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Speed Limits
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on how he plans to reduce (a) city and (b) rural traffic speeds; and what resources have been made available for such initiatives in each of the last five years. [15649]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The Department is continually developing and trialling measures for reducing inappropriate and excessive vehicle speeds. Advice about those that prove successful is made available to Local Highway Authorities to employ on their roads. Examples include 20 mph zones, road humps and horizontal deflections for urban areas, and gateway treatments and low cost measures for rural roads. We are looking at ways to make better use of speed cameras which are particularly effective at sites prone to accidents. This complements our long term aim to change driver behaviour through education and advertising. The latest stage of the "Kill your speed campaign" was launched on 16 September. No comprehensive information is available centrally on the resources allocated for installing traffic calming and other speed management measures.
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to increase investment in and use of telematic speed limits; and if he will make a statement. [15651]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The Department has a comprehensive research programme which investigates and tries out innovative schemes, including telematics applied to speed limits. The Highways Agency is assessing the Controlled Motorway Project on a part of the M25 which automatically adjusts speed limits to prevailing traffic conditions. Trials are also underway in the East of England to determine the value of warning signs triggered by speeding drivers. Until the results are known it is not possible to estimate the merit of these schemes, nor what future investment might be involved. We will continue to consider new applications of technology when these become available.
E-mail
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Official Report, column 441, if he will list the e-mail addresses of (a) Ministers, (b) senior officials and (c) chief executives of agencies for which he is responsible. [15876]
18 Nov 1997 : Column: 131
Angela Eagle:
The DETR has several public Internet e-mail addresses for inquiries accessible via the Department's Internet Service at www.detr.gov.uk. The Department does not have individual public e-mail addresses for Ministers or senior officials. We do not centrally hold details of public e-mail addresses for chief executives of DETR agencies.
Dr. Whitehead:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide a definition of the bathing season for the purposes of the EU Bathing Water Directive. [16122]
Angela Eagle:
The Directive defines the bathing season as
"the period during which a large number of bathers can be expected, in the light of local circumstances, and any local rules which may exist concerning bathing and weather conditions". In England and Wales the bathing season is regarded as running from mid-May to the end of September. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, from June to mid-September.
Sea Water (Bacteria and Viruses)
Dr. Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what advice he has taken on the viability of bacteria and viruses in sea water over time; and what research his Department has conducted into the possible health hazards associated with the persistence of such organisms in coastal waters as a result of the lowering of sewage treatment standards in winter months. [16121]
Angela Eagle: The faster decay of indicator bacteria compared to viruses during sewage treatment and in seawater after discharge is a well recognised phenomenon and is taken into account by the Environment Agency is setting discharge consents. Further research into the viability of viruses has recently been commissioned by the Department, the Environment Agency and the UK water industry. The results will help predictions of the effect of any reduction of sewage treatment during the winter months and assessments of possible health hazards from coastal waters, which are currently regarded as very low.
Medium-density Fibreboard
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the findings of the Health and Safety Executive's review of the international literature into the health effects of medium-density fibreboard. [16067]
Angela Eagle: The literature review into the health effects of medium-density fibreboard being conducted by HSE is expected to be published in June 1998.
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the research phase of the Health and Safety Executive's investigation into the health effects of medium-density fibreboard will be completed. [16068]
Angela Eagle:
The Health and Safety Executive estimate that the research phase could take about 18 months to two years, but this depends very much on what work is identified as being necessary from the literature review.
18 Nov 1997 : Column: 132
Mr. Jenkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Health and Safety Executive is taking to encourage the use of safer alternatives to medium-density fibreboard in the construction industry. [16063]
Angela Eagle:
None. Alternatives to medium-density fibreboard (MDF) may also present risks to health, depending on how they are used. The Health and Safety Executive is of the opinion that any health risks arising from the use at work of MDF, and the alternatives, can and should be effectively controlled by compliance with the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994.
Mr. Jenkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the maximum exposure limit to softwood dust set by (a) the United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive, (b) other European Union member states, (c) the United States of America, (d) Japan and (e) Australia. [16066]
Angela Eagle:
The maximum exposure limits to softwood dust are:
(a) Softwood dust has been assigned a maximum exposure limit (MEL) of 5 milligrams per cubic metre (mg/m 3 ) for an 8-hour time weighted average under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994 (COSHH).
(b) No other EU member state has a specific occupational exposure limit for softwood dust although some have limits for wood dust in general.
(c) In the United States, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists has recommended an 8-hour threshold limit value of 5 mg/m 3 and a short term limit of 10 mg/m 3 .
(d) There is no information available on the occupational exposure limit for softwood dust for Japan.
(e) In Australia a limit of 5 mg/m 3 has been assigned for softwood dust.
Under COSHH employers are required to control exposures to softwood dust to a level as low as is reasonably practicable and in any case below the MEL. It is therefore misleading to compare the numerical value of the MEL with limits in other countries, where limits have different definitions and applications.
Mr. Jenkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Health and Safety Executive is taking to ensure that, where there are no alternatives to the use of medium-density fibreboard in the construction industry, employers use low or zero formaldehyde emission board.[16064]
Angela Eagle:
The Health and Safety Executive is of the opinion that effective control of medium density fibreboard (MDF) dust, coupled with good general ventilation, will adequately control exposure to formaldehyde vapour. British Standards restrict the amount of formaldehyde that can be used in making medium density fibreboard. An HSE survey monitoring exposure to formaldehyde during the machining of MDF has found levels to be substantially below the current maximum exposure limit for formaldehyde. Low or zero formaldehyde emission board use other binding resins which may contain hazardous components.
18 Nov 1997 : Column: 133
Mr. Ottaway:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what statutory authority there is for highway authorities to close a subway. [16118]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Section 69 of the Highways Act 1980 permits highway authorities to provide pedestrian subways, and to alter, close temporarily, or remove them.
Dr. Whitehead:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those water companies which operate a seasonally variable regime of sewage treatment. [16119]
Angela Eagle:
This information is not held centrally but discharge consents set by the Environment Agency in some coastal areas include a requirement for additional treatment during summer months to meet water quality standards under the EC Bathing Water Directive.
Dr. Whitehead:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has held with water undertakings concerning the practice of downgrading sewage treatment levels prior to discharge into the sea during winter months. [16120]
Angela Eagle:
This is primarily a matter for the Environment Agency when setting consent conditions for water company sewage discharges. These consents are set within the framework of EU and domestic statutory requirements and Government and Agency policy on water quality.
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