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ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

Road Building

13. Mr. Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he last met the Royal Automobile Club to discuss road building. [133313]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Ministers regularly meet the RAC Foundation both bilaterally and in the context of the Motorists' Forum. At those meetings various issues are discussed including road building.

Open Spaces

14. Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the protection of open spaces in towns and cities. [133314]

Mr. Raynsford: Our planning policies for sport, recreation and open spaces are currently being revised and will provide a strategic framework for assessing the open space needs of local communities and how best to protect them.

Success of our urban regeneration policy is dependent on creating a high quality environment and the maintenance of good open spaces is essential to this.

South Coast Corridor Study

15. Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his Department's south coast corridor multi-modal study. [133315]

Mr. Hill: Today I have announced the Steering Group membership and Terms of Reference for this important study, which will investigate congestion, safety and environmental problems on the south coast between Southampton and Thanet, and propose measures aimed at improving access to and between the regeneration areas and other areas of economic activity along the south coast. The study is expected to be completed in the spring of 2002.

Regional Development

16. Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he next intends to visit the north-west of England to discuss regional development policy initiatives. [133316]

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Ms Beverley Hughes: I have no plans to visit the north-west of England to discuss regional development policy issues in the near future.

Air Traffic Control

17. Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the recent breakdowns of the air traffic control system. [133317]

Mr. Mullin: The Government greatly regret the inconvenience and costs caused to passengers and airlines by the recent failures of the Flight Data Processing System at West Drayton, most notably on 17 June. NATS has taken measures to enhance the robustness of this system which has proved extremely reliable over the years.

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which discussions have taken place since 1 August on the future of air traffic control between his Department and (a) IPMS and (b) BALPA. [133491]

Mr. Mullin: We have had a series of discussions at both Ministerial and official level with the Institute of Professional and Managerial Staffs and the Public and Commercial Services Union. Most recently, officials from my Department have held discussions with representatives of both those unions on 4 October 2000 about the proposed public-private partnership for National Air Traffic Services.

We have received no recent representations from the British Association of Airline Pilots.

Global Warming

18. Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the possible contribution of tree plantations in upland areas in tackling global warming. [133318]

Mr. Meacher: UK woodlands remove about 2.8 million tonnes of carbon annually from the atmosphere--about 1.7 per cent. of UK and 0.04 per cent. of global CO ₂ emissions. They will continue to contribute in future, by providing renewable energy and construction materials as well as simple removal. Over half our woodlands are in upland areas.

Neighbourhood Wardens

19. Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the neighbourhood warden initiative. [133319]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The Government announced the first round of 50 successful bids for the neighbourhood wardens grant on 18 September. A decision on a further 42 schemes has been deferred to allow further

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development. The successful schemes are of a good regional spread, tackling issues on improving the environment, quality of life and community safety.

Regional Government

20. Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the timetable for the introduction of regional Government. [133320]

Ms Beverley Hughes: No timetable has yet been drawn up for moving to directly-elected regional government. We remain committed to do so, where there is support demonstrated in referendums. In the meantime, regionalism is evolving through the work of the regional chambers, regional development agencies, Government offices and others.

Single Rail Franchise (Wales)

21. Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has undertaken with the relevant secretaries of the National Assembly regarding the establishment of a single rail franchise for Wales; and if he will make a statement. [133321]

Mr. Hill: The Instructions and Guidance given to the Franchising Director by the Deputy Prime Minister in September 1999 asked him to consider the size, duration, and make-up of franchises in seeking best value for money. The Franchising Director announced a dedicated rail network for Wales and the border counties of England on 8 August. The scope of this network has now been defined following discussion, which started in March, with the National Assembly for Wales and other key stakeholders.

Tigers

22. Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals Her Majesty's Government are supporting to save the tiger from extinction. [133322]

Mr. Meacher: The UK strongly supports the recommendations on tigers agreed at the Conference of CITES Parties last April. We have contributed over £150,000 to a number of tiger initiatives over the last three years, including most recently £40,000 to help CITES establish a Tiger Enforcement Task Force to combat illicit trade in tigers worldwide.

Mobile Phone Masts

23. Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received from organisations concerning mobile phone masts. [133323]

25. Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from (a) local authorities and (b) others on mobile phone masts. [133326]

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Ms Beverley Hughes: As at 30 October, we had received 191 responses to the consultation document on planning for mobile phone masts and other telecommunications development, issued on 31 July. 111 were from local authorities and 80 from others. The consultation period ends today.

Transport Infrastructure

24. Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on updating the transport infrastructure. [133325]

Mr. Hill: Last July we published The 10-year plan for transport. This is a £180 billion investment plan to transform our transport system over the next 10 years, remedying decades of under-investment and stop-start funding. The plan will deliver a modern, integrated transport system fit for the 21st Century.

Road Improvements (Gloucestershire)

26. Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to improve the A417/A419 at Nettleton Bottom in Gloucestershire. [133327]

Mr. Hill: The Highways Agency is currently carrying out a safety improvement scheme at Nettleton Bottom on the A417 trunk road. Work started in September and is due to be completed by early November. The scheme aims to reduce accidents due to vehicles turning right into the Golden Heart public house. A permanent 40 mph speed limit will also be introduced through the village.

Light Rail

27. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what role he envisages for light rail in integrated public transport. [133328]

Mr. Hill: Light rail and similar rapid transit systems can play a significant part in improving the attractiveness and quality of public transport in major conurbations. Our ten-year plan provides a substantial increase in funding for light rail, to back schemes that offer good value for money as part of integrated transport strategies.

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