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Radioactive Materials (Transportation)
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to improve safety standards for the transportation of (i) nuclear waste and (ii) spent nuclear fuel. [4639]
Ms Glenda Jackson
[holding answer 20 June]: The safety standards for the transport of nuclear waste and spent nuclear fuel are already extremely high. They are based upon the recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency and are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that the excellent safety record is maintained. The Government is active in and will continue to support the work of the international Atomic Energy Authority and the other international bodies that regulate the carriage of radioactive material, such as the International Maritime Organisation, the International
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Civil Aviation Organisation, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (for road transport) and the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail.
Jane Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will seek to ensure that South West Trains retain space for the carriage of bicycles when renewing their rolling stock. [5088]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. Whitehead) on 16 June, Official Report, column 41.
Mr. Pond:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consultations he has had with the Port of London Authority over their proposals to relax pilotage regulations along the Thames. [5008]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Port of London Authority has informed my Department that it is reviewing its pilotage directions. There is no requirement for harbour authorities to consult the Secretary of State before issuing new directions but they have a duty to consult those operating in their harbour. I understand that the Port of London Authority intends to do this once its proposals are finalised.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure that automatic train ticket machines have facilities for accepting railcards held by disabled people; and what progress his Department has made in pursuing this matter with the office of the Rail Regulator in relation to its code of practice. [4087]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
We will be looking at this in the context of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. We will also ask the Rail Regulator to consider expanding the advice in his Code of Practice, which already includes design guidance on ticket machines, to address this point.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from smaller trust ports on the anti-competitive action of larger ports; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement. [4662]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
No such representations have been received.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to encourage the remaining trust ports to become private companies. [4663]
Ms Jackson:
We will consider on their merits any privatisation schemes put forward by trust port authorities. Where a scheme is approved in principle, our officials
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will provide advice to the authority on carrying out the privatisation in accordance with the provisions of the Ports Act 1991.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Earth summit 2 conference. [4800]
The Prime Minister:
I will make a statement on my return.
Mr. Mullin:
To ask the Prime Minister what use the security services make of the polygraph; and if he will make a statement. [4586]
The Prime Minister:
The Security and Intelligence Services make no use of the polygraph and have no plans to do so.
Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Prime Minister which Government departments and agencies are involved in the examination of E. coli. [3607]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 17 June 1997]: The following Government departments and agencies are involved in the examination of E. coli:
Departments
Department of Health
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Department for the Environment and Transport
Department of Health and Social Services--Northern Ireland
Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland
Welsh Office
Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department
Scottish Office Department of Health
Agencies
Veterinary Laboratories Agency
Central Science Laboratory
Public Health Laboratory (Northern Ireland)
Public Health Laboratory Service (England and Wales)
The Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health
Environment Agency
Drinking Water Inspectorate.
Ministerial Residences
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Prime Minister how much public money is budgeted for expenditure on refurbishing official residences occupied by Ministers. [3710]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 16 June 1997]: This is a matter for individual Boards of Trustees or Departments.
23 Jun 1997 : Column: 386
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Prime Minister how many requests he has received from current residents of Colchester, born in Scotland or Wales, who want to vote in the Scottish and Welsh devolution referendums. [4035]
The Prime Minister:
I have received a number of representatives on this issue. It is not possible to identify the information as requested.
Uranium Fuel
Mr. Flynn: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what tonnage of spent uranium fuel elements was discharged in each of the past 10 years from (1) magnox reactors, (2) advanced gas-cooled reactors, (3) pressurised water reactors and (4) fast reactors; and what in each case were the (a) initial uranium enrichment, (b) initial plutonium content, (c) initial fissile plutonium content and (d) the spent fuel burn-up rate. [1843]
Mr. Battle [holding answer 2 June 1997]: Information relating to the majority of tonnage of spent nuclear fuel discharged from various reactors during the last 10 years is kept by the private sector operator (British Energy). Information as far as the public sector is concerned, in respect of Magnox Electric reactors, Calder Hall and Chapelcross (operated by BNFL) and Dounreay (operated by UKAEA), in each of the last 10 years, is not readily available in the format required and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Low Pay
Mr. Tom King: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time employees of her Department and its agencies are paid (i) less than £4 an hour, (ii) less than £3.50 an hour and (iii) less than £3 an hour. [4192]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths: The Department employs no staff with an hourly rate of pay less than £3.50. It employs a total of 100 staff paid at less than £4 an hour. Of these 12 work part-time. Part-time staff are paid at the same annual rate of pay as full-time staff.
Retail Petrol Industry
Mr. Moss: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) for what reasons the Director General of Fair Trading did not meet the undertaking given to the Trade and Industry Committee in 1996 that the quadrennial review of the retail petrol industry would be brought forward to early 1997; [3838]
- (2) what are the terms of reference for the quadrennial review of the retail petrol industry to be undertaken by the Director General of Fair Trading; and if she will make a statement. [3839]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
I am informed that, following the Trade and Industry Select Committee hearing on 16 December 1996, the Office of Fair Trading did in fact start preliminary work on the review in January. They commenced the review itself in April, as the Director General of Fair Trading stated in his recent press notice.
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The review is focusing on the key indicators identified by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in their 1990 report on the supply of petrol: market structure, profitability and prices. It is also looking at the longer-term market trends to see whether it is possible to draw any conclusions about the future competitiveness of the market and whether it will continue to operate to the benefit of consumers.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade under what circumstances she has the power to suspend oil exploration licences issued in the 17th round; and what would be the impact on public funds of such action. [3849]
Mr. Battle:
There is no provision in the United Kingdom's petroleum licensing legislation for the suspension of production licences such as those awarded in the 17th Seaward Round. The circumstances in which 17th Round licences can be revoked are set out in Schedule 4 to the Petroleum (Production) (Seaward Areas) Regulations 1988 as amended.
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