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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 18 January 2000
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Aircraft Incidents (Heathrow)
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the incidents involving objects falling from aircraft landing or taking off from Heathrow in the last five years. [104633]
Mr. Mullin: In the last five years, the Civil Aviation Authority has received 62 reports of objects landing in the London area, which are presumed to have fallen from aircraft using Heathrow airport. Forty of these reports involved ice, 21 involved aircraft parts or related objects such as tools and one involved the body of a stowaway.
Airport Traffic
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list in order of the number of their air traffic movements for the last five years all airports where cover is provided other than by National Air Traffic Services, stating the numbers of passengers using those airports in (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98 and (ii) 1998-99. [104627]
Mr. Mullin: The following list details passenger traffic for 1996-98 (1999 not yet available), through the major UK airports which do not have air traffic control provided by National Air Traffic Services. The airports are listed in order of their air traffic movements over the last five years, which include both commercial and non- commercial movements.
(1) Listed in decreasing order of air traffic movements
Notes:
1. Air Traffic Movements include both commercial and non- commercial movements
2. Passenger traffic figures are collated in calender years. The 1999 figures are not yet available.
3. Sheffield City began reporting passenger figures in June 1997.
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National Air Traffic Services
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 21 December 1999, Official Report, column 539W, on National Air Traffic Services, when he expects to be able to offer a detailed list of all property (a) leased and (b) owned by NATS, with a valuation and a list of sites. [104668]
Mr. Mullin: A list of properties which are leased or owned by National Air Traffic Services (NATS) is being put together as part of the due diligence exercise for the NATS public-private partnership. A valuation will be produced for the key sites which are owned by NATS. This work is currently scheduled for completion in late Spring 2000.
Underground Storage Tanks
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals are being considered to oblige owners of sub-standard underground storage tanks to replace them, line them or retrofit cathodic protection. [104635]
Mr. Meacher:
Existing health and safety legislation requires all employers to assess the risks from their work activities. Where the result of the assessment indicates that storage tanks may be sub-standard, the employer should select the most suitable remedial measure to reduce the risk of a leak. Suitable measures for underground petrol storage tanks include replacement, taking the tank out of use, lining the tank, or fitting cathodic protection.
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Petroleum Licensing Officers may specifically require the above matters as part of a petrol licence if they consider this is appropriate.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to require underground storage tank owners to measure the risk of corrosion failure. [104637]
Mr. Meacher:
Employers are required to assess the risks to people's heath and safety in the event of a leak from an underground storage tank, and the likelihood of a tank corroding is one of the factors that should be taken into account in the assessment.
The Health and Safety Executive has issued guidance on the need to provide corrosion protection where appropriate and it is included in recently published industry guidance as one of the methods to manage the risk of a leak. Measuring the actual degree of corrosion is technically difficult and can be hazardous to the workers involved. For these reasons HSE would advocate leak protection and detection methods.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received on the reliability of tightness testing with regard to underground storage tanks. [104639]
Mr. Meacher:
Tightness testing is one of a number of options available to employers to check the integrity of a new underground storage tank or to confirm a suspected leak in an existing tank. No recent representations have been received on the reliability of tightness testing.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received on the replacement of petroleum licensing by a safety regime for petrol stations. [104636]
Mr. Meacher:
No recent representations have been received on replacement of petroleum licensing.
The existing petrol licensing scheme, provided for under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928, is currently being reviewed by the Health and Safety Commission as part of a project to implement the EU Chemical Agents Directive. Particular consideration is being given to safety controls at petrol stations and the continuing need for a permissioning regime. Discussions to date have included the Petrol Retailers' Association, the United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association, the Association of United Kingdom Oil Independents and the TUC. The Health and Safety Commission plans to consult on proposals for new legislation to implement the Directive in the autumn.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what information was conveyed by the Minister for the Environment at the board meeting of the Environment
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Agency, held on 15 December 1999; and what matters raised at the meeting have been acted upon by his Department. [104700]
Mr. Meacher:
I attended part of the December Board meeting. I participated in discussions on the Chief Executive's update on key issues. A summary of the meeting, including my comments, is on the Agency's web site, www.environment-agency.gov.uk. There was no direct action for my Department resulting from my attendance.
Mr. Fallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set out the powers of (a) his Department and (b) other statutory bodies in respect of applications to provide scheduled and charter aircraft services at Biggin Hill Airfield, Kent. [104851]
Mr. Mullin:
Biggin Hill Airport Ltd. presented a development strategy for Biggin Hill airfield to Bromley Borough Council in November 1999. No planning application has been received by the Council.
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