8 Feb 1999 : Column: 1
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 8 February 1999
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Road Schemes
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list (a) the road schemes which are proceeding following the outcome of the national Roads Review and (b) those roads which are to be considered by regional planning conferences which could have an effect on areas of outstanding natural beauty or National Parks, detailing for each the designation affected. [67024]
Ms Glenda Jackson [holding answer 26 January 1999]: Environmental concerns were a major consideration of the assessment of schemes during the Roads Review. The Road Programme inherited from the previous Government contained 21 schemes which would affect National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The following lists show the schemes which are to proceed as part of the Targeted Programme of Improvements following the national Roads Review which will impact on specific National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
| Scheme Name | National Park or AONB |
|---|---|
| A34 Chieveley/M4 J13 Improvement | North Wessex Downs AONB |
| A41 Aston Clinton Bp | Chilterns AONB |
| A2 Bean-Cobham Widening Phase 2 | Kent Downs AONB |
| A21 Lamberhurst Bp | High Weald AONB |
| Scheme Name | National Park or AONB |
|---|---|
| A57/A628 Mottram-Tintwhistle Bp | Peak District NP |
In addition, a number of schemes are to considered by Regional Planning Conferences in the context of the programme of wider multi-modal studies announced recently. These studies cover in some cases very wide areas of the country. Solutions to these studies will by no means necessarily be road based and will rarely be solely road schemes. We therefore cannot list AONBs or National Parks within these areas in the same definitive way as for identified road proposals. Environmental impact is an important consideration in our new approach to appraisals and its assessment will be integral to the
8 Feb 1999 : Column: 2
study process. Any consequences for AONBs and National Parks of solutions coming out of the studies would be explicitly identified at that point.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many night flights (a) landing and (b) taking off from Heathrow carried (i) passengers and (ii) airfreight in each of the last five years. [68576]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The total runway movements in the night quota period (11.30 pm and 6 am) each season for the last five years are set out.
| Season | Arrivals | Departures | Total runway movements (1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter 1993-94 | (2)-- | (2)-- | 2,589 |
| Summer 1994 | (2)-- | (2)-- | 3,204 |
| Winter 1994-95 | (2)-- | (2)-- | 2,939 |
| Summer 1995 | (2)-- | (2)-- | 3,266 |
| Winter 1995-96 | (2)-- | (2)-- | 3,059 |
| Summer 1996 | 2,527 | 313 | 2,840 |
| Winter 1996-97 | 2,567 | 255 | 2,822 |
| Summer 1997 | 2,722 | 285 | 3,007 |
| Winter 1997-98 | 2,542 | 224 | 2,766 |
| Summer 1998 | 2,765 | 334 | 3,099 |
(1) Total runway movements include all movements counted against the night movements limit and noise quota, movements by exempt types of aircraft and movements given dispensations.
(2) The split between arrivals and departures is not readily available due to the basis on which records have been retained.
Full details of the split between passenger and all-cargo movements for each season are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. On the basis of available data, about 8 per cent. of movements in winter 1993-94, and 5 per cent. in summer 1995 were all-cargo flights including mail with similar amounts in intervening seasons (ie slightly more in winter than in summer). In summer 1998 there were 96 such movements, 3 per cent. of the total. A significant amount of cargo is carried in the holds of passenger aircraft.
Vehicle Registration Documents
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reason the Council of Ministers has resolved to apply the Committee Directive on the Registration Documents for Vehicles (EC 65/98) five years after the entry into force of that Directive. [68966]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The five year implementation period will provide Member States with sufficient time to introduce the new harmonised system for vehicle registration documents. Member States are free to introduce the new documentation before then if they wish to do so.
Council Properties (Wandsworth)
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with Wandsworth Borough Council on its policy of selling council properties in certain areas of the borough. [69070]
8 Feb 1999 : Column: 3
Mr. Raynsford:
I have had no such discussions. However, officials of the Government Office for London regularly discuss with Borough officials many aspects of the Borough's housing strategy and of its performance as a housing authority as part of the annual Housing Investment Programme allocation process. Sales of council properties are one aspect of those discussions.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with his European Union colleagues on the development of environmentally friendly vehicles by European vehicle producers. [69093]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Significant developments are taking place in Europe on the promotion of environmentally friendly vehicles by European vehicle producers. A number of directives were agreed in 1998, setting future emission standards for cars, vans and vehicles with heavy-duty diesel engines. Last year a voluntary agreement was concluded between the EC and European motor manufacturers, to reduce by 25 per cent. the CO 2 emissions from new cars by 2008. When the UK's Cleaner Vehicles Task Force publishes its first report in the coming months, we will wish to discuss its contents with colleagues in Europe.
I and my Ministerial colleagues keep in close contact with our European counterparts on these matters. During January my right hon. Friends the Minister for the Environment and the Minister of Transport had liaison meetings with the respective Ministers of the new German Government.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what discussions he has had with the German Government on the United Kingdom's rules relating to the import and export of spent nuclear fuel; and if he will make a statement; [69157]
(3) if imports of spent nuclear fuel from Germany primarily to alleviate the shortage of on-site waste storage capacity at German nuclear facilities contravene Government policy; and if he will seek advice on this matter from the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee. [69159]
Mr. Meale:
The Government's policy is that spent nuclear fuel may be imported into the UK provided that the prime purpose is the recovery of reusable material.
BNFL provides nuclear fuel reprocessing services on a fully commercial basis. Since 1976 all reprocessing contracts have contained the option for the return of waste arising from reprocessing to the customer country. The Government have made it clear that this option should be exercised, and all wastes returned.
It has also been made clear to the German Government that the UK would not be willing to offer long-term storage in the UK for spent nuclear fuel that will not be
8 Feb 1999 : Column: 4
reprocessed. It follows that, should existing reprocessing contracts be cancelled at any time, German material held in the UK at that time would have to be returned.
Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Government are taking to protect internationally important lowland raised peatlands from damage caused by commercial peat extraction for horticultural and gardening use; and if he will make a statement. [69149]
Mr. Meale:
My Department has reconvened its Working Group on Peat Extraction to consider whether existing policies and guidance on peat extraction are still appropriate.
The Group is looking at a range of issues surrounding peat extraction, including the need for safeguarding peat bogs of national and international importance, and the development and marketing of peat alternatives.
(2) if he will make a statement on his policy relating to the import and export of spent nuclear fuel; and if he will make a statement; [69156]
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |