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Channel Tunnel
Mr. Rowe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to ensure that the environmental protection measures in the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996 are adhered to. [14554]
Ms Glenda Jackson: London and Continental Railways are contractually obliged to the Government to comply with the Environmental Minimum Requirements provided for under the Channel Tunnel Rail Link development agreement. These include a range of planning, environmental and heritage memoranda and agreements with local authorities and statutory environmental bodies, and the various undertakings and assurances given during the passage of the CTRL Act.
Footpaths and Byways
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many miles of designated footpaths and byways exist in England and Wales. [14613]
Angela Eagle: In 1994, the last survey of rights of way in England indicated that there were 82,025 miles of footpaths and 1,864 miles of byways open to all traffic recorded under the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. A similar survey in Wales carried out in 1994-95 indicated that there were 19,441 miles of footpaths and 404 miles of byways.
In addition, there were also estimated to be 18,021 miles of bridleways in England and 3,440 miles in Wales, and 3,107 miles of roads used as public paths in England and 1,485 miles in Wales.
Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to assist the re-establishment of ancient bridleways.[14179]
Angela Eagle:
Local authorities are responsible for recording bridleways and ensuring that they are open and free from obstructions. They also have powers to create bridleways by agreement or order. With our statutory advisers, the Countryside Commission, we shall encourage authorities to make good use of their powers. As part of the Government's comprehensive spending review, we shall be considering the balance of expenditure between different recreational activities.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will receive deputations from local authorities in England to discuss this year's provisional local authority grant settlement. [14617]
Ms Armstrong:
I am keen to ensure that we hear the views of those authorities that have constructive points to make on the settlement, whether in writing, face to face or otherwise. I am currently looking into the possibility
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of using local video-conferencing facilities to meet with local authorities. This could save some local authority delegations from having to incur the expense and time that would be involved in travelling to London.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidelines his Department issues to those handling tissue from the nervous system of cows infected with BSE; and if he will make a statement. [13805]
Angela Eagle:
Occupational exposure to the agent BSE in nervous tissue may occur during work in research laboratories, post mortem rooms and during the slaughter and disposal of infected cattle. In view of the uncertainty about the risks from BSE, prudent and precautionary worker safety measures have been recommended since 1989. Guidance has been prepared on behalf of the Health and Safety Commission, the Department of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP).
Guidance from ACDP on the health and safety requirements for laboratory and post mortem workers was published in 1994. It recommends the use of special containment conditions, safety equipment and decontamination measures for all work with BSE. General ACDP guidance for other occupational groups was published in August 1996. It recommends the maintenance of high standards of occupational hygiene when working with cattle and new methods of working to avoid or minimise exposure to tissues of cattle that may carry the agent of BSE infectivity. Copies have been deposited in the House of Commons Library.
Recent evidence on the link between BSE and the new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (nvCJD) in humans means that BSE must now be considered a biological agent (human pathogen) within the meaning of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 1994. ACDP have advised that to date there is no evidence of occupational transmission of either BSE or CJD and that none of the cases of nvCJD has any obvious link with occupational exposure to BSE. ACDP consider that the existing published guidance on BSE continues to provide adequate control. The 1994 guidance is being revised and updated in any event and will be published early in 1998.
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Franchising Director plans to publish his criteria for the appraisal of passenger railway services. [14616]
Dr. Strang:
The Franchising Director has today published "Appraisal of Support for Passenger Rail Services--Planning Criteria: An Interim Guide", which sets out the basis on which he intends to appraise the costs and benefits of new passenger rail investment and changes in service levels. I have approved these criteria on an interim basis, and instructed the Franchising Director to
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keep them under review, revising the criteria as necessary in the light of the wider review of economic appraisal being undertaken as part of the Government's integrated transport strategy. Copies of the criteria have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Dewson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy in the European Council to support those member states of the European Community which have banned genetically modified maize. [14558]
Angela Eagle:
At the Article 21 Committee on 5 November, Austria requested that the vote on the Commission proposal to require Austria and Luxembourg to repeal their bans on GM maize be postponed. The United Kingdom delegation, among others, supported the Austrian request, and consideration of the Commission's proposal has been deferred until the next meeting of the Article 21 Committee, in about two months time. In the meantime it is expected that the Commission will endeavour to find compromise wording for the proposal and the Government will consider its position in the light of these developments.
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to issue new objectives, instructions and guidance to the Rail Franchising Director. [14614]
Dr Strang:
I have today written to the Franchising Director, enclosing a new set of Objectives, Instructions and Guidance, issued to him under section 5 of the Railways Act 1993. Copies of my letter and of the Objectives, Instructions and Guidance have been laid before the House and also placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Viggers:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on coastguard provision in the Solent/Spithead area. [14684]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I have asked the Chief Executive of the Coastguard agency, Mr. C. J. Harris, to write to the hon. Gentleman.
Letter from Mr. C. J. Harris to Mr. Peter Viggers, dated 6 November 1997:
The Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Coastguard provision in the Solent/Spithead area.
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Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he has taken to improve the regulation of the rail industry.[14615]
Dr. Strang:
I have today signed a voluntary Concordat with the independent Rail Regulator which provides a framework for better regulation of the railways. The Concordat includes a statement of the Government's objectives for the rail industry, the Rail Regulator's aims and objectives, and a framework for communication between Ministers, the Franchising Director and the Rail Regulator. Copies of the Concordat have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
The Coastguard District of Solent is part of the Southern Coastguard Search and Rescue Region, and comprises a Maritime Rescue Sub Centre at Lee-on-Solent along with Coastguard Sector Managers at Portsmouth, South Downs (Littlehampton), Southampton and the Isle of Wight who are responsible for Auxiliary Coastguard Response Teams trained in cliff and mud rescue and coastal search techniques. These teams are located at Havant, Hayling Island, Portsmouth, Selsey, Birling Gap, Brighton, Littlehampton, Newhaven, Shoreham, Hillhead, Lymington, Southampton, Bembridge, Needles, Newport, Ryde and Ventnor, plus two Coastguard patrol boats (based at Hayling Island and Southampton). Coastguard facilities within the Solent District are
completed by a contract rescue helicopter based at Lee-on-Solent and other search and rescue organisations such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and Solent Sea Rescue Organisation.
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