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Freight
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to which specific classes of freight currently predominately transported by road, his policy on moving freight transport from road to rail applies. [113485]
Mr. Hill: The policy of encouraging more freight on rail extends to all classes of freight. Freight grant applications are assessed purely on the basis of environmental benefit of lorry miles saved. The process does not take into account the type of goods proposed to be transported by rail.
North Wales Main Line
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has received for an increase in freight traffic on the North Wales main line (a) in general and (b) with reference to traffic between the Republic of Ireland and other member states of the EU. [113636]
Rate Relief
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about rate relief for businesses in rural areas. [112248]
Ms Armstrong:
Mandatory rate relief of 50 per cent. is available to the sole village shop or post office in a qualifying settlement (one which is in a designated rural area and has a population of fewer than 3,000), provided the property has a rateable value less than £5,000. Local authorities have the discretion to provide additional relief up to 100 per cent. of the rates bill.
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Local authorities also have the discretion to provide rate relief of up to 100 per cent. to any other business in a qualifying settlement, which they consider to be of benefit to the community, provided the property concerned has a rateable value less than £10,000.
These rateable value thresholds will be increased to £6,000 and £12,000 respectively on 1 April 2000, when Revaluation takes effect, giving all non-domestic properties in England new rateable values. The thresholds are being increased broadly in line with the overall effects of the revaluation on properties of the size affected, to ensure that no one loses eligibility for rate relief as a result of the general movement in property values.
Rate relief is one of a number of issues affecting rural businesses which will be considered in preparing the forthcoming Rural White Paper.
Joan Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what reports he has received regarding commercial cultivation of Novartis genetically modified Bt maize in Germany; and what their implications are for decision-making in the (a) UK and (b) EU. [113617]
Mr. Meacher:
I have received no reports regarding commercial cultivation of Novartis genetically modified Bt maize in Germany.
Novartis Bt maize is not and never has been grown in the United Kingdom and Novartis, through the industry body SCIMAC, have given an assurance that there are no plans to do so in the next few years. Therefore any decisions on cultivation in Germany have no implications for the UK.
Ms Buck:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what statutory authority exists for costs to be met by him for expenditure incurred on the provision of a booklet of election addresses by mayoral candidates at the first election of the Greater London Authority. [114329]
Mr. Hill:
Pending parliamentary approval of powers in the Representation of the People Bill, urgent expenditure on the preparation and delivery of the booklet, estimated at some £0.4 million in 1999-2000, will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund. The cost of repaying the advances will be met from within the Department's existing provision.
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to promote closer links between school sports activities and local community sports clubs. [113059]
Kate Hoey:
The first School Sport Co-ordinators, an initiative being supported by the Lottery Sports Fund, with additional support expected to come from the New Opportunities Fund (NOF), will be in place in September.
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Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the administrative cost to the BBC of issuing free TV licences to households containing a person aged over 75 years. [112851]
Janet Anderson
[holding answer 7 March 2000]: Estimates are currently being prepared and will be incorporated in the Department of Social Security's Departmental Report, which is due for publication following the Budget.
Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advice he has been given on the question of possible breach of EU state aid rules as a result of payments to the BBC in lieu of the revenue lost through giving free TV licences to those aged over 75 years. [112849]
Janet Anderson
[holding answer 7 March 2000]: The Government have taken legal advice on the application of state aid rules to its recently announced policy on free television licences for people aged 75 or over.
Mr. Pendry:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with what assistance the NESTA programme provides for talented young sports people. [112955]
Kate Hoey:
The NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) programme, created under the National Lottery Act 1998, with £200 million of National Lottery money to invest, exclusively focuses on British creativity and innovation. NESTA's main aims are to nurture talented people to pursue potential and produce services, and to bring the appreciation of science, technology and the arts to the public domain.
While NESTA does not offer support to sporting activities, Sport England's Lottery Fund has created an opportunity to help young people develop their sporting skills and talent, with several million pounds being invested in education based projects. The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) is intended to promote after-school-hours activity with £180 million earmarked across the UK for revenue funding to support after school clubs. NOF has a target of funding 50 per cent. of secondary schools and 25 per cent. of primary schools by 2001 with after-school sports being a major beneficiary. Sport England is now able to solicit applications where it can identify significant need to ensure that young people develop their sporting skills and talent.
Mr. Pendry:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to set up a youth sports unit within his Department; and if he will make a statement. [112956]
Kate Hoey:
The Unit is dedicated to the implementation of young people's sport and activity, from children's play to sport in schools. It works closely with the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) and other organisations involved in sport and physical education for young people.
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Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when Ministers from his Department last held discussions with the representatives of the British Resorts Association. [113437]
Janet Anderson:
I last met representatives of the British Resorts Association (BRA) when I spoke at their conference on 21 June 1999. I am in regular contact with BRA via their president, my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Marsden), whom I will next be meeting on 13 March. I will also be addressing the BRA conference in Eastbourne this June.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the specifications for number of crew in cockpit required in contracts placed for the Hercules C130J. [113471]
Dr. Moonie:
This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Peter Keetch, dated 9 March 2000:
Mr. Hunter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantities of squalene and mercury are used as preservative and adjuvant in anthrax vaccines used by his Department. [113000]
Mr. Spellar:
Squalene is not added to or used in anthrax vaccine used by the Ministry of Defence. Mercury is a component of the preservative Thiomersal which is used in the manufacture of anthrax vaccine. The maximum quantity of mercury allowed under the Department of Health Marketing Authorisation is 1.5 microgrammes per dose and the anthrax vaccine used by the Ministry of Defence does not exceed this limit.
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the specifications for number of crew required in the cockpit of the C-130J transport aircraft. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
The specification for the RAF C-130J states that the cockpit crew shall consist of a pilot and a co-pilot situated in a conventional side-by-side arrangement. In addition the specification calls for an additional crew seat aft of the pilots for the use by a third cockpit crew member should one be required for missions where high crew workload is expected.
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