| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Standard Spending Assessments (London)
22. Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review the formula for the computation of standard spending assessments for London borough councils. [58625]
Mr. Raynsford: We have been considering a range of suggested changes to the calculation of Standard Spending Assessments, taking account of discussions that have taken place this year with local government representatives, to ensure a fair distribution among all authorities.
Countryside Access
23. Mr. Olner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received on access to the countryside for walkers. [58626]
Mr. Meacher:
My Department has received over 2,000 formal responses to our consultation paper "Access to the Open Countryside in England and Wales". In addition, since the closing date for responses to the consultation
17 Nov 1998 : Column: 477
paper on 5 June, approximately 340 letters have been received from members of the public on this subject, and approximately 230 letters from Members of Parliament. Ministerial colleagues and I have held meetings recently with organisations representing both landowners and recreational users.
24. Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the recent Environment Agency proposed decision concerning the MOX plant at Sellafield. [58627]
Mr. Meale:
The Agency's draft determination was received in my Department on 2 November 1998. Requests have been made to Ministers to call in the application for their own determination. These requests are being considered carefully and my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will announce their decision as soon as they are able to do so.
25. Mr. Viggers:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to promote the public accountability of the Government's regional bodies in the south-east. [58628]
Mr. Caborn:
We are committed to improving the openness, accountability and effectiveness of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). The South East Regional Development Agency--like other Regional Development Agencies--will be required to take into account the views of, and give an account of its activities to, the South East Regional Chamber which will represent those in the region with an interest in its work.
27. Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his plans to increase the supply of affordable housing. [58631]
Mr. Raynsford:
We are making available nearly £5 billion extra for investment in housing over the lifetime of this Parliament. The majority of these resources are being directed through local authorities, who we expect to take investment decisions that reflect local needs and priorities. Where demand for affordable housing is high, local authorities may use a proportion of their resources to provide new social lettings. We have also boosted the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme relative to the spending plans of the last Government, thereby ensuring that it will continue to play a key part in support of social housing provision, complementing local authority housing strategies.
Our revised Planning Circular on affordable housing (6/98) will enable local planning authorities to increase the supply of affordable housing secured through the planning process.
17 Nov 1998 : Column: 478
36. Dr. Whitehead:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what response the Government have made to the EU Transport Commissioner's EU Green Paper on ports policy. [58642]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The European Commission issued its Green Paper on ports last December. We published a detailed response at the end of March 1998, setting out our broad support for the Commission's proposals for establishing fair competition between European ports. Copies of our response are in the Library of the House.
37. Mr. Day:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will visit Heald Green, Bramhall, Hazel Grove and Woodford to study the effects of cancelling the completion of the Manchester Airport Eastern Link Road. [58643]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Roads Review led us to conclude that further consideration was necessary of the transport pressures around the airport and to the south-east of Manchester. We therefore proposed a study, which will look at potentials for increased use of public transport and address the problem of through traffic, while not encouraging further car commuting.
38. Mr. Bradshaw:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress the Government are making towards its target in respect of cycling by 2002. [58644]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The target of doubling the number of trips by bicycle by the end of 2002, and doubling them again by the end of 2012, was established by the National Cycling Strategy. In the White Paper "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone", we endorsed that target. Good progress is being made in implementing the Strategy.
39. Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what part parkway stations play in his integrated transport strategy. [58645]
Dr. Reid:
Carefully designed park and ride schemes can contribute to more sustainable transport. Local authorities should consider the potential of park and ride, as part of a package of traffic management measures, when preparing their local transport plans.
41. Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement regarding the permitted development rights of Railtrack. [58647]
Mr. Raynsford:
The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 grants planning permission for classes of development described in Schedule 2 to the Order. No specific application for planning permission is required. Part 11 grants permission
17 Nov 1998 : Column: 479
for development authorised under local or private Acts or Orders subject to conditions. Part 17 grants permission for certain development by statutory undertakers, including development by railway undertakers on their operational land required in connection with the movement of traffic by rail. The question of permitted development rights and Railtrack is currently before the Secretary of State in relation to the Hinksey Sidings site in Oxford.
42. Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what further action his Department is taking to improve the performance of the rail industry. [58648]
Dr. Reid:
We recently announced the creation of a shadow Strategic Rail Authority to get a grip on the rail industry. We have called all franchisees and Railtrack to a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and me on 26 November to identify solutions to their current poor performance.
43. Jacqui Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what remit the shadow strategic rail authority will have. [58649]
Dr. Reid:
The shadow Strategic Rail Authority, to be formed by close working between the British Railways Board and the Franchising Director, will be operational by Spring 1999. It will lead changes to the way the privatised railway is controlled, in advance of legislation to establish the SRA on a statutory basis. We will announce the remit of the shadow SRA in due course.
44. Maria Eagle:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to ensure that the north-west region benefits from the channel tunnel rail link. [58650]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The deal which my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 3 June 1998, Official Report, columns 367-84, secured the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link which will deliver economic, transport and environmental benefits for the whole country.
45. Ms Christine Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will take action to prevent reductions in services by North-West trains. [58651]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Train operators are contractually committed to maintain an agreed minimum level of service in their Passenger Service Requirement (PSR), which is a key component of the franchise agreement. These minimum levels are broadly based on those that were operated prior to privatisation. To deviate would put the train operator in breach of its contract. Where additional services above the PSR have been added for commercial reasons, operators have the freedom to reduce them, after informing the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and rail user groups.
17 Nov 1998 : Column: 480
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |