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PRIME MINISTER
Public Interest Immunity Certificates
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Prime Minister how many public interest immunity certificates have been issued by Ministers or their officials since 1 May 1997; and if he will list the occasions on which such certificates have been issued. [85359]
The Prime Minister:
My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General's statement on 11 July 1997, Official Report, columns 616-17, made clear that, in accordance with the approach adopted by the previous Government, public interest immunity will not be asserted by the Government unless the relevant Minister believes
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that disclosure of a document or piece of information will cause real damage to the public interest and that this test would be applied rigorously.
| Year | Home Departments (6) | NIO | FCO |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 17 | 8 | 1 |
| 1996 | 10 | 0 | 2 |
| 1997 | 15 | 5 | 1 |
| 1998 | 14 | (7)20 | 1 |
| 1999 (to date) | 4 | 8 | 1 |
(6) Prior to 1997, DTI, MOD and HO only are included; after 1997, all relevant Departments
(7) 13 of the 20 cases in 1998 relate to a single occasion involving the movement of 13 prisoners with HMP Belfast
Honours List
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister how many nominations for honours in respect of the most recent Honours List were received broken down by each English county; and what percentage were successful. [87352]
The Prime Minister: Each year the Nominations Unit receive in excess of 7,000 nominations direct from members of the public. In addition, Government Departments will have received several thousand nominations from national organisations and members of the public. Information on nominations is not held in a form which relates them to particular counties or particular Honours Lists. Nor is it normal practice to release information about nominations.
However, my hon. Friend may wish to refer to the 1999 Birthday Honours List within the features section in the News Centre on the No.10 Downing Street website (http://www.number-10.gov.uk/index.htm) which contains information about those who have received honours.
Kosovo
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister at what level of command the decision was made to supply Russian troops occupying the airport at Pristina; and what items were supplied in what quantities. [88465]
The Prime Minister:
Following receipt of a request from the commander of the Russian forces in Kosovo, Commander KFOR, Lieutenant General Mike Jackson, took the decision to provide the supplies that were needed. The priority was for bottled water, and 15,000 litres were
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supplied on 16 June. In addition, a small number of maps of the local area were provided. Offers of fuel and medication were turned down by the Russians.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his priorities for the inclusion of topics in an EU charter of rights. [88608]
The Prime Minister:
As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary told the House on 25 May 1999, Official Report, column 118, we welcome this initiative. We believe that the Charter should make the fundamental rights which already exist and are applicable at Union level more visible to the Union's citizens. The incoming Finnish Presidency has been given responsibility for taking this work forward and we look forward to working with them.
Mr. Gummer:
To ask the Prime Minister what communications (a) by telephone or (b) directly he received from the White House relating to his meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of Wal-Mart. [88700]
Mr. Gummer:
To ask the Prime Minister if (1) during his meeting this year with the Chief Executive Officer of Wal-Mart, there was discussion of planning matters; [88697]
(3) for what reason the Minister for Trade was not present at his meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of Wal-Mart; [88699]
(4) what discussions he has had about the planning issue raised during his meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of Wal-Mart with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. [88707]
The Prime Minister:
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 6 May 1999, Official Report, columns 451-52.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many meetings he has had with representatives of the American Government where the proposed merger of Wal-Mart with Asda was discussed; [88508]
(3) how many meetings (a) he and (b) his staff have had with representatives of Wal-Mart in connection with their proposed merger with Asda. [88803]
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Prime Minister on what date (a) he and (b) his Office were first informed that
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Parts IV A and IV B of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 were no longer in force. [88731]
The Prime Minister:
My office was informed on 18 June. I received an updated briefing note on Monday on my return from the Cologne European Council.
Mr. Rammell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library figures for each relevant local authority in England of the number of (a) new bus services and (b) enhancements to existing bus services in rural areas which have resulted from the use of rural bus subsidy grant; and if he will give examples for each authority of such new and enhanced services. [82636]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The information provided by each local authority has been placed in the Library. It shows that the first year of this new grant has been a success with a total in England alone of 658 new services and 842 enhanced services as a result of the grant's introduction.
Mr. Peter Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what subsidies have been provided to (a) Shropshire County Council and (b) Telford & Wrekin Council to support rural bus services in (i) 1997-98, (ii) 1998-99 and (iii) 1999-2000. [88148]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
1998-99 was the first year of the new Rural Bus Subsidy Grant. In that year Shropshire County Council and Telford & Wrekin Council were allocated the sums of £630,354 and £76,048 respectively, for the support of rural buses. The same amounts have been allocated for 1999-2000.
Jane Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what account the multi-modal study of the London to South West Corridor announced in the Trunk Roads Review will take of the Railtrack report on the feasibility of reducing the peripherality of the western extremities of the rail network. [86197]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
A key objective of the London to South West and South Wales multi-modal study is to examine the scope for reducing congestion by better management and modal shift. The study will, therefore, encompass the main rail routes, and assess the potential for encouraging the transfer of passenger and freight trips from road to rail. The Railtrack report has already indicated that the railway to Penzance can be upgraded to provide higher speeds with corresponding reductions in journey times to London, reducing the peripherality of the far south-west. The report also considers enhancement of the freight gauge and the provision of intermodal terminals. We will ensure that its findings are taken into account in the multi-modal study.
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Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the terms of reference are for Lord Donaldson's report on the future of coastguard stations; when Lord Donaldson was asked to advise his Department; when the report will be completed; and if it will be made available to the public. [87194]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Lord Donaldson's Terms of Reference were set by agreement with the Trade Unions and management of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
(2) what other Ministers were present at his meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of Wal-Mart; [88698]
(2) how many meetings his staff have had with representatives of the American Government where the proposed merger of Wal-Mart with Asda was discussed; [88509]
(Temporary Provisions) Act
(London and South-West Corridor)
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