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EC Transport Councils
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish agendas for the forthcoming EC transport councils on (a) 29 March and (b) 17 to 18 June. [75195]
Ms Glenda Jackson [holding answer 8 March 1999]: At the Transport Council to be held on 29 March, the following topics are on the agenda: development of the Community's railways; combined transport; working time in road transport; operation of 15 metre buses; modernisation of the Warsaw system for airline liability; intermodal terminals; and satellite navigation systems. The agenda for the 17-18 June Transport Council will be known nearer the time.
Chemical Emissions
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the procedures for monitoring the emission of dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere. [75011]
Mr. Meale [holding answer 8 March 1999]: Processes with the potential to emit dangerous substances to air are regulated under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, under which plant operators must obtain an authorisation and use the best available techniques not entailing excessive cost (BATNEEC) to prevent, minimise or render harmless such emissions. The authorisations issued by the Environment Agency or local authorities will include appropriate monitoring requirements and the results of such monitoring will appear on the public register.
Grant-maintained Schools
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 4 March 1999, Official Report, column 838, on local authority councillors employed by grant-maintained schools, what estimate he has made of the numbers of staff likely to be so disqualified. [75746]
Ms Armstrong: We have made no estimate of the numbers of teachers who are likely to be so disqualified.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 4 March 1999, Official Report, column 838, concerning teachers employed by grant-maintained schools, what consultations his Department has undertaken on this matter; and what representations have been received. [75747]
9 Mar 1999 : Column: 164
Ms Armstrong:
I have undertaken no consultation about the continuation of the well-established policy that a person is disqualified from being a councillor of an authority of which they are an employee. However, officials from the Department for Education and Employment have met interested parties to discuss a range of staffing matters, including this issue of local authority councillors employed by grant-maintained schools, in the transition to the new framework.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if currently licensed black cabs will be permitted to operate within the current Metropolitan Police District boundaries after the establishment of the Greater London Authority. [75734]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Once the Metropolitan Police District boundary has become aligned with that of Greater London, taxis licensed by the Public Carriage Office will be able to ply for hire only within the new boundary.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received concerning the impact of the Greater London Authority Bill's provisions for realigning the Metropolitan Police District with the Greater London administrative boundary on taxi cabs licensed to operate in outer London. [75735]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I have received representations from London suburban-licensed taxi drivers concerned about the implications of the boundary change for their customary operations, from local authorities seeking guidance on their new licensing responsibilities, and from applicants to the Public Carriage Office for suburban London taxi driver licences concerned about the processing of their applications whilst the Public Carriage Office reviewed the suburban licensing sectors in the light of the boundary change.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what dates staff at Crosby Driving Test Centre were transferred temporarily to other locations after its closure; on what date such transfers were made permanent; and to what date the transfers were backdated. [74072]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The driving examiner staff at Crosby transferred to other test centres from 6 April 1998, when the Crosby centre was closed. Formal transfer letters were given during May 1998, advising that these transfers would be permanent. Transfers were dated from 6 April so that staff would receive appropriate allowances. This did not preclude the possibility of the staff being moved back to a centre in Crosby had the Driving Standards Agency opened a replacement centre there.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the appointment of the Chairman of the new Countryside Agency will be announced. [75198]
9 Mar 1999 : Column: 165
Mr. Meacher:
I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made to the House on 8 March 1999, Official Report, columns 21-33, when I announced that Ewen Cameron would be appointed as the first Chairman of the Countryside Agency. I also announced that Pamela Warhurst would be appointed as Deputy Chair.
Mrs. Ellman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much he expects each English region to receive from the coalfields portfolio in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) future years; and who will be taking the decision on these allocations. [75738]
Mr. Meale:
Some £195 million is planned to be spent on the coalfields portfolio over the next three years.
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| North East | 11 |
| North West | 3.8 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 15 |
| East Midlands | 17.1 |
| West Midlands | 1.5 |
| South East | 0.9 |
| South West | 0.3 |
These figures have been agreed between English partnerships and the respective Regional Development Agencies. Regional allocations for future years will be determined in the same way.
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much each English region received from the coalfields portfolio in each of the past five years. [75739]
Mr. Meale: The coalfields portfolio did not transfer to English Partnerships until the end of 1996-97. The following chart sets out total spend by English partnerships in the five EP regions which contain coalfields over the past two years.
| £ million | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
| North East | 3.2 | 1.7 |
| North West | 1.4 | 0.7 |
| Yorkshire | 6.2 | 12.2 |
| East Midlands | ||
| (all Midlands, 1997-98) | 12.1 | 3.9 |
| West Midlands | -- | 5.7 |
Note:
The expenditure includes both grant in aid and Agency-generated receipts
India (Ministerial Visit)
Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which of his Ministers is deputising for him in respect of duties relating to the Budget Statement during his visit to India. [75544]
Mr. Prescott:
My Ministerial colleagues will pursue their normal duties in relation to the Budget.
9 Mar 1999 : Column: 166
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many days he spent (a) in India and (b) in the Maldives during his recent visit. [75542]
Mr. Prescott:
I will spend eight days in India and three days in the Maldives during my visit.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what arrangements have been made in respect of the costs of transport for his visit (a) to India and (b) to the Maldives; and in what class he flew for each leg of the journey. [75546]
Mr. Prescott:
All travel for this trip has been arranged in accordance with the Ministerial Code and long-standing Ministerial practice under this and previous administrations.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what role his Department played in setting up a satellite TV link-up from India to the United Kingdom to enable him to comment on the Budget Statement. [75545]
Mr. Prescott:
None. There is no satellite TV link-up from India.
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