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Ireland (British Passports)
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British passports have been issued by the Embassy in Dublin in each of the past five years; how many British passport holders he estimates live in the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [140730]
Mr. Hain: The British Embassy in Dublin has issued the following numbers of British passports in each of the past five years;
- 1996: 4,701
- 1997: 5,199
- 1998: 5,649
- 1999: 6,831
- 2000: 6,588 to 31 October, 2000. We estimate that the end year total will be between 7,300 and 7,500.
Trade (EU Market Access)
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what impact offering duty free access to least developed countries will have on the EU rice and sugar markets' tariff structures. [136827]
Mr. Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
The European Commission's proposal is to amend the EU's scheme of Generalised Tariff Preferences (GSP) so as to extend duty free access without any quantitative restrictions to products originating in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The proposal provides for this duty free treatment for rice and sugar to be achieved progressively, as follows: LDCs will be able to receive a 20 per cent. reduction of the Common Customs Tariff duties payable on their exports of these products from 1 January 2001; a 50 per cent. reduction from 1 January 2002; an 80 per cent. reduction from 1 January 2003; culminating in full elimination on 1 January 2004. This
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proposal does not address the CAP regimes for Rice and Sugar. The European Commission has made two other, separate proposals for reform of these two CAP regimes.
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Light Rail
12. Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will approve the new light rail lines contained in his Department's 10-year plan. [138946]
Mr. Hill: Outside London, five light rail lines to be funded in the period covered by the 10-Year Plan have already been approved. We are currently considering a number of proposals for future lines, including those in Leeds, the West Midlands, Bristol and South Gloucestershire, and Portsmouth and South Hampshire. I hope to make announcements about each of these four proposals as soon as possible.
21. Mr. Corbett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to increase investment in light rail systems. [138957]
Mr. Hill: Our 10-Year Plan provides for a substantial increase in funding for light rail schemes where these offer good value for money as part of integrated transport strategies.
31. Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce further proposals for light rail lines. [138967]
Mr. Hill: We are currently considering a number of proposals for new light rail lines, including those in Leeds, the West Midlands, Bristol and South Gloucestershire, and Portsmouth and South Hampshire. I hope to make announcements about each of these four proposals as soon as possible.
Connex South Eastern
15. Mr. Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement regarding train cancellations due to rail track repairs on Connex South Eastern. [138951]
Mr. Hill: The rail network has been severely disrupted by the temporary emergency speed restrictions imposed by Railtrack for safety reasons in the aftermath of the tragic accident at Hatfield. Connex South Eastern have planned a series of cancellations to their normal timetable which passengers have been informed about in advance to enable them to plan their journeys.
Neighbourhood Wardens
16. Mr. Plaskitt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what role neighbourhood wardens will play in improving the management of public areas. [138952]
Ms Beverley Hughes: Neighbourhood Warden Schemes are designed to meet local needs. Therefore the management of public areas is dependent on what is needed locally. Wardens should link with other services in neighbourhoods to improve the reporting of environmental
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and community safety issues. The schemes are still developing their plans for implementation and a number of different models in different areas are under consideration.
Ports
17. Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the criteria to be met before locating new container ports on non-brownfield sites. [138953]
18. Mr. Quinn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his strategy for developing British ports. [138954]
Mr. Hill: The Government announced yesterday the publication of a ports policy paper, "Modern Ports". On the issue of port development, "Modern Ports" says that we will maintain a balanced policy on development which aims to makes the best use of existing and former operational land, secures high environmental standards, but supports sustainable projects for which there is a clear need.
36. Ms Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on developing British ports. [138973]
Mr. Hill: The Government announced yesterday the publication of a ports policy paper, "Modern Ports".
Climate Change
19. Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on emissions trading and global warming. [138955]
Mr. Meacher: The Government recognise that emissions trading is a key part of the long-term solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, both domestically and internationally. Despite the breakdown of the recent international climate change talks in The Hague, we achieved some progress in developing the rules for international emissions trading. We hope to be able to build on that progress when talks are resumed next year. In addition, the Government have recently started public consultation on proposals for a domestic trading scheme, the framework for which is expected to be in place by April next year.
Area Cost Adjustment
20. Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend the area cost adjustment. [138956]
Ms Armstrong: After consulting local authorities and other stakeholders, and in line with our White Paper commitment to use up-to-date data, I have decided to update the New Earning Survey element of the Area Cost Adjustment for use in the 2001-02 Local Government Finance Settlement.
Highway Maintenance
22. Mr. Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received about highway maintenance funding. [138958]
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Mr. Hill: In preparing our plans to tackle the backlogs in local highway maintenance, as set out in "Transport 2010: The 10-Year Plan", we worked very closely with the Local Government Association. They provided valuable advice on the funding levels required.
33. Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to give local authorities the powers to co-ordinate roadworks. [138969]
Ms Beverley Hughes: Under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 the street authority (which for maintainable streets means the highway authority) must do everything in their power to co-ordinate works of all kinds in their streets. This responsibility covers utility street works and the authority's own works for road purposes.
Public Service Agreements
23. Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the proposals put forward by local authorities to pilot public service agreements. [138959]
Ms Beverley Hughes: The PSA submissions received from the 20 pilot local authorities contain a wide range of proposals to improve services and are currently being considered by the DETR, in conjunction with other Government Departments. Constructive negotiations are taking place between central Government and the local authorities involved.
Licensing
24. Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received concerning the licensing of landlords; and if he will make a statement. [138960]
Mr. Raynsford: Two hundred and twenty responses to the consultation on the Housing Green Paper commented on our proposals for the selective local licensing of private landlords in areas of low housing demand. A further fifteen separate representations have been made in the past six months. We will make a statement shortly on how we propose to take forward all the Green Paper proposals following consultation.
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