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Air Rage
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with his counterparts in other EU member states concerning the incidence of air rage in their respective air carriers; and if he will make a statement. [118532]
Mr. Mullin: Specific discussions at an EU level have not taken place but my officials and those from the CAA actively participate in a number of international fora where air rage issues are discussed and where other EU member states are represented. These include meetings of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the European Civil Aviation Conference, the International Air Transport Association and the Flight Safety Foundation. I understand in the EU only the UK has published comprehensive data on the incidence of air rage, therefore it is not possible to make comparisons with other member states' carriers.
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Housing Act 1996
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if it is Government policy that the Housing Act 1996 should be amended so that local authorities must provide a written explanation of the reasons for (a) excluding and (b) suspending an individual from the Housing Register; [118309]
- (2) the Housing Act 1996 should be amended to prevent the exclusion of people in housing need, except in exceptional circumstances. [118308]
Mr. Mullin: The Housing Act 1996 gives local authorities considerable discretion to decide what classes of person qualify, or not, to appear on the housing register. In making any decision to reject a person's application to be put on its housing register, the authority must notify the applicant in writing.
On 4 April 2000, the Government published their plans for a comprehensive review of housing policy in England in the Housing Green Paper "Quality and Choice: A Decent Home for All". This sets out the Government's proposals for providing choice in social housing. The Government do not believe that anyone should be permanently excluded from social housing and therefore propose to remove the power local authorities have to impose 'blanket' exclusions. Instead the Government propose to allow authorities temporarily to reduce the priority or suspend the applications of households on an individual basis where this is justified. In applying any such sanction, authorities would be required to explain the reason in writing and to give applicants a clear indication of any action necessary to have the restriction removed. They would have a right of appeal in cases of dispute.
Any decisions to suspend an application would need to consider carefully the circumstances of the household in order to safeguard vulnerable people. Suspensions would be used in exceptional circumstances where other means of managing a problem had been exhausted.
Gas Safety
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions he has held with representatives of the Health and Safety Executive regarding excess gas flow valves. [118593]
Mr. Meacher: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), on behalf of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), is undertaking a fundamental review of the current health and safety regime for the installation and use of gas to determine whether, or how far, changes are needed to the existing system of control.
The use of excess gas flow valves is one of the many issues being considered in the review. HSE officials have twice met a manufacturer of excess gas flow valves; and HSE has received a written submission from them in response to the fundamental review's discussion document.
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received about gas safety in domestic dwellings. [118596]
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Mr. Meacher: A fundamental review of the current health and safety regime for the installation and use of gas is currently being conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on behalf of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC). Over 650 replies have been received so far in response to the discussion document "Gas safety review: Options for change" published in November 1999 and recent related consultative exercises in Glasgow and Lambeth.
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many gas explosions have occurred in each of the past five years in domestic properties. [118594]
Mr. Meacher: In the period 1995-99 (last available figure to date) the number of gas-related explosions/fires in domestic premises reported to the HSE under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations was as follows:
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 35 |
| 1995-96 | 42 |
| 1996-97 | 40 |
| 1997-98 | 45 |
| 1998-99 | (1)37 |
(1) Subject to validation
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to discuss with housing bodies installation of excess gas flow valves in (a) high rise flats and (b) other domestic properties at risk from gas explosions. [118595]
Mr. Meacher: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), on behalf of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), is undertaking a fundamental review of the current health and safety regime for the installation and use of gas to determine whether, or how far, changes are needed to the existing system of control. The use of excess gas flow valves in all domestic properties, including high rise flats, is being considered as part of the review.
Telecommunications Masts
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has recently (a) made to and (b) received from the Health and Safety Executive about the health and safety implications of telecommunications masts sited in residential areas. [118289]
Ms Beverley Hughes: My officials regularly discuss the health and safety aspects of telecommunications development with officials from the Health and Safety Executive. They have, in particular, held discussions about the joint DETR/DH circular on land use planning and electro-magnetic fields. The guidance will be finalised as soon as practicable after the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones has reported.
Correspondence
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for North-East Hampshire of 29 November 1999, regarding his constituents, Mr. and Mrs. Hewett. [118845]
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Mr. Meacher: I replied to the right hon. Member's letter on 12 April.
Westminister Underground Station
Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will call for a report from the Health and Safety Executive on the health implications of the continuing accumulation of garbage, in the walkway between Westminster underground station and the House; and if he will call for reports from London Underground on (a) the continued failure (i) to operate lifts at Westminster Station and (ii) to remove netting, fencing and tapes from the walkway from that station to the House on the recessed platform adjoining that walkway and (b) on signal failures on the westbound Jubilee Line on the morning of Monday 10 April. [118910]
Mr. Hill: These are operational matters for London Underground (LU). HM Railways Inspectorate, part of the HSE organisation, is in discussion with LU on outstanding issues at Westminster and elsewhere on the extended Jubilee line.
LUL has cleared litter from the subway in question and will be liaising with Westminster Council (who own the new subway) to ensure that a regime is developed for routine maintenance and cleaning.
Three of the five lifts at Westminster are already operating. The remaining two are expected to enter service by the end of next month.
Fencing, tape etc. are in place where there is still work to be done (such as installing permanent lighting) in order to separate the works from the general public. In the interests of public presentation, white painted hoardings are shortly to replace some fencing, and will cover a few currently exposed ledges.
On the morning of 10 April, trains ran on average every 3-5 minutes westbound through Westminster. There was an 8 minute gap at 08.38 due to the activation of a passenger emergency alarm at Waterloo. There was a 7 minute gap at 09.24 due to a passenger being taken ill on a train at Canary Wharf. Finally, there was a 13 minute gap at 09.48 due to signal computer problems.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to ensure greater protection for the public from carbon monoxide poisoning. [118872]
Mr. Meacher: The Government fully support the published commitment of the Health and Safety Commission to reducing gas-related carbon monoxide poisoning fatalities by at least 10 per cent. over a 10 year average. To further this aim, the Commission published a discussion document on 4 November 1999, entitled "Gas safety review: options for change" to invite views on a wide range of issues which impact on domestic gas safety. This reflects preliminary representations made to the Health and Safety Executive by key consumer and industry stakeholders, analysis of accident data, and work commissioned under the auspices of the Government's People's Panel initiative on the attitudes, knowledge and behaviour of Panel members in relation to gas safety.
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The discussion document and recent related public consultation exercises in Glasgow and Lambeth have yielded in excess of 650 replies, which are now being evaluated. The Government expect to receive a report of the conclusions of the Commission in the summer on what further regulatory or other action may be justified to enable the agreed target to be met or exceeded in the most equitable and cost-effective way.
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