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Highways Agency
Mr. Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Highways Agency will publish its annual report and accounts for 1998-99. [110403]
Mr. Hill: The Highways Agency annual report and accounts 1998-99 will be published tomorrow by the Stationery Office and copies placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Copies will also be available from the Vote Office for Members.
Energy-efficient Lighting
Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he intends to take to ensure that those non-profit organisations which currently benefit from the Energy Saving Trust's successful lightswitch scheme will be assisted by the proposed climate change levy energy efficiency fund in order that they can install energy efficient lighting. [108720]
Mr. Meacher: We have invited comments on the scope of the proposed energy efficiency fund through our document "Consultation on Energy Efficiency Measures Under the Climate Change Levy Package". The consultation period closed on 4 February.
Following evaluation of the responses, it is anticipated that the Chancellor will make further announcements in the 2000 Budget.
Air Pollution
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many tonnes of carbon equivalent were released into the environment as a result of the use by the UK industry of (a) kerosene and (b) gas oil in the last year for which figures are available. [108713]
Mr. Hill: The last available figures are in the 1997 National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory. In 1997 the combustion of kerosene in UK industry generated 2,473 kilotonnes of carbon equivalent, while the combustion of gas oil in UK industry generated 10,472 kilotonnes of carbon equivalent. The UK total emission was 684,510 kilotonnes of carbon equivalent.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the contribution to UK emissions of pollutants covered by the air quality strategy by the industrial use of (a) kerosene and (b) gas oil. [108714]
14 Feb 2000 : Column: 361W
Mr. Hill:
The contribution to UK emissions of pollutants covered by the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the industrial use of (a) kerosene and (b) gas oil is set out in the table.
| Pollutant | Kerosene | Gas oil | UK total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon monoxide (thousand tonnes per year) | 0.13 | 18.33 | 5,090 |
| Nitrogen oxides (thousand tonnes per year) | 2.22 | 50.77 | 1,835 |
| Lead (tonnes per year) | 0.05 | 0.64 | 1,308 |
| Particulate matter less than 10 micron diameter (thousand tonnes per year) | 0.01 | 1.79 | 184 |
| Sulphur dioxide (thousand tonnes per year) | 0.47 | 8.95 | 1,660 |
| Volatile organic compounds(1) (thousand tonnes per year) | 0.07 | 6.54 | 2,130 |
| Benzene (thousand tonnes per year) | 0.00 | 0.13 | 38 |
(1) Volatile organic compounds are not an Air Quality Strategy pollutant, but are precursors of ozone
No figures are available for emissions of 1,3 butadiene from these sources, but they are expected to be small relative to other sources and in absolute terms.
The figures are from the 1997 National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory. It can be viewed on the internet at http://www.aeat.co.uk/netcen/airqual
Ms Rosie Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will write to the hon. Member for Doncaster, Central about the results of his investigation into the supplying by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency of drivers' names and addresses to wheel clamping companies. [107304]
Mr. Hill
[holding answer 7 February 2000]: The Agency has conducted a review of the circumstances in which vehicle keeper details can be released from the register. This has identified a number of areas where a tighter interpretation might be applied to the regulations providing for the release of information, including certain aspects of car parking enforcement. In view of the sensitivities of the issues further legal advice has been sought. Once this has been considered, I will write to my hon. Friend.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will take into account the HFC emissions forecasts contained in the 1998 United Nations Environment Programme report in his own forecasts for United Kingdom emissions of HFCs to be included in the Government's revised Climate Change Strategy. [109330]
Mr. Meacher:
In 1998 the United Nations Environment Programme published a report relevant to HFC use globally and this has been taken into account in developing the UK projections of HFC emissions.
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Mr. Flight:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to encourage the DVLA to prosecute drivers who are found to have no tax disc on their cars; and if he will make a statement. [109368]
Mr. Hill:
Where vehicles are used or kept unlicensed on the public road, the detection is carried out by police and traffic wardens, who pass offence reports to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for enforcement action.
Last year, DVLA took successful action against 475,000 evaders, bringing in £57.9 million in fines and penalties from out of court settlements or prosecution. A further 125,000 evaders or potential evaders relicensed their vehicles as a direct result of this enforcement activity, bringing in a further £15 million which would not otherwise have been paid. There are indications that for the first time the level of VED evasion is starting to fall.
We have significantly increased the number of joint DVLA/police campaigns against VED evaders. In addition the scheme to wheelclamp and impound unlicensed vehicles is now operating nationwide. A new pilot scheme to use automated number plate readers to detect and deter VED evaders will start this summer.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what restrictions there are on sitting councillors serving on regional development agencies. [109436]
Ms Armstrong:
Although RDA boards are business led, they also need the effective involvement of local government. To that end, appointments to four of the twelve board positions are made from local councillors in the region. In order to maintain this balance, where the four positions reserved for councillors are already filled, sitting councillors will not normally be appointed to posts reserved for the business sector and other groups active in the region. There are no other restrictions.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will (a) list the publicly funded studies into repetitive strain injury published in the last 10 years and (b) place such reports in the Library. [109299]
Mr. Meacher:
The following studies of upper limb disorders (the preferred term for the group of conditions that includes "repetitive strain injury"), funded by the Health and Safety Executive, have been published in the last 10 years:
14 Feb 2000 : Column: 363W
I am placing copies in the Library.
| Title/subject | Publication details |
|---|---|
| Musculoskeletal disorders in supermarket cashiers. Contractor: HSE/Health and Safety Laboratory | Report published by HSE Books, 1998. |
| Display screen equipment health problems. Contractor: Systems Concepts | Published as HSE Contract Research Report No. 198/1998. |
| Musculoskeletal disorders among users of floor cleaning machines. Contractor: Surrey University | Published as HSE Contract Research Report No. 215/1999. |
| R55.053 Evaluating exposure to risk of musculoskeletal disorders: A practical tool. Contractor: Surrey University | Published as HSE Contract Research Report No. 251/1999. |
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