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Lorry Weights
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when EU legislation relating to the use of lorries weighing up to 44 tonnes came into force; and what studies have been undertaken by his Department into the effect of such legislation on the transport of freight by rail. [116860]
Mr. Hill: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Transport recently announced the Government's decision to set a target date of 1 January 2001 for raising the maximum general lorry weight limit to 44 tonnes for lorries with six axles, a maximum drive axle weight of 10.5 tonnes and Euro II or better engines. This is not connected with EU legislation. The decision follows the publication of an interim report by the Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT) on permitting the general use of 44 tonne lorries. CfIT commissioned independent work from Professor Alan McKinnon of Heriot-Watt University to assess the environmental effects including the possible effects on rail freight. This work showed a clear net environmental gain from allowing 44 tonne lorries.
The Integrated Transport White Paper set out our aim to establish an integrated, sustainable freight distribution system to support economic growth and to bring social and environmental benefits. To that end we are keen to support rail freight where it is practicable and good value for money. We are equally keen on improvements to efficiency in other modes, including road transport, where these meet the same ends.
The Government accept CfIT's view that allowing 44 tonne lorries for general use could have a negative effect upon rail freight traffic, both existing and predicted. The shadow SRA are considering proposals for rail freight and their strategy will include proposals to support rail freight.
The CfIT report is available on the Internet at www.cfit.gov.uk
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 22 March 2000, Official Report, column 544W, concerning airport slots, on what date decisions on slot allocation became the sole responsibility of an independent co-ordinator; what is the name of the co-ordinator; where his office is located; what European legislation governs his independence other than EEC Regulation 95/93; and if his decisions on slots apply to internal and international aircraft movements. [116834]
Mr. Mullin:
The UK Airports Slot Allocation Regulations 1993 came into force on 12 May 1993. Among other things, they provided for Airport Co-ordination Ltd. (ACL), which had been performing the co-ordination role at several airports including Heathrow on a non-statutory basis before that date, to be approved and appointed as co-ordinator in accordance with
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EC Regulation 95-93. The appointment was subsequently reaffirmed following consultation with air carriers and other interested parties, as required by Article 4(1) of EC 95/93. ACL's Managing Director is Peter Morrisroe OBE; its principal office is in Bath Road, near Heathrow. There is no relevant legislation other than EC 95/93 that relates to the independence of the co-ordinator. His decisions apply to both internal and international traffic.
Laura Moffatt:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact on demand for housing as a result of the expected increase in the number of single parent families in the South-East; and what steps he is taking to help ensure this demand is met. [116752]
Mr. Mullin:
The latest household projections indicate that around 2 per cent. of the net increase in the number of households likely to form in the South-East between 1996 and 2021 will be lone parent households. PPG3 encourages local authorities and housebuilders to ensure that the additional dwellings to be provided in the region offer greater choice and affordability for all households.
Laura Moffatt:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to ensure that sufficient affordable housing is available to meet the demand in the South East. [116753]
Mr. Mullin:
Draft Regional Planning Guidance 9 (Proposed Changes) sets out a new approach to meeting housing needs in the South East. It emphasises the need for local authorities to undertake rigorous assessments of housing need to ensure that sufficient affordable homes are provided. Housing capital allocations to local authorities in the South East for 2000-01 total £187 million, over £50 million up on 1999-2000 and these increased resources will allow authorities to support the provision of more new affordable housing where this is a local priority. This is in addition to the resources for new affordable housing provided directly to registered social landlords by the Housing Corporation (£70 million in 2000-01).
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the report, entitled "An Urban-rural Compact", published by the Local Government Association. [116982]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The Government welcome the Local Government Association's case studies report on the Urban-rural Compacts initiative. This gives a useful example of how local authorities are working together, and with other partners, to respond to the links between town and country. In discussions with the Local Government Association on the preparation of our Urban and Rural White Papers we have encouraged the Association to develop their initiative and I look forward to seeing the results of the evaluation of the pilots.
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Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the land on which the Millennium Dome was built was decontaminated to a sufficient extent to allow houses with gardens to be built on the site. [116983]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The site of the Millennium Dome has been decontaminated for its current purpose. It is intended that the Dome remains and is not redeveloped for housing. However, while the standard of remediation would not necessarily be sufficient to allow houses with gardens to be built on the site, the exact nature of the remediation that would be necessary could be determined only once the exact details of any development were known. This has been the philosophy throughout the remediation of the whole of the Greenwich Peninsula.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations his Department has received in the last year in respect of planning applications and permissions granted for the erection of telecommunications masts; and what is his policy on the erection of such masts. [116970]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
My Department has received centrally in the last year some 350 letters about amenity and health aspects of planning applications and permissions granted for telecommunications masts.
The Government's general policy on telecommunications is to facilitate the growth of new and existing telecommunications systems while keeping environmental impact to a minimum. The planning system is the mechanism for achieving that balance. Government planning policy for telecommunications is set out in Planning Policy Guidance note 8: Telecommunications and the Department's Circular 4/99 "Planning for Telecommunications". The draft joint DETR/DH circular on "Land Use Planning and Electromagnetic Fields" will be finalised as soon as practicable after the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones has published its report in May.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessments he has made of the implications for freedom of information of the establishment of cabinets in local authorities. [117001]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The arrangements that we are proposing under Part II of the Local Government Bill would ensure more transparent and inclusive decision- making. These new arrangements involve:
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Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to ensure proper working conditions in call centres. [117002]
Mr. Meacher:
The responsibility for ensuring proper working conditions in call centres rests with local authorities who enforce the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and other relevant statutory provisions made under it in these premises.
an inclusive process of formulating a council's framework and budget, which will be responsibility of the full council in public;
publicly known individuals--the executive--being personally responsible for implementing this framework and budget;
accurate recording of decisions and their reasons, and timely publication of these and of the background and factual papers available to the decision-maker(s); and
powerful overview and scrutiny committees, meeting in public:
to discuss and make recommendations on the development of policies; and
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