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London Underground
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many tube trains were running in each year since 1994; and how many tube train drivers were employed by London Underground in each of the same years. [159276]
Mr. Hill [holding answer 27 April 2001]: This is an operational matter for London Underground (LUL) who have provided the following information on the total number of peak trains required for service as at July of each year.
| Year | Total number of peak trains |
|---|---|
| 1994 | -- |
| 1995 | -- |
| 1996 | 464 |
| 1997 | 476 |
| 1998 | 484 |
| 1999 | 489 |
| 2000 | 505 |
LUL inform me that figures are not available for the years 1994 and 1995.
In relation to the question on tube train drivers, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to an earlier question on 9 April 2001, Official Report, column 386W, which contains information on the number of train drivers employed by London Underground (LUL) from 1995 to present. LUL inform me that information on driver numbers prior to 1995 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Nuclear Fuel Transport
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions took place with the German nuclear authorities in advance of permission being granted for the recent resumption of spent nuclear fuel transport from Germany to Sellafield. [159730]
Mr. Hill: Discussions have taken place between my officials and those of the competent authorities in Germany, and other European countries, to ensure there will be no repetition of the circumstances of excessive contamination which led to the suspension of spent fuel transports from Europe to Sellafield in mid 1998.
Euratom
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 23 April 2001, Official Report, column 85W, on Euratom, if, he will place in the Library copies of the Euratom nuclear site verification visit reports. [159755]
Mr. Meacher: Copies of the verification visit reports for Dounreay (10-14 May 1993 and 15-18 March 1999) and Sellafield (6-10 December 1993) are held by the Libraries of the House. The report for Dungeness (6-10 November 2000) has not yet been issued by the European Commission. Copies will be placed in the Libraries when it is published.
1 May 2001 : Column: 590W
Waste Management
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list those applications where incinerator ash or waste lime or dust was ultimately released to land by (a) site location, (b) year, (c) tonnage, (d) source and (e) end-use between 1990 and 2001; and if he will provide associated test results produced by his Department; [159491]
- (2) what regulations govern the use of incinerator ash, waste lime and dust, for chemical treatment; if he will list the (a) end destination, (b) usage of the residues and (c) end-product of such treatments and list sites where such material has been ultimately released to land, retail outlets or the food chain by (i) site location, (ii) year, (iii) tonnage, (iv) source and (v) end-use between 1990 and 2001; and if he will provide associated test results produced by his Department; [159489]
(3) if he will list by (a) location, (b) year, (c) tonnage, (d) source and (e) specific end-use the sites which received site-specific authorisation to use incinerator ash, lime and dust in unbound construction applications between 1990 and 2001; what the nature of the ash was; and if he will provide associated test results produced by his Department. [159490]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 30 April 2001]: The deposit, recovery or disposal of waste from incinerators is subject to the waste management controls set out in Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994 and the Special Waste Regulations 1996.
No information is held on the use of incinerator ash, waste lime or dust for: chemical treatment; unbound construction applications; or any other applications, prior to the formation of the Environment Agency in 1996. The Environment Agency have advised that such information for the period 1996 to 2001 is not held centrally. No associated test results have been produced by my Department.
However, the Environment Agency have also advised that they are currently carrying out an investigation into the destination of waste from municipal waste incinerators. I will ensure that, on completion of this investigation, copies of its results are sent to the hon. Member and placed in the Library of the House.
Road Incidents (Terminology)
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy when referring in official documents to road incidents to use the word crash instead of accident; and if he will make a statement. [159790]
Mr. Hill: No. It is well understood that many road accidents are due to the careless, if not reckless, action of some road users, but there is nothing to be gained from a change in terminology.
Regional Development Agencies
Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will place the register of interests of the board members of the Regional Development Agencies in the Library. [159526]
1 May 2001 : Column: 591W
Ms Beverley Hughes [holding answer 30 April 2001]: The English Regional Development Agencies' (RDAs) registers of members interests are the responsibility of the RDAs themselves and are available to the public on request. As such, the Secretary of State is not in a position to place them in the Library of the House.
The Devolved Administrations are responsible for development agencies outside England (eg Scottish Enterprise, Welsh Development Agency).
Local Government Act
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when regulations will be laid before the House to remove the inconsistencies in legislation as a result of the provisions of Part II of the Local Government Act 2000; and if he will set up an inquiry to investigate the reasons for the delay in discovering the problem and alerting local authorities to the situation. [159846]
Ms Beverley Hughes: Our intention is to lay all the necessary orders for councils to operate from June 2001 leader and cabinet constitutions. The first of these orders was laid before Parliament on 27 April 2001. As highlighted in the guidance issued on 26 October 2000 these orders have been included in our implementation plans from the outset. With the extended parliamentary consideration of some of the other secondary legislation made under Part II of the Local Government Act 2000 and with the postponement of the local elections it was not possible to make these orders as soon as we had originally planned and local authorities were informed of this as soon as the Elections Act 2001 received Royal Assent. No inquiry is necessary.
Travel Retailing Policy
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place a copy of the full report entitled "Travel Information and Retailing Policy Review: Final Response" in the Library. [159946]
Mr. Hill: Cap Gemini Ernst and Young prepared a report entitled "Travel Information and Retailing Policy Review: Final Report" for my Department last July. The report was prepared to inform Transport 2010: 10 Year Plan and a summary was placed on my Department's website. The full report was not published at the time as aspects of it were considered to be commercially confidential. However, our concerns about commercial confidentiality have passed and I have today placed a copy in the Library. Further copies will be available from my Department.
Road Signs
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to exchange imperial for metric measures for signs on public roads and for use in traffic laws. [159991]
Mr. Hill: Weight limit signs in metric tonnes were included in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1981, and signs using imperial tons ceased to be valid from 1 January 1990. The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994 specify that signs indicating restrictions on vehicle width, length and
1 May 2001 : Column: 592W
height may only show metric units in addition to, and not instead of, imperial units. We have no plans to change these Regulations to allow the use of metric distances on speed limit signs, distance plates placed with warning signs, or direction signs.
East London Line
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Old Bishopsgate goods yard will be redeveloped as part of the East London line proposals. [159988]
Mr. Hill: The Strategic Rail Authority announced funding for the northern extension of the East London line on 2 April. It is intended that advance works for construction of the northern extension will be carried out by London Underground Ltd., and will start at the end of this year. The programme for the main works, which will include the Bishopsgate Goods Yard site, is under discussion between the SRA and LUL, and will be finalised later in the year.
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