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Railtrack (Advertising Revenue)
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the arrangements whereby Railtrack receives revenue from advertising hoardings which were previously in the ownership of British Rail. [100680]
Mr. Hill: This is a commercial matter for Railtrack.
Environment Agency
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the results of the current consultation upon the performance of the Environment Agency. [100142]
Mr. Mullin:
My Department is not currently consulting upon the performance of the Environment Agency.
30 Nov 1999 : Column: 144W
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals the Government have for the future of the Environment Agency. [100143]
Mr. Mullin:
As part of the Government's programme of regular five-yearly financial management and policy reviews of non-departmental public bodies, my Department will be conducting a thorough review of the Environment Agency next year, in conjunction with MAFF and the National Assembly for Wales.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with the train operating companies about facilities for bicycles on trains. [100693]
Mr. Hill:
The Secretary of State has not held discussions with the train operating companies about facilities for bicycles on trains. On 29 September he issued the Franchising Director with new Instructions and Guidance (copy in the House Library) which ask him to promote the use of bicycles by seeking the provision of reasonable facilities on board new rolling stock and at stations. The Franchising Director's staff hold discussions about bicycle provision with train operating companies whenever new rolling stock is ordered.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the (a) costs and (b) time scales of IT projects which are being undertaken by his Department; if he will list the (i) start date, (ii) planned completion date, (iii) expected completion date, (iv) planned cost and (v) current estimated cost of these projects; and if he will make a statement. [100795]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 22 November 1999, Official Report, column 21W. The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Andrew George:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what representations he has received in relation to the introduction of full passenger registration systems on small ferry services; [98659]
Mr. Hill:
Following political agreement to the EC Directive 98/41, a working group was set up with representatives of all sectors of the passenger ship industry to discuss how the Directive could be implemented. The industry urged flexibility, and the UK regulations were accordingly drafted to allow operators the freedom to determine the particular arrangements to be used for counting and registration, provided that those arrangements comply with the terms of the Directive.
30 Nov 1999 : Column: 145W
My Department also formally consulted the industry on the draft regulations, which would transpose the Directive into UK law. Representations were received from the following in response to the consultation exercise, and were taken into account before the national regulations were made on 30 June 1999:
Mr. Hill:
Most small ferry companies are unaffected because they do not operate in waters to which the directive applies the registration system. A compliance cost assessment was prepared while directive 98/41 was being negotiated. The estimated total cost to those British shipping lines and ports affected was around £6 million for the initial capital cost of implementation, with annual revenue of around £2.5 million. These estimates were based on information provided by the shipping industry. Copies of the compliance cost assessment are in the House Library.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Health and Safety Executive has taken to ensure that the medical records of former employees of Capper Pass and Son Ltd., working at the Capper Pass smelting plant, were retained by their parent company Rio Tinto. [100104]
Mr. Prescott:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has not been able to identify any specific communication in its files with Capper Pass concerning the retention of medical records around the time when the Capper Pass smelter closed in 1991. The HSE doctor who dealt with Capper Pass at that time no longer works for HSE.
Duties are placed on employers in specific legislation controlling the use of lead and ionising radiation to retain certain records, and to retain certain health-related information under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1989. HSE inspectors do not routinely follow up the retention of records every time premises close.
In recent months, due to problems concerning release of the records to representatives of former employees of Capper Pass, HSE staff have communicated with Rio
30 Nov 1999 : Column: 146W
Tinto plc about the retention and ownership of the records. I have corresponded with Rio Tinto senior staff and have been assured that Rio Tinto's senior occupational physician is arranging for relevant medical files to be released to those acting for former employees as soon as practicable.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures the Government are taking to limit pollution from motor vehicles. [99018]
Mr. Hill:
The UK has played a central role in the development of tighter European vehicle emission and fuel quality standards. On a domestic level, we are encouraging the use of cleaner vehicles through fiscal incentives, the work of the cleaner vehicles task force and the Powershift programme. These measures are expected to reduce significantly the emissions from road vehicles over the next few years.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the effects on e-commerce and user verification of the proposals restricting access to the electoral register contained in the Representation of the People Bill. [100672]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
I have been asked to reply.
A regulatory impact statement relating to the Representation of the People Bill was placed in the Library on 18 November to coincide with the Bill's introduction.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many reports he has received in each of the last five years of accidents caused by unsafe fireworks; and if he will make a statement. [99296]
Mr. Crausby:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have sustained injuries as a result of accidents involving fireworks in 1999. [100604]
Dr. Howells:
Figures on the numbers and types of injuries caused by fireworks and treated at hospital Accident and Emergency units in England, Scotland and Wales during the four week period covering the run-up to 5 November and a few days afterwards are as follows:
(2) what assessment he has made of how small ferry services will meet full passenger registration regulations. [98660]
British Ports Association
Caledonian MacBrayne
Central Scotland Passenger Vessel Association
Chamber of Shipping
Confederation of Passenger Transport
NUMAST
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
Orkney Islands Council
Passenger Shipping Association
Road Haulage Association
Seafrance
Shetland Islands Council
South Coast Passenger Vessel Operators Association
The UK Major Ports Group Ltd.
Waverley Excursions Ltd.
Mr. Andrew George:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the financial implications of the full passenger registration system for small ferry companies. [98661]
| Figures | |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 831 |
| 1997 | 908 |
| 1996 | 1,233 |
| 1995 | 1,530 |
| 1994 | 1,574 |
The statistics do not indicate whether the injury was due to a firework malfunctioning or to misuse.
30 Nov 1999 : Column: 147W
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many accidents involving fireworks have been recorded in the last 12 months. [99288]
Dr. Howells: Because injuries from fireworks are concentrated in the period around 5 November, the statistics of the Home Accident Surveillance System do not provide a reliable picture of injury levels. Accordingly, my Department conducts a census of injuries requiring treatment at a hospital A & E department in England, Scotland or Wales during the four week period covering the run-up to 5 November and a few days afterwards. The results for the census for the 1999 season are not yet available but I shall publish them before spring 2000.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received in the last 12 months on the sale of fireworks. [99287]
Dr. Howells: I have received a total of 224 representations on fireworks safety matters, comprised of 104 letters from Parliamentary colleagues, 13 Parliamentary questions and 107 letters from the public.
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to prevent the display of fireworks for sale until 27 December. [100608]
Dr. Howells: Following discussions with my Department, the British Pyrotechnists' Association has agreed that it will advise retailers that fireworks should be displayed for sale only from 27 December. I welcome and support the agreement because I want to avoid the possibility of people buying fireworks and storing them over the Christmas period.
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