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Cap de la Hague (Radioactive Gases)

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the concentrations of radioactive gases detectable above East Sussex which can be identified as having originated from Cap de la Hague. [124236]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 5 June 2000]: Under Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, the European Commission must be satisfied that no contamination of another member state will result before any routine releases of radioactivity can be authorised; this is the case in respect of Cap de la Hague.

Environmental monitoring programmes carried out in southern England have detected no elevated levels of radioactivity above normal background. Any evaluation in the levels of ambient gamma dose rate in the UK would be immediately detected by the RIMNET network of continuously operating monitors, several of which are located along the South Coast of England.

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with the French authorities in respect of emissions from Cap de la Hague. [124217]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 5 June 2000]: There have been no recent discussions between my Department and the French authorities in respect of emissions from Cap de la Hague.

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent data he has obtained in respect of emissions from Cap de la Hague. [124218]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 5 June 2000]: No recent data on emissions from Cap de la Hague have been received.

Rail Safety

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the policy of each train operating company towards (a) automatic train protection and (b) train protection and warning system. [124204]

Mr. Hill: The Railway Safety Regulations 1999 require all passenger lines, and all trains operating on them, to be fitted with a form of train protection equivalent to the train protection and warning system by the end of 2003. Each Train Operating Company has supplied to the Health and Safety Executive an action program to comply with these regulations. Where reasonably practicable, the Regulations require more advanced automatic train protection to be fitted, similar to that in service on Great Western, Chiltern, and Heathrow Express Trains.

7 Jun 2000 : Column: 245W

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with (a) Railtrack and (b) all train operating companies on reducing the number of signals passed at danger. [124203]

Mr. Hill: During their normal enforcement duties, the Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate have regular and frequent meetings and discussions with both Railtrack and Train Operating Companies on reducing the number of signals passed at danger (SPADs). All SPADs, are required to be reported to the Railway Inspectorate, who investigate the more serious ones. A summary of these activities is given in the Health and Safety Executive's monthly report on SPADs, a copy of which is placed in the House Library.

The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the issue of SPADs at his recent rail summit with the industry.

Departmental Properties

Mr. Faber: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 24 May 2000, Official Report, column 537W, what proposals he has for the disposal of Landau Cottage, Upton Lovell, Warminster; how the disposal will be effected; and for what reasons. [124634]

Mr. Hill: I have asked the Acting Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Peter Nutt, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Kerman to Mr. David Faber, dated 7 June 2000:

The Transport Minister, Keith Hill, has asked the Acting Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Peter Nutt, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Agency's proposals for the disposal of Landau Cottage, Upton Lovell, Warminster. I am replying in the absence of Peter Nutt.

The Highways Agency has no current proposals for the disposal of Landau Cottage.

The route of the withdrawn A36 Codford to Heytesbury scheme remains protected whilst the Government Office for the South West carries out a study of the A36/A46 route which, between the M4 and the M27 motorways, is currently part of our non-core network. Disposal is ruled out while protection remains in place.

Departmental Initiatives

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 20 April 2000, Official Report, column 612W, on departmental initiatives, if he will list the amounts originally budgeted for in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000, stating for each year what funds budgeted for were not spent, and if they were carried forward. [124413]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The budgets and underspend of the regeneration initiatives for which my Department is responsible are listed in the tables.

Under an agreement with the European Commission, the Department carries forward underspend on the European Regional Development Fund programmes from year to year. Where the carry forward of unspent resources by the Department has been permitted under the Treasury's End Year Flexibility arrangements for the other regeneration programmes, it has been for the Secretary of State to determine to which departmental programmes such

7 Jun 2000 : Column: 246W

resources should be allocated, and to obtain Treasury agreement and parliamentary authority in Supplementary Estimates for increases on the Department's Votes. Entitlements to end year flexibility to be carried into 2000-01 have yet to be agreed.

Holistic regeneration programmes£ million

	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000
	Single Regeneration Budget:
Budget	481.6	567.3	707.6
Underspend	22.8	6.4	15.3
New Deal for Communities:
Budget	0	12.5	100.0
Underspend	0	12.3	51.5

The budget for New Deal for the Communities was reprofiled to reflect the pattern of actual spend which has emerged from the implementation of this innovatory programme which places communities at the heart of regenerating their neighbourhoods.

Other regeneration initiatives£ million

	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000
	European Regional Development Fund:
Budget	194.8	220.0	266.9
Underspend	124.1	176.6	245.9

The underspend figures for the European Regional Development Fund are cumulative from 1994. They cover programmes which ran from 1994 to 1999 for which expenditure is expected to continue until 2002-03.

£ million

	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000
	Coalfields Regeneration Trust
Budget	0	17.7	10.0
Underspend	0	17.7	9.0

The budget for the Coalfields Regeneration Trust is being reprofiled to reflect the launch date of September 1999.

Home Seller's Pack Trial

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people have participated in the seller's pack trial in Bristol; and how many transactions have been completed to date. [124635]

Mr. Mullin: The table gives the current number and status of people participating in the Bristol Seller's Information Pack.

	Number
Number of sellers in scheme	180
Of which, offers accepted	54
Of which, contracts exchanged	34
Of which, reached completion(1)	12

(1) The number of completions is an estimate, as participating sellers are not required to use the solicitor who assembles their pack to go on and complete their transaction.

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Rail Franchises

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects a decision to be announced in respect of the rail franchise for the south-east of England presently held by Connex. [124636]

Mr. Hill: Connex currently operate two franchises in the south of England--South Central (which serves Eastbourne) and South Eastern. The Franchising Director is currently evaluating two proposals--from Connex and GoVia--for a replacement South Central franchise. The preferred bidder will be announced when that evaluation process is complete. No date has been set for when that will be as this will depend on the progress of negotiations. The Franchising Director will take opportunities as they arise to replace the longer-term franchises, of which Connex South Eastern is one.

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