to appointment Miss Alexander was employed as a Senior Associate with Booz, Allen and Hamilton, International (UK) Ltd. and Mr. Elder already worked with me in an advisory capacity.
The terms and conditions of each appointment are set out in the draft model contract, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
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Special Advisers are paid within a range of £24,349 to £73,484. Their salaries are negotiated individually and are confidential within this range. Details of this and of previous salary are not provided in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.
These are personal appointments made by me following consultation with the Permanent Head of my Department and the Prime Minister.
Ms Roseanna Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total annual budget for Scottish Screen; and if he will provide a breakdown of the categories within that budget and the money allocated to each category. [2192]
Mr. Galbraith
[holding answer 6 June 1997]: The cash limit for Scottish Screen in 1997-98 is £1,975,000. Scottish Screen forecasts that it will receive additional income of £711,000 making a total budget of £2.7 million. Budgets for the 8 departments have been prepared for Board approval.
Ms Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the names and designations of the persons within Scottish Screen with authority to make expenditure commitments on its behalf. [2193]
Mr. Galbraith
[holding answer 9 June 1997]: The expenditure of Scottish Screen is the responsibility of the Chief Executive, Mr. John Archer. He delegates as appropriate to the heads of the departments of Scottish Screen.
Ms Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many meetings have been held by the Board of Scottish Screen since it inception. [2194]
Mr. Galbraith
[holding answer 6 June 1997]: One: the first meeting of the Board of Scottish Screen was held on 5 June.
Ms Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how may times per year the Board of Scottish Screen is expected to meet; and how many times it is scheduled to meet in 1997. [2195]
Mr. Galbraith
[holding answer 6 June 1997]: The Board of Scottish Screen will decide how frequently it will meet. Three further meetings are planned for 1997.
Ms Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were (a) the total number of people and (b) the names of the people sent to the Cannes Film Festival at the expense of Scottish Screen; and what was the expenditure incurred by Scottish Screen in respect of representation at that festival. [2197]
Mr. Galbraith
[holding answer 6 June 1997]: Nine persons attended. Mr. John Archer, Ms Celia Stevenson, Mr. Eddie Dick, Ms Catherine Aitken, Mr. Oscar Van Heek, Ms Lesley Anderson, Ms Judy Anderson, Ms Emma Valentine and Ms Maxine Baker. The total includes four who were committed to attend the Festival by the organisation which employed them before April 1997. The expenditure incurred, including the launch of Scottish Screen at the Scottish film day, was approximately £20,000.
9 Jun 1997 : Column: 321
Ms Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions took place between the Government and the Opposition with regard to the appointment of the chairman of Scottish Screen. [2199]
Mr. Galbraith
[holding answer 6 June 1997]: No consultation took place between the previous Administration and the then Opposition about this appointment.
Ms Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a breakdown of the expenditure commitments made by Scottish Screen since its inception, listing the categories within the overall budget from which those commitments have been made.[2200]
Mr. Galbraith
[holding answer 6 June 1997]: Scottish Screen has made the following commitments since its inception:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Grant to the Edinburgh Film Festival (this is in addition to £366,000 inherited commitments for Regional Film Theatres and Festivals | 58,500 |
| Cataloguing the Archive (contingent on a Lottery fund application) | 41,200 |
| Training awards | 14,100 |
| Moonstone International | 17,500 |
| Film Development Awards | 16,250 |
| Total | 147,550 |
Ms Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current status of the Scottish Arts Council inquiry into the productions assisted by the Scottish Film Production Fund, with which the chairman of Scottish Screen was associated. [2209]
Mr. Galbraith [holding answer 6 June 1997]: The Scottish Arts Council is satisfied that all Lottery film awards have met the requirements of public accountability.
Ms Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangement the Scottish Office has put in place (a) to monitor the performance of Scottish Screen and (b) to make publicly available reports on the performance of Scottish Screen. [2208]
Mr. Galbraith [holding answer 6 June 1997]: The performance of Scottish Screen will be measured against the objectives set in its Corporate Plan which will be approved by Ministers each year. Scottish Screen's Annual Reports will reflect the extent to which the objectives set have been achieved.
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