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Local Government

37. Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the planned Cabinet-style operation of local government. [124026]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The proposals in the Local Government Bill [HL] will introduce three broad frameworks for new constitutions for councils (including a mayor and cabinet and leader and cabinet framework) which will increase the efficiency, transparency and accountability of council decision making. Councils will have to consult their local community about how, within these broad frameworks, they wish to be governed in the future. Where local people express a preference for an elected mayor to lead their community, the council will first have to put this option to them in a referendum.

Flaxmill Project

39. Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on funding for the Flaxmill project in Shrewsbury. [124028]

Ms Beverley Hughes: I understand the Flaxmill project is the restoration of an old iron frame building in Shrewsbury. It has received an approval for a grant from Advantage West Midlands (AWM) towards this restoration, to be given when funds are available.

Light Rail Services

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on funding for light rail services. [123990]

Mr. Raynsford: Light rail and similar rapid transit systems can have a role to play in delivering integrated transport in major conurbations, particularly in densely used transport corridors. Government funds can be provided to authorities for such systems where these deliver net benefits that are greater than those offered by the available alternatives; cannot be entirely funded from

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local sources or the private sector; provide good value for money and are essential to the achievement of the objectives of the relevant authority's local transport plan.

Air Service Agreements

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress in the bilateral negotiations with the United States of America on air service agreements for transatlantic routes. [123999]

Mr. Mullin: The latest round of UK/US talks, aimed at liberalising our bilateral aviation relations, resumed today. I expect further rounds of talks during the course of this year and it would be premature, at this early stage, to anticipate any agreements which may eventually be reached.

Rail Safety

Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to improve safety at railway stations. [124008]

Mr. Hill: We are continuing to work with the rail industry, the British Transport Police and others to improve safety at railway stations. For example, we are seeking further accreditations under the Secure Stations Scheme that we introduced in April 1998, which is designed to improve and standardise good security practices at all overground and underground stations.

I very recently met my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department to explore further joint initiatives on the rail safety and security.

My Department is also taking a close interest in the current North-West pilot scheme aimed at improving security in the whole public transport journey: walking, bus/rail interchange, as well as security at stations and on trains.

Runways (South-East)

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Government expect the South East Regional Airports study into runway capacity in the South-East to report. [125122]

Mr. Mullin: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 6 June 2000, Official Report, column 203W.

Airworthiness Certificates

Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the (CAA) (a) requires manufacturers and operators to provide complete checklists, including emergency checklists, before granting an airworthiness certificate and (b) considers full authority digital engine control systems as flight safety critical. [125301]

Mr. Mullin: The CAA requires routine and emergency checklists to be provided by the manufacturers before a certificate of airworthiness is granted. These are included in the aircraft flight manual. Operators also have to produce emergency checklists but this is not related to the issue of the Certificate of Airworthiness.

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The CAA considers full authority digital engine control systems with no manual back up systems to be flight safety critical. The process of certification ensures that the level of design assurance applied to the digital software of such systems is in proportion to the level of criticality.

Small Farm Incinerators

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number of small farm incinerators in each EU member state. [125166]

Mr. Hill: No such assessment has been made. We understand, however, that the practice of small-scale animal carcase incineration is less widespread in other member states than in the UK.

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the dangers to human health posed by small farm incinerators. [125165]

Mr. Hill: The study undertaken on behalf of the Department by the consultants Entec UK Ltd. (copies of which are in the House Library) to underpin a regulatory and environmental impact assessment of the proposed waste incineration Directive considered the health impacts of incineration processes generally (section 1.4) and the health benefits of the proposal in respect of animal carcase incinerators of different capacities (Appendix 1.5.4). The report, however, significantly underestimated the number of small-scale animal carcase incinerators, of which there are some 3,000 operating, and health benefits are accordingly underestimated.

Marine Surveyors

Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 23 May 2000, Official Report, column 430W, on marine surveyors, what plans he has to ensure that practising marine surveyors operating in the private sector are professionally qualified and covered by professional indemnity insurance. [125136]

Mr. Hill: There are no plans to ensure that practising marine surveyors operating in the private sector are professionally qualified and covered by professional indemnity insurance.

Private sector surveyors acting on the MCA's behalf must hold professional qualifications equivalent to the MCA's own surveyors. Certifying authority surveyors carry professional indemnity insurance as a contractual requirement. A classification Society's liability to the MCA is unlimited in the case of wilful omission, in the case of negligence it is limited to £500,000. These levels of liability are currently under review.

Aircraft Safety (Mobile Phones)

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what tests have been undertaken on the level of interference by mobile telephones on the safety of aircraft; what tests are planned on the effect of such telephones on aircraft safety; what guidance his Department has given to airlines about the use of mobile phones and lap top computers on (a) landing and

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(b) taking-off; and when a system of checking that all such equipment is detected and switched off before aircraft are boarded will be introduced. [125669]

Mr. Mullin: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 8 June 2000, Official Report, column 312W. In addition to the blanket prohibition on the use of mobile phones on aircraft, the Civil Aviation Authority also require lap top computers and similar electronic equipment to be switched off during landing and take-off.

The CAA is also promoting the evaluation by the airlines of on-board detection equipment, and if its use proves effective will propose its introduction to the Joint Aviation Authorities.

Bicycle Lanes (Central London)

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) when he last met representatives of Chelsea and Kensington Borough Council to discuss increasing the number of bicycle lanes in central London; [124849]

Mr. Hill [holding answer 9 June 2000]: We have not met recently with representatives of the individual inner London local authorities or members of the Greater London Assembly to discuss bicycle lanes. However, all London local authorities have been given additional support, as part of the Local Transport Capital Expenditure Settlement for 2000-01, for advancing the 2,900km London Cycle Network.

Copies of the London Cycle Network map have been placed in the Library.

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