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Mesothelioma

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many deaths there were from mesothelioma and what the standard mortality rate was in each (a) county and (b) district, for the most recent year for which figures are available. [140761]

Mr. Meacher: The Health and Safety Executive maintains a register of deaths in Great Britain for which mesothelioma is mentioned on the death certificate. The latest year for which data are available is 1998.

A paper produced by HSE's Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit (EMSU), 'Mesothelioma area statistics: county districts in Great Britain 1986-1995' is the most up-to-date analysis of the mesothelioma register by the old local government structure (phased out between 1995-98), and is available in the Libraries of the House. No further analysis was undertaken during the progressive introduction of unitary authorities between 1995-98. The first complete year of mesothelioma deaths based on the new geography is 1998. A table showing the number of mesothelioma deaths in 1998 and the death rates (per million people) by the new government structure has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

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Finsbury Park Single Regeneration Budget

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the total Government expenditure on the Finsbury Park Single Regeneration Budget (a) to date and (b) estimated for its lifetime. [139982]

Ms Beverley Hughes [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The Finsbury Park Single Regeneration Budget scheme was approved on 1 December 1999. The projected Government expenditure for the financial year 2000-01 is £2.54 million, and up until the end of June 2000 £490,464 had been spent in total. Total Government expenditure over the seven year life of the scheme is estimated at £25 million.

Air Traffic Control

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has held talks with the CAA about the capacity constraints, the hourly flow rates and general re-organisation agreed for area control and terminal control of NERC in the period January 2001 to December 2002. [140698]

Mr. Mullin: There are regular meetings between the CAA and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to discuss matters of mutual interest and concern. In turn, the CAA's Safety Regulation Group has responsibility for the safety regulatory oversight of the New En-Route Centre programme and the ongoing operation of the London Area and Terminal Control Centre at West Drayton. The New En-Route Centre will not enter operational service until the Safety Regulation Group has issued an approval, supported by the NATS Safety Case for the new centre. The Safety Regulation Group has also been involved in the oversight of the operational conversion training programme.

From January 2001 to January 2002 there are not planned to be hourly flow rates for other than normal control of demand over capacity. Post January 2002, when Swanwick becomes operational, specific flow control measures will be implemented for a temporary period, while staff gain confidence in the new procedures and equipment. Thereafter, hourly flow rates will be applied for the normal control of demand over capacity.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the plans that have been made by NATS to protect low cost airlines from the effects of the cuts in capacity expected at the commencement of the New En-Route Centre. [140691]

Mr. Mullin: Airline operators have been briefed by NATS that there will be a reduction in capacity during the transfer of operations from West Drayton to Swanwick. This reduction in capacity will be a temporary measure while staff gain confidence with the new procedures and equipment they will be using at Swanwick. The reduction in capacity will be managed through the imposition of flow control measures which will be applied fairly to all operators.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what training programmes are in place to bring up to full complement

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validated air traffic controllers at the London Area and Terminal Control Centre; and how long it will be before the training of new controllers is completed. [140689]

Mr. Mullin: NATS has an ongoing programme to recruit and train new air traffic controllers for NATS units throughout the UK. There is no shortage of staff to meet operational requirements in Area Control operations at the London Area and Terminal Control Centre at West Drayton in 2001. In addition, NATS has a full complement of 255 controllers to meet current operational requirement in the Terminal Control operation at West Drayton, although a slight shortfall, 10 to 14 controllers, is expected after the introduction of two new air traffic sectors in spring 2001.

NATS plans to continue to increase the number of operational air traffic controllers in order to meet future operational requirements at the New En-Route Centre and elsewhere, and the anticipated pattern of retirements and resignations. A 50 per cent. increase in the intake of student controllers is planned next year and recruitment will continue at a high level for a number of years thereafter to meet forecast demand for increases in airspace capacity. Training controllers for West Drayton currently takes around three and a half years from entry into the College of Air Traffic Control.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what effect the commencement of the new training programme for air traffic controllers at the National En-Route Centre will have on the day-to-day work of the London Area and Terminal Control Centre; when the cuts in capacity following the introduction of NERC will take place; and what explanation has been offered to the airlines. [140690]

Mr. Mullin: The training of controllers for the New En-Route Centre will commence on 2 January 2001 and finish in January 2002. NATS currently has 360 air traffic controllers available to meet a budgeted requirement for 300 controllers in the Area Control operation at the London Area and Control Centre at West Drayton. This overbearing has been in place for some time in order to meet development requirements at the New En-Route Centre. Next year the overbearing will be used to provide cover for the operational conversion training programme. By June 2001, the actual number of controllers is anticipated to increase to 374.

It is anticipated flow restrictions will be introduced on a temporary basis when the New En-Route Centre is introduced into operational service. This is a standard safety procedure which is applied whenever major new developments enter operational service, to enable staff to gain confidence in new procedures and equipment in the live operational environment. The conversion training programme is a complex exercise, the details of which have been communicated to the airlines.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the New En-Route Centre at Swanwick will operate in all its planned sectors when it becomes operational in 2002. [140694]

Mr. Mullin: When the New En-Route Centre opens in January 2002 it will have procedures in place for up to 29 sectors, as is the case with the current Area Control operation at West Drayton. As is also the case at West

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Drayton, the actual number of sectors open at Swanwick will vary to match seasonal traffic demand, depending on the amount of traffic requiring an air traffic control service. It is anticipated that 24 to 26 of the 29 sectors will typically be open at any one time, though precisely which sectors are open will vary in accordance with traffic flows. These numbers generally match the numbers of sectors currently open at West Drayton.

VED (Lorries)

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if hauliers with a reduced pollution certificate will continue to receive the rebate to aid lorries meeting the most stringent emissions standards, in addition to the reduction in vehicle excise duty announced in the Chancellor's pre-Budget report 2000. [140650]

Mr. Hill: As indicated in the PBR, the reform of the structure of lorry VED and related issues, including reduced pollution certificates, are now subject to consultation with the road haulage industry and more widely. Discounts for vehicles that offer pollution advantages will continue to be part of the reformed package, subject to constraints such as EU minimum rates.

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if all payments of the vehicle excise duty for lorries will be sent out by the target date of January 2001. [140652]

Mr. Hill: The Government have stated that notification of entitlement and invitations to apply for rebates will be sent to keepers of vehicles during December 2000 and January 2001, and that they intend that rebates will be sent to keepers within 28 days from the receipt of applications at DVLA. The Government will make every effort to meet those targets.

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the DVLA will be writing to hauliers inviting them to apply for a vehicle excise duty rebate; and if those renewing licences after 30 November will have to make a payment in full and receive a rebate at a later date. [140649]

Mr. Hill: We intend that all those entitled to rebates will receive notification as soon as possible after 30 November. The amount payable by those taking out licences with effect from 1 December onwards will be the statutory Vehicle Excise Duty less the amount of the rebate, so that there will be no need for a separate transaction to receive the rebate.

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