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Heathrow (Runway Capacity)

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assurances have been given to the Government by (a) BAA, (b) British Airways and (c) British Midland in the five years prior to the recent submission by British Airways to his Department concerning a third runway that they would not seek additional runway capacity at Heathrow; and if he will make a statement. [124845]

Mr. Mullin [holding answer 7 June 2000]: Over the last five years, none of the organisations mentioned by my hon. Friend have given assurances to the Government directly that they would not seek additional runway capacity at Heathrow.

During the public inquiry into BAA's planning application for a fifth terminal at Heathrow, BAA and British Airways made reference to additional runway capacity at Heathrow in their evidence.

BAA stated that

it believes that this is a matter entirely for Government, although it is the company's view that the local communities around Heathrow should be given assurances in respect of another runway. BAA would urge the Government to rule out any additional runway at Heathrow, and BAA would support a recommendation by the inquiry Inspector in his report to the Secretary of State that the Government should rule it out. Indeed, BAA invites the Inspector to make such a recommendation.

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British Airways, as part of their closing submission to the public inquiry, did not advocate a third runway at Heathrow because the proposed fifth terminal did not require it. They stated that

an additional runway at Heathrow could have the potential to be of national importance, and, in BA's submission, it would therefore be wrong to prejudge the issues involved in the absence of a comprehensive understanding of all the material circumstances prevailing at that time, including Government policy, environmental impacts and the aviation and economic cases for such a development.

British Midland have made no specific reference to additional runway capacity at Heathrow.

Welsh Highland Railway

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress in the reopening of the Welsh Highland Railway in Gwynedd. [125071]

Mr. Hill: This is a matter for the Ffestiniog Railway Company, which as owners of the Welsh Highland Railway are responsible for its reconstruction. However, I understand that the company plan to complete the line as far as Waunfawr shortly and open it to passengers by August this year. The next section as far as Rhyd Ddu, at the foot of Snowdon, is to be built during 2001. The company then hopes to complete the reconstruction of the rest of the line through to Porthmadog by 2005.

Penalty Clauses

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 17 May 2000, Official Report, column 135W, on penalty clauses, if he will list the payments made by contractors in respect of each of the 17 contracts. [125363]

Ms Beverley Hughes: It is not possible within the terms of the contracts to provide specific details of each individual payment.

Terminal 5, Heathrow

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects the report of the public inquiry into the proposed fifth terminal at Heathrow Airport to be published. [124486]

Mr. Mullin [holding answer 8 June 2000]: The public inquiry closed on 17 March 1999 and the Inspector has said that he expects to take up to two years to produce his report. While the Secretary of State recognises the need to bring this matter to an early conclusion, he will need to give the Inspector's report full consideration before its issue.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent information he has given the Inspector at the public inquiry into the proposed fifth terminal at Heathrow Airport concerning revised projected passenger and flight numbers for the next 10 years at Heathrow. [124489]

Mr. Mullin [holding answer 8 June 2000]: None.

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A30 (Noise)

Mrs. Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the noise tests on the A30 Honiton to Exeter have been completed; and when he expects to announce the results of the tests. [125173]

Mr. Hill: The Highways Agency has been working closely with the RTA30 Campaign Group and I am pleased to say that the site work on the noise monitoring has been completed.

Analysis work is under way and is expected to be completed this month, after which we will make an announcement.

Airline Route Applications

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when in the last 12 months the Civil Aviation Authority delivered decisions on route applications; and if he will state in each case (a) the route concerned, (b) the competing airlines, (c) the CAA's decision, (d) his decision on whether to accept the CAA's decision and (e) on those occasions when the CAA decision was rejected by him, to which airline he awarded the route. [125193]

Mr. Mullin: The following four route licence applications have been determined by the CAA during the last 12 months:

Decision 1/99 of 12 October 1999; UK-South Africa (apportionment of scarce bilateral capacity); British Airways and Virgin Atlantic; the CAA decided in favour of Virgin Atlantic; British Airways did not appeal.

Decision 2/99 of 25 November 1999; London Stansted-Geneva/Zurich; EasyJet and Go; the CAA decided in favour of Go; EasyJet did not appeal.

Decision 3/99 of 3 December 1999; London-Shanghai (apportionment of scarce bilateral capacity); British Airways and Virgin Atlantic; the CAA decided in favour of Virgin Atlantic; British Airways appealed to the Secretary of State, who upheld the CAA's decision.

Decision 4/99 of 23 December 1999; UK-South Africa(apportionment of scarce bilateral capacity); British Airways and Virgin Atlantic; the CAA decided in favour of Virgin Atlantic; the Secretary of State overturned the decision on appeal and directed the CAA to award the available capacity to British Airways.

Correspondence

Mr. John M. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Solihull dated 15 May concerning Ceramica Trust; and if he will make a statement. [125178]

Mr. Raynsford: I have today written to the hon. Member in response to his letter.

Transport Safety Review

Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Transport Safety Review. [125715]

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Mr. Hill: The terms of reference of the Transport Safety Review were announced by my right hon. Friend the Member for Hamilton, North and Bellshill (Dr. Reid) in December 1998. Consultation took place last year, and the work of the review has subsequently been taken forward under the chairmanship of this Department. Following the tragic rail crash at Ladbroke Grove on 5 October the Public Inquiry ordered by the Health and Safety Commission and chaired by Lord Cullen is considering rail safety management, culture and regulation. Because it is important that the Inquiry's work is not pre-empted in any way, we have concluded that it would be wrong to take a view on potentially fundamental changes to the organisation of transport safety before the Inquiry is complete. We will then need to consider the advice on the Inquiry report which will be submitted to us by the Health and Safety Commission.

A report of the outcome of the consultation and the analysis undertaken by the Transport Safety Review has been placed in the Libraries of the House. The report is also being made available to the Ladbroke Grove Inquiry.

Mobility Centres

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what help the Government are giving to mobility centres which provide support and advice to disabled and older people on driving and personal mobility; and if he will make a statement. [125758]

Mr. Hill: We are aware of the enormously valuable contribution of these centres in enabling disabled and older people to obtain impartial professional advice on driving and vehicle choice as well as on a wide range of other aspects of personal mobility.

In recognition of this work, my Department and the Department of Health have jointly agreed to contribute over £1 million to 11 English members of the Forum of Mobility Centres. Funding will be for an initial period of three years subject to annual review.

Biodiversity

Mr. Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Government will respond to the Biodiversity in the European Union reports by the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities. [125864]

Mr. Meacher: The Select Committee's reports provide a comprehensive review of the Government's actions to protect biodiversity both nationally and within Europe. Such reports merit a thorough response. This has now been completed and I have today placed a copy (Cmnd 4712) in the Library. It demonstrates how the Government's current initiatives address the Committee's concerns.

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