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MV Derbyshire
Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has made his decision on the form and coverage of the reopened formal investigation into the loss of the MV 'Derbyshire'; and if he will make a statement. [64906]
Mr. Prescott:
Having considered the comments submitted following my announcement of 12 March 1998, Official Report, columns 270-71, that the Formal Investigation into the loss of the Derbyshire was to be reopened I have today ordered, under section 269 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, that the whole of the case shall be reheard by Her Majesty's High Court of Justice. The preparation and presentation of the case, the
17 Dec 1998 : Column: 641
identification of parties to the Investigation and the statement of questions are now matters for my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General. The conduct of the reopened Investigation will be a matter for the Judge appointed to undertake it.
I have also decided that my Department will support an application made to the Judge at his preliminary hearing that the reasonable costs of a single legal term to represent the interests of the relatives of those lost with the ship at the reopened Formal Investigation should be met from public funds.
I have further decided that my Department should make a contribution towards the legal costs of one team that may be incurred by the relatives in preparing for the preliminary hearing.
Mr. White:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for the European Commission's recommendation for a standard European parking badge for disabled people to be implemented in the UK; what is the proposed timing; and if conditions of use of the UK's existing Orange Badge will be affected. [64967]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
We have decided that the EC's recommendation for a standard design of blue parking badge for disabled people will be implemented in the UK. In reaching our decision we consulted with our statutory advisers, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).
The aim of this Recommendation is, of course, to have a standard design of blue parking badge to replace the parking cards or badges which are currently on issue in Member States, and to ensure that there is reciprocity across Member States in recognising the new badge. The EC's intention is to have these arrangements introduced by 1 January 2000.
The Recommendation does not affect the eligibility criteria applied by Member States, nor the parking privileges which the parking card affords disabled people in each Member State. These remain matters for national governments to determine. Parking badges will, therefore, retain their national status, but will be designed on the basis of the EC's model.
In this country, we plan to phase in the new blue badges as existing Orange Badges come up for renewal, or new applications are processed, over the 3 years from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2002.
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the President of the Council if she will list the official visits to Buckinghamshire which (a) she and (b) her predecessor have made since 2 May 1997. [64134]
Mrs. Beckett:
None.
17 Dec 1998 : Column: 642
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee (1) which company is responsible for the recycling of waste paper from the Parliamentary Estate; [64554]
(2) how much money was raised from the sale of waste paper from the Parliamentary Estate in the last financial year; [64555]
(3) what tonnage of waste paper from the Parliamentary Estate was recycled in the last financial year. [64553]
Mrs. Roe:
These are matters for the Serjeant at Arms; I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department has taken to promote good town planning in the cities of the third world. [64400]
Clare Short:
We view good town planning practice as an essential component in the better management of cities. This is in line with the internationally agreed development goals contained in the Habitat Agenda which resulted from the Habitat II conference at Istanbul in 1996. The Department provides funding support to help the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements, Habitat, take forward this Agenda.
Direct support is also given to the global United Nations Urban Management Programme and Urban Indicators Programme. The Department works closely with countries which implement these approaches to improved urban environments and has supported programmes which include good town planning practice in India and China.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to increase the access of third world countries to the principal trading markets of the world; and if she will make a statement. [64524]
Clare Short:
I will write to my hon. Friend.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will increase UK Government activity in generating TACIS projects. [63110]
Mr. Foulkes:
We do not wish to see an expansion of Tacis activity until its effectiveness is improved. Tacis has been widely criticised for its slow procedures and cumbersome bureaucracy. We are in dialogue with the European Commission to address these problems, including the new Tacis Regulation which will be agreed during 1999.
17 Dec 1998 : Column: 643
Mr. Robert Jackson:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. [62811]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
For the purpose of this question this answer includes the Prime Minister's Office and the Cabinet Office. Details of all Cabinet Office task forces, review bodies and advisory groups have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Charlotte Atkins:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what is the overall level of sickness absence in the Civil Service. [64908]
Dr. Jack Cunningham:
The average level of sickness absence in 1997 was unchanged from 1996 at 8.5 days per person (10.4 days per staff year). This is broadly in line with the level in the economy as a whole.
I have placed in the Libraries of the House copies of the report on Sickness Absence in the Civil Service during 1997, which contains a comprehensive analysis of the figures about the Civil Service. This report was prepared for my Department by BMI Health Services.
My Department is discussing with Departments and Agencies how they can achieve the targets of reducing sickness absence in the Civil Service by 20 per cent. by 2001 and 30 per cent. by 2003 which were set following the July 1998 report "Managing Attendance in the Public Sector". I shall receive regular reports on progress.
Mr. Prior:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants took cases to an industrial tribunal last year. [64303]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
Figures on the number of civil servants who take cases to Employment Tribunal are not held centrally, and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will estimate for each month in the past five years the total miles covered by Ministers' official cars. [63656]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car and Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. Nick Matheson, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Nick Matheson to Mr. Peter Bottomley, dated 17 December 1998:
17 Dec 1998 : Column: 644
The Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office has asked me in my capacity as the Chief Executive of the Agency responsible for the Government Car Service (GCS) to reply to your Parliamentary
Question dated 10 December 1998 asking for a list by month of the estimated total mileage of ministerial car travelling on official business in the last five years.
The Government Car and Despatch Agency, of which GCS is a part, was formed on 1 April 1997 and information on mileage before then is not readily available and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, I estimate the total mileage of ministerial cars provided by this Agency and travelling on official business since 1 April 1997 to be as follows:
| 1997 month | Estimated mileage | 1998 month | Estimated mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | 27,810 | January | 71,910 |
| May | 143,820 | February | 129,440 |
| June | 139,030 | March | 143,820 |
| July | 143,820 | April | 104,270 |
| August | 71,910 | May | 143,280 |
| September | 69,510 | June | 139,030 |
| October | 115,060 | July | 143,820 |
| November | 139,030 | August | 71,910 |
| December | 107,860 | September | 69,510 |
| October | 115,060 | ||
| November | 139,030 |
The above estimates are based on total official use of GCS cars. In addition to their use by ministers, cars are used for other official purposes such as the movement of documents and for use by officials as directed by the ministerial private office.
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