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Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will respond to the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee Sixth report of Session 1998-99 on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (HC. 31). [92205]
Mr. Prescott:
We will respond once consultation within Government has finished.
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 715
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list English Partnerships property portfolio in Cumbria; [91461]
Mr. Meale
[holding answer 21 July 1999]: Details of the properties transferred from English Partnerships to the North West Regional Development Agency are contained in a transfer scheme made under section 36 of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. A copy of the relevant pars of the scheme has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, (1) pursuant to his answer of 6 July 1999, Official Report, column 449, what estimate has been made of the additional costs of relocating English Partnerships offices from Cockermouth to Penrith in (a) this and (b) the next financial year; [91466]
(3) if the report into the value for money aspects of the move from Cockermouth to Penrith by English Partnerships was made available to the two members of the Regional Development Agency from Cumbria prior to the decision being (a) taken and (b) announced. [91468]
Mr. Meale
[holding answer 21 July 1999]: Decisions concerning location are a matter for the North West Regional Development Agency. I understand that it was the objective of the Board of the Agency to find a location for its Cumbria office which was accessible both within Cumbria and from the rest of the North West region. The Board took the view that Penrith meets these criteria, whereas Cockermouth does not, and other locations do so less well.
I understand that the Board took into account the implications for staff travel costs set out in my answer to my hon. Friend on 6 July 1999, Official Report, column 449.
I understand that the Board Members from Cumbria were present during the discussion of the location of the Cumbria office and concurred both with the criteria to be applied and the choice of Penrith.
I understand that the additional cost of relocating from English Partnerships offices in Cockermouth to Penrith cannot be determined until negotiations are complete, but that in the Board's view the additional cost will be offset by increased public accessibility and operational efficiency.
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 716
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received on the use of (a) trains and (b) monorail systems in London. [92475]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
We receive extensive correspondence on the use of trains in London, as elsewhere, but we receive representations on monorail systems only occasionally.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many London borough councils run emission tests of motor vehicles travelling within their borough. [92242]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Seven councils around Great Britain are currently helping us to determine how local authorities might be able to help in the enforcement of vehicle exhaust emissions standards at the roadside. Westminster City Council is the only authority in London formally involved in this work, although some others are checking vehicle emissions for motorists on a voluntary basis in car parks and similar locations.
Joan Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the progress of his Safer Stations Policy in London. [92402]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Department's Secure Stations Scheme was launched in April 1998. The Scheme encourages rail operators to improve security for both passengers and staff at all overground and underground stations policed by the British Transport Police.
There are currently eight stations in London which have been accredited under the Scheme. We are continuing to work with station operators to make further progress with the Scheme.
Joan Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what new railway agencies were introduced in London during (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98 and (d) 1998-99; and if he will make a statement. [92401]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Numerous new companies arose from railway privatisation, but with the possible exception of the Docklands Light Railway resulting from changes in company status, no new railway agencies were introduced in London over the period in question. The Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR) and the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising (OPRAF) were established following enactment of the Railways Act 1993. On 1 April 1999, we launched the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority (SSRA), which is essentially the British Railways Board (BRB) and OPRAF working together. OPRAF and the BRB continue to exist as separate statutory entities with their own functions and responsibilities. The remits of ORR and the SSRA include London. The legislation required to establish the Strategic Rail Authority proper was introduced into the House of
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 717
Commons earlier this month and received its Second Reading on 19 July 1999, Official Report, columns 789-894.
The Docklands Light Railway Ltd. was created in 1986 as a company limited by guarantee to manage light rail services in east London. On 6 April 1997, operation and maintenance of the whole of DLR services was franchised for seven years to Docklands Railway Management Ltd., and the DLR assumed a new role as a holding company, ownership of which was transferred from London Docklands Development Corporation to the Secretary of State on 31 March 1998.
Joan Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number of people who travelled by bus in London in (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98 and (d) 1998-99; and if he will make a statement. [92427]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The estimated numbers of annual passenger journeys on London Transport bus services from 1995-96 onwards are as follows:
(2) if the ownership of the freehold of the Cockermouth offices of English Partnerships will be vested in the North West Regional Development Agency. [91456]
(2) if he will publish (a) the information concerning the transfer of staff from the Cockermouth offices of English Partnerships offices to Penrith which was taken into account when the value for money aspects of the move were considered by the North West Regional Development Agency and (b) the report into the value for money aspects of the move which was considered by the Agency prior to the decision being taken; [91467]
| Year | Million |
|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 1,198 |
| 1996-97 | 1,234 |
| 1997-98 | 1,277 |
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number of passenger miles undertaken by London Transport bus services in (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98 and (d) 1998-99; and if he will make a statement. [92426]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The estimated numbers of annual passenger miles on London Transport bus services from 1995-96 onwards are as follows:
| Year | Million |
|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 2,497 |
| 1996-97 | 2,584 |
| 1997-98 | 2,703 |
| 1998-99 | 2,681 |
Millennium Pier
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Millennium Pier at the Dome site will be ready for river boat services. [92403]
Ms Glenda Jackson: River services are planned to commence operation to and from the Millennium Pier when the Dome opens on 1 January 2000.
Councillors (London)
Joan Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many councillors were elected in 1998 for each London borough, broken down by gender and ethnicity. [92397]
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 718
Mr. Meale:
The Local Government Management Board's 1997 census of councillors indicated that 230 out of 2,018 London Borough councillors who responded to this question were non-white. We do not have a breakdown for each London Borough for these figures.
| Name of London borough | Number of women councillors | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Barking and Dagenham | 17 | 33 |
| Barnet | 25 | 42 |
| Bexleyheath | 20 | 32 |
| Brent | 15 | 23 |
| Bromley | 16 | 27 |
| Camden | 22 | 37 |
| City of London | 20 | 15 |
| Croydon | 19 | 27 |
| Ealing | 19 | 27 |
| Enfield | 13 | 20 |
| Greenwich | 14 | 23 |
| Hackney | 18 | 30 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 14 | 28 |
| Haringey | 23 | 39 |
| Harrow | 20 | 32 |
| Havering | 17 | 27 |
| Hillingdon | 17 | 25 |
| Hounslow | 15 | 25 |
| Islington | 26 | 50 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 13 | 24 |
| Kingston | 13 | 31 |
| Lambeth | 18 | 28 |
| Lewisham | 21 | 31 |
| Merton | 17 | 30 |
| Newham | 13 | 22 |
| Redbridge | 12 | 19 |
| Richmond | 20 | 38 |
| Southwark | 20 | 31 |
| Sutton | 21 | 38 |
| Tower Hamlets | 12 | 24 |
| Waltham Forest | 13 | 22 |
| Wandsworth | 16 | 26 |
| Westminster | 19 | 32 |
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