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Highlands and Islands Convention
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the current members of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands, together with their qualification for membership. [6826]
Mr. Dewar [holding answer 4 July 1997]: Membership comprises all MPs and MEPs whose constituencies lie wholly or partially within the area of operation of Highlands and Islands Enterprise together with nominees of the local authorities and public sector economic development agencies operating in the Highlands and Islands. A list of the current members of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands is set out below:
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A80
Mr. Canavan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the upgrading of the existing A80 as the preferred line of route for the M80; and when he expects work to commence. [7183]
Mr. Chisholm: Consideration of how the upgrading of the A80 might be taken forward will be included in the Strategic Review of the Trunk Road Programme, which I have announced. This will include the options available for alternative routes.
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND
THE REGIONS
Leyton Relief Road
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is his policy that the proposed Leyton Relief Road southern section will be funded by public money. [7349]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The southern junction of the Leyton Relief Road with Ruckholt Road (locally known as the southern section) will be funded by the landowners: London and Continental Railways.
Drivers (Alcohol Levels)
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will consider introducing legislation reducing the permissible alcohol levels for drivers. [6623]
Ms Glenda Jackson: We are looking at a number of options for improving road safety. The legal limit for drinking and driving is one of the issues we shall be considering.
Heathrow Airport (Terminal 5)
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions pursuant to his answer of 30 June, Official Report, column 57 (1) what assessment he has made of the consistency
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between that answer and the evidence given on 27 February by Mr. Tom Dockerty at the Terminal 5 inquiry on behalf of the Department of Transport regarding the M25 and its relationship with the proposed spur road and Terminal 5; [6617]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
My right hon. Friend will assess the evidence in the light of the recommendations made by the Inspector when he submits his report on the Terminal 5 inquiry.
Mr. Corbett:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent evaluation has been made by his Department of the suitability of vehicles powered by zinc air batteries for commercial fleet usage. [7358]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Department, in collaboration with other bodies, is evaluating in a three-year field trial, the role that vehicles powered by alternative fuels such as electricity might play in minimising transport emissions. The results will be available later this year.
In general terms, factors such as battery technology and infrastructure/recharging systems have meant that electric vehicles have not as yet gained customer acceptance due to higher price, inferior performance and range. It is encouraging that industry is responding to this through the development of systems and products such as zinc air batteries which appear to offer improvements in these areas.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the estimated cost to the Environment Agency of assuming navigation authority status on the Rivers Wye and Lugg; what has been the cost to date of their assessment of these proposals; and if he will make a statement. [6362]
Angela Eagle:
The costs incurred to date by the Environment Agency and its predecessor body, the National Rivers Authority, in promoting an Order to become navigation authority on the Rivers Wye and Lugg are estimated at £400,000 since 1995 when the proposals were first put forward. The total cost of assessing these proposals will not be known until the public inquiry into the application for an Order has closed, but the inspector's fees to date are approximately £19,000. The additional costs of managing the navigation function are unlikely to be significant, but the Agency expects to appoint one additional full time member of staff who would have significant navigation responsibilities.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what statutory basis the Environment Agency is seeking to assume navigation authority status on the Rivers Wye and Lugg; and if he will make a statement. [6363]
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Angela Eagle:
The Environment Agency is seeking to become navigation authority on the Rivers Wye and Lugg by means of an Order under Section 3 of the Transport and Works Act 1992. A public inquiry into the Agency's application is currently taking place. The decision on the application will be a joint one by the Secretaries of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and for Wales.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will transfer to the Environment Agency responsibility for the regulation and licensing of oil and gas exploration and extraction. [7097]
Angela Eagle:
The statutory responsibility for the general regulation and licensing of oil and gas exploration and extraction lies with my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. The Government has no proposals for change.
Helen Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what consultations he has had with (a) the Peak District and (b) the North Yorkshire National Parks about the destruction of dry stone walls; [7100]
Angela Eagle:
Dry stone walls are an important landscape feature. The main threats to their conservation stem from damage and neglect. To help address this, the Government provides grant assistance for the restoration of dry stone walls under the Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Areas schemes operated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Local authorities and National Parks also have powers to operate local environmental grant schemes which may include assistance for the management of dry stone walls and local planning authorities have planning powers to control the demolition of dry stone walls in conservation areas. There are a number of such schemes operated by the Peak District and North Yorkshire National Parks, and information on these is provided to the Secretary of State every year in the context of his discussions of the National Park Authorities' Corporate Financial Plans.
Helen Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number of dry stone walls which have been removed from the upland countryside over the past (a) five and (b) 10 years. [7099]
Angela Eagle:
The latest information on national losses of dry stone walls are derived from a survey of the countryside in 1990 (Countryside Survey 1990: Main Report, DOE, London, 1993). The survey estimated that the total length of dry stone walls in the uplands of Great Britain in 1990 was about 103,000 km and that the overall length of dry stone walls had decreased by about 14 per cent. since 1984. However, due to the sample design used in the survey, there were substantial uncertainties attached
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to these estimates. The Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions is currently planning a repeat of this survey in 1998.
(2) what assessment he has made of the transcript of the evidence given by Mr. Tom Dockerty on behalf of the Department of Transport at the Terminal 5 inquiry on 27 February, including the replies to questions by the Inspector. [6618]
(2) what proposals he has to protect dry stone walls in areas of outstanding national beauty or conservation; and if he will make a statement. [7101]
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