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Maritime Pollution

Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the appropriateness of the Tyne and Wear Oil Pollution Contingency Plan to deal with a major maritime pollution incident. [141184]

Mr. Hill: The Local Authority Tyne and Wear Oil Pollution Contingency Plan was submitted to the Coastguard Agency in 1995. It was updated in December 1999 by the merged Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). In light of the revision of the National Contingency Plan (NCP) for marine pollution from shipping and offshore installations, published in February 2000, the MCA wrote to each maritime Local Authority asking for a status update on their oil pollution plans. Once a response has been received from Tyne and Wear Emergency Planning Unit the MCA will assess the appropriateness of this plan.

Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to improve preparations to deal with major maritime pollution incidents by (a) increasing the Civil Defence Specific Grant, (b) increasing funding by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and (c) placing a statutory duty on local authorities to prepare and respond to such incidents. [141185]

Mr. Hill: (a) Civil Defence Specific Grant is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

(b) Adequate funding has already been provided to allow the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to undertake its role in preparing, and assisting other bodies to prepare, for major maritime pollution incidents. This role includes implementing the "National Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution from Shipping and Offshore Installations" and contributing to the overall effectiveness of the "National Contingency Plan" by conducting exercises with local authorities, training contingency planners and providing stockpiles of material and equipment needed to combat pollution.

(c) The matter is still under active consideration.

Building Regulations

Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to receive recommendations from the Building

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Regulations Advisory Committee regarding changes to part L of the Building Regulations; and if he will make a statement. [140863]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Proposals to change Part L of the Building Regulations were put out to public consultation in June this year, and over 350 responses have been received. These proposals are now being re-examined by my Department in conjunction with the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, and I hope to receive the Committee's recommendations in the first half of next year.

Local Government Pension Scheme

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to enable a pension to be paid under the local government pension scheme to one nominated financial dependant where there is no spouse; and if he will make a statement. [140913]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The Government's White Paper "Partnership in Pensions" in December 1998 explained that if the general membership of a public service scheme such as the Local Government Pension Scheme wanted in future to provide survivor benefits for partners other than a legal spouse, and were prepared to meet the additional costs, we would consider how this might be achieved. My Department is currently liaising with the Employers' Organisation and the Trade Union representatives, who are working up joint proposals, about how an amendment to the scheme might be introduced which will not adversely impact on local authority employers' pension costs.

Railway Network (South Nottinghamshire)

Mr. Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of Nottinghamshire County Council's plans for the South Nottinghamshire Railway Network. [141108]

Mr. Hill: The South Nottinghamshire Rail Network was included as part of the proposals for local heavy rail network development within the Greater Nottingham Local Transport Plan submitted jointly in July 2000 by Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council. The plan made clear that the authorities and their partners, including Derbyshire County Council, the Train Operating Companies and Railtrack, are continuing to develop their proposals.

I understand that a pre-qualification bid for the South Notts Rail Network submitted to the shadow Strategic Rail Authority under the Rail Passenger Partnership scheme has been successful. It is now for the respective partners in the scheme to work up a detailed bid.

Mr. Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the proposed extension of the South Nottinghamshire Railway Network to include Gedling. [141109]

Mr. Hill: While the Greater Nottingham Local Transport Plan did contain an outline proposal to provide rail access to Gedling, it remains for the partners in the South Nottinghamshire Rail Network scheme to submit further details to the sSRA in support of an RPP bid.

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Foreign-owned Vehicles

Mr. Corbett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps are taken by his Department to check the roadworthiness of foreign-owned trucks and trailers arriving at sea ports. [140910]

Mr. Hill: Records of the checks of foreign-owned trucks and trailers by the Vehicle Inspectorate do not identify where the location was a port.

In the year 1999-2000, 3,684 such vehicles were checked for roadworthiness and 314 prohibitions were issued.

Mr. Corbett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last three years of (a) drivers and (b) owners of foreign-owned trucks and trailers found to be unroadworthy on arrival at sea ports. [140911]

Mr. Hill: Roadworthiness checks on foreign vehicles are carried out by the Vehicle Inspectorate's vehicle examiners who prohibit rather prosecute as this is a more effective sanction. Records of these checks do not identify where the location was a port. In the year 1999-2000, 3,684 such vehicles were checked for roadworthiness and 314 prohibitions were issued. In 1998-99, 3,498 vehicles were checked and 301 prohibitions issued, and in 1997-98, 5,343 vehicles were checked and 354 prohibitions issued.

Modified Agricultural Crops

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he last met representations of the Supply Chain Initiative for Modified Agricultural Crops. [141120]

Mr. Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment met representatives of SCIMAC on 29 November.

Advisory Committee on Releases to the

Environment

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the role and purpose of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment. [141119]

Mr. Mullin: The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) is a statutory science and technical committee formed under section 124 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

ACRE advises the UK Government, the devolved Administrations and the Health and Safety Commission/Executive on the risks posed to human health and the environment from the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms. The Committee also advises on the release of non-native plants and animals covered by sections 14 and 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

ACRE members are independent and appointed purely for their scientific and technical expertise. The Committee meets approximately eight times each year and the Agenda and Minutes of the meetings are published on the

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Internet at www.environment.detr.gov.uk/acre/index.htm. Further information about the role, purpose and activities of ACRE, its membership and full Terms of Reference may be found in the Committee's 1999 Annual Report, a copy of which is in the House Library, as well as on the website above.

Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (Transport)

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what joint assessment he has made with the University of East Anglia on bus routes to the Norfolk and Norwich hospital. [140924]

Mr. Hill: The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has made no joint assessment with the University of East Anglia on bus routes to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. Public transport access is a matter for Norfolk County Council, as the local transport authority, to discuss with the Hospital Trust and the commercial operators. It is important that solutions to local transport problems are developed locally.

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with the East Anglian Ambulance Service on road transport to the Norfolk and Norwich hospital. [140919]

Mr. Hill: The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has had no discussions with the East Anglian Ambulance Service on road transport to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. It is the responsibility of Norfolk County Council, as the local transport authority, to discuss with the East Anglian Ambulance Service the matter of road transport to the hospital.

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