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Trunk Roads (West Sussex)
Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will next announce approval for trunk road improvement schemes or new by-passes in West Sussex. [104275]
Mr. Hill: "A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England" set out our investment priorities and a programme of studies to consider problems on the trunk road network. Among the studies is one on the problems of congestion between Worthing and Lancing on the A27. It is considering specific local problems within the area to be covered by the wider study, to commence later this year, looking at congestion, safety and environmental problems between Southampton and Folkestone. In the light of the findings of these studies, it will be for the Regional Planning Body to consider whether to recommend to the Secretary of State any trunk road improvement schemes as part of their regional transport strategy.
Airport Traffic
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list in order of air traffic movements over the last five years the airport traffic at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick, (c) Luton, (d) Exeter and (e) Guernsey. [104595]
Mr. Mullin: The last five full years for which air traffic movements data are available are 1994 to 1998 inclusive. The air traffic movements over these years at Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Exeter and Guernsey are listed in the table.
| 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995 | 1994 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow | 442,412 | 430,706 | 428,342 | 421,289 | 411,608 |
| Gatwick | 242,547 | 229,665 | 211,686 | 192,806 | 181,879 |
| Luton | 47,748 | 40,287 | 31,029 | 21,716 | 17,161 |
| Guernsey | 40,085 | 39,625 | 40,632 | 40,902 | 39,850 |
| Exeter | 8,608 | 7,877 | 7,870 | 8,844 | 10,198 |
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Millennium Dome
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the future use of the Dome site. [104438]
Ms Armstrong: The Government launched a competition last year for the long-term use of the Dome after the Millennium Experience. The short list of bidders will be announced shortly.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the financial value of the Dome site. [104437]
Ms Armstrong: The Dome site is on offer as part of the assets available in the Government competition to find a long-term, financially viable and sustainable use for the Millennium Dome. The Government estimate of the financial value of the Dome site is restricted as commercial-in-confidence.
Lindane
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps his Department takes to monitor the effects of lindane. [104610]
Mr. Mullin: The Department funds the monitoring of chemicals, including lindane, in air and the marine environment and the Environment Agency also monitors for lindane in marine and fresh waters. The effects of pesticides on wildlife and companion animals are monitored by MAFF's Wildlife Incidents Investigation Scheme.
Newly Qualified Drivers
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans the Government have to introduce regulations to compel newly qualified drivers to display warnings on the vehicle they are driving that they are newly qualified. [104448]
Mr. Hill: A number of safety improvements for learners and new drivers, including this one, are being considered as part of the Road Safety Strategy which is to be announced shortly.
GM Crops
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to authorise further field-scale trials of genetically modified crops. [103775]
Mr. Meacher:
I announced a renewed voluntary agreement with industry on the conduct of the farm scale evaluation programme on 5 November 1999. Under the agreement, plantings for the farm scale GM crop evaluations are limited to 20-25 fields per crop per year, subject to the advice and requirements of the independent Scientific Steering Committee overseeing the programme. This covers the plantings through to 2002 for the crops in the programme--GM fodder maize, and spring and winter oilseed rape, all modified to be tolerant to a herbicide. Subject to the advice of the Scientific Steering Committee, a fourth crop, beet modified to be tolerant to
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a herbicide, may be included in the programme for the same three years. Proposals for any other field scale plantings of these crops during the farm scale evaluation period will be decided by the Scientific Steering Committee, taking into account the relevance of the proposals to biodiversity.
Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the progress of the Government's Access to the Countryside proposals. [103779]
Mr. Mullin:
The Government's proposals to improve public access to the countryside will be included in the Countryside Bill, announced in last year's Queen's Speech. The Bill will also include measures for improving rights of way. The access provisions of the Bill (which we expect to be introduced into Parliament shortly) will build on the proposals set out in "The Government's Framework for Action, Access to the Countryside in England and Wales", issued in March last year.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the impact on farming of local planning regulations in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) the South West. [103790]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
Development control policies, and their impact upon any particular sectoral interest, are matters for the local planning authorities concerned, as set down in their development plans and having regard to national and regional planning policy guidance.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the report prepared by the Audit Commission on the DVLA and DSA; and what action he intends to take as a result of this report. [104645]
Mr. Hill:
I understand that the Public Services Productivity Panel intend to publish this report shortly.
Angela Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to appoint a national co-ordinating body for home improvement agencies in England to serve from 1 April 2000. [105137]
Mr. Raynsford:
I have invited Collective Enterprises Limited to enter into post-tender negotiations with the Department. Subject to the satisfactory completion of these negotiations, I expect to award them a contract to act as the national co-ordinating body for Home Improvement Agencies in England for four years from 1 April 2000.
The Department invited Care and Repair England Limited (the current national co-ordinating body) and Collective Enterprises Limited to submit tenders. Both offered a comprehensive range of services. However, Care and Repair England's tender was substantially more expensive and I believe that Collective Enterprises
13 Jan 2000 : Column: 214W
Limited offer significantly better value for money. I look forward to working with them to build on the foundations which have been laid.
Mr. Hope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made towards the agreement of a contract for the Public Safety Radio Communications Service; and if he will make a statement. [105317]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Chief Executive of the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO) issued a letter of instruction to proceed to British Telecom plc before Christmas, authorising them to invest in the project infrastructure. Negotiations on the Framework Arrangement and the model service contract are continuing and I hope they will be concluded by the end of January. PITO will be asking individual police authorities to sign service contracts by the end of February.
Mr. Hope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for announcing the results of the current round of CCTV bids. [105319]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
I am planning to make an announcement on Monday 17 January.
Mr. Crausby:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of his Department. [103850]
Mr. Straw:
The Home Office has a Public Service Agreement commitment to deliver 3 per cent. per annum running cost productivity gains, and is currently on target to deliver this for 1999-2000.
A joint Home Office and Her Majesty's Treasury ministerial review of productivity is to be led by both the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my noble Friend, Lord Bassam of Brighton and the Financial Secretary to Her Majesty's Treasury and is intended to focus on four key areas:
Personnel Management;
Information Technology;
The Home Office Estate; and
Procurement Planning.
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