| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
TRANSPORT
Roads (Verge Cutting)
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will include within his Department's estimates for the next financial year the re-introduction of cutting of verges on trunk roads within built-up areas. [2973]
Ms Glenda Jackson: In 1997-98, verge cutting was reduced in cases where safety was not compromised. The Department will be considering carefully detailed expenditure plans for 1998-99 and a decision will be announced in due course.
M6 (Congestion)
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to tackle congestion on the M6; and if he will make a statement. [3752]
Ms Glenda Jackson: There are two schemes in the Roads Programme to widen sections of the M6 between junctions 11A and 16 and Junctions 16 to 19. However, we are committed to strategic review of the Roads Programme. The terms of reference are not yet settled so you will appreciate that I cannot say what the effects of the review will be for the M6.
Road Contracts
Sir George Young: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 9 June, Official Report, column 318, whether the £350 million worth of contracts planned for 1997-98 will now be proceeded with. [3427]
Ms Glenda Jackson: Capital expenditure of £350 million on essential capital maintenance of roads and bridges planned for 1997-98 and we are proceeding with letting the necessary contracts.
A46 (Dualling)
Mr. Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he proposes to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham of 15 May regarding the dualling of the A46; and if he will make a statement on his proposals for the dualling of the A46. [3432]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
My right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport wrote to the hon. Member on 12 June 1997. He said that we are committed to a strategic review of the
17 Jun 1997 : Column: 151
Road Programme. The terms of reference are not yet settled so you will appreciate that I cannot say what the effects of the review will be for this scheme.
Mr. Luff:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what implications the public expenditure reviews will have for the current year's bids from local authorities for funds for local bypasses. [4000]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The comprehensive spending review now underway will be considering the disposition of resources within the Department's limits for next year announced in last November's budget.
Mr. Edwards:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about Railtrack's proposals to ensure that there is full access to railway stations for people with disabilities in wheelchairs. [3932]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Rail Regulator requires Railtrack, under the terms of their station operator's licence, to establish a Disabled People's Protection Policy. It is Railtrack's stated policy to meet the latest standards required when carrying out major refurbishment to stations or building new ones.
The Rail Regulator's recent statement on regulatory objectives for passenger train and station operators, which includes Railtrack, urged operators to set targets for significant improvements to accessibility for disabled passengers in the shortest possible timescale.
Access to railway stations is covered by the provisions of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act. There are specific provisions which deal with the removal of physical barriers to access where that is deemed reasonable.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure that British Nuclear Fuels do not transport radioactive material by plane to Sellafield until the Government have reassessed the safety standards for such flights. [4207]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I understand that BNFL have no current plans to transport radioactive materials to Sellafield by air.
However radioactive material has been safely transported by air from Sellafield for many years, in packages meeting the recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safety Standards as promulgated in the International Civil Aviation Organisation's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air on which UK law is based.
The IAEA keeps its standards under continuous review and recently revised and strengthened its recommended standards for the safe transport of radioactive material by air. We thus see no purpose in a further safety review at this time.
17 Jun 1997 : Column: 152
We expect the latest IAEA recommendations to be implemented into UK law when they have been introduced into ICAO's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the LINK programme on Aquaculture has examined the competitiveness of ecologically sound systems of aquaculture; and if he will make a statement. [3578]
Mr. Morley:
While no proposal on this particular subject has come forward under Aquaculture LINK, minimising the environmental impact of aquaculture is one of the key themes of the programme. It already includes a project on the environmental aspects of site assessments for salmon farming, and a proposal to study the impact on freshwater lochs of wastes from aquaculture operations is under consideration. We have recently issued a further call for proposals in this area. As with other LINK programmes, projects funded through Aquaculture LINK must have industry support, be of high scientific quality and be endorsed by the Programme Management Committee (an independent body of aquaculture experts) and the programme sponsors.
Mr. Hogg:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many special advisers were employed at his Department on (a) 1 April and (b) 1 June and at what cost, indicating separately the cost of secretarial and office support staff. [3431]
Dr. John Cunningham:
On 1 April my department employed one special adviser. On 1 June two special advisers were employed.
The rates of pay for a special adviser on 1 April were between £20,631 and £71,517. The pay system for special advisers was revised on 3 May and they are now paid between £24,349 and £73,484 per annum. Their salaries are negotiated individually and are confidential. Details are not provided in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.
On 1 April one personal secretary worked directly to the special adviser. On 1 June one personal secretary worked directly to the two special advisers. Personal secretaries in London are currently paid between £9,937 and £18,079 per annum (including London Weighting and secretarial allowances). Details are not provided in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned. No support staff have worked directly to the special advisers.
Mr. Caplin:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to prevent European agricultural subsidies being paid for the growing of fibre flax on land of environmental importance. [3344]
17 Jun 1997 : Column: 153
Mr. Rooker:
The Government consider that fibre flax is a useful, and relatively environment-friendly alternative crop. A number of changes have recently been made to flax regime, which should ensure flax is grown on suitable land, appropriately cultivated and for a definite end use. However, in view of the recent concern, we are looking at a range of options specifically to address the problem of its cultivation on valuable wildlife sites.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to review the briefings on BSE and the selective cull which are given by veterinary officers of his Department; and if he will make a statement. [4055]
Mr. Rooker:
Veterinary officers do, in the course of their duties, discuss BSE and the selective cull with individual farmers and from time to time at other meetings. I am not aware of any need to review the way in which this is done, but if the hon. Member has something particular in mind, I would be more than happy to discuss any points she wishes to put to me on this.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the LINK programme on Horticulture has examined the competitiveness of permaculture-based systems; and if he will make a statement. [3579]
Mr. Rooker:
The competitiveness of permaculture-based systems has not been examined by the Horticulture LINK. Such matters are more appropriate for funding by industry organisations.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |