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Stagecoach plc
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received on the (a) services and (b) staff conditions provided by Stagecoach plc from (i) the Stroud parliamentary constituency and (ii) elsewhere. [10584]
Ms Glenda Jackson: Since 1 May, my Department has received 28 letters about Stagecoach bus services--of which four came from members of the public in my hon. Friend's constituency--and four letters, of which two came from my hon. Friend's constituency, about the staff conditions of Stagecoach group bus operators.
Stagecoach does not operate any railway services to Stroud but, since 1 May, the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising has received 59 letters about rail services provided by South West Trains Ltd. and Island Line Ltd., which are part of the Stagecoach group, and four letters about staff conditions. In addition, a further 38 letters have been received regarding restrictions on the carriage of bicycles on new rolling stock which is to be introduced.
Marchioness Incident
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to hold a public inquiry into the sinking of the Marchioness. [11320]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The Government are considering the case for a public inquiry into the disaster. I will be meeting representatives of the Marchioness Action Group next month to discuss their request for a full and open inquiry. An announcement will be made as soon as a decision is reached.
Bus Fuel Duty
Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of the bus fuel duty rebate on the provision of an extensive bus transport network; [11265]
- (2) what plans he has to restore the full rate of rebate in respect of bus fuel duty; [11266]
(3) if he will make a statement on the future of the bus fuel duty rebate. [11267]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I shall be considering all aspects of support for the bus industry with Treasury colleagues as part of the development of an integrated transport policy.
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 400
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions by what means he intends to increase the number of journeys made on public transport. [11331]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Promoting the use of public transport needs to take place within the context of the integrated transport policy that the Government are developing. This is why an important part of the fundamental review of transport which my Department is currently taking forward is to examine ways of increasing the use of public transport, and or providing genuine choice to meet people's transport needs.
Mr. Tipping:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to what extent mining subsidence caused the damage being repaired currently on the A42/M42; and what is the total cost of this work. [11318]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write my hon. Friend.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Paddy Tipping, dated 30 July 1997:
Mr. Pound:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received relating to opportunity slots at Heathrow. [11138]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Since May, my Department has received two letters about opportunity slots, both from operators of business aircraft.
Mr. Pound:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, transport and the Regions what is his Department's policy towards opportunity slots at Heathrow. [11139]
Ms Jackson:
The allocation of all slots at Heathrow is the responsibility of the slot co-ordinator, Airport Co-ordination Ltd., which is currently reviewing procedures for opportunity slots in conjunction with the airport operator Heathrow Airport Ltd. I will write to the my hon. Friend in due course on the Department's role.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many stations were open for passengers in (a) each of the last five years, (b) 1987, (c) 1982 and (d) 1977. [11574]
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 401
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The information requested is shown in the table.
The Minister for Transport in London has asked me to reply to your recent parliamentary question about the A42/M42.
The A42 runs through a mining area and some settlement was expected. The cost of levelling the road is about £500,000. Further settlement is possible.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1977 | 2,358 |
| 1982 | 2,369 |
| 1987-88 | 2,426 |
| 1992-93 | 2,482 |
| 1993-94 | 2,493 |
| 1994-95 | 2,506 |
| 1995-96 | 2,514 |
| 1996-97 | 2,515 |
From 1985 onwards, station numbers were recorded at the end of the financial year.
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 402
Rail Electrification
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was (a) the number of route miles open to passenger traffic on rail and (b) the total number of route miles on rail in (i) each of the last five years, (ii) 1987, (iii) 1982 and (iv) 1977; what percentage was electrified; what was the number of route miles electrified since the previous year; and what are the estimated figures for the next two years. [11575]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The information requested is shown in the table. No estimates are available for the next two years.
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 401
| 1977 | 1982 | 1987-88 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Route open for passenger traffic | 8,958 | 8,932 | 8,889 | 8,882 | 8,898 | 8,924 | 9,323 | 9,344 |
| All routes: | 11,170 | 10,708 | 10,360 | 10,272 | 10,277 | 10,281 | 10,358 | 10,358 |
| of which electrified | 2,341 | 2,332 | 2,582 | 3,052 | 3,088 | 3,089 | 3,208 | 3,216 |
| Percentage | 21.0 | 21.8 | 24.9 | 29.7 | 30.0 | 30.0 | 31.0 | 31.0 |
| Change in electrified route on the previous year | 20 | 14 | 0 | 15 | 36 | 1 | 119 | 8 |
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 401
Combined Heat and Power
Mr. Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the potential for combined heat and power after 2000. [12242]
Mr. Meacher: The Government are committed to increasing the UK's combined heat and power capacity beyond the previous Administration's target of 5,000 MW by 2000. A detailed review of the potential for CHP, carried out for my Department by the environment technology support unit, has now been published, and I will be placing a copy in the Library. The ETSU review indicates the cost-effective potential for CHP in industry, commerce and the public sector as being between 10,000 and 17,000 MW, depending on the assumptions made on future energy prices, users' required rate of return on investment, and other factors. The review does not cover additional CHP in the housing and community heating sectors, or the growth in renewable fuelled CHP, both of which are being separately reviewed.
The Government are now reviewing their detailed CHP target for 2010, and will be consulting the Combined Heat and Power Association and others with an interest. They will make further detailed announcement as part of the new UK climate change programme, to be developed after the Kyoto conference.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Mr. Alan Johnson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to implement directive 97/11/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment; and if he will make a statement. [11981]
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 402
Mr. Caborn:
The amended environmental impact assessment directive must be implemented by 14 March 1999. The new directive clarifies and amplifies the existing provisions for environmental assessment. It provides a useful tool for the proper assessment of any significant environmental effects of development. It also gives the public greater access to environmental information about such significant projects, enhancing local democracy and ensuring that the decision-making process is open and understood.
I am pleased to announce today the start of the consultation exercise on the principles of implementing the new directive into the town and country planning and other consent systems in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our aim in implementing the directive is to ensure that the process is beneficial in both environmental and economic terms. We are making a number of specific proposals for implementation which will further this aim while still maintaining the flexibility of the current system.
Copies of the consultation paper have been sent to other Government Departments and to a wide range of business, government and environmental organisations. I have also placed copies in the Libraries of both Houses.
Comments on the Government's proposals should be made to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions by 1 October 1997.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which Government projects have been subjected to an environmental impact assessment since 1 May. [10943]
Mr. Raynsford:
Environmental impact assessment is a term used for various types of assessment under a wide range of regulatory regimes. For projects subject to environmental assessment under directive 85/337/EEC on
30 Jul 1997 : Column: 403
the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment--the EIA directive--since 1 May, no Government projects have come forward which require EA under three of the implementing regimes for which my Department is responsible: Highways (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations; Harbour Works (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations; and the Transport and Works (Applications and Objections Procedure) Rules. Information is not yet available for this period for planning applications under the Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations.
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