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On-train Telephones
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure that public on-train telephones are equipped with induction loops; and what steps his Department has taken in pursuing this matter with the Office of the Rail Regulator. [17931]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The Regulator will be reviewing his Code of Practice for Disabled Passengers in the New Year; the revised Code will take account of the regulations made under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The draft regulations include a proposal that on-train telephones are equipped with inductive couplers.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the proposed regulations for railway rolling stock under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 will ensure that public on-train telephones are equipped with induction loops. [17932]
Ms Glenda Jackson: We are currently drawing up draft regulations for railway rolling stock under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. They will be issued for public consultation early in the New Year.
The regulations cover a wide range of features to ensure that disabled people can travel on trains in safety and with reasonable comfort. The draft regulations include a proposal that public on-train telephones are equipped with inductive couplers.
South Downs
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what representations he has received about the protection of the South Downs; [17922]
- (2) when he plans to announce a decision about the future of the South Downs Conservation Board; [17923]
(3) what representations he has received about the future of the South Downs Conservation Board. [17924]
Angela Eagle:
Ministers have received a number of representations about the protection of the South Downs and about the future of the Sussex Downs Conservation Board. At our request, the Countryside Commission is carrying out the consultation on the long term arrangements for the South Downs. A conference was held in Brighton on 26 November to launch the consultation, at which it was announced that the consultation period has been extended to 1 February. Copies of the consultation document are available from the Countryside Commission's London office and from
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libraries within the South Downs and surrounding towns. The Commission will analyse the responses and bring the results and advice to Ministers next spring.
Mr. Wallace:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of (a) all foreign flag vessels, (b) oil tankers, (c) passenger ships and (d) bulk carriers were the subject of port state control inspections in United Kingdom ports in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996 and (iii) January to October 1997. [18189]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I have asked the Chief Executive of the Marine Safety Agency, Mr. R. Bradley, to write to the hon. and learned Member.
| Per cent. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995/6 | 1996/7 | April-October 1997 | |
| All foreign vessels | 30.6 | 27.4 | 25.9 |
| Oil tankers | 17.4 | 15.8 | 10.0 |
| Passenger ships | 71.8 | 91.7 | 85.7 |
| Bulk carriers | 65.3 | 74.7 | 74.8 |
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what United Kingdom port state control inspections of the vessel "Green Lily" have taken place since 1 January 1996. [18188]
Ms Glenda Jackson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Marine Safety Agency, Mr. R. Bradley, to write to the hon. and learned Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. James Wallace, dated 1 December 1997:
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your Question abut the vessel "Green Lily".
Since 1 January 1996, "Green Lily" has been inspected once by the Marine Safety Agency. This inspection was conducted on 24 March 1997 at Hull. No deficiencies were noted.
Alexandra Palace and Park
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library the correspondence between his Department and the London Borough of Haringey since 1 January 1990 regarding Alexandra Palace and Park; and if he will make a statement. [18193]
Ms Armstrong:
The Department has had a considerable volume of correspondence with Haringey over Alexandra Palace and Park in the last seven years. Much of its relates to a deficit of approximately £55 million which the authority has accrued in respect of the property. As such, a large part of the content of these
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letters is therefore commercially sensitive and is exempt from release to a third party under the Department's Code of Practice on Open Government.
Identifying the correspondence and the information that is confidential would be time-consuming and could not be undertaken except at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what medical conditions are specifically identified in legislation as preventing a person holding a licence enabling them to drive a vehicle in Groups C and D. [17392]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Section 92 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires the Secretary of State to refuse to grant a licence if he is satisfied that an applicant is suffering from a relevant disability. Relevant disabilities which are a bar to the holding of a Category C or D licence are:
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the implications of the proposed restrictions on issuing driving licences to people with insulin-dependent diabetes on those whose current employment requires them to drive vehicles in Groups C and D; if he will review such restrictions to allow licences to be granted in very exceptional cases; and if he will make a statement. [17393]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Legislation has since 1991 prohibited the grant of category C and D licences--giving entitlement to lorries over 7.5 tonnes and buses with more than 16 seats--to insulin dependent diabetics. The provisions which come into force on 1 January 1998 apply only to those having entitlement to drive vehicles in category C1 (lorries up to 7.5 tonnes) and category D1 (minibuses) obtained through passing a test to drive cars. The D1 entitlement is qualified "Not for hire or reward" and holders should therefore not be employed as drivers. It is impossible to establish the number of people who are employed as drivers of C1 vehicles who are insulin-dependent. In any case a number of studies by experts in the field on the consequences of insulin treatment have shown that insulin treatment leads to a significant risk of hypoglycaemia. This can lead to loss of consciousness, as well as other effects such as diminished judgment. It is well established that hypoglycaemia can occur without
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warning and a number of accidents have directly resulted from this. The Honorary Advisory Panel on Diabetes and Driving have advised that there are, in their judgment, no exceptional cases, and confirmed that granting licences to drive lorries up to 7.5 tonnes and minibuses to those who are insulin-dependent is not in the interests of road safety.
Mr. Wallace:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on how many occasions between 1 August 1996 and 31 October 1997 coastguard search-and-rescue situations reports were not released to Lloyd's List. [18192]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
inability to read a number plate under prescribed conditions;
eye abnormality which prevents a person from meeting prescribed visual acuity standards, or sight in one eye only;
diabetes requiring insulin treatment;
epileptic attack or treatment for epilepsy within the previous 10 years;
liability to seizures other than as a result of epilepsy;
liability to disabling giddiness or fainting, including as a result of an implanted electrical cardiac device;
severe mental disorder;
persistent misuse of alcohol or drugs;
becoming a High Risk Offender as a result of disqualification for a drink/drive offence; and
any other disability which is likely to lead to a danger to other road users.
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