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Speeding Vehicles

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what data he collects on the percentage of vehicles that break the speed limit in each local authority area; what targets for reducing deaths and serious injuries on roads he sets for each local authority; and if he will make a statement. [123095]

Mr. Hill: Information about the percentage of vehicles breaking the speed limit is not available by local authority. National information was last published in "Vehicle Speeds in Great Britain: 1998", a copy of which is in the Library.

In July local authorities will produce new five-year local transport plans. These plans must include a local target for reducing road accident casualties, set against the national target of an overall 40 per cent. reduction by 2010 for the number of people killed or seriously injured, and a 50 per cent. reduction target for serious casualties to children.

Leeds Supertram

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his Department's evaluation of the proposals for the Leeds Supertram. [123278]

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Mr. Hill: Major local transport projects will be considered by the Department as part of an overall strategy through the local transport plans (LTPs) to be submitted to the Department by the end of July.

Lifejackets

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 16 March 2000, Official Report, column 326W, if he will list the ships on the UK Register which have not replaced the lifejackets supplied by Bureau Venitas as directed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. [123382]

Mr. Hill: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) issued a Press Release on 27 January 2000, requesting owners and operators of UK vessels to replace all Artica A and Artica B lifejackets, if carried. These were lifejackets manufactured by Messrs Canepa & Campi of Genoa and in respect of which Bureau Veritas had issued a certificate of Type Approval on behalf of the United Kingdom.

Owners were further requested to advise the MCA if their vessels carried these lifejackets and that changes had been made. To date no such reports have been received.

Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the banning of methyl tertiary butyl ether in the United States of America. [123443]

Mr. Hill: We understand that the US Federal Government's proposal to significantly reduce or eliminate MTBE in petrol--which had been actively encouraged in a number of US States for air quality reasons--has been made because of concerns about MTBE in groundwater. At the same time, the Federal Government have proposed that air quality benefits gained through use of MTBE--primarily reductions in carbon monoxide emissions--be preserved through the use of alternative, renewable fuel additives such as ethanol. This proposal has been made in the light of circumstances pertaining in parts of the United States and which may differ from those in many parts of Europe, including the UK.

For example, MTBE has not been actively encouraged in the United Kingdom, carbon monoxide emissions being controlled by other means. MTBE is used in significantly less quantities than in the United States and there is no evidence to indicate groundwater contamination. We are nevertheless keeping the matter under review and the Environment Agency is currently undertaking a study into oxygenates in groundwater.

Genetically Modified Baculovirus

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Government have authorised the environmental release of a genetically modified baculovirus; and what assessment they have made of the risks involved in such a release. [122998]

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Mr. Meacher [holding answer 22 May 2000]: The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) assesses all applications for the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms.

Following advice from ACRE that there would be no risk to human health or the environment, the Government authorised the environmental release of insect-specific baculoviruses in netted enclosures under a Part B research and development consent. At the end of each release the enclosures were decontaminated and experimental material destroyed in line with the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 and the Control of Pesticides Act 1986.

Post trial monitoring has confirmed that all experimental organisms were destroyed and there was no harm to the environment.

Jubilee Line

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what contribution to the cost of the Jubilee line extension has been made by the developers of Canary wharf. [122632]

Mr. Prescott [holding answer 23 May 2000]: The Canary Wharf developers have to date made payments in the order of £150 million towards the cost of the Jubilee Line Extension.

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what contributions by the developers of Canary wharf towards the cost of the Jubilee line extension remain outstanding; and when they are expected to be paid. [122633]

Mr. Prescott [holding answer 23 May 2000]: Following both scheduled and early repayments made to date, a further, final, payment of £50 million is due on 1 November 2000.

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the contribution of the developers of Canary wharf towards the cost of the Jubilee line extension was increased to meet the cost overrun. [122634]

Mr. Prescott [holding answer 23 May 2000]: No.

Ilisu Dam

Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the environmental criteria to be applied in assessing the Ilisu Dam project. [123827]

Mr. Meacher: A round of Ministerial correspondence over whether to provide export credit support for the Ilisu Dam project took place in December 1999. This included correspondence between the Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Departmental officials have also been in contact over the issues relating to this project since February 1999. Following Ministerial correspondence, it was agreed, as the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 21 December 1999, that export credit support for the project would be conditional on the Turkish authorities agreeing actions to address the concerns we have about the environmental and social impacts of the project. As the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry stated, the areas of concern which need to be addressed are:

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1. A resettlement programme which reflects international standards and includes independent monitoring;

2. Provision for upstream water treatment plants capable of ensuring that water quality is maintained;

3. An assurance that adequate downstream water flows will be maintained at all times; and

4. A detailed plan to preserve as much of the archaeological heritage of the town of Hasankeyf as possible.

We are now waiting to see the final Environmental Impact Assessment Report of the project and the Turkish Government's proposed Resettlement Action Plan. Following the receipt of these reports the Government will decide whether our concerns have been adequately addressed.

Fair Rents (London)

Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what was the average increase in fair rents upon re-registration since 1995 in (a) the Lambeth Rent Office area and (b) London; [123541]

(2) what was the average increase in fair rents since 1992 in (a) the Lambeth Rent Office area and (b) London [123542]

Mr. Raynsford [holding answer 24 May 2000]: Between 1995 and 2000 the average increase in rents upon re-registration was an estimated 16 per cent. in Lambeth Rent Office Area and 18 per cent. in London. These increases relate to the periods of 27 months on average.

Information on fair rents is collected only when re-registration takes place and comprehensive information on increases in fair rents is therefore not available.

Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the average scarcity discount used by the London Rent Assessment Committee in calculating fair rents using market rent comparables since 1998 for (a) re-registered rent appeals in London and (b) re-registered rent appeals from the Lambeth Rent Office area. [123540]

Mr. Raynsford [holding answer 24 May 2000]: Rent Assessment Committees are required to show for each case they determine the arithmetical calculations used in reaching that determination, including any deduction from the market rent attributable to scarcity of accommodation in the market. However, we do not collect information centrally that would enable the question to be answered. The cost of providing the information requested would be disproportionate.

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