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Central Rail Users' Consultative Committee
Ms Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will appoint a new chairman of the Central Rail Users' Consultative Committee. [108366]
Mr. Hill: I have today announced the appointment of Stewart Francis as the new Chairman of the Central Rail Users' Consultative Committee.
LTS Trains Ltd.
Mr. Watts:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if there is a further exemption order for the fleet of new trains to be introduced
1 Feb 2000 : Column: 524W
into service by LTS Trains Ltd. in respect of any of the provisions of the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998; and if he will make a statement. [108367]
Mr. Hill:
As my predecessor explained in her answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Angela Smith) on 26 May 1999, Official Report, column 174W, following an application by LTS Rail Ltd., an Order relating to the exemption of Class 357 trains was laid in Parliament. The Order subsequently came into force on 18 June 1999.
We have received a further application from LTS Trains Ltd. relating to Class 357 trains. This seeks to revoke the original Order and replace it with a new Order to extend the original exemptions to additional vehicles and add new exemptions. This has been discussed with our statutory advisers the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.
An exemption Order relating to the exemption of the Class 357 trains has been laid in Parliament today. Copies are available from the Library.
These further exemptions will not prevent disabled people from using the new trains. Indeed, we believe that their introduction will make a significant contribution to improving mobility opportunities for disabled people.
Mr. Burgon:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the response to the Government Panel on Sustainable Development's fifth annual report will be published. [108414]
Mr. Meacher:
I am pleased to announce that the Government's Response to the Fifth Annual Report of the Government Panel on Sustainable Development has been published, and that we have been able to respond positively to the Panel's recommendations. The Panel is a valuable source of advice for Government in the achievement of sustainable development. I wish to express my gratitude to the Convenor of the Panel, Sir Crispin Tickell, and his colleagues for their continued commitment to helping to identify new sustainable ways of enhancing the quality of life and prosperity for everyone.
Examples where the Government has been able to respond positively to the Panel's recommendations are:
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Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many arms export licence applications for Zimbabwe her Department has examined for each month since August 1997. [106986]
Clare Short:
Since August 1997, my Department has examined, for each month, for Zimbabwe the following numbers of applications for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) concerning the export of goods listed as subject to control in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, usually known as the military list:
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her policy is on providing humanitarian aid to towns in Serbia under political control of parties in opposition to the Government. [105362]
Clare Short:
My Department's policy on humanitarian assistance is to target the most needy on the basis of verified assessments and full accountability, and not on the basis of political allegiance. We believe it is important that any assistance to Serbia as elsewhere should be based on a proper and reliable assessment of needs, that implementing partners should be carefully selected with an emphasis on reliability, and that scrupulous attention should be paid to accountability and transparency.
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Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 6 December 1999, Official Report, columns 337-38W, on departmental research contracts, if she will (a) state total expenditure on research let by her Department since May 1997 and (b) list the titles of all research contracts let by her Department during 1999 and costing £20,000 or more, stating what is the value of each contract, and in each case whether the contract included (i) departmental veto over publication of the research results, (ii) departmental control over the date of publication of the research and (iii) a requirement that the final research results incorporate departmental amendments; and if she will place a copy of the standard research contract in use by her Department in the Library. [107105]
Clare Short:
The best estimate of total expenditure on research remains as stated in my answer of 6 December 1999, Official Report, columns 337-38W. No figures are yet available for this financial year.
I have arranged for a list of research projects over £20,000 let in 1999 to be placed in the Library of the House. This covers 254 projects with a total value of nearly £54 million. The list is not necessarily exhaustive (because research contracts are let by several units in DFID) but shows the overwhelming majority of contracts let during that period.
It also remains the case that the Department's contracts do not provide for departmental veto over publication of research results (except, rarely, where intellectual property rights might otherwise be infringed) or for control over the date of publication of the research. There is no requirement that the final research results incorporate departmental amendments.
I have also arranged for a version of the research contract used by DFID to be placed in the Library of the House. There are slight variations in this contract where it has been tailored to meet the particular needs of different research funding units in the Department.
Mr. Menzies Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average turn-around time to full serviceability in the years 1997, 1998 and 1999 for (a) Tornado GR1/4, (b) Tornado F3, (c) Harrier, (d) Jaguar, (e) Nimrod, (g) Sentry, (h) Tristar, (i) Puma, (j) Sea King and (k) Chinook which had been allocated to undergo (i) servicing at 1 Line, (ii) servicing at 2 Line and (iii) servicing at 3/4 Line. [107280]
Mr. Spellar:
The information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Robathan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many replacement engines are available for the Tornado aircraft. [107049]
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Mr. Spellar:
As at Thursday 27 January 2000, there were 30 spare engines available to support the RAF Tornado fleet.
on sustainable development and employment: we are forging links between employment and sustainable development, through the National Skills Agenda and the Environment Task Force option under the New Deal;
on environmental issues and European Union: the Prime Minister's Step Change Initiative is encouraging closer co-operation in environment policy issues. The Government's continued support for the Cardiff principles is also key to achieving effective integration of sustainable development in policy making;
on land use legislation: we have introduced new draft Planning Policy Guidance demonstrating the Government's commitment to developing positive policies to deliver sustainable development;
also the forthcoming Urban and Rural White Papers will underline our commitment to protecting and enhancing the environment, and building sustainable communities to foster an inclusive society;
finally, on the international front, we continue our efforts to protect and enhance biodiversity.
I am placing copies of the response in the Library.
August 1997: None
September 1997: 2 SIELs
October 1997: 4 SIELs
November 1997: 4 SIELs
December 1997: 4 SIELs, 2 OIELs
January 1998: 2 SIELs, 2 OIELs
February 1998: 4 SIELs, 1 OIEL
March 1998: 5 SIELs, 4 OIELs
April 1998: 4 SIELs, 5 OIELs
May 1998: 5 SIELs, 2 OIELs
June 1998: 1 SIEL, 4 OIELs
July 1998: 2 SIELs, 7 OIELs
August 1998: 2 SIELs, 4 OIELs
September 1998: 4 SIELs, 2 OIELs
October 1998: 3 SIELs, 4 OIELs
November 1998: 3 OIELs
December 1998: 1 SIEL, 3 OIELs
January 1999: 1 SIEL, 5 OIELs
February 1999: 1 SIEL, 5 OIELs
March 1999: 4 OIELs
April 1999: 2 SIELs, 7 OIELs
May 1999: 3 SIELs
June 1999: 7 SIELs
July 1999: 4 SIELs, 2 OIELs
August 1999: 1 SIEL, 3 OIELs
September 1999: 3 OIELs
October 1999: 1 SIEL, 3 OIELs
November 1999: 1 OIEL
December 1999: None
January 2000: 1 SIEL, 4 OIELs.
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