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Mr. Portillo: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been spent to date by his Department and by bodies funded by his Department in connection with the National Changeover Plan; on what headings this money has been spent; and how much his Department plans to spend on implementing the plan over the next 12 months. [112145]
Mr. Prescott [holding answer 29 February 2000]: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary on 29 February 2000, Official Report, column 233W.
National Air Traffic Services
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list, for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, the total amount NATS has (a) borrowed from and (b) repaid to the Civil Aviation Authority and HM Treasury and (c) the total amount of capital investment made by NATS; [112393]
- (2) what profits NATS has made in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [112392]
Mr. Mullin [holding answer 1 March 2000]: NATS was incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Civil Aviation Authority on 1 April 1996--figures are not available for NATS as a separate entity before that time. The relevant figures for NATS for financial years 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 are as follows:
| £ million | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
| Profits after interest and tax | 13.7 | 14.7 | 30.9 |
| Borrowed from CAA | 0 | 2.1 | 12.0 |
| Repaid to CAA | 31.3 | 28.2 | 67.9 |
| Capital Investment | 56.5 | 42.7 | 35.7 |
Profits in 1998-99 were up due to higher than expected levels of traffic, and a reduction in NATS' operating costs. Borrowing repayments increased in order to allow NATS to carry increased funds forward to 1999-2000, to prepare for the higher levels of capital expenditure on the New Scottish Centre expected in that year. Profits in 1998-99 were up due to higher than expected levels of traffic, and a reduction in NATS' operating costs. Borrowing repayments increased in order to allow NATS
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to carry increased funds forward to 1999-2000, to prepare for the higher levels of capital expenditure on the New Scottish Centre expected in that year.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997. [112661]
Ms Armstrong:
The annual Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies" provides information on public bodies. The 1997 edition lists those bodies in existence prior to May 1997, and the 1998 and 1999 editions list bodies in existence in subsequent years. Copies of "Public Bodies" have been placed in the Library of the House. They are also available on the Cabinet Office website (www.cabinet--office.gov.uk/quango).
Dr. Godman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to increase the staff and funding of the Marine Accidents Investigation Branch; and if he will make a statement. [111824]
Mr. Hill:
The staffing and funding requirements of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch are kept under constant review.
Three additional staff were recruited in 1999--one accident investigator and two administrative staff. A further accident investigator has been recruited this year and is expected to be in post within the next few months. Another investigator may be recruited later in the year for one year to assist with Lord Justice Clarke's inquiries into the Marchioness disaster.
Miss Widdecombe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the cost to public funds is of the leaflet "Your questions answered about electing a Mayor and Assembly for London"; how many copies of the leaflet (a) have been and (b) will be printed; how the leaflet will be distributed; and at what cost to public funds. [112490]
Mr. Hill:
Six million copies of the leaflet have been printed. They are available in nine languages, including English, as well as in braille, large print and on audio cassette. Just over three million leaflets are being distributed to households in London. Two million are being distributed to customers involved in transactions with Post Office Counters in London. The rest are being distributed through local authorities, voluntary bodies and in response to requests for information through a telephone help line and a website. The total cost of printing, translating and distributing the leaflets through the Post Office's commercial direct mail service is estimated to be £475,000.
Mr. David Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide financial assistance to Melton Borough Council
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under the Bellwin Scheme in respect of costs incurred following flooding in the area on 25 December 1998 and 16 January 1999. [113149]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
I am satisfied that financial assistance under the Bellwin scheme is justified in this case given the exceptional circumstances. A scheme will, therefore, be established under section 155 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Grant has generally been paid to authorities at a rate of 85 per cent. of their eligible expenditure above a threshold. However, a Bellwin scheme was activated for Melton as a result of the 1998 Easter floods. Since Melton have already spent over their threshold for 1998-99 in dealing with that emergency, it seems reasonable that they should not have to do so in dealing with further incidents in the same financial year. I therefore propose to waive the threshold.
Mr. Leslie:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if there is an exemption order for the fleet of new Class 175 trains to be introduced into service by First North Western Trains Ltd. in respect of any of the provisions of the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998; and if he will make a statement. [113284]
Mr. Hill:
As my predecessor explained in her answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. McNulty) on 9 March 1999, Official Report, column 167W, we are expecting to receive a number of exemption applications from train and tram operating companies whose designs for new rail vehicles were well advanced prior to the 1998 Regulations coming into force.
We have received an application from First North Western Trains Ltd. relating to the new Class 175 trains they wish to introduce into service. The exemptions, have been discussed with our statutory advisers the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee. An exemption Order relating to the exemption of these trams has been laid in Parliament today. Copies are available from the Library.
The exemptions will not prevent disabled people from using the new trams or trains. Indeed, we believe that their introduction will make a significant contribution to improving mobility opportunities for disabled people.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Solicitor-General in how many instances in the past three years decisions of the Director of Public Prosecutions have been subject to judicial review; what the outcome was in each instance; and in what percentage of reviews the original decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions has been upheld. [111947]
The Solicitor-General:
The information requested is not collated centrally. The table shows the information for the last three years (i.e. 1997-99) which has been collated from various sources and is the best available information at present. Percentages may not give an accurate picture as such small numbers are involved but, where leave for
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judicial review was granted, the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions was fully upheld in 56 per cent. of the cases and partly upheld in 6 per cent. of cases.
| Year | Number of DPP's decisions subject to judicial review | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 6 | 3 applications dismissed |
| 2 applications allowed | ||
| 1 application withdrawn | ||
| 1998 | 2 | 2 applications allowed |
| 1999 | 8 | 1 application allowed |
| 6 applications dismissed | ||
| 1 application dismissed in part |
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Solicitor-General in how many instances in the past three years decisions of the Director of Public Prosecutions have been subject to judicial review; what the outcome was in each instance; and in what percentage of reviews the original decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions has been upheld. [111943]
The Solicitor-General: During the years 1997, 1998 and 1999, four applications have been made for judicial review of decisions of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland in connection with his functions under the Prosecutions of Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1972. In one case, the application for review was dismissed after a full hearing. In two cases, the application was withdrawn following upon correspondence between the parties. In one case, leave to apply has been granted pending a full hearing. The percentage of reviews where the original decision of the Director has been upheld by the Divisional Court in the three years considered is 100 per cent.
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