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Transport Initiative Bids
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many bids were received for each transport initiative launched since 1 May 1997 under which specific grants were allocated; and if he will list for each initiative, by financial year, those applications which were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful, giving in each case the amount applied for and the amount allocated. [93147]
Ms Glenda Jackson [holding answer 26 July 1999]: The information is not available in the form requested. The table gives details, where available, of numbers of applications for specific grants and the grant allocation for successful bids in the year in question.
| Transport grant | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freight grants (37) | Rural transport partnership fund (38) | Rural bus subsidy grant | Rural bus challenge | |
| 1997-98 | ||||
| Applications received | 19 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Successful: | ||||
| Number | 19 | -- | -- | -- |
| Allocation (£ million) | 15 | -- | -- | -- |
| Unsuccessful: | ||||
| Number | 0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Allocation (£ million) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1998-99 | ||||
| Applications received | 34 | 23 | (39)-- | 214 |
| Successful: | ||||
| Number | 34 | 23 | -- | 46 |
| Allocation (£ million) | 21 | 3 | 33 | 11 |
| Unsuccessful: | ||||
| Number | 0 | 0 | -- | 168 |
| Allocation (£ million) | -- | -- | -- | 27 |
| 1999-2000 | ||||
| Applications received | 5 | 14 | (39)-- | (40)-- |
| Successful: | ||||
| Number | 5 | 14 | -- | -- |
| Allocation (£ million) | 5 | 2 | 33 | -- |
| Unsuccessful: | ||||
| Number | 0 | 0 | -- | -- |
| Allocation (£ million) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
(37) Freight grants scheme commenced prior to May 1997, but has since been relaunched. Expenditure figures represent estimated scheme costs relating to grant approvals in the years in question
(38) Administered by the Countryside Agency on DETR's behalf. Allocations shown cover costs over three years
(39) Grant allocation determined on basis of rural population in 73 local authority areas
(40) No data shown for 1999-2000 as closing date for 1999 applications is 1 October 1999. Figure of £27 million for unsuccessful bids represents total sum applied for.
27 Jul 1999 : Column: 334
DVLA
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions under what circumstances DVLA release information concerning the ownership of vehicles to persons other than those with specific authorisation in law. [93077]
Ms Glenda Jackson [holding answer 26 July 1999]: DVLA records vehicle keeper information, not vehicle ownership. The Secretary of State has powers, which are delegated to DVLA, to disclose vehicle keeper information to the police, local authorities, and to anyone who can demonstrate "reasonable cause". The term is not defined in law and each request is considered on merit.
Most requests originate from insurance companies to investigate claims or, for example, to trace a driver who has failed to stop following an accident.
Memorials
Sir Richard Body: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consultations he has held with the Confederation of Burial Authorities concerning the future of memorials; and if he will make a statement. [93270]
Mr. Meale: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) on 26 May 1999, Official Report, column 171.
Government Office for the North East
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many staff are currently employed by the Government Office for the North East. [93436]
Mr. Meale: Government Office for the North East (GO-NE) has a complement of 257 staff in the current year. As at 1 July 1999, there are 250.7 staff in post employed by GO-NE.
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what were the administrative costs of the Government Office for the North East in 1998-99. [93435]
Mr. Meale: The Administrative Costs of the Government Office for the North East in 1998-99 were £8.651 million.
New Deal (Injuries)
Mr. Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many injuries to participants on the New Deal programme have been reported to the HSE, broken down by categories, under the reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. [93440]
Mr. Meale:
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 do not require employers to differentiate between participants on the New Deal programme and other employees when making a report to the HSE under these regulations. The information is therefore not available.
27 Jul 1999 : Column: 335
Mr. Bill O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to assist residents who suffer from excessive noise from motorways; and if he will make a statement. [93277]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Mr. Bill O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the responsibility for the measuring and monitoring of noise levels at properties where motorways have been built. [93203]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
There is no requirement for noise levels to be monitored after a road has been built. But within six months of the final offers of noise insulation under the legislation applying to new or substantially altered roads, residents living within 300 metres of such a road who had not been offered insulation have an opportunity to appeal for the assessment to be reviewed. In such cases, it is not general practice to undertake noise measurements, but to calculate the statistical level of noise required by the Regulations from the flow of traffic and other relevant factors.
Mr. Bill O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what studies his Department has carried out to identify high and unreasonable noise levels in properties where motorways were built before 1988; and if he will make a statement. [93276]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Following our announcement on 22 March 1999, Official Report, columns 50-51, of a ring-fenced budget for the Highways Agency to undertake noise mitigation measures in the most serious and pressing cases on existing roads, a large number of locations where concern has been expressed about noise have been assessed against the stated criteria. Detailed studies are now required to determine the feasibility of providing measures at locations meeting the criteria where there are no plans to provide a quieter road surface as part of routine maintenance operations.
Mr. Bill O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to assist people living near motorways on which there has been a significant increase in the volume of traffic above that forecast when the motorway was built. [93207]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government announced its proposals for dealing with the problem of noise arising from those roads for which the Secretary of State has responsibility, which include the majority of motorways, in "A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England". We announced the annual budget which was being ring-fenced for the provision of noise mitigation measures on 22 March 1999, Official Report, columns 50-51, together with the criteria which would target the most serious and pressing cases, including locations affected by unexpectedly high levels of traffic growth.
27 Jul 1999 : Column: 336
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what measures are in place to prevent the escape into the environment of GM seeds while in transit; [93148]
Mr. Meacher
[holding answer 26 July 1999]: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons improvement and prohibition notices or other material has been placed in the public viewing room of the HSE offices in Basingstoke since 1993. [93274]
Mr. Meale:
Under the requirements of the Environment and Safety Information Act 1988 HSE maintains at its field offices, including the one at Basingstoke, public registers of information on improvement and prohibition notices having public safety or environmental implications. These registers have been kept since 1 April 1989 and notices remain on the public register for at least three years. Information on other notices is available on request.
(2) what assessment he has made of the environmental impact resulting from the escape into the environment while in transit of GM seeds. [93177]
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