| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Boeing 747
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action (a) his Department and (b) the CAA have taken to ensure that the technical problems associated with the fuel tanks on Boeing 747s have been addressed by operators based in the United Kingdom. [2662]
Ms Glenda Jackson: Safety regulation of UK registered aircraft is the statutory responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Under International Civil Aviation Organisation rules, primary responsibility for promulgating information necessary to maintain the continued airworthiness of an aircraft type rests with the State of Design. In the case of the Boeing 747 the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the body responsible.
As a result of its investigation, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has made some interim safety recommendations to the FAA, which are intended to reduce the risks of explosions in partially empty fuel tanks. The FAA is publicly consulting industry and other interested parties and if it determines that mandatory corrective action is necessary, it will issue an Airworthiness Directive.
In addition, Boeing has recommended some precautionary fuel tank inspections which are being carried out by United Kingdom operators of 747s. These inspections are primarily intended to seek information on the condition of equipment in and around fuel tanks; they are not checking for the existence of specific identified problems.
11 Jun 1997 : Column: 475
If the FAA issues any Airworthiness Directive related to this issue, it is likely that the CAA will make it mandatory for UK operators.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what work he intends to undertake on the dangers posed by air bags to children in rear-facing child seats. [2647]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Department is very aware of this danger. The key factor is not research but ensuring that the public understand the hazard.
The wide media coverage of the hazard is especially welcome and I hope that it will continue. A poster by the motor industry, warnings contained in the Department's publication "Choosing Safety" and in the forthcoming editions of "Seat Belts and the Law" and "The Highway Code" should also help.
European legislation now requires manufacturers to fit a warning label to cars to alert motorists to the hazard. This is a minimum requirement, and I welcome any effort the car industry can make to improve the clarity of this warning.
We will continue to monitor the situation and press for whatever further action is appropriate.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many approved driving examiners have been found to be operating in an unsatisfactory manner and have had their licence removed in the last five years. [2646]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
In 1996-97 10 instructors were removed from the Register of Approved Driving Instructors because they were considered not to be "fit and proper" persons. A further 80 instructors were removed from the Register because they failed to meet the minimum acceptable standards of instructional ability when assessed by the Driving Standards Agency. The corresponding figures for 1995-96 were 12 and 75 respectively. Figures for the preceding years cannot be separately identified from those leaving the Register for reasons such as retirement.
Mr. McDonnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions by what date the London Underground will be accessible to wheelchair users. [2998]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
This is a matter for London Underground. However, as the Underground system was originally built with little regard to the needs of disabled people, and in view of the cost of rectifying this situation at over 270 stations, it is difficult to give a specific date for when the Underground will be fully accessible to all. London Underground's policy is to maintain and improve existing levels of access for disabled passengers where practicable and to incorporate improved accessibility into all new and rebuilt trains, new lines and extensions and
11 Jun 1997 : Column: 476
station redevelopments. For example, the Jubilee Line Extension, when completed, will be fully accessible to wheelchair users.
Access to underground stations, as to other public transport stations and terminals, is covered by the provisions of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act. There are specific provisions in the Part of the Act which deal with the removal of physical barriers to access where that is deemed reasonable. The Department for Education and Employment (which is responsible for that part of the Act) will be consulting on its proposals for its implementation.
Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the relationship between the Government and the Rail Regulator. [2864]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Rail Regulator is currently independent of Government, working to statutory duties in the Railways Act 1993. We have made clear that we intend to establish more effective and accountable regulation by the Regulator; we are now reviewing the options.
Mr. Cousins:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the reported accidents on the A1 north of Newcastle to the Scottish border over the last three years. [2959]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The number of reported injury accidents over the last three years is shown in the following table:
| Severity | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Serious | 16 | 9 | 16 |
| Slight | 29 | 52 | 51 |
| All | 45 | 62 | 69 |
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much of the length of the A1 from the Gosforth Interchange to the Scottish border is dual carriageway; and how much consists of single carriageway constructed within the last 18 years; [2960]
- (2) if the state of the A1 north of Newcastle to the Scottish border will form part of his strategy review of the trunk road programme. [2961]
11 Jun 1997 : Column: 477
Ms Glenda Jackson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 11 June 1997:
You asked also if the A1 north of Newcastle to the Scottish border will form part of the Secretary of State's Strategic Review. Ministers have yet to announce the terms of reference for the strategic review, which I understand will cover the whole roads programme.
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the A1 north of Newcastle.
There is 34km of dual carriageway and 60km of single carriage way between the Gosforth Interchange and the Scottish border.
During the last 18 years the following single carriageway schemes have been completed providing, generally, 7.3m wide carriageway with marginal strips:
Scheme Opened Length of carriageway (£ million)
Warenford Bypass 1978-79 2.0
Felton Bypass 1981 4.9
Belford Bypass 1983 5.0
Berwick Bypass 1983 9.0
Alnwick Bypass Stage 2 1985 6.5
HEALTH
Corticosteroids
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the expenditure on GP-prescribed corticosteroids in each health district in England expressed as a value per head of resident population in the last year for which figures are available. [1341]
Mr. Milburn: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Dental Services
Mr. Cann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the level of wastage of qualified dentists from the general dental service in each of the last five years; what estimate he has made of the total costs of such wastage to the NHS budget; and if he will make a statement. [1891]
Mr. Milburn: We do not collect information on wastage. Dentists are independent contractors and as such are free to choose the amount of work they carry out for the National Health Service. Their level of commitment to the NHS may vary for a number of reasons driven by personal choice and circumstances, including part-time working, early retirement and varying balance between private and NHS work.
Mr. Cann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made, by value or volume of individual treatments, of the increased amounts of private dentistry undertaken by general dental practitioners. [1893]
Mr. Milburn:
Private dental work is a matter for the dentist and the patient customer. There is no Government funding and no detailed information on private dental treatment is centrally collected.
11 Jun 1997 : Column: 478
Some gross earnings information on dentists is collected from the Inland Revenue survey, solely to inform the Doctors and Dentists Review Body recommendations on gross fees by giving information on dentists' expenses. This can be used to get a broad indication of the amount of other earnings by general dental service dentists. The latest data are for 1994-95, and indicate that there was an increase in the amount of earnings from sources outside the general dental service between 1992-93 and 1994-95.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long a national health service dental patient may remain on a dentist's patient list without seeking treatment; and if he will make a statement. [1917]
Mr. Milburn:
This area is under review. The registration periods were changed with effect from last September and now stand at 15 months for adults and children.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |