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Fuel Duty Rebates
Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the advantages of introducing necessary user rebates in respect of fuel duties paid by the disabled and their carers. [61796]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government have no plans to introduce a fuel duty rebate for disabled motorists but they will continue to take account of the impact of the fuel duty escalator on these and other essential car users. Whilst disabled motorists often need the use of a car, they can still reduce their fuel consumption and, in some cases, will be able to choose significantly more fuel-efficient vehicles which manufacturers are committed to introducing to the market. Disability Living Allowance, which will rise in line with inflation, also provides a contribution towards the extra costs of disability, and is awarded on the basis of the mobility as well as care needs of disabled people. In addition, vehicles owned by many disabled drivers are exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty.
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Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his e-mail address. [62556]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, and all other Ministers in this Department, can currently be contacted via the Department's Web site--WWW.DETR.GOV.UK. All members of the Department, including my right hon. Friend, will have individual e-mail addresses from March next year.
Mr. Barnes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the Health and Safety Executive's findings over the past 10 years on the failures of non-metallic storage vessels including plastic-lined GRP storage vessels, together with relevant information on recorded failures which is contained in the HSE database of investigated incidents; and if he will make a statement. [62303]
Mr. Meacher
[holding answer 7 December 1998]: A research report by the Health and Safety Laboratory of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has reviewed all the failures of non-metallic vessels reported to HSE during the period 1986-1996. The report discloses that early experience with GRP storage vessels was disappointing due to poor design, poor or inadequate installation, lack of suitable testing and inspection techniques, poor fabrication or materials specification, environmental stress cracking, and user-abuse. A number of key recommendations aimed at addressing these problems are contained in the report and HSE is reviewing its guidance in the light of these. In total, the report reviews a total of 59 incidents, 7 of which involved plastic-lined GRP storage vessels. Arrangements are in hand for a copy of the report to be placed in the Commons Library.
Mr. Peter Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how and when he will consult rural communities and their representative bodies in accordance with section 2(3) of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 before appointing members to the RDA boards. [63092]
Mr. Caborn:
The Government started the appointments process while the legislation was before Parliament, in order to be in a position to take decision on appointments to the RDA boards soon after the commencement of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998.
Earlier this year we advertised in the national press for applications direct from individuals and also consulted a wide range of bodies asking them to nominate people whom they thought were suitable for board membership. These groups included many who represent the interests of rural communities.
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Mr. Robert Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. [62841]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The following Special Advisers are employed in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions:
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Special Advisers are subject to the usual security clearance arrangements. It is not appropriate to give details about particular individual's level of security clearance.
Mr. Robert Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within Government. [62831]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
There are currently 11 people on secondment to the Department from private companies. They are listed:
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Joe Irvin full-time special adviser. He advises on all areas for which the DPM is responsible.
Joan Hammell full-time special adviser. She also assists the DPM.
Paul Hackett, part-time special adviser. Advises on regional issues.
Darren Murphy part-time special adviser. Advises on local government and housing.
Richard Olszewski. Special adviser on transport issues.
| Name | Company | Current responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| A. Carter | Boots the Chemist Ltd. | Contributing to planning and regeneration issues, including work on sustainable communities, the New Deal for Communities, and the revision of planning guidance |
| M. Coe | Unilever | Advising on promoting greater environmental awareness by business |
| B. Everett | Bellway Urban Renewal | Secretariat of the Urban Task Force |
| J. Faragher | CRE Group Ltd. | Expert adviser in the European Commission on environmental management systems and the development of the ecomanagement and audit scheme |
| C. Fulford | KPMG | Secretariat of the Urban Task Force |
| J. Hall | Institute for Fiscal Studies | Providing advice on industrial, regional and labour market issues |
| M. Salter | OPM | Secretariat of the Urban Task Force |
| G. Pearce | Bank of Scotland | Assisting with the restructuring arrangements for Channel Tunnel Rail Link |
| A. Stacey | ABROS | Secretariat of the Urban Task Force |
| S. Tindale | IPPR | Attached to the Sustainable Development Unit providing advice on environmental issues |
| A. Wain | Kvaerner Construction | Implementation of the recommendations of Sir John Egan's Construction Task Force Report "Rethinking Construction" |
9 Dec 1998 : Column: 197
Railtrack
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the transparency of the information provided by Railtrack regarding levels of capital investment and spending on maintenance; and if he will make a statement. [62601]
Ms Glenda Jackson: Under Condition 7 of its Network Licence, Railtrack is required to publish an annual Network Management Statement (NMS), setting out its plans for the maintenance, renewal and development of the rail network for a ten year period, with greater detail for the first three years of the programme. The form of the NMS, and the period it covers, has to be approved by the Rail Regulator.
Asbestos
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what evidence he has obtained that contractors from other countries dump asbestos waste in Britain. [62636]
Mr. Meacher:
The import of asbestos waste into Great Britain is controlled by the Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1992. Under these Regulations, the import of
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amphibole (largely brown or blue) asbestos waste is prohibited. Proposals from the Health and Safety Commission, currently under consultation, will extend this prohibition to include the import of chrysotile (white) asbestos waste.
While derogations from the Regulations to allow imports may be sought, a certificate of exemption would be granted only in exceptional circumstances and be subject to stringent conditions. No certificates of exemption have so far been issued for the import of asbestos from another country into Great Britain.
There is no evidence of any illegal imports of asbestos waste into Great Britain.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason the pricing behaviour of petrol retailers on motorways was not included in the report into the retail petrol industry by the Director General of Fair Trading published on 18 May; and if he will make a statement. [62404]
9 Dec 1998 : Column: 199
Dr. Howells
[holding answer 7 December 1998]: The content of the report is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading. I am asking him to reply to the hon. Member directly.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to refuse sponsorship for the New Millennium Experience Company from companies which are in receipt of Government grants. [61991]
Mr. Mandelson
[holding answer 1 December 1998]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Montgomeryshire (Mr. Opik) on 16 November 1998, Official Report, columns 421-22.
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