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Cleaner Vehicles
46. Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce measures to encourage the purchase of more fuel-efficient, less polluting cars. [58652]
Dr. Reid: The Government have already introduced fiscal measures including fuel duty incentives and are consulting on a lower rate of Vehicle Excise Duty to encourage less environmentally damaging cars. We have also supported more stringent European vehicle emission and fuel quality standards and welcome the recent voluntary agreement from motor manufacturers to improve the fuel efficiency of new cars. The market for less polluting vehicles will be further stimulated through the Cleaner Vehicle Task Force, a partnership between the Government and the private sector to promote environmentally friendly vehicles people will want to drive and buy.
Regional Airports
47. Mr. Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what future role he envisages for regional airports. [58653]
Ms Glenda Jackson: We promised in the White Paper "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone" that, taking account of the emerging findings of a series of regional air services studies, we would encourage the growth of regional airports to meet local demand for air travel where consistent with sustainable development principles. The aim is to maximise the contribution which regional airports make to local and regional economies, to relieve pressure on congested airports in the south-east of England and to reduce the need for long surface journeys, particularly by road, to south-east airports. The south-west England study was already under way when the White Paper was published and the Welsh study is now also under way. Work on setting up the other four studies is in hand. We announced last week the details of our proposals to free soundly financed local authority airports from public sector borrowing controls. The new financial regime will come into effect, subject to Parliamentary approval, on 1 April 1999 and we have invited applications from those airport companies which wish to benefit from the new freedom.
Connex South Central
48. Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to improve commuter services on lines operated by Connex South Central. [58654]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
In August the Franchising Director asked each train operating company to submit to him an action plan indicating how they intend to improve performance. Connex South Central has submitted an action plan which the Franchising Director is currently reviewing. We have announced our intention to establish a Strategic Rail Authority which will be responsible for overseeing the performance of the franchise agreements and the strategic development of the rail network. In any new or re-negotiated franchise contracts we expect to see much better performance requirements and arrangements to enable passengers to hold operators responsible for the services they run. We also propose to amend the Railways
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Act so that financial penalties for poor performance can be imposed much faster, and infringements penalised. Ministers are to meet with representatives from all train operating companies on 26 November to discuss future railways policy and in particular ways of improving poor performance generally.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on how many routes operated by Connex South Central the punctuality of rail services (a) improved and (b) deteriorated in the last period for which figures are available. [60296]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The latest figures released by the Franchising Director cover the three rail industry periods from 28 June 1998 to 19 September 1998. The Connex South Central franchise is split into two route groups--South London lines and Sussex Coast for the purpose of performance monitoring. Comparing the annual average at the end of September 1997 with the annual average at the end of September 1998, both route groups improved. Copies of the Franchising Director's latest report--issued on 4 November--are in the House Library.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 10 November 1998, Official Report, column 116, concerning Connex South Central, if, when Ministers meet Connex South Central, he will ensure that the company puts in place an action plan to improve services in the coming winter. [60301]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Franchising Director has required all train operating companies to produce and implement an action plan setting out how they propose to deliver improvements in performance. These have been received and are being evaluated. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister will be meeting representatives from the train operating companies on 26 November, and will impress the importance of delivering improved performance on them then.
49. Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from road freight hauliers regarding the impact of the proposals in the White Paper on integrated transport strategy on their industry. [58655]
Dr. Reid:
The industry is generally satisfied with the Government's approach to sustainable distribution as set out in the White Paper "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone".
This Government's policy towards the haulage industry is to promote an industry which is sustainable, which is efficient and effective and which meets the Government's environmental and social objectives at the same time.
For example, industry has welcomed the fact that 40 tonne 5-axle lorries will be allowed for domestic use as well as for international movements. Industry has endorsed our intention to improve enforcement in the industry through improvements in the efficiency of the enforcement agencies. We are ensuring that modern IT systems are introduced which will allow better co-ordination and sharing of data between the agencies. They have endorsed our intention to impound illegally operated vehicles used by cowboy operators. The industry
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has been very constructive in helping us to formulate these proposals. Such a scheme will help to ensure that, within the UK, hauliers operate within a competitive regime which is both fair and honest.
50. Mr. Ainger:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the impact the new Maritime and Coastguard Agency will have on leisure craft. [58656]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
On 7 October, at the official launch of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), I announced the Government's continuing commitment to improve the safety of recreational craft. The MCA will develop a voluntary Code of Conduct for all recreational craft which will include best practice and a voluntary registration and identification scheme. The Agency will also continue safety education initiatives. The Code will be developed by the Sea Safety Liaison Group which, in addition to the MCA, comprises representatives of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Royal Yachting Association, the Royal Life Saving Society UK and the British Marine Industries Federation and will be subject to external consultation before being launched next Summer.
In due course the Government also intend to pursue the primary legislation needed to enable local authorities to have better control, through byelaws, of their coastal waters.
I believe this strategy will do a great deal to improve the safety of the increasing numbers of people who use our coastal waters for recreation.
51. Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the costs of implementing a comprehensive nationwide network of community transport schemes. [58657]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
We have commissioned a major review of voluntary and community transport nationwide. The review, which was carried out in collaboration with the Community Transport Association, has looked at both the range and the scope of work currently undertaken by voluntary and community transport operators and at what measures should be considered to enable them to deliver their invaluable services most effectively. A report will be published early in the New Year.
40. Mr. Quinn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the impact of the Government's policy on safety checks on the roadworthiness of vehicles. [58646]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government's policy is to require vehicles to undergo periodical tests for roadworthiness and for exhaust emissions. This contributes towards well-maintained, safe vehicles and relatively low levels of pollution.
Mr. Ottaway:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his
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oral statement of 20 October 1998, Official Report, column 1062, on what definition of rural areas his statement that more Labour Members than Conservative Members represent rural areas was based. [57958]
Ms Armstrong:
There are more Labour Members of Parliament representing the non-metropolitan counties of England than there are Conservative MPs representing similar constituencies. There are no Conservative MPs representing any rural or urban constituencies in Scotland and no Conservative MPs representing any urban or rural constituencies in Wales.
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