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Aviation
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the remit and role are of the sectoral teams in the new Joint Aviation Requirement-Flight Crew Licensing Committee procedures proposed at the JAR-FCL Committee meeting of 8 to 11 May; and how the new procedures will improve the accountability of the JAR-FCL Committee and its Examination Sub-Committee to the Governments of the member states of the Joint Aviation Authorities. [132003]
Mr. Mullin: Under a reorganisation at the Joint Aviation Authorities its specialist committees will be replaced by sectorial teams. The exact remit and role of these teams are still being developed within the JAA. The actions of the JAA are generally accountable to the Governments of the JAA member states through the JAA board.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons the provisions of Paragraph 10.2.1.1. of Section 5,
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Chapter 10 of the document, JAA administrative and guidance material, referring to harmonised conduct of the JAA ATPL theoretical knowledge examinations throughout Joint Aviation Authorities member states, have not been enforced. [132002]
Mr. Mullin: Paragraph 10.2.1.1 of Section 5, Chapter 10 of the JAA administrative and guidance material states an intention to harmonise the procedures for the conduct of JAA theoretical knowledge examinations. I can assure you that the UK applies the harmonised procedures.
The national aviation authorities in all JAA member states will be subject to a standardisation visit to ensure that the state complies with the agreed procedures. If these visits reveal that the state does not comply with the harmonised procedures, its licence holders will not benefit from the mutual recognition provisions of JAR-FCL.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is the Government's policy to ensure, through the Civil Aviation Authority, that the Joint Aviation Authorities introduce regulations that permit the harmonisation of JAA ATPL theoretical knowledge examination procedures in all member states of the JAA. [132000]
Mr. Mullin: Requirements for the harmonisation of theoretical knowledge examination procedures are already contained in the Joint Aviation Requirements--Flight Crew Licensing. The national aviation authorities in all JAA member states will be subject to a standardisation visit to ensure that the state complies with the agreed procedures. If these visits reveal that the state does not comply with the harmonised procedures, its licence holders will not benefit from the mutual recognition provisions of JAR-FCL.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions where responsibility lies in the Joint Aviation Authorities or Civil Aviation Authority for ensuring that the JAA ATPL
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examination guidelines published at Attachment 2 to Paragraph 10 of Chapter 10, Section 5 of JAA Administrative and Guidance Material are followed. [132001]
Mr. Mullin: Attachment 2 to Paragraph 10 of Chapter 10, Section 5 of JAA Administrative and Guidance Material refers to the construction of individual theoretical knowledge examination questions. The responsibility for ensuring that these questions comply with the guidelines rests with the Joint Aviation Authorities' Flight Crew Licensing Committee through its Sub-Committee for Examinations and with the individual member states' subject expert teams.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons the Joint Aviation Requirement-Flight Crew Licensing Committee is not minded to accept the proposals of the European Association of Airline Pilot Schools to review the central question bank and the learning objectives of the JAA ATPL theoretical knowledge examinations. [132004]
Mr. Mullin: I understand that this proposal was rejected because review by the European Association of Airline Pilot Schools would infringe the confidentiality of the central question bank. The Association has two representatives on the committee and should be fully aware of the reasons for the rejection of these proposals.
Child Safety
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what funds have been allocated to Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council for (a) child safety and (b) safe routes to school, for each year since 1997. [131708]
Mr. Hill: Between 1996-97 and 1999-2000, Shropshire county council was allocated funding through the Transport Policies and Programme (TPP) system towards local safety schemes, integrated transport packages and minor works. Any funding for child safety schemes and safe routes to school would have been made from the local safety scheme element of these allocations. The table gives details of the total TPP allocations to Shropshire from 1996-97 to 1999-2000.
| Year | Total TPP allocation |
|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 4.328 |
| 1997-98 | 4.207 |
| 1998-99 | 3.364 |
| 1999-2000 | 4.348 |
From 2000-01 onwards, under the new Local Transport Plan system, authorities receive an integrated capital block allocation for all local transport and maintenance purposes--except schemes costing more than £5 million, which are funded separately. For 2000-01, Shropshire has been allocated £6.093 million for these purposes.
Housing Renovation
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what funds have been allocated to Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council to reduce the backlog of housing renovation work for each year since 1997. [131707]
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Mr. Mullin: The table shows the resources allocated to Shrewsbury and Atcham by central government to help finance their overall programme for housing investment. The decision about the share of this programme to be devoted to tackling backlog repairs in the council housing stock is a matter for the local authority.
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 1,429 |
| 1998-99 | 1,699 |
| 1999-2000 | 1,664 |
| 2000-01 | 2,581 |
The figures cover the main Housing Investment Programme (HIP) allocations and the resources allocated through the Capital Receipts Initiative (1997-98 to 1999-2000 only). The 2000-01 allocation includes resources for support for private sector renewal grants which was previously provided in a separate ring-fenced allocation.
Cyclists
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the damage to the environment caused by cyclists in (a) rural areas and (b) areas of outstanding natural beauty. [132065]
Mr. Mullin: My Department has made no such estimate. Together with Government agencies and non- governmental organisations, we seek to encourage responsible behaviour in the countryside by all users to ensure that damage is kept to a minimum.
Partnership Investment Programme
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the abolition of the Partnership Investment Programme on the Government's 60 per cent. target for development on brownfield sites. [132571]
Ms Beverley Hughes: The necessary closure of the PIP scheme, following a European Commission decision, is not helpful to us in achieving the 60 per cent. target. However, this funding mechanism was only one method of achieving a target to which a number of programmes and policies contribute. We are determined to achieve that target. As announced in the Spending Review last week, we are making additional substantial resources available to the RDA's programmes, including £60 million this year and £150 million next year for physical regeneration.
Recycling and Composting
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the Government's recycling and composting targets for each of the next five years. [132569]
Mr. Mullin: The Government have set the following targets for recycling and composting of household waste:
- to recycle or compost 17 per cent. of household waste in the financial year 2003-04
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Aircraft Noise
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations his Department has received about early morning air flights over the London Borough of Wandsworth. [132630]
Mr. Mullin: Over past three months one letter has been received from a resident of SW11(Battersea).
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