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Connex South Central
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with the management of Connex South Central rail company on the reduced service level from Wandsworth Common Station to Victoria; and if he will make a statement. [124698]
Mr. Hill: I have had no discussions with the train operator about this matter, but the Franchising Director is monitoring the situation. He has agreed an emergency timetable with Connex as a rest-day working ban by drivers has meant that the original timetable could not be met. While this is a far from ideal situation, the Franchising Director agreed that it is in passengers' interests to have information on which services will run and which are cancelled. Connex are currently recruiting more drivers and services will be re-introduced as they complete their training.
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the reasons for the elimination of South West Trains from the competition process for the Connex South Central franchise. [125605]
Mr. Hill: The shortlisted counterparties for a replacement South Central franchise were selected following the Franchising Director's evaluation of their initial proposals against the criteria given to him by the Deputy Prime Minister in his Instructions and Guidance of September 1999. In summary these are: commitment to secure better performance and customer services; the
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extent to which extra or earlier investment can be secured; the extent to which passengers will be given a greater voice in the level and standard of services; and value for money to the taxpayer. The Franchising Director has outlined in further detail the criteria for evaluating bids in his Outline Guide to Franchise Replacement of 25 May.
Ethnic Minorities
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what directions he has given to the Environment Agency about increasing the proportion of its staff recruited from ethnic minorities; and how many board members of the agency are from ethnic minorities. [124795]
Mr. Meacher: No direction has been given to the Environment Agency, by the DETR, about increasing the proportion of its staff recruited from ethnic minorities. However, the Environment Agency does have its own Diversity Policy and statement and it is widening its links with ethnic organisations.
None of the current Environment Agency board members are from an ethnic minority background. However, the DETR is taking rigorous action as part of its current equal opportunities plan for public appointments, to appoint more people from this group to the boards of public bodies as a whole. Currently 5.8 per cent. of all appointments are filled by people from ethnic minorities against the Department's present end-2000 target of 6 per cent..
MOT Tests
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to improve the accuracy of measures of a vehicle's emissions as part of the MOT test; and if he will make a statement. [124942]
Mr. Hill: The Department intends to commence further research later this year on the effectiveness of catalyst testing and to determine whether the diesel smoke test may need to be changed to enable better testing of low-smoke emission diesels. The projects are due to be completed in phases and we will be reviewing emerging findings as they progress. Additionally, the Vehicle Inspectorate has undertaken a comprehensive programme of re-training for MOT testers to ensure that they are able to carry out testing more consistently and to the standard required.
Stone Lodge Leisure Complex
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce his decision on the planning application for the Stone Lodge Leisure Complex in Dartford. [124935]
Ms Beverley Hughes: To progress with the Stone Lodge application it was necessary to seek further representations from the parties on the question of need for the proposed facilities. We have now analysed these responses and we will be informing all the parties of the outcome very soon.
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Local Government Act 1988 (Reliefs)
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many local authorities granted relief under the Local Government Act 1988 in each year since 1990-91. [125070]
Ms Beverley Hughes: Every billing authority in each year specified granted at least one of the reliefs under the Local Government Act 1988.
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the amount of hardship relief granted under the Local Government Act 1988 in England in each year since 1990-91. [125069]
Ms Beverley Hughes: The information requested on the amount of hardship relief granted under the Local Government Act 1988 in each year since 1990-91, is shown in the table.
| Year | Amount |
| 1990-91 | 23,941 |
| 1991-92 | 139,908 |
| 1992-93 | 758,026 |
| 1993-94 | 1,438,306 |
| 1994-95 | 1,734,622 |
| 1995-96 | 2,041,549 |
| 1996-97 | 1,972,004 |
| 1997-98 | 2,238,775 |
| 1998-99(1) | 1,848,208 |
(1) The figure for 1998-99 is still subject to audit approval
Note:
Figures for 1999-2000 are not yet available
Road Accidents (A40)
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 22 May 2000, Official Report, column 323W, on road accidents, how many fatalities due to road accidents there have been on the A40 over the last three years (a) in total and (b) between Witney and Oxford. [124420]
Mr. Hill [holding answer 7 June 2000]: The following numbers of fatalities occurred on the total length of the A40 in the last three years for which national records are available: 27 in 1996, 28 in 1997 and 25 in 1998. On the single carriageway section of the A40, between the Wolvercote roundabout in Oxford and the eastern end of the Witney bypass at Hill Farm, there were two in 1996, three in 1997 and none in 1998.
Byker Heat Station, Newcastle
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what changes have been made in the authorisation of releases from the Byker Heat Station, Newcastle over the years of its operation; and at whose request the changes were made. [125138]
Mr. Meacher: The following changes have been made in the authorisation of releases:
- Variation AJ3042: Changes made 15 July 1993 by HMIP.
- Condition 1.1.2--Added wood chip as a permitted fuel.
- Condition 5.1.10--Specified the composition of wood chip fuel.
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- Variation AJ6955: Changes made 27 September 1993 by HMIP.
- Variation at request of operator.
- New conditions relating to the visibility of the plume were added.
- Variation AN2927: Changes made by HMIP 31 December 1995.
- Variation at request of operator.
- Condition 5.1.10--specified that spent ash and lime shall only be discharged via skips.
In addition a number of changes have been made to the requirements to report releases.
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the unquantified toxic releases to air in the 1995 incident at the Byker Heat Station posed a risk to health; what area may have been affected by this release; and if (a) the regulator required and (b) the operator undertook an investigation as to the possible health effects to workers at the site and nearby residents. [125140]
Mr. Meacher: There is no evidence to suggest that the incident in 1995 posed a risk to health. Analysis of the incident in question suggested that a lower mass probably was released than in an equivalent period of normal operation. However, a precise estimation of distribution effects would be impracticable.
The Agency did not require the operator to conduct an investigation into possible health effects and is not aware of such an investigation being conducted by the operator.
Strategic Planning (London)
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what conclusions he has reached following the consultation exercise on the detailed arrangements for strategic planning in London; and if he will make a statement. [125732]
Mr. Hill: The Mayor of London will assume responsibility for strategic planning matters in the capital on 3 July 2000. The main elements and principles of the new planning arrangements are incorporated in the Greater London Authority Act 1999. In January the Government issued, for consultation, a draft circular and statutory instruments setting out detailed aspects of the new arrangements. A copy of the consultation responses has been placed in the Library of each House of Parliament and is also available for inspection at the Government Office for London.
Following careful consideration of the responses received, we have decided that no significant changes are needed to the detailed arrangements, but some revisions have been made, mainly to provide additional clarification of the Governments proposals.
I am pleased to announce that the Town and Country Planning (London Spatial Development Strategy) Regulations 2000 and the Town and Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2000 have been laid in both Houses of Parliament. Both the Regulations and the Order will come into force on 3 July.
I am also pleased to announce the publication of the Government Office for London Circular 1/2000 "Strategic Planning in London".
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The Town and Country Planning (London Spatial Development Strategy) Regulations 2000
These Regulations set out the minimum supplementary statutory procedures that the Mayor will have to follow when preparing the Spatial Development Strategy (SDS). They cover aspects such as the form and content of the SDS, consultation and publicity procedures, the availability of documents and the examination in public.
A regulatory impact assessment has been prepared and copies can be obtained from the Government Office for London and a copy has been placed in the Library of each House of Parliament.
The Town and Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2000
This Order details the statutory procedures for notifying the Mayor of planning applications of potential strategic importance, and the associated power to direct refusal of planning permission.
A regulatory impact assessment has been prepared and copies can be obtained from the Government Office for London and a copy has been placed in the Library of each House of Parliament.
Government Office for London Circular 1/2000--Strategic Planning in London
The circular explains and gives guidance to the Mayor and others on the operation of the new arrangements set out in the Act and the two statutory instruments. The circular provides guidance on the purpose, scope and format of the Spatial Development Strategy. It explains the procedures for its production and advises on the implications for boroughs and others. It also gives guidance on the Mayor's role in planning applications and in representing London's planning interests.
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