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Highways Agency
Mr. Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what targets he has set for the Highways Agency for 2000-01. [117392]
Mr. Hill: The key targets set for the Highways Agency are included in the Agency's business plan for 2000-01, which is being placed in the Library.
The key targets are to:
Mr. Paul Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review the Planning Inspectorate. [117394]
Mr. Raynsford:
My Department has today launched a review of the Planning Inspectorate. The Planning Inspectorate was established as an Executive Agency in April 1992 and, in line with Cabinet Office guidelines for all executive agencies, it must be reviewed at least every five years.
The last review of the Inspectorate in 1995 confirmed its Agency status. This review which will be completed by the end of 2000 will be undertaken in two stages.
The first will consider all the organisational options for the Inspectorate including abolition; continued agency status; contracting-out; market testing; merger or rationalisation; privatisation.
If Agency status is confirmed, the second stage will consider how the Inspectorate's efficiency could be improved.
The review will be undertaken jointly by DETR and the National Assembly for Wales. The Agency's customers and other interested parties will be consulted.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what
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compensation payments are available to those living in an area where an energy-from-waste plant is to be constructed. [116779]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
None. A planning application for such a plant would be determined by a local planning authority in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicated otherwise. Such considerations could include the effects of the proposal on the locality and the views of local people. In some cases planning conditions or obligations might be appropriate to mitigate the effects of a proposed scheme.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the actual expenditure on social services for each local authority in England for (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99; and what is the estimated expenditure for (i) 1999-2000 and (ii) 2000-01. [116836]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
English local authorities have reported a total net current expenditure on social services of £8,454 million in 1997-98 and £9,059 million in 1998-99 and a budgeted expenditure of £9,645 million in 1999-2000. The information for 2000-01 is not yet available.
The information by local authority has been placed in the Library of the House.
Sir Paul Beresford:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what organisation has been contracted to undertake the administration of grants to the housing improvement agencies; when the contract was granted and at what value; which organisations (a) sought and (b) were short-listed for the contract; and if the contract was let under the European negotiated procedure. [116888]
Mr. Mullin:
Collective Enterprises Ltd. has been appointed the national co-ordinating body for home improvement agencies under a contract awarded on 8 March. The value of the contract is £1,576,515 (excluding VAT) over four years. Five organisations expressed interest in the contract of which two, Care and Repair England Ltd. and Collective Enterprises Ltd., were invited to tender. The contract was awarded under the EU Restricted Procedure.
Sir Paul Beresford:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make public the options he decides to take forward following the decision-making process outlined in the consultation paper, Appraisal Framework for Airports in the South East and Eastern Regions, to reduce the potential for blight and developmental delays. [116885]
Mr. Mullin:
As I stated in my answer to the hon. Member on 14 March 2000, Official Report, column 116W, the options will be appraised through the process of successive sifts, and following completion of the study there will be a public consultation on the options arising from it. In advance of that consultation, it would be premature to comment on the status of any option.
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The approach adopted in this study is consistent with my Department's Code of Practice on the Dissemination of Information during Major Infrastructure Developments. Releasing information in the earliest stages of a possible project, in advance of final options, could result in unnecessary and lengthy blight, as well as multiplying uncertainty and anxiety.
Sir Paul Beresford:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment the South East and East of England Air Study will make of work done by the Runway Capacity to serve the South-East Working Group. [116887]
Mr. Mullin:
The final terms of reference for the South East and East of England Regional Air Services Study make it clear that in undertaking the study it will be necessary to take advantage, where appropriate, of the technical work done on the options examined by the Working Group. As my right hon. Friend the Member for Hamilton, North and Bellshill (Dr. Reid) indicated in his announcement on 11 March 1999, Official Report, columns 360-61W, the study has started from the position that nothing is ruled in or ruled out.
I announced publication of the final terms of reference to the House on 9 February 2000, Official Report, column 106W. Copies are available in the House Libraries.
Sir Paul Beresford:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the South East and East of England Air Services Study will include an assessment of the effects of growth of aircraft movements at airports in the South East and East of Manchester Airport. [116886]
Mr. Mullin:
Forecasts of future aircraft movements at airports in the South East and East of England used in the assessment of options in the South East and East of England Regional Air Services study (SERAS) will take into account potential capacity gains at other airports including Manchester Airport.
Sir Paul Beresford:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if, in announcing new housing development for the South East, an assessment was made of the effects of any increases in runway capacity at South East airports. [116889]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
No assessment has been made of the effects of airport proposals which are not covered in current permissions or development plans. The South East and East of England Regional Air Services study is examining a wide range of options to address changes in demand for air services. In doing so it will, among other impacts, assess regional planning guidance implications and urbanisation impacts, including housing, of airport development options. Following completion of the study, we shall consult on a shortlist of options. After decisions have been taken on airport development, any implications for housing provisions will be taken into account in future revisions of housing rates in the light of the monitoring and review arrangements set out in draft Regional Planning Guidance for the South East and East Anglia.
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Mr. Hood:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the outcome of the Transport Council held in Brussels on 28 March; and if he will make a statement. [117118]
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the outcome of this week's EC Council meeting of Transport Ministers. [116843]
Mr. Hill:
The Transport Council met in Brussels on 28 March. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Transport represented the United Kingdom.
The Commission gave a further report on progress of the definition phase of the Galileo satellite navigation project. Commissioner de Palacio asked for member states' support at the forthcoming World Radio Conference, to ensure that the Galileo project has the radio frequencies needed. She reported that the public private partnership had attracted expressions of interest from the private sector. My right hon. and noble Friend emphasised the need for full cost benefit analysis of the project. The Presidency asked for a written report from the Commission to the June Council.
There was a debate on the Commission's Communication on air transport and the environment, first presented at the December 1999 Council. The Communication describes the Commission's proposed five-year work plan for policies and measures to limit or reduce noise and gaseous emissions from aircraft. Member states broadly welcomed the Commission's approach. The UK was among the member states which emphasised that, where possible, international noise standards should be developed at the global level through the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Likewise, on the question of aviation fuel tax, my right hon. and noble Friend joined others in stressing that this was best handled at the global level. Council Conclusions were adopted, confirming the Commission plan and setting priority areas for action.
The Commission set out recent development on the hushkits issue. The Regulation on the use of hushkitted aircraft would come into force on 4 May; it was possible that some changes could be made to the date of application to third country aircraft. Work would continue on a joint declaration, committing the EU and the US to a new standard in ICAO. My right hon. and noble Friend referred to the need for a new international standard, and stressed that the Commission should do all possible to seek a solution. The Council agreed Conclusions, endorsing the Commission's further engagement with the US.
The Commission stated that it would be producing a list of air passengers' existing rights. This would be followed by legislative proposals. At the June Council, they would report in full on the recent consultation exercise. The Presidency, identifying the issue of a European Charter of Air Passenger Rights as a priority, encouraged the Commission to submit its Communication, including legislative proposals in time for the June Council.
The Commission presented a working paper on establishment of a European aviation safety authority (EASA). My right hon. and noble Friend expressed disappointment that the paper did not provide a full analysis of the options of an international organisation or
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an EU agency, as the December Council had requested. The Presidency said that the Transport Council should aim to take a decision in June on the best legal form for the EASA.
The Presidency tabled a revised text of the draft directive on the interoperability of conventional rail systems, which had been presented by the Commission to the December Council, and which the UK broadly supports. The Presidency noted that substantial progress had been made in the Working Group. The Commission agreed that progress had been made and felt that a common position on the draft directive should be possible in June.
The Commission presented to the Council its Communication on road safety. Key proposals for action were: further development of the European new vehicles crash testing programme (ENCAP), use of speed limiters on larger vehicles, higher levels of seatbelt and child restraint usage, safer car fronts, and targeting of accident blackspots. Legislative proposals would follow in these areas. My right hon. and noble Friend welcomed the general approach of the Communication, which fitted in well with the recently announced UK road safety strategy. The Communication also refers to the Commission's intention to bring forward a recommendation for a maximum blood alcohol level of 0.5 milligrams per millilitre. The Presidency concluded that further work should be done on the Communication, in preparation for discussion at the June Council.
The Commission introduced new proposals on maritime safety, stressing that it was important to make progress in preventing future accidents like that involving the Erika. Action was proposed in two stages. The first stage would involve measures tightening the regulation on port state control of ship standards, improving control of classification societies, and phasing out single-hulled tankers, the last in line with the US timetable. In the short-term, oil companies would be asked to avoid voluntarily the use of tankers more than 15 years old. The second stage of the Commission's proposals involves a change in the information system for all ships, building on the new EQUASIS international database, better monitoring of sea movements of freighters, setting up a European Maritime Safety Agency, and examination of the liability and compensation aspects of oil pollution accidents. Member states supported the proposals for directives on port state control and classification societies, but, more generally, the need for the International Maritime Organisation to be involved was widely stressed. The UK was among member states which stressed the importance of a proper prior assessment of the economic impact of a rapid phase-out of single hulled tankers. My right hon. and noble Friend also noted the UK's recent proposals to increase the ceiling for payments from the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPCF), and suggested that wider reform should be pursued through the IMO. The Commissioner felt that global action alone was not enough and argued for her proposal on single hulls. The Presidency, however, asked for more work to be done in preparation for the June Council. They urged member states to work together to increase compensation levels in the IOPCF.
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in order to deliver best value for money, maintain the network so that the proportion of the network requiring maintenance within the next year is held between 7 and 8 per cent;
achieve a saving of 250,000 estimated vehicle hours from the network communications and economy local network management schemes completed in the year;
to demonstrate progress towards achieving the 2010 targets for motorways and trunk roads set out in "Making the Network Safer: the Highways Agency's Strategic Plan for Safety" published on 1 March:
reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on trunk roads in 2000 to 5,056 (compared with the 1994-98 average of 5,589);
reduce the slight casualty rate in 2000 to 21.13 slight casualties per million vehicle km (compared with the 1994-98 average of 21.76);
in each case to allow for expected year-to-year fluctuations in casualty levels, the Agency will be deemed to have met the target if the result is no more than 5 per cent. above the milestone target figure;
achieve an average target of 85 per cent. across the four environment programme sub-indicators;
achieve by the end of the year no less than 90 per cent. of the 24 targeted programme of improvement scheme milestones listed in Chapter 3.4 of the business plan.
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