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Heavy Goods Vehicles
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many foreign-registered heavy goods vehicles were involved in road accidents in Britain in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999 and (e) 2000. [155989]
Mr. Hill: Data on foreign-registered vehicles involved in road accidents are not available.
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GM Maize (Shropshire)
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the GM maize plantings in Shropshire by Ordnance Survey grid reference; and if he will make a statement. [155968]
Mr. Meacher: EU Directive 90/220, on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to the environment, recognises two types of release. The first, known as Part B releases, are carried out for research purposes and must be notified to the Government. Their location must be advertised locally and made publicly available through the register of releases held by my Department. The second type of release, known as a Part C release, is for commercial purposes. Such releases do not have to be notified to the Government, as the crops have undergone detailed safety assessments at European level and been approved for commercial use. However, where such releases are carried out as part of the farm scale evaluations or as part of the National Seed List trials then their location is notified to Government and made publicly available.
The public register of releases shows that no GM maize is presently being grown in Shropshire under Part B consents. I also understand that no National List trials of GM maize are presently taking place in Shropshire and that no GM maize is presently under cultivation as part of the farm scale evaluations. However, the locations of the next round of GM maize sites for the evaluations will be announced shortly by my Department. The sites are likely to be sown from the end of April. Details of their locations, including Ordnance Survey grid references, will be placed on our website at www.detr.gov.uk. We will also write to parish councils in whose area an evaluation is to be sited to provide information about the release.
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Department Policies (Luton, South)
Ms Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effects on the Luton, South constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [156165]
Ms Armstrong: The principal funding that this Department has provided to Luton borough council from 1997-98 is shown in the table. These figures include grants and borrowing approvals for revenue and capital expenditure.
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It is not possible to determine how much of this money has been spent on Luton, South. It is for the local authority to decide where within its boundary these resources are applied.
The transport allocations shown are for the Luton/ Dunstable conurbation, which includes part of South Bedfordshire district. Similarly, the Single Regeneration Budget partnership operates across the conurbation--the figures given are an estimate of the amount going into Luton.
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| Nature of funding | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | (7)2001-02 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Support Grant | 75.478 | 81.382 | 82.804 | 89.299 | -- |
| Income from National Non-Domestic Rates | 41.033 | 42.769 | 46.379 | 51.567 | -- |
| Local Government Reorganisation Supplementary Credit Approval | 3.575 | 2.160 | 0.186 | -- | -- |
| Housing Investment Programme | 3.337 | 2.978 | 1.843 | 5.920 | 2.952 + |
| (MRA of 5.691) | |||||
| Housing Revenue Account Subsidy | 6.939 | 6.262 | 5.889 | 5.597 | -- |
| Capital Receipts Initiative | 0.481 | 1.664 | 1.843 | -- | -- |
| Cash Incentive Scheme | 0.250 | 0.106 | - | -- | -- |
| SRB funding | 1.430 | 1.570 | 2.000 | 1.250 | 2.900 |
| New Deal for Communities Funding | -- | -- | -- | 0.300 | (8)0.100 |
| Neighbourhood Renewal Funding | -- | -- | -- | -- | 0.754 |
| ERDF funding | -- | -- | -- | -- | (9)-- |
| Transport Supplementary Grant | 0.224 | 0.268 | 0.307 | 0 | 0 |
| Transport Annual Capital Guideline | 0.224 | 0.268 | 0.307 | 0 | 0 |
| Transport Block Supplementary Credit Approval | 2.704 | 0.913 | 3.730 | 2.574 | 4.919 |
(7) Where known
(8) The NDC funding is for the Marsh Farm estate, a project in the Luton, North constituency.
(9) Not yet known--13 wards in Luton have been designated for assistance under the new Objective 2 Programme (2000-06). Formal approval of the programme is expected soon.
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Roadway Drainage
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidelines he issued and responsibilities he has for ensuring that roadway drainage systems and ditches are maintained, particularly in relation to rural roads in England, Wales and Scotland. [156074]
Mr. Hill [holding answer 29 March 2001]: Guidance on the maintenance of drainage systems and ditches on all local authority roads in England is contained in the local authorities' Code of Good Practice for Highway Maintenance. The responsibility for maintenance of these roads rests with the local highway authorities.
The Secretary of State is directly responsible for trunk roads and this responsibility is exercised through the Highways Agency. Appropriate guidance has been issued to the Highways Agency's contractors.
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Road maintenance in Wales and Scotland is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.
Departmental Policies (Hazel Grove)
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Hazel Grove constituency, the effects on Hazel Grove of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [156178]
Ms Armstrong: The principal kinds of funding which this Department has provided to Stockport in 1997-98 to 2000-01 are shown in the table. These include grants and borrowings approvals for revenue and capital expenditure.
It is not possible to determine how much money has been spent on Hazel Grove. It is for the local authority to decide where within its boundary these resources are invested.
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(10) These figures have not been adjusted to make year on year comparisons possible
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Heathrow Airport
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the underground railway being built at Heathrow Airport between Terminal 4 and the proposed Terminal 5. [156170]
Mr. Hill: No London Underground railway is currently being built between Terminal 4 and the proposed Terminal 5 at Heathrow. The proposed extension of the Piccadilly Line to the proposed fifth terminal at Heathrow was considered at the Terminal 5 Inquiry. The Inquiry Inspector's report has been received and a decision on Terminal 5 will be issued as soon as possible consistent with full and careful consideration of the report.
Business Rates (Tourism)
Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to delay the introduction of supplementary business rates on businesses in the tourism industry. [156332]
Ms Armstrong: In our Green Paper, "Modernising Local Government Finance" (September 2000) we sought views on the details of a scheme which would give local authorities limited freedom to vary the business rate in their areas. A summary of the responses to the Green Paper has been published on the DETR website. We are currently considering the issues raised in the responses with representatives of business and local authorities.
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