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Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
Mr. Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what targets he intends to set for the revised Home Energy Efficiency Scheme. [6159]
Angela Eagle: Major changes to the scheme come into force on 1 July and I want to monitor their performance. Accordingly, I have set two targets for the current year: the payment of 400,000 grants, and, for each grant, the achievement of an average energy efficiency improvement of 5 points as measured by the mean Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). The changes were made by the previous administration, and it is now not practicable to stop their coming into effect on 1 July. But I shall take an early opportunity to review the scheme in order to check that it is meeting the needs of customers.
Bus Route Tenders (London)
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable), of 19 June, Official Report, column 278, whether the invitation to tender documents for London bus routes are regarded as commercially confidential. [6119]
Ms Glenda Jackson: This is a matter for London Transport Buses, which advises me that it does regard invitation to tender documents as commercially confidential.
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Twickenham of 19 June, Official Report, column 278, whether standards of service in respect of London bus routes form part of the consideration in the tendering process. [6118]
Ms Jackson: I understand from London Transport Buses that it does.
Roads Programme Review
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to complete the Roads Programme Review. [5961]
Ms Glenda Jackson: We hope to announce the conclusions of the Review next Spring.
Cycling
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will meet local government representatives to discuss the contribution of local authorities towards the Government's target of a four-fold increase in cycling by 2012; and if he will make a statement. [5805]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The National Cycling Strategy is not the Government's, though we have given it our early endorsement. We intend to work with other to implement it. The Strategy has a common ownership, having been established by consensus involving a wide range of interested bodies.
I shall be meeting representatives of local government when I chair the national Cycling Forum on 16 July. We shall be discussing a range of the issues involved in taking
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the National Cycling Strategy forward. That will inevitably focus on progress to implement the targets identified in the Strategy for increasing cycle use.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of incidents involving Channel Tunnel trains colliding with obstacles on the track and the cause of each incident in (i) 1995-96 and (ii) 1996-97. [5678]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
It is the responsibility of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority to ensure the safe operation of the Channel Tunnel. To assist in its task the Authority receives reports on incidents and accidents from the operator--Eurotunnel.
During the periods 1995-96 and 1996-97 only one report was received involving an obstacle on the track. Details of this incident are given in paragraphs 70-72 of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority Annual Report for 1995-96.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the areas of concern expressed by the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority over the proposals from Eurotunnel regarding the immobilisation of coaches in single deck shuttles as referred to in paragraph 50 of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority Annual Report 1995-96. [5675]
Ms Jackson:
The principal concern of the Safety Authority was to ensure that coaches were immobilised during travel on single deck Tourist Shuttles. Eurotunnel's proposal for the use of chocks, in addition to the application of the coach parking brake, was accepted by the Safety Authority following tests carried out by Eurotunnel and witnessed by the Safety Authority on 1 June 1995 and a special meeting of the Safety Authority to consider this issue on 7 June 1995.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number and cause of incidents involving drivers of channel tunnel trains passing closed markers or signals at danger in (i) 1995-96 and (ii) 1996-97. [5677]
Ms Jackson:
During the period 1995-96 there were seven incident reports concerning drivers passing closed markers. Details of these and the way in which the Safety Authority dealt with these are given in paragraphs 67-69 of the Safety Authority Annual Report for 1995-96.
Nine further incidents were reported during 1996-97 and will be included in the Safety Authority Annual Report for that period.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of incidents which occurred in (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97 where coaches carried through the channel tunnel have rolled into the fire barrier at the front of a wagon as referred to in paragraph 56 of the channel tunnel safety authority report 1995-96. [5676]
Ms Jackson:
The Safety Authority's Annual Report for 1995-96 gives details in paragraph 56 of two incidents which occurred during the two month period immediately
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following the decision to accept Eurotunnel's proposal to cease chocking coaches on single deck tourist shuttles. In one of these incidents the coach rolled into the fire barrier.
No other incidents have been reported since Eurotunnel resumed the chocking of coaches.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the dates of emergency exercises undertaken in the channel tunnel during 1996-97. [5687]
Ms Jackson:
There were three emergency exercises in the Channel Tunnel during this period.
TABLEX III was a table-top exercise held on 9 May 1996 in Folkestone. The exercise scenario was of a fire in a heavy goods vehicle on board an HGV shuttle travelling from the UK to France.
BINAT 8 was a full binational emergency exercise which took place during the night of 9 and 10 November 1996. The scenario was of an accidental explosion in a single deck tourist shuttle, followed by a fire.
There was also a Eurostar evacuation exercise staged to support Eurotunnel's submission to restart Eurostar and Tourist shuttle services following the fire in the tunnel on 18 November 1996.
A report on each of these exercises will be included in the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority Annual Report for 1996-97.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure that research undertaken by individual train operating companies will be disseminated to all other train operating companies if it contains important safety implications. [5602]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The results of research commissioned by an individual train operating company would normally be the company's intellectual property and is therefore disclosed at the company's discretion. I understand, however, that if the results of any research are known to have wider safety implications for the railway industry, the Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate would expect the information to be communicated to these companies by those who commissioned the work.
The Health and Safety Commission's Railway Industry Advisory Committee (RIAC) is developing proposals to ensure that key health and safety information continues to reach all those who need it.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of incidents in (i) 1995-96 and (ii) 1996-97 when contractors have been directed to work on the wrong track, similar to that referred to in paragraph 75 of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority report 1995-96. [5670]
Ms Jackson:
There have been no other reported incidents similar to that reported in paragraph 75 of the Safety Authority Annual Report for 1995-96.
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Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action the Traffic Commissioners propose to take in respect of the discovery of substandard school buses by Suffolk Education Authority and Suffolk Constabulary. [5448]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
All operators of school buses are subject to the licensing requirements and disciplinary procedures exercised by the Traffic Commissioner. I understand that, following recent checks carried out by the Vehicle Inspectorate Agency accompanied by the Suffolk Police, the Traffic Commissioner for the area will shortly be receiving recommendations from the Eastern Traffic Area Licensing Review Board. It will then be for him to decide what further action is appropriate.
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