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Transport Safety
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will complete his review of transport safety and accident investigation. [101846]
Mr. Hill: The review of transport safety arrangements, including accident investigation, is expected to be completed in the New Year.
Radioactive Waste
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on recent EU legislation allowing member states to recycle low-level radioactive waste into consumer products. [101694]
Mr. Mullin:
The EURATOM Basic Safety Standards Directive Euratom 96-29 imposes a high degree of radiological protection revising earlier Directives setting
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basic safety standards for the protection of workers and members of the public against the dangers of ionising radiation. Article five of the Directive makes the disposal, recycling or re-use of radioactive substances subject to authorisation by the regulators.
With most materials containing some radioactivity it is important to set thresholds in regulations below which materials will be treated as outside the framework of control. The Directive therefore permits member states to set levels of radioactivity below which materials can be disposed of, recycled and re-used without needing prior authorisation. This concept is known as clearance, with clearance levels setting a threshold at or below which the levels of radioactivity are small and pose negligible radiological risk, irrespective of the volume and fate of that material. The Government have recently issued a consultation document on implementation of the Directive including the issue of clearance levels. Responses to this are still being considered and Government proposals will be made in due course.
In the UK, the sale or disposal of radioactively contaminated material is closely regulated by the Environment Agency (in England and Wales), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (in Scotland), and Department of Environment (NI) in Northern Ireland under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 to ensure that the levels of radioactivity involved pose insignificant risk to human health or the environment.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received concerning the recycling of low-level radioactive waste into consumer products. [101695]
Mr. Mullin:
In response to a leaflet run by the Low Level Radiation Campaign (LLRC) about concerns of contaminated materials being reused and recycled into consumer goods, the Department has received 28 letters, 14 of which have been replied to by Ministers and 14 by officials. In addition, in response to a recent consultation exercise on implementation of the revised Basic Safety Standards Directive Euratom 96/29, further representations in support of the LLRC were received.
My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment has met with representatives of the LLRC when the matter of recycling low-level radioactive waste in consumer products was discussed.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to strengthen the regulation of rail companies to ensure that adequate rolling stock is provided on peak-time rail services in order to avert over-crowding. [101346]
Mr. Hill
[holding answer 6 December 1999]: Train Operating Companies (TOCs) have a general obligation to avoid excessive overcrowding on all services. London commuter TOCs and TOCs providing some commuter services into Edinburgh are subject to annual counts of Passengers in Excess of Capacity (PIXC) and must not exceed 4.5 per cent. above capacity in either the morning or evening peak and 3 per cent. in the combined morning and evening peaks. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister issued the Franchising Director with new
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Instructions and Guidance on 29 September 1999 in which he asked him to deliver improvements in services through re-negotiation of the terms of franchise agreements.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his policy is on the electrification of the Blackpool to Manchester line. [101345]
Mr. Hill
[holding answer 6 December 1999]: Railtrack have told me that they believe there is no business case for electrification of the Blackpool to Manchester line unless external funding is available. They also say that no interest has been shown from any train operating company.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the brownfield development sites in (a) Colchester borough and (b) Tendring district. [101631]
Ms Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 6 December 1999]: The information is not available centrally. Provisional estimates, from the National Land Use Database, of the total amount of previously developed land that may be available for redevelopment by Government Office Region were published last May in the Department's Information Bulletin 500.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what Government-sponsored research there has been into the health effects of burning landfill gases in the last 10 years. [101434]
Mr. Hill:
Last year the Department commissioned the Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial College to carry out a national study of adverse health effects around landfill sites. The results of this study are anticipated in approximately 18 months time. In September this year my right hon. Friend, the Minister for the Environment, launched a Government-funded research programme which will provide further information about potential harmful effects of substances which may be released from landfill sites.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which body is responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient water resources for future large scale development under regional planning guidance. [101433]
Ms Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 6 December 1999]: The consultation draft of Planning Policy Guidance Note 11--Regional Planning, published earlier this year, makes clear (para. 2.31) that the Regional Planning Bodies, in framing policies in draft Regional Planning Guidance, should consider with the Environment Agency and the water industry the availability of water resources. Regional Planning Guidance should help foster co-operation between local planning authorities, water
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companies and the Environment Agency to ensure that water supply sources are protected and that rates of development do not exceed the capacities of existing or planned water supply systems to meet projected demand.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the costs of public transport in (a) London and (b) other European capitals. [101510]
Mr. Hill:
The cost to the Government of supporting London Transport is recorded in the Annual Report of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. The Annual Report also gives the cost of supporting train services, though it is not possible to identify separately the cost of supporting train services in London.
Costs incurred by London Transport in providing bus and underground services are published in their annual report and accounts.
The Government do not maintain statistics on the finances of public transport systems in other European capitals.
Mrs. Ellman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the role of the public sector in providing match funding for the Objective 1 Merseyside Programme for (a) the current programme and (b) the programme for 2000-2006. [101840]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
Merseyside has run a highly successful Objective 1 programme in the current round, and the Government welcome the new Objective 1 programme which will bring in more than £850 million in European funding. This will bring new opportunities to stimulate economic growth and encourage increased investment and jobs.
The position on match funding for the Objective 1 Merseyside Programme has not changed--it will continue to be the responsibility of grant applicants. This principle is an important element in ensuring local ownership and commitment, and helping integration of regional priorities and strategies. In this way, European funding is used alongside money already provided at the national and local level to help revitalise the area and achieve a better quality of life for those who live there.
The Government have provided, and will continue to provide, significant financial support for Merseyside through a wide variety of programmes. These include the Single Regeneration Budget and New Deal for Communities, as well as mainstream programmes such as the Revenue Support Grant for local authorities. Local partnerships can prioritise the use of these resources to fund projects jointly with the Structural Funds, thereby boosting their impact.
Regional partners can also seek to match their European funds with contributions from the voluntary and private sectors, as well as through loans from organisations such as the European Investment Bank.
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