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Rover-BMW Cars
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the expected future production by Rover-BMW cars. [67053]
Mr. Battle: Rover Group produce a range of vehicles in the UK from the Mini to the Land Rover series. Last year, Rover launched the new R75 which will be produced at Cowley and go on sale this year as a replacement for the 600-800 models. And in November, Bernd Pischestreider, Chairman of BMW, announced that the new Mini will be produced at Longbridge from 2000.
Longbridge currently produces the Rover 200 and 400 models, which are due to be replaced early in the new millennium. BMW has yet to make a decision as to where the new model will be produced.
The Government naturally remain in close contact with both Rover and BMW on many issues including the location of production of future models.
Mr. Miller:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Research Council held on 22 December 1998. [67650]
Mr. Byers:
Lord Sainsbury represented the UK at the meeting of the EU Research Council on 22 December 1998. I am pleased to say that the Council reached final agreement on the legislation for the Fifth Framework Programme for Research and Development (FP5), paving the way for the launch of the programme in the next few weeks. Agreement on FP5 marks a major step forward in Europe's research effort, opening up new opportunities for collaborative research tackling major European challenges relating to competitiveness and the quality of life. I look forward to continued strong participation by UK researchers.
The Council adopted Decisions on the two Framework Programmes that, under the EC Treaty and the Euratom Treaty, set the budget and broad priorities for FP5, and on the rules for detailed participation in the programme stemming from Article 130j of the EC Treaty. It reached political agreement on FP5's ten specific programmes, which set out scientific and technological content in detail and provide for the internal distribution of each programme's budget, in preparation for formal adoption later this month.
The Council also agreed conclusions calling for greater emphasis on research, development and innovation activities in the EU's MEDA programme for development co-operation with Mediterranean countries. It approved signature of an agreement for scientific and technological co-operation between the European Community and
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China and made decisions progressing a number of other scientific and technological co-operation agreements between the Community third countries.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress he has made towards developing a strategy for future support for the textile industry; and if he will make a statement. [67734]
Mr. Battle:
Last year, a joint industry-union group produced an Action Plan for the Textiles and Clothing Industry. I subsequently met the authors of this Document and offered the services of DTI officials to facilitate the production, by an industry-led Group, of a more detailed strategy for the industry. The industry and the unions decided to take the initiative forward and have formed the Textiles and Clothing Strategy Group. My Department will provide the Group's secretariat. To ensure that the Group is wholly representative of the industry and its supply chain, the Group is to include representatives from trade associations, unions, the retail sector, manufacturing, academia and Government. The first meeting of the Group will be on 1 February and preparatory work has already begun.
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Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will publish a table showing total local authority capital expenditure allocations for transport for the year 1999-2000; and for each of the previous eight years; [65242]
Ms Glenda Jackson
[holding answer 11 January 1999]: As part of our commitment to integrated transport policies as set out in "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone", in the 1999-2000 local transport capital settlement we increased support to local transport packages, local safety schemes and the maintenance of highways and bridges. We also reintroduced funding for rural and non-package minor works, which had been suspended for the two previous settlements. The information is shown in the following table.
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(2) if he will publish a table indicating local authority transport capital expenditure allocations for 1999-2000 for existing commitments and new major schemes; and the equivalent figures for each of the previous eight years. [65243]
| £ million | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allocation category | 1991-92 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 |
| Principal road carriageway maintenance | 0 | 95 | 173 | 151 | 141 | 86 | 90 | 80 | 113 |
| Bridge assessment and strengthening | 91 | 111 | 137 | 137 | 117 | 101 | 110 | 100 | 128 |
| Local safety schemes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 50 | 55 | 60 | 50 | 60 |
| Local authority packages | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 64 | 79 | 79 | 85 | 135 |
| Minor works | 75 | 89 | 115 | 60 | 64 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Grant reduction for previous underspends | -48 | -54 | -64 | -67 | -67 | -40 | -16 | -7 | -4 |
| Existing commitments(6) | 561 | 522 | 529 | 431 | 485 | 463 | 407 | 308 | 173 |
| New major schemes | 41 | 61 | 93 | 47 | 39 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Total | 768 | 877 | 1,047 | 886 | 960 | 830 | 746 | 623 | 641 |
(5) Total for 1990-2000 excludes support for European Regional Development Fund grant (£26 million in 1998-99), which is now funded separately from the local transport capital settlement.
(6) Support for Croydon Tramlink and South Yorkshire Supertram.
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Rainham Marsh
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what information (a) his Department and (b) English Partnerships holds relating to contamination of land at Rainham Marsh in Havering; and if he will place such information in the Library. [65901]
Mr. Meale:
When English Partnerships was formed in 1993 it also inherited, acting as Agent for the Secretary of State, a commitment to pay Derelict Land Grant to the London Borough of Havering, for the preparation of site investigation reports. A contamination report and consequently a remediation report, both funded by Derelict Land Grant, via English Partnerships, have been produced. Copies of the reports are available upon request from the London Borough of Havering, who own the Havering Riverside site (known as Rainham Marsh) and commissioned production of the reports.
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Mr. Davidson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to ban the import of all forms of asbestos; if he will list those members of the EU which have introduced such a ban; and if he will make a statement. [66058]
Mr. Meacher:
We are firmly committed both to a national and to a Europe-wide solution to the problem of asbestos, based on sound science. It is increasingly likely that the European Commission's draft proposals for further restrictions on asbestos marketing and use within the EU will be voted on by Member States in March 1999. At around the same time, I expect to receive the Health and Safety Commission's recommendation following its recent consultation exercise on a British ban.
I understand that Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden have asbestos bans in place.
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Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he will require town and parish councils to take as part of his plans for the modernisation of local government. [65772]
Mr. Raynsford:
As our White Paper "Modern Local Government--In Touch with the People" makes clear, it is important that parish councils embrace the culture of openness and accountability, putting their local people first. Our modernisation agenda therefore provides for such councils to continue to play their local democratic role and to be subject--as appropriate to their size and functions--to the disciplines of the new ethical framework and the duty of best value.
Mr. Ottaway:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how London Underground will be funded when the central Government grant is phased out in 2000. [66094]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
We are keeping funding for London Underground under review with London Transport, and will take decisions in the light of progress to implement the public private partnership and LT's overall financial position.
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