| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Bus Services (Millennium)
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what representations he has received about the availability of bus services over the Millennium period; [96539]
- (2) what discussions he has had with transport providers about the availability of bus services over the Millennium period. [96540]
Mr. Hill:
I have received very few representations about the availability of bus services. My officials are in touch with the Confederation of Passenger Transport about provision of services, and I understand that their members will be announcing their intended levels of
2 Nov 1999 : Column: 80
Millennium services outside London in the middle of November. It would be for local authorities to decide whether they wish to supplement commercial provision of services with subsidised services.
The provision of bus services in London is the responsibility of London Transport Buses (LTB). I understand that LTB have formulated a strategy for the Millennium period, which they are discussing with bus operators. It is proposed that on both New Millennium Eve and New Millennium day bus services will broadly operate to Sunday service pattern across London.
Mr. Bennett:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to publish a revised PPG17 on Sports and Recreation. [96878]
Mr. Raynsford:
I hope to publish a consultation draft before the end of the year.
Mr. Bennett:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what date each local authority in Greater Manchester completed its unitary development plans; and when he finally confirmed each plan. [96874]
Mr. Raynsford:
Local planning authorities are responsible for the preparation and adoption of unitary development plans. In Greater Manchester the local planning authorities adopted their unitary development plans on the dates listed in the table:
| Local authority | Date of adoption |
|---|---|
| Bolton | December 1995 |
| Bury | August 1997 |
| Manchester | July 1995 |
| Oldham | April 1996 |
| Rochdale | March 1999 |
| Salford | November 1995 |
| Stockport | June 1997 |
| Tameside | September 1996 |
| Trafford | May 1996 |
| Wigan | January 1996 |
Negative Housing Subsidy
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate his Department has made of the annual financial impact on West Oxfordshire District Council of his changes to the negative housing subsidy regime. [96619]
Mr. Mullin:
My Department will be consulting later this Autumn on the detail of the proposals for changes in the Housing Revenue Account subsidy regime. Consideration of the outcome of that exercise will be required before any decisions are taken. It is too early to say what the financial impact of any changes will be. The financial implications for any authority will depend upon both the results of the consultation exercise and conditions pertaining nearer the time that any changes are made.
2 Nov 1999 : Column: 81
Mr. Woodward:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what public funding the Campaign for a Northern Assembly has received. [96618]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The Campaign for a Northern Assembly has received no public funding.
Mr. Woodward:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many representations he has received, broken down by region, supporting the introduction of elected regional Government in England. [96008]
Ms Armstrong
[holding answer 29 October 1999]: Ministers receive representations in a wide variety of ways--including questions in Parliament, at conferences and during visits and meetings, as well as in writing--and no comprehensive record is kept of all these.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what methods of depreciation his Department will apply in the current financial year to fixed assets in the preparation of departmental resource accounting balance sheets. [97047]
Ms Armstrong:
The Department will apply, in the current financial year, the same method of depreciation as that applied in the 1998-99 financial year dry run resource accounts which is the straight line method. The method applied is commonly used in the private sector.
Mr. Woodward:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish detailed proposals for early voting at Greater London Authority elections. [96690]
Mr. Hill
[holding answer 1 November 1999]: The Government Office for London wrote to the London Boroughs and the Common Council in August seeking initial comments on outline proposals for a system of early voting at the GLA elections. I have placed a copy of the letter in the House Library. We are considering the responses received, and I hope to write with further detailed proposals shortly.
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what requests he has received from Thamesmead Town Ltd. for its rented housing stock to be transferred to a registered social landlord or landlords; and if he will make a statement. [96856]
Mr. Mullin:
I understand that Thamesmead Town have now applied to the Housing Corporation for registration of the housing association to be established as part of their restructuring proposals as a Registered Social Landlord. The Secretary of State has no plans to make a statement.
2 Nov 1999 : Column: 82
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what requests he has received for changes to the structure of Thamesmead Town Ltd.; and if he will make a statement [96855]
Mr. Mullin:
The Secretary of State has just received a formal request to consent to changes to the structure of Thamesmead Town Ltd. which he will be considering in the coming weeks. He has no plans to make a statement.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he intends to take to ensure that the ban on the international trade in whale products is not lifted at the next meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in Nairobi in April 2000; and if he will make a statement. [96335]
Mr. Mullin:
The Government have been consulted recently on two draft downlisting proposals under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), from Norway and Japan, relating respectively to the Northeast Atlantic and North Atlantic Central Stocks, and to the Southern Hemisphere Stocks of Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata). We have replied to both countries making clear our objections and underscoring our opposition to any CITES downlisting proposals which might undermine the moratorium on commercial whaling under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the United Kingdom has gained from the agreement made this summer to allow Fedex fifth freedom rights at Prestwick Airport. [97082]
Mr. Mullin:
The decision to grant fifth freedom rights at Prestwick to US air cargo carriers will deliver a range of economic benefits to the airport and to the region. In granting these rights at a single UK airport we have made it clear to the US government that the granting of similar rights at other UK airports is contingent upon the adoption by the US of policies which would afford UK air cargo carriers new opportunities in the US.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how he proposes to ensure better provision of general customer information at cycle facilities provided by Railtrack and rail operators; [97075]
(3) what plans he has to ensure that secure and weatherproof cycle lockers are introduced at railway stations. [97073]
Mr. Hill:
The provision of cycling facilities on trains and at stations is a matter for individual operators. Paragraph 31 of the Instructions and Guidance which we issued to the Franchising Director on 29 September requires him to promote the use of bicycles by seeking
2 Nov 1999 : Column: 83
the provision of reasonable facilities on board new rolling stock and at stations. A copy is available in the House Library.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what representations he has made to the European Commission on his plans to retain UK responsibility for bilateral negotiations with third countries on civil aviation agreements; and if he will make a statement; [97079]
(3) if it is the Government's policy to retain responsibility for bilateral negotiations with third countries on civil aviation agreements indefinitely; [97080]
(4) what representations he has received from the European Commission concerning his Department's present responsibility for bilateral negotiations with third countries on civil aviation agreements; and if he will make a statement. [97078]
Mr. Mullin:
The European Commission presented a proposal to open aviation negotiations with the US at Community level in 1997, but to date the Transport Council has not agreed to the proposal. The Commission has brought infraction proceedings in the European Court of Justice against the UK, alleging that the ownership and control clause contained in the UK's bilateral aviation agreement with the US (Bermuda II) breaches the EC Treaty. Similar proceedings have been brought against seven other member states. In common with these other member states, the UK is contesting the case.
The Government believe that the benefits of a Community-wide approach to negotiating air service agreements with third countries need to be considered on a case by case basis and that any decision to grant the Commission a mandate should be justified by reference to the added value of a collective approach.
To date, the Commission has obtained mandates from the Council for three sets of aviation negotiations with third countries: with Norway and Sweden (which were subsequently subsumed by the agreement establishing the European Economic Area and, in the case of Sweden, its accession to the Community); with Switzerland; and with ten Central and Eastern European countries (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia). Each of these mandates was granted before 1 May 1997. The Commission has recently made a proposal for a Council decision authorising it to open negotiations with Cyprus.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions his Department has held with its US counterparts concerning the future of US/UK civil aviation agreements; who was present at such meetings; what were the agendas and the conclusions of the meetings; and if he will make a statement. [97076]
Mr. Mullin:
My officials held exploratory talks on 18 and 19 October with a delegation from the US State Department, the Department of Transportation, the US
2 Nov 1999 : Column: 84
Embassy and the FAA. The Director of International Aviation Negotiations led the team of DETR and FCO officials. The primary focus of the meeting was the possible liberalisation of air cargo arrangements, although the delegations also renewed their dialogue on the overall liberalisation of the bilateral aviation relationship. In addition, the US delegation raised the subject of direct air links between Pittsburgh and London. The two sides agreed to consider how further progress may be made.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from United Kingdom airlines concerning the future of UK/US civil aviation agreements. [97077]
Mr. Mullin:
I have received representations from a number of airlines and from other bodies concerning UK/US civil aviation agreements. These representations do not reveal a consensus as to the most appropriate way forward for our bilateral discussions, with the Government being pressed by different parties to adopt mutually inconsistent policies.
(2) what measures he proposes to ensure that cycles can be carried on trains; [97074]
(2) what increase in the EU responsibility for bilateral negotiations with third countries on civil aviation agreements the Government have agreed since 1 May 1997; [97081]
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |