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Eurostar
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the importance of Eurostar regional services to the economy of the North West; and if he will make a statement. [64280]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The Government announced on 8 December 1998, Official Report, column 135, that they will be appointing consultants to examine the "Review of Regional Eurostar Services", produced by Inter Capital and Regional Rail Ltd. The Government intend their consultant to consider the economic and social benefits of regional Eurostar services.
Countryside Access
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he proposes to respond to the consultation process on access to the open countryside in England and Wales. [64298]
Mr. Meale:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 18 November 1998, Official Report, column 672.
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Mr. Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions at how many locations on the M6 there were roadworks between 10 and 11 December. [64297]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the hon. Member.
| Area | 10 December 1998 | 11 December 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| Cheshire | 4 | 5 |
| Lancashire | 4 | 3 |
| Cumbria | 2 | 2 |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 11 | 11 |
The length of the M6 from the M1 to the A74 is 229 miles.
The figures provided are for the main running lanes only and exclude roadworks on link roads where advanced signs are erected on main carriageways and also works on the hard shoulder only, where Temporary Vertical Concrete Barriers are in place. The figures also include roadworks that took place overnight.
I trust the above information meets your requirement.
Overhead Power Lines
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on planning guidelines in respect of applications to build houses close to overhead power lines. [64288]
Mr. Raynsford: Draft guidance on determining planning applications for development proposed in vicinity to sources of electro-magnetic fields, such as overhead power lines, is contained in the draft circular, "Land-Use Planning and Electro-Magnetic Fields (EMFs)". This has been drawn up jointly by this Department and the Department of Health, and was issued for public consultation on 8 December.
Pensions
Mr. Pearson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what information his Department collects on (a) the numbers of those directly employed through the single regeneration budget programme and (b) the proportion of those directly employed who are in occupational pension schemes or receive personal pension contributions; [64393]
- (2) if he will make a statement on pensions for staff directly employed by the Single Regeneration Budget programme; [64394]
17 Dec 1998 : Column: 629
(3) what restrictions are placed on bodies receiving SRB funding who employ people directly from offering occupational pension schemes or contributions to personal pensions from the SRB programme. [64392]
Mr. Meale: The SRB provides support for between one to seven years for regeneration schemes by locally based partnerships. The SRB contribution towards management and administration costs has a ceiling of 5 per cent. of total SRB grant for the scheme. It is for the partnerships themselves to determine the terms and conditions of any staff they employ directly and there are no restrictions imposed by the SRB. My Department does not collect information on the number of staff directly employed through the SRB programme. It is the Government's view, as recently reaffirmed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security, that everyone who can save for their retirement has a responsibility to do so.
Genetically Modified Crops
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a copy of the report commissioned by Ministers to assess the potential effects of cultivating genetically modified food in Britain; and if he will make a statement. [64329]
Mr. Meacher:
As outlined in the response to the hon. Gentleman's earlier question of 9 February 1998, Official Report, column 11, we undertook to have further discussions with English Nature and others on how concerns regarding the possible wider implications of genetically modified crops may best be addressed. As a result of these discussions, DETR officials have been preparing a draft paper considering the possible wider impact of genetically modified crops on farmland wildlife.
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The potential impact is considered in the context of existing agricultural practices and the Government's commitments to reverse wildlife declines in farmland. The potential advantages or disadvantages of genetically modified crops will be discussed.
This paper is being prepared in consultation with the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) and English Nature. As explained in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson) on 5 November 1998, Official Report, column 638, regarding ACRE's remit, the Secretary of State has asked the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment to advise on the possible changes in agronomic practice and subsequent effects on biodiversity that may result from the release of genetically modified organisms.
When the paper is completed it will be made publicly available.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in how many trials of genetically modified crops inspected in 1998 the regulations governing their planting have been found to have been broken; and if he will provide details in each instance. [64468]
Mr. Meacher:
There were five instances in 1998 where, in the opinion of the Health and Safety Executive Inspector, the release of genetically modified organisms was not being carried out as specified in the consent document regarding the measures taken to restrict pollination of adjacent plants. In each case the consent was varied to include additional precautions to minimise any possible risk to the environment. In all cases the risks arising from pollination of adjacent plants by the genetically modified oilseed rape were assessed to be low.
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| Consent holder | Consent reference | Trial site location | Additional precautions imposed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monsanto | 96/R22/6 | Rothwell, Lincolnshire | Destroy all oilseed rape seed harvested from plants within 50m of the GM trial plot, and extend post trial monitoring to include land within 50m of the GM trial. |
| Monsanto | 96/R22/6 | Stanton, Hereford and Worcester | Destroy all genetically modified glyphosate tolerant oilseed rape at this site prior to flowering. |
| Perryfields Holdings Ltd. | 96/R27/1 | Rothwell, Lincolnshire | Destroy all oilseed rape seed harvested from plants within 50m of the GM trial plot, and extend post trial monitoring to include land within 50m of the GM trial. |
| Pioneer Genetique | 97/R24/2 | Inkberrow, Worcestershire | Destroy all oilseed rape seed harvested from plants within 50m of the GM trial plot, and extend post trial monitoring to include land within 50m of the GM trial. |
| Plant Genetic Systems | 97/R15/23 | Inkberrow, Worcestershire | Destroy all oilseed rape seed harvested from plants within 50m of the GM trial plot, and extend post trial monitoring to include land within 50m of the GM trial. |
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British Rail Publications
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the publications issued by British Rail since 1 May 1997, indicating the total cost to British Rail of such publications. [64469]
17 Dec 1998 : Column: 630
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I understand from the British Railways Board that, apart form the issue of site particulars by Rail Property Ltd., the only publication issued by the Board since 1 May 1997 is its Annual Report and Accounts 1996-97 published in January 1998. The cost of publication is a matter for the Board.
17 Dec 1998 : Column: 631
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