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Zimbabwe
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which long-term development aid projects her Department supports in Zimbabwe; and if she will make a statement. [120766]
Mr. Foulkes [holding answer 4 May 2000]: DFID is currently supporting the following long-term projects in Zimbabwe:
- Women's Civic Education (£0.987 million: 1999-2002)
Empowerment of Farm Worker Communities (£1.6 million: 1999-2002)
Wills and Inheritance Laws (£0.86 million: 2000-03)
Bikita Integrated Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (£2.725 million: 1995-2001)
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Lupane Integrated Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (£3.54 million: 1996-2002)
Rural Water Point Upgrading/Rehabilitation (£0.873 million: 1998-2001)
Small Dams Rehabilitation (£1.96 million: 1997-2001)
Agricultural Services and Management (£5.75 million: 1999-2002)
Assistance to Department of Veterinary Services (£0.9 million: 1998-2001)
Credit for the Informal Sector (£1.3 million: 1995-2002)
Takura Investments (£0.426 million: 1996-2001)
- Agribusiness Entrepreneur Network and Training (£0.492 million: 1997-2001)
Assistance to Developing Enterprises Project Team (£1.4 million: 1997-2001)
Bulilima-Mangwe Water Supply and Environmental Rehab. (£0.311 million: 1998-2001)
Community Based Maintenance of Water Points in Binga (£0.243 million: 1998-2001)
Social Marketing of Condoms (£2.8 million: 1996-2001)
Sexual Health Project (£9.2 million: 1994-2000)
Privatisation Agency Support (£2.2 million: 1998-2001)
Zimbabwe Police Organisational Development (£6.438 million: 1997-2002)
Rural District Council Capacity Building (£10.6 million: 1996-2001)
Civil Society Land Resettlement Challenge Fund (£5 million: 2000-04).
- Land Rovers for Zimbabwe Republic Police (£8.41 million: 1998-2001).
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will publish details of trade and aid projects her Department has approved for Zimbabwe between (a) June 1997 and December 1997, (b) January 1998 and December 1998 and (c) January 1999 and April 2000; and if she will make a statement. [120758]
Mr. Foulkes [holding answer 4 May 2000]: The Aid and Trade Provision was closed to new applications when this Government took office in May 1997. Only one outstanding project has been approved for Zimbabwe since May 1997, and no others are under consideration. This project, initiated by the previous administration but approved in September 1998, was for the supply of 1,500 Land Rover Defenders to the Zimbabwe Republic Police. It was suspended in April 2000 since the conditions of the grant are not currently being met by the Zimbabwe Government.
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND
THE REGIONS
Motorways
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of motorway route miles in England are unlit; what plans he has to increase the provision of motorway lighting; and if he will make a statement. [120080]
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Mr. Hill: Approximately 70 per cent. of the motorway network in England is unlit.
Lighting is provided in high accident areas. The decision on whether to provide lighting is based on an assessment carried out in accordance with the DETR "New Approach to Appraisal". This covers an economic assessment of the capital, maintenance and energy costs against the potential savings as a result of the reduction in night time personal injury accidents; and an assessment of environmental impacts.
Apart from this, there is no programme to extend road lighting to unlit sections of motorway. The situation is kept under review.
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people have been killed in road accidents on motorway hard shoulders in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [120078]
Mr. Hill: The data requested are given in the table.
| On lay-by/hard shoulder | Entering lay-by/hard shoulder | Leaving lay-by/hard shoulder | All hard shoulder | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 11 |
| 1995 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| 1996 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| 1997 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 1998 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 17 |
Health and Safety Executive
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the ratio of field inspectors to policy inspectors in the Health and Safety Executive. [120388]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 2 May 2000]: HSE has no "policy inspectors" as such. The ration of field inspectors to inspectors employed in non-field posts in the Health and Safety Executive is around 7:1.
OSPAR Conference (Copenhagen)
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will consult with hon. Members on the United Kingdom strategy for the June 2000 OSPAR Conference in Copenhagen, prior to finalising the UK submission. [120711]
Mr. Meacher: I have regularly set out in a written parliamentary answer the main lines which the United Kingdom delegation will take at the annual meetings of the OSPAR Commission for the protection of the marine environment of the North East Atlantic. I intend to continue this practice for the next annual meeting in June in Copenhagen. If any hon. Members have any points that they would wish the Government to take into account in this context, I shall be glad if they will let me know, so that I can consider them. I would be happy to receive a delegation of MPs to discuss this.
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East Coast Main Line
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will instruct the Franchising Director to take particular account when granting the franchise for the East Coast main line, of companies which propose to increase the number of direct train services between Hull and London. [120646]
Mr. Hill: The Instructions and Guidance the Deputy Prime Minister gave the Franchising Director in September last year set out six criteria for him to take into consideration when assessing bids for new franchises. They are: the commitment of existing franchise operators to performance, customer services, innovation, investment and efficiency; the extent to which extra or earlier investment can be obtained; the extent to which better performance can be secured; the extent to which integrated transport measures can be achieved; the extent to which passengers will be given a greater voice in the level and standard of services and; affordability and value for money to the tax payer. The Franchising Director announced on 14 March the shortlisted bidders for the East Coast Main Line franchise. I understand that he is having separate discussions about improved services to Hull.
North Wales Main Line
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions further to his answer of 18 April, Official Report, column 456W, on the North Wales Main Line, if he will place a copy of the study produced by Virgin Trains in March 1999 in the Library. [120730]
Mr. Hill: [holding answer 2 May 2000]: The study was in fact produced in March 1998. I am unable to place a copy in the Library as it remains commercially confidential.
Groundwater Charges
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the amount that British farmers have paid in groundwater charges in each of the years since the charge was introduced; and what his forecast is of the figures for the current year and each of the next three years. [120563]
Mr. Mullin [holding answer 3 May 2000]: During the transitional period of the Groundwater Regulations 1998, from 1 January to 31 March 1999, the Environment Agency received over 12,000 applications from farmers in England and Wales for groundwater authorisations representing a total of around £1 million. From 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 the Agency received a further 131 applications amounting to total charges of around £12,000. Around £870,000 has been paid by farmers to the Agency as annual "maintenance" charges in respect of authorisations. This will be reimbursed following the announcement, in March, of the Government's Agriculture Strategy. The total charges payable for the current and subsequent years will depend on the number of applications made by farmers for authorisations, though the Agency's current estimates would indicate total charges to farmers for new applications of up to £300,000 for 2000-01. The administration of the Regulations in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive.
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