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Road Fund Licence (Enforcement)
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people have been prosecuted since 1997 as a result of enforcement action taken by the Driving and Vehicle
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Licensing Agency for possessing a vehicle without a road fund licence; and how much has been collected as a result of this action. [105285]
Mr. Hill:
The numbers of vehicle excise duty offenders prosecuted by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for the period in question, together with the revenue from penalties collected, is set out in the table. The table also shows the numbers of offenders who settled cases out of court and the penalty revenue collected.
| Number | Revenue £ million | |
|---|---|---|
| Prosecutions | ||
| 1997-98 | 233,000 | 38.8 |
| 1998-99 | 256,300 | 45.4 |
| 1999-2000(1) | 180,000 | 34.5 |
| Out of Court Settlements | ||
| 1997-98 | 268,200 | 14.4 |
| 1998-99 | 218,800 | 12.5 |
| 1999-2000(1) | 142,000 | 9.5 |
(1) April-December
Chrysotile Asbestos
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what initiatives have been taken by the Health and Safety Executive in relation to the marketing and use of Canadian chrysotile asbestos in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [104663]
Mr. Meacher: Canadian and other chrysotile asbestos has been banned. From 24 November 1999, Regulations prohibit the importation of chrysotile (white) asbestos and products containing it into the United Kingdom. They also prohibit the supply and use of chrysotile and its products within Great Britain. Comparable Regulations are expected shortly which will prohibit supply and use in Northern Ireland. A number of specialised safety-critical uses are temporarily permitted until safe substitutes have been developed.
Free Travel (Disabled People)
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide free or low-cost travel for those with a disability. [105163]
Mr. Hill: Local authorities outside London are enabled by the Transport Act 1985 to provide concessionary travel schemes for their resident disabled people, and many do so. Similar arrangements apply in London under different legislation. Financial assistance is provided through the overall support given to local authority expenditure in general. I have no plans to change these arrangements so far as my own responsibilities are concerned. In Scotland this is a matter for Scottish Ministers.
All train operators are required to participate in the Disabled Persons Railcard which entitles holders to up to one third off a range of rail tickets.
Standard Spending Assessments
Mr. Watts:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make
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a statement on the progress that his Department has made on its review of the local government standard spending assessment system. [104817]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The review of revenue grant distribution is well under way. Central and local government officials are jointly discussing a wide range of options for improving the method of distribution, and many councils have contributed their proposals. We have conducted an extensive survey of the opinions of members and officers and undertaken research into overseas distribution systems.
Decisions about the merits of the various options for reform will not be taken until we have consulted widely this summer.
Mr. Linton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the shortlist of proposed uses for the Millennium Dome after the millennium celebrations will be announced. [105842]
Ms Armstrong:
The Government have announced the six proposals for the shortlist today. They are:
English Partnerships, the Government's regeneration agency, has transformed one of the largest tracts of derelict land in Europe, on the Greenwich Peninsula. The proposals emerging from this competition, together with other developments on the Peninsula and key public transport improvements, will take forward the major regeneration of this area.
I have placed details of the shortlisted proposals in the Libraries of the house.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what date it was decided that the consultation mechanism relating to business rating revaluation proposals in Wales should be transferred to the National Assembly for Wales from his Department; and on what date he announced this decision. [103738]
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Mr. Hanson:
I have been asked to reply.
The functions of the Secretary of State for Wales in respect of business rates in the Local Government Finance Act 1988 were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales on 1 July 1999, by virtue of the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 No. 672 which was approved by the House of Commons on 24 February 1999.
The process of consultation on various aspects of the business rating revaluation began before 1 July 1999 and was led by officials of the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions with Welsh Office involvement. On and after 1 July, the National Assembly for Wales continued to take part in the consultation process in place of the Welsh Office, relying on its powers in section 23(2) of the Government of Wales Act 1998 to continue anything being done by a Minister of the Crown in respect of a transferred function.
The UK Government did not need to make any formal decision or announcement about this, which was among the consequences of the approval by the House of the Transfer of Functions Order. It is one of many examples of work that continued in the transition from the Secretary of State to the National Assembly.
Mr. Browne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans he has to review the Government's options under trade agreements to safeguard access by developing countries to essential drugs; [104589]
Mr. Caborn:
The Government are aware of concerns among some developing countries. However, the Government believe that there is nothing in the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement which undermines the ability of developing countries to provide appropriate healthcare. Although the Agreement came into effect in 1995, developing country members have only to implement its provisions from this year and the least developed countries do not have to implement until 2006. The effects, benefits and problems arising from the agreement have therefore yet to emerge.
A review of the implementation of the TRIPS agreement by WTO members will begin in June of this year and the Government will listen carefully to the views of other WTO members during the Review. It is, however, only in the context of a comprehensive new Round of negotiations that significant changes to the TRIPS agreement will be possible and it would be in that context that the Government would carry out a full review of their own policy.
Mr. Browne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the extension of the deadline for
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complying with the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement applicable to developing countries and to countries whose economy is in transition. [104587]
Mr. Caborn:
The Government believe that all signatories to the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement and other WTO agreements should fulfil their commitments in full and on time. They recognise, however, that some developing countries have genuine problems of capacity. In such cases, they would be ready to support alongside its EU partners sympathetic consideration in the relevant WTO Committee of a request for the extension of deadline, if this were accompanied by a work programme aimed at full implementation of the WTO agreement in question.
City of the Future, a theme park centred on the use of technology, proposed by Monex Leisure Ltd. and MEPC plc.
Dome Europe, a high technology leisure, business and retail destination, proposed by the Principal Finance Group of Nomura International plc.
Greenwich Media World, a high profile mixed use leisure and business destination focused on media and communications, proposed by a consortium comprising Pell Frischmann, London Merchant Securities, Sir Robert McAlpine, WestLB Panmure Ltd. and The Tussauds Group.
International Merchandise and Cultural Centre, a global one-stop shop for exchanging goods, services and tourism promotions, proposed by a consortium comprising Country Heights Holdings Berhad, Sunrise Berhad and Maccon Investment Holdings (Proprietary) Ltd.
Legacy plc, a high technology industrial campus of workspace, leisure and retail uses, proposed by Robert Bourne.
Sports Dome 2001, an advanced multiple sports facility, proposed by a consortium comprising John Taylor International Ltd., Chelsfield Plc, Collard Grosvenor and Price Nicholson.
The Dome has been instrumental in focusing regeneration activity on the Greenwich Peninsula and the Thames Gateway, and this is set to continue as a result of the response to this competition.
(2) what plans he has to review Government policy on the trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights agreement and public health in developing countries. [104590]
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