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GM Farm-scale Trials
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the requirements are for informing the public of the existence of GM farm-scale trials in their area; and if he will make a statement. [101718]
Mr. Meacher: In the case of consents for crops in the farm-scale evaluation programme issued in conformity with Directive 90/220/EEC Part B (ie research and development consents), there is a requirement under the GMO legislation to make available the locations of the sites. These are held on a public register, and advertisements are placed in the local press. For crops which have approval for Part C consent (ie placing on the market), under the GMO legislation there is no requirement for companies to make the locations of these sites publicly available. At the present time, this applies to herbicide tolerant maize within the farm-scale evaluations. However, the locations of all fields within the farm-scale evaluations are notified to my Department, and the Department makes the information available to the public, including via the DETR website.
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many representations he has received against GM farm-scale trials in each month from 1992; and if he will make a statement. [101715]
Mr. Meacher: I announced the setting up of the farm-scale evaluation programme in October 1998. Since then, approximately 4,400 letters from members of the public have been received across the whole range of biotechnology issues. My Department does not classify these according to individual subject, but I estimate that approximately one third of these are concerned with the farm scale evaluations programme. I have received approximately 260 representations concerned with the farm-scale evaluations from Members of Parliament. In addition, approximately 36,550 representations have been received to date through campaigns and signatures on petitions. My Department is still receiving individual representations.
Pesticides Tax
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the reduction in pesticides use which will be achieved as a result of the Government's proposed pesticides tax. [101831]
Mr. Meacher:
The Government published a consultants' report in March this year on the design of a tax or charge scheme for pesticides which contained estimates of the reduction in pesticide use which might be expected under various assumptions. No decision has been taken yet on whether to proceed with a tax. The current position is set out in the Chancellor's November Pre-Budget Report.
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Mr. Maude:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the reduction in carbon monoxide emissions over a 10-year period that would be achieved by replacing two 1200MW coal-fired power stations with two gas-fired power stations of the same capacity. [101832]
Mr. Meacher:
The amount of carbon monoxide emitted over a 10-year period will depend on a number of factors including, critically, the number of hours that the plant will operate over that time. For this reason an answer in tonnage cannot be given. We might expect, however, that a combined cycle gas turbine power station would emit approximately 5 per cent. of the carbon monoxide a similar capacity and similarly loaded coal-fired power station would. In total, power stations contribute only 1 per cent. to total carbon monoxide emissions in the UK.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is a requirement that all trains be equipped with telephones that are operational at all times. [101482]
Mr. Hill:
It is not a requirement that all trains be equipped with telephones that are operational at all times. The provision of telephones for passenger use is, along with other facilities provided on trains, a commercial matter for the train operating company concerned.
Most trains are fitted with radio communication systems to enable contact with signalling or control centres by train crew. In areas where the ability of radio communication systems to reliably operate is restricted or possibly not available at all, line side telephone equipment is available.
Mr. Prosser:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will carry out a full investigation of the operation of the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Dover, having particular regard to the adequacy of (a) physical and (b) human resources at the time of maximum communications traffic in the operation of the Channel Navigation Information Service. [101823]
Mr. Hill:
There is no perceived basis for an investigation into the physical or human resources at the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Dover in the operation of the Channel Navigation Information Service.
The physical and human resources required to execute the tasks of the Centre are adequate for its primary role of search and rescue and the Channel Navigation Information Service roles.
At times of maximum communications traffic, exceptionally, ships may experience a wait of no more than ten minutes. This has no effect on the safe navigation of vessels within the Dover Strait.
Mr. Prosser:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what additional resources are to be made available at the
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Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Dover, following the suspension of the Channel Navigation Information Service, on 24 August; [101825]
Mr. Hill:
The Channel Navigation Information Service at the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Dover has not been suspended. Therefore, there have been no dangers caused to shipping as a consequence.
The responsibility for the safe navigation of vessels passing through or across the Dover Strait remains with the Masters of those vessels. The recently introduced mandatory reporting requirements for vessels of 300 gross tons or more is a means of assisting French and British coastguards in identifying vessels should they fail to comply with international regulations for preventing collisions at sea, specifically Rule 10 which covers the use of Traffic Separation Schemes.
The very brief, rare and temporary suspension of the mandatory reporting, not the Channel Navigation Information Service, following the serious collision between the Norwegian Dream and Ever Decent on 24 August 1999 did not endanger shipping within the Straits of Dover.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions he has held with Leicestershire County Council about the extension of the Ivanhoe Line rail service. [101442]
Mr. Hill:
None. However, the shadow Strategic Rail Authority met with Leicestershire County Council on 23 September to discuss rail service development plans for Leicester and Leicestershire. Leicestershire County Council indicated that they would submit two bids early in the new year under the Rail Passenger Partnership scheme, one of which was Stage two of the Ivanhoe Line.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the A6 bus lane in Loughborough during its trial period. [101440]
Mr. Hill:
I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Peter Nutt, to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Peter Nutt to Mr. Andrew Reed, dated 13 December 1999:
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Mr. Alexander:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the drink driving rehabilitation scheme; and what plans he has to extend it to other parts of the country. [101919]
Mr. Hill:
The experimental rehabilitation scheme for drink drive offenders has been running since 1993 and 175 court areas are currently designated to refer offenders to courses. Research carried out for the Department has shown that those who attend a rehabilitation course are three times less likely to reoffend than those who do not. Having now been approved by both Houses of Parliament, the scheme will be made permanent and will operate throughout Great Britain from 1 January 2000. We are issuing guidance about the scheme to all course providers and to the courts, and will place a copy in the Library of both Houses.
(2) what assessment he has made of the dangers to shipping as a consequence of suspension of the Channel Navigation Information Service at the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Dover. [101824]
I have been asked by the Transport Minister, Keith Hill, to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the bus lane on the A6 in Loughborough.
Proposals for a busy lane on the A6 between Quorn and Loughborough were developed by the Agency and the Loughborough Bus Partnership.
Following public consultation on the proposals in October 1998, the bus lane was introduced on an experimental basis in March 1999.
The results have been encouraging. Bus journey time reliability has improved in the morning peak, maximum queue lengths have been reduced, traffic flows have improved and car journey times at
the height of the morning peak have improved. If you require any further details on the results gathered to date please contact Peter Adams, Project Manager for the scheme, on telephone number 0121 678 8215.
We have consulted with the local authorities and the police about the future of the bus lane and are minded to make it permanent. This would require the publication of draft Orders, on which the public may make representations.
We expect to announce a decision early next year and I shall write to you again nearer the time.
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