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Norwich Hospital
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to ensure (a) public transport access and (b) access off the southern bypass to the new hospital in Norwich from the city centre. [82688]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Public transport access to the new Norfolk and Norwich Hospital at Colney is a matter for Norfolk County Council as the local transport authority, the Hospital trust, who have entered into an agreement with the County Council to provide a high quality bus service for the new site, and the commercial operators.
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My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has asked the Highways Agency to look again at access to the hospital. The Highways Agency is considering the matter. A decision will be taken as quickly as possible.
Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many staff transferred to each regional development area from (a) English Partnerships, (b) the Rural Development Commission, (c) Government offices, (d) regional development organisations and (e) other bodies. [82922]
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Mr. Meale:
The table shows the number of staff transferring to each regional development agency on 1 April 1999. The figures exclude temporary staff and vacant posts which also transferred. Figures for RDAs exclude overseas staff.
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| Region development agency | English partnerships | Rural development commission | Government offices | Regional development organisations | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advantage West Midlands | 26 | 7 | 30 | 57 | 0 |
| East of England | 9 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| East Midlands | 35 | 11 | 13 | 29 | 0 |
| North East | 85 | 9 | 27 | 91 | 0 |
| North West | 83 | 8 | 20 | 44 | 0 |
| South East of England | 16 | 9 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| South West of England | 44 | 23 | 13 | 44 | 5 |
| Yorkshire Forward | 60 | 11 | 33 | 63 | 0 |
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Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what staff with environmental expertise have been recruited by each regional development agency. [82923]
Mr. Meale: Staff transferring from English Partnerships, the Rural Development Commission and Government Offices to take forward transferring functions, will have, or will have access to, any necessary environmental expertise to carry out the work. RDAs have been recruiting for a wide range of posts, including strategy development and corporate functions. Where environmental expertise is relevant to the post this will have been a consideration in the advertisement and selection process. RDAs will also be establishing links with a range of organisations, some of which will be able to provide advice on environmental issues. However, separate records are not kept on the environmental expertise of individual staff in the RDAs.
Refrigerants (Emissions)
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he made of whether the author of the report, "UK Emission of HFCs, PFCs and SF6 and Potential Emission Reduction Options", had been involved in lobbying on behalf of (a) the refrigeration industry and (b) the manufacturers of refrigerants referred to in the report; and if he will make a statement; [82928]
- (2) what action he plans to take as a consequence of the report commissioned by his Department, "UK Emissions of HFCs, PFCs and SF6 and Potential Emission Reduction Options"; [82927]
(3) what representations he has received concerning the independence of his advisers on climate change issues, with particular reference to the global warming impact of different refrigerants. [82926]
Mr. Meale:
We have received representations concerning the consultants who have prepared for my Department a report which updated annual UK emissions data for HFCs, PFCs and SF6, provided emission projections to 2020 and assessed the costs and benefits of options to reduce future emissions. One of the representations included a detailed list of comments on the report, and a detailed reply, responding in full to each of the points raised, has been made.
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The consultants were chosen on their technical merits and we see no reason to question the objectivity of the report. The preparation of the report included wide consultation with industry and was overseen by an interdepartmental steering committee.
The Government intend to develop a balanced and equitable strategy across all sectors, to meet the UK's climate change targets. The climate change consultation paper, which we published last October, set out a range of policy options that could be used to meet these targets. We are now developing a draft UK climate change programme for publication later this year. This will be informed by the responses to the consultation paper and other relevant information, including the above report and any representations concerning it.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he has made in phasing out the chlorofluorocarbon exemption on metered dose inhalers. [83172]
Mr. Meale:
The Montreal Protocol allows chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to continue to be produced for use in the manufacture of metered dose inhalers (MDIs). This essential use exemption will continue to be provided only until an adequate range of non CFC alternatives is on the market, which in the European Union is likely to occur within the next two to five years.
The Montreal Protocol also required Parties to prepare a national or regional strategy by 31 January 1999, which would ensure a smooth and efficient transition from CFC MDIs to non CFC MDIs whilst protecting the health and safety of patients.
As the European Community is a Party to the Protocol, the European Commission prepared an EU wide transition strategy in consultation with member states, which was published by the Commission at the end of October 1998. The EU strategy sets out the criteria which will be used to determine when the essential use criteria for MDIs will be withdrawn in the EU. A number of non CFC MDIs are now available in the UK, and we anticipate that it should be possible to complete the transition for most types of MDI in the next three years.
To complement the EU strategy, my Department is currently consulting stakeholders and interested parties on a draft UK strategy which will manage the transition
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process within the UK. The consultation ends on 31 May 1999 and we aim to publish the final strategy later in the year.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the annual volume of chlorofluorocarbons released into the atmosphere through the use of metered dose inhalers in the UK in 1997 and 1998. [83173]
Mr. Meale:
Based on data supplied by the European Commission, my Department estimates that the volume of chlorofluorocarbons used by manufacturers of metered dose inhalers in the United Kingdom was 2,208 tonnes in 1997 and 2,109 tonnes in 1998. About 40 per cent. of these metered dose inhalers will be used in the United Kingdom, the remainder being exported to other European Union countries and elsewhere. It is assumed that all the chlorofluorocarbons used in the manufacture of metered dose inhalers will eventually be emitted to atmosphere.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with London borough councils on the number of empty housing units in their authorities. [83333]
Mr. Raynsford:
As part of the annual Housing Investment Programme determination, officials from the Government Office for London regularly discuss with all London boroughs many aspects of their housing strategies and their performance as housing authorities. These discussions include the boroughs' enabling role in bringing empty properties back into use and their private sector renewal strategies to tackle empty properties in the private sector.
The Government fully support the work of the Empty Homes Agency and the London Empty Property Forum, which are both playing an important role in bringing empty homes back into use.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of road freight in the United Kingdom originated outside the United Kingdom, in the latest year for which figures are available. [82882]
Dr. Reid
[holding answer 5 May 1999]: In 1997, an estimated 2.5 per cent. of all tonne-kilometres performed in Great Britain, for both domestic and international haulage, were performed by vehicles originating outside the United Kingdom. Virtually all of this foreign activity was accounted for by the British part of international journeys by foreign hauliers. Domestic journeys by foreign hauliers accounted for under 0.04 per cent. of the total Great Britain tonne-kilometres in 1997, which is the last year for which we have full figures. However, there is some anecdotal evidence that the foreign haulier activity within the UK has been increasing over the recent years. This is one of the issues we will be addressing through the Road Haulage Forum.
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