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Cattle Slaughter
Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provisions he is making for cattle slaughtered for human consumption after 1 January 1998, if they were born before 1 July 1996 and have no passport. [14773]
Mr. Rooker: Cattle born before 1 July 1996 are not required to have a passport. Cattle passports were only introduced for cattle born or imported into Great Britain from 1 July 1996; therefore cattle born before this date and presented for slaughter within 30 months are eligible to enter the human food chain.
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Sewage Outlets
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what criteria are used by the Environment Agency to decide whether a sewage outlet is high risk. [14039]
Angela Eagle: Criteria to decide whether an effluent should be considered "critical" are set out in the Environment Agency Discharge Consent Manual. These include cases where the effluent is contributing to non-achievement of a water quality objective (including those implementing EC Directives); where it may adversely affect water quality at an abstraction point for potable supply; and where it may adversely affect Sites of Special Scientific Interest or substantial fisheries.
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many sewage outlets were not sampled by the Environment Agency because they were not deemed high risk in each year since the Agency's establishment. [14038]
Angela Eagle:
Relevant information is not yet available for the period since the establishment in April 1996 of the Environment Agency. However, in 1995 the National Rivers Authority sampled 6,408 out of 7,429 sewage discharges with numeric consents and monitored 1,532 out of 1,786 water company sewage treatment works with descriptive consents. Intermittent discharges from combined sewer overflows, of which there are estimated to be some 25,000, are considerably diluted by rainwater and are routinely monitored by the Agency only in areas of exceptionally high amenity value. However, the design and construction of new and refurbished storm water overflows is controlled on a site specific basis by the Agency on the principle that the frequency of discharge should be related to the dilution available and the uses made of the receiving water.
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Mr. MacGregor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to develop policies to reduce road and rail traffic noise, in respect of recommendations contained in the twentieth report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. [14425]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government is concerned about the impact of noise pollution generally and is aware of the increasing public concern about both road traffic noise and, to a lesser extent, rail noise. It is exploring a range of policy options to mitigate the impact of noise on the environment, and will take the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's report into account in its work towards a White Paper on integrated transport.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's letter of 13 October, (EE/PSO/13302/97), what consultation is taking place with the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland Offices and other Governments Departments on encouragement of the use of non-lead shot. [14461]
Angela Eagle:
My Department has consulted a wide range of Government Departments, including the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland Offices, about the issue concerning the phase out of lead shot over wetlands.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the total number of road accidents that occur every year where a contributory cause was the uncorrected eyesight of one or more drivers. [14493]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
No information is currently collected nationally on causation factors in road accidents. It is not therefore possible to supply the specific information requested.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the letter T/PSO/5874/97 of 15 July, to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, what progress has been made in research into the use of the CVR to differentiate between bomb blasts and structural failure. [14501]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
A study has recently been completed by the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research at Southampton University into Cockpit Voice Recorder Transient Signatures. The results of this study have been produced in a report which has been made available to the Department. The conclusions are currently under consideration by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment
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he has made of the environmental benefits of increased tolls on specific roads and bridges; and if he will make a statement. [14448]
Ms Glenda Jackson
[holding answer 6 November 1997]: No such assessment has been undertaken and there are at present no plans to do so.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions his Department has had with the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising to discuss (a) punctuality targets and (b) standards of service on the Virgin Trains west coast main line franchise. [14776]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I have discussed these and other issues at my regular meetings with the Franchising Director. Punctuality targets and standards of service are a matter for the Franchising Director to address with the Train Operating Company.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce targets for rail franchise holders to encompass standards of cleanliness and hygiene for on-board services. [14778]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
This is a matter for the Franchising Director. The franchise agreements require franchise operators to carry out regular surveys of customer satisfaction and to seek an overall improvement in satisfaction during the franchise term. The aspects monitored vary from franchise to franchise and the Franchising Director may require other aspects to be added to the surveys during the franchise. The majority of franchise operators currently monitor certain aspects of train cleanliness. None specifically monitor hygiene of on-board catering services, though normal health and safety requirements apply.
Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list (a) the nature and value of contracts his Department has entered into and (b) discussions ministers or officials have held with the Monitor Consultancy since 1990. [14946]
Angela Eagle: (a)
The Department has not entered into any contracts with the Monitor Consultancy since 1990.
(b) I am unaware of any discussions that Ministers or officials of this department have held with the Monitor Consultancy since 1990.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he intends to take to ensure that rail franchise holders meet their specified targets for punctuality and reliability. [14777]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
This is a matter for the Franchising Director, through enforcement of the terms of franchise agreements. The Government's task is to improve the railways. We will establish more effective
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and accountable regulation by the Rail Regulator. We will ensure that the public subsidy serves the public interest, and will establish a new rail authority combining the functions currently carried out by the Franchising Director and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to provide a clear, coherent and strategic programme for the development of the railways, so that passenger expectations are met. As a first step we have announced several new measures including new Objectives, Instructions and Guidance for the Franchising Director and a voluntary Concordat with the Rail Regulator. The Franchising Director's new Objectives make it his principal aim to win more passengers on to the railway, secure improvements in the quality of rail services and manage franchise contracts tightly in the public interest.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to public funds of the removal of Mr. R. Singh of Spalding street, Leicester. [13982]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Mr. Randhir Singh was removed from the United Kingdom to India on 27 October 1997 at public expense. The price of the airline ticket was £535.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the refusal of the custody sergeant at Charles street police station, Leicester to allow the hon. Member for Leicester East to see Mr. R. Singh except with a police officer present. [13980]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
The Code of Practice for the Detention, Treatment and Questioning of Persons by Police Officers (Code C), issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, does not apply to people who have been served a notice advising them of their detention under powers contained in the Immigration Act 1971. However, whilst in police custody, the custody officer has a general responsibility for the welfare and security of persons held in police cells.
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