---

4 Dec 1997 : Column: 279

Written Answers to Questions

Thursday 4 December 1997

TREASURY

Tax Self-assessment

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the accuracy on Inland Revenue tax computations after self-assessment by taxpayers. [17230]

Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 25 November 1997]: The vast majority of around 3 million calculations so far issued are correct. However, errors can occur if the taxpayer provides incorrect information, or information is not properly keyed into Inland Revenue systems by staff. Inland Revenue offices have quality assurance processes in place to minimise the latter form of error, and these will be enhanced as experience is gained of the new system. Where an error is pointed out to the Inland Revenue, or where one is picked up during the inquiry process, it will be corrected.

Offshore Oil and Gas

Mr. Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the rules used to value North Sea gas for tax purposes. [19570]

Dawn Primarolo: The Government intend to introduce legislation which will ensure that the rules used to value North Sea gas for tax purposes will continue to operate in the way that the industry and the Inland Revenue have until now applied them. This will remove some doubts, arising from recent legal advice, about the current interpretation of the rules. The legislation will be included in the next Finance Bill and will apply to all gas disposals which have to be valued, including disposals which have already taken place. The Inland Revenue is issuing a Press Release today which contains details of the changes and draft legislation on which it will be consulting the North Sea oil and gas industry.

National Assets Register

Mr. Charles Clarke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those assets listed in the National Assets Register which are located in the City of Norwich.[18148]

Mr. Darling: The National Asset Register was put together within five months, in order to meet the Government's promise to produce it by the end of November, from the data currently available to departments. And, as a result, the information is at a relatively high level of aggregation which does not easily allow a full geographic analysis to be undertaken. However, in order to increase openness and accountability, the Government will consider how to improve the information on the assets owned by the nation.

4 Dec 1997 : Column: 280

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

Railtrack (Communications)

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if dedicated telephone links exist between all Railtrack zonal controls; and if he will make a statement. [18206]

Ms Glenda Jackson: The Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate understands that all Zonal Controls are connected to the internal railway telephone system and have separate BT numbers. In addition, after the Ais Gill accident on 31 January 1995, the telephone access between the controls was enhanced by the installation of a number of auto diallers and emergency lines at some controls including York and Manchester. A further enhancement is currently being implemented by Railtrack so that there will be designated lines at each control centre for exclusive use by adjacent control centres.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if NRN radio is available for each Railtrack control office. [18205]

Ms Glenda Jackson: The Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate understands that all Railtrack Control Offices, except one located at Derby, have direct access to the National Radio Network. The Derby control is a satellite office of the Birmingham control and there is a direct hot line between the offices. HM Railway Inspectorate is satisfied with these arrangements.

Rail Services (Safety)

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to strengthen safety measures in respect of the provision of rail services. [18149]

Ms Glenda Jackson: The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) is the safety regulator for the railways and advises Ministers on the need for measures to be taken to strengthen existing requirements and arrangements. Ministers expect the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive to ensure that safety standards are maintained, and improved where necessary.

Nuclear Fuel (Transport)

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what regulations exist covering the rail transport of mixed oxide plutonium-based nuclear fuel through the Channel Tunnel; and what safety and emergency planning exercises have been conducted in respect of accidents involving trains carrying radioactive material through the tunnel. [18520]

Ms Glenda Jackson: The rules of Eurotunnel do not permit mixed oxide nuclear fuel to be transported through the Channel Tunnel.

Transporters of radioactive material within the United Kingdom must have contingency plans in place to respond to accidents. The United Kingdom Nuclear Industry

4 Dec 1997 : Column: 281

Road/Rail Emergency Plan (NIREP) has been established to enable an immediate response from the nearest participating organisation to a transport incident involving radioactive material: the plan is exercised annually. Eurotunnel also holds annual exercises to test its emergency procedures which would apply in the event of any incident in the Channel Tunnel. Eurotunnel's express permission must be sought before any shipment of radioactive material is transported via the Channel Tunnel and it may obtain advice/assistance via NIREP should radioactive material be present on a train involved in an accident.

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what amendments the United Kingdom proposed to the draft code covering the safe carriage of nuclear materials on board ships, as adopted by the International Maritime Organisation; and what mechanisms his Department has in place to monitor the application of the code to the sea transport of nuclear materials to and from the United Kingdom. [18405]

Ms Glenda Jackson: The Code for the Safe Carriage of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes in Flasks on board Ships (INF Code) was adopted by the Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation in 1993. The Assembly adopted amendments to the Code last month. The United Kingdom participated fully in the negotiations leading to the adoption both of the original Code and these amendments. While compliance with the INF Code is currently voluntary, UK registered ships engaged in the trade have documents of compliance issued by my Department's Marine Safety Agency. UK companies involved in transporting materials covered by the INF Code use ships complying with the Code. The UK is currently participating in work to make compliance with the Code mandatory. This will enhance our enforcement powers.

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what contribution his Department made to the preparation of the International Atomic Energy Agency Safety Series Number 6 (SS6) Regulations on the transport of radioactive materials; and what review he has undertaken of the application of the regulations to the air transport of mixed oxide fuel. [18406]

Ms Glenda Jackson: Officials from my Department participated fully in the meetings of the International Atomic Energy Agency during the development of Safety Series Number 6, Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material 1985 Edition (As Amended 1990). These multi-modal recommendations provide the basis for the mandatory requirements for air transport as incorporated into the current edition of the International Civil Aviation Organisation's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. The Department similarly supported the IAEA's continuous review and revision procedures leading to the latest edition of "Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material 1996 Edition", now known as Safety Standards Series No. ST-1. The transport of radioactive material in large quantity by air, including that of mixed oxide fuel, was considered in great depth and detail during the development of ST-1. The UK will continue to

4 Dec 1997 : Column: 282

contribute to future regulatory developments through both the IAEA and the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

Housing

Mr. Tom King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department and government regional offices have undertaken of the capacity of urban areas to accommodate extra housing; and what were its findings. [18603]

Mr. Raynsford: My Department and the Government Offices have commissioned and funded a number of projects on brownfield sites and urban capacity, most of which will report next year.

Mr. Tom King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much land for new housing is currently identified as available by local planning authorities in each (a) region and (b) county. [18602]

Mr. Raynsford: This information is held by local planning authorities and not held centrally. Local authorities are required by PPG3 to maintain a continuous five year supply of land for housing.

Mr. Tom King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he has given local planning authorities about the size of windfall sites to be included in assumptions about future housing land supply in (a) development plans and (b) housing land availability studies. [18605]

Mr. Raynsford: Guidance on this matter is contained in Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (PPG3). A copy of this document is held in the House of Commons Library.

---