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Coastguards

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the industrial tribunal decision in the case of Rigden/Hodgson, when he will issue employment contracts to auxiliary coastguards; if he has paid the arrears owing under the legislation on the national minimum wage; and if he will make a statement about the future employment of auxiliary coastguards. [123969]

Mr. Hill: The decision of the Newcastle Employment Tribunal is being considered and legal advice taken on grounds for appeal.

All serving auxiliaries have been paid the arrears of pay due as a result of bringing auxiliary coastguards wages into line with the National Minimum Wage. There have been problems in getting back pay to those who have left the auxiliary service, but contact has been made wherever possible and the arrears will be paid shortly.

Council Tax Discounts (Herefordshire)

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many properties in Herefordshire qualify for 50 per cent. council tax discount for second homes; what is the cost to the Herefordshire Council of this discount; and if he will make a statement. [124536]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Herefordshire Unitary Authority has 2,266 properties in 2000-01 that qualify for a 50 per cent. discount. Not all dwellings that receive the discount are second homes, and the Department does not collect separate information on these dwellings. The 50 per cent. discount applies to all unoccupied dwellings and certain occupied dwellings such as those where all of the residents are disregarded, for example households consisting of someone severely disabled and their carer.

If a local authority has a reduced tax base because it has dwellings subject to a discount or exemption, it will receive more grant from the Government.

Aggregates

Mr. Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the environmental consequences of an aggregates tax. [124442]

Ms Beverley Hughes: An aggregates levy would help to ensure that the environmental impacts of primary aggregates production not already addressed by regulation

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are more fully reflected in prices. This would be expected to have the following environmental consequences: a reduction in the amount of primary aggregates extracted--and in the associated environmental impacts; an increase in the use of alternative materials which would otherwise be wastes and disposed of; and less wastage of all aggregates.

Mr. Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what were the volumes of recycled/secondary aggregates used in the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years. [124439]

Ms Beverley Hughes: These data are not available. Because of the difficulty in collecting the information, especially information on construction and demolition waste which arises on a very large number of temporary sites, consultants were asked to devise an appropriate collection system. The recommended system is being implemented.

Included in this is a survey of construction and demolition waste in England and Wales carried out in March by the Environment Agency, supported by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the National Assembly for Wales. The returns are being analysed at present. Data on other material used as aggregate will be published as part of the report on the Aggregate Minerals Survey 1997. The results of both surveys will be published this summer.

Mr. Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the volume of construction aggregates produced in the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years. [124438]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The total volume of crushed rock and sand and gravel produced for construction in the UK for each of the 10 years up to and including 1998, the most recent year for which reliable information is available, is set out in the table. The figures are those compiled by the British Geological Society using data from the Office for National Statistics and the Department of Economic Development (Northern Ireland). The figures for crushed rock used in these totals are for Great Britain only because crushed rock produced in Northern Ireland and used for construction is not specifically identified.

	Thousand tonnes
1989	307,170
1990	285,631
1991	254,371
1992	242,879
1993	249,593
1994	271,176
1995	252,570
1996	229,271
1997	232,170
1998	230,031

Station Platforms

Mr. Nicholls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers the shadow Strategic Rail Authority has to make sure the distance between a railway station platform and a train is at a safe level; which railway stations in England and Wales have a gap between the platform and the train

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exceeding (a) 30 centimetre and (b) 1 metre; what plans have been submitted by Railtrack to re-gauge platform heights at railways stations across Britain; and what action (i) has been taken and (ii) is planned, to implement the proposals. [124455]

Mr. Hill: Responsibility for the safe maintenance of platforms and their interface with trains rests with the infrastructure controller and train operators and not with the shadow Strategic Rail Authority.

The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) Railway Inspectorate monitors safety on the railways and enforces safety legislation. HSE has published "Railway Safety Principles and Guidance" (RSPG) which covers the issue of platform gaps for new and altered works. Any infrastructure developed outside this guidance must be agreed with the HSE. Additionally, Railtrack publishes criteria on this subject in the form of Railway Group Standards. Compliance with these Group Standards generally ensures compliance with criteria set out in the HSE Guidance. HSE is aware that historically the stepping criteria set out in RSPG are not complied with at a number of locations. It was this knowledge which led to the HSE criteria being developed. Railtrack is implementing a programme which is intended, among other things, to address the problem of large gaps between trains and platforms at stations. Some work has already been carried out; the programme is risk-based and prioritised. HSE is monitoring progress.

HSE's records are insufficiently detailed to provide information on locations where gaps may exceed particular dimensions. Railtrack's programme is intended to identify problem locations and to develop an action plan to deal with them.

Mr. Nicholls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the current limit for the gap between a train and a railway station platform; what representations his Department has received regarding the dangers of large gaps between platforms and trains; what the Government are doing to ensure that the gap between a railway station platform and the train is at a safe level; who is responsible for ensuring that the gap between a train and a railway station platform is at a safe level; and what recent recommendations he has received from the Health and Safety Executive with regard to the distance between a train and a railway station platform. [124454]

Mr. Hill: Railtrack, as infrastructure controller, is responsible for the safety of its infrastructure. There are no regulations which specify a maximum gap at the train/platform interface. However, the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) Railway Inspectorate has published guidance documents entitled "Railway Safety Principles and Guidance" which provide an accepted standard of good practice for new or altered work within the railway industry. "Railway Safety Principles and Guidance Part 2 Section B: Guidance on stations" sets acceptable stepping criteria between trains and platforms, the maxima for these are:

250mm vertically;


275mm horizontally; and


350mm diagonally.

HSE is aware that historically some platforms exist where these dimensions are exceeded. Railtrack is

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developing a strategy of identifying and dealing with these on a prioritised basis. HSE is following this initiative closely to ensure that there is a satisfactory outcome.

These dimensions may only be exceeded when dispensation has been obtained from the Inspectorate. Warning notices reading 'Mind the Gap' with hatching along the platform edge, or other agreed measures for example, public announcements, may be required. HSE considers that to require the infrastructure controller or station operator to carry out work specifically to rectify platform gaps would not be reasonably practicable. HSE would however expect any planned alteration or new works around the train/platform interface to include a reduction in the gaps at interface.

The Department has received correspondence on this subject from time to time.

Trees

Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his Department's policy is in relation to the country of origin of trees planted on its land and that of its agencies. [124624]

Mr. Prescott: My Department follows the guidance in "Towards more Sustainable Construction: Green guide for managers in the public sector" which encourages the planting of native trees and shrubs where this is feasible, and seeks whenever possible to use plants grown in the UK.

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