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Construction Industry Safety

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what has been the impact on safety in the construction industry of the Safety Summit; if she will make a statement on progress and plans in this area; what priority the Government accords to improving construction safety; and if she will make a statement. [9114]

Dr. Whitehead: The Government remain committed to ensuring that the construction industry achieves a step change in its health and safety performance. At the Summit in February the industry adopted challenging targets to achieve this improvement, and through its various representative organisations published action plans to deliver those targets. At the Revitalising Heath and Safety in Construction Conference in London on 18 October the industry reviewed progress, and debated how to maintain the momentum of turning concern into

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positive action. The Summit was always recognised as the start of a long process and this recent conference was one step along the way. It is too early to judge whether the undoubted activity taking place with action plans will achieve results in terms of the targets industry has set itself, but Ministers maintain an active interest and have asked to be kept informed of developments.

Antisocial Tenants

Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions officials have had with Nottingham city council to discuss the speeding up of the process for eviction of antisocial tenants; and if he will make a statement. [9473]

Ms Keeble: My officials met Nottingham city council on 11 October to discuss possible approaches for speeding up the process of eviction of antisocial tenants. As part of taking this area of work forward they are setting up similar discussions with other local authorities.

Heathrow

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when his Department will publish the decision on the planning inquiry for Terminal 5 at Heathrow; and if he will make a statement. [9359]

Ms Keeble: The decision on the planning inquiry for Terminal 5 at Heathrow will be published as soon as possible, consistent with full and careful consideration of the Inquiry Inspector's Report, the results of the recent consultation on BAA's revised proposals for the diversion of two rivers around the proposed Terminal 5 site and other post-inquiry representations.

Local Government Ombudsman

Mr. Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will extend the remit of the Local Government Ombudsman to cover parish and town councils. [9251]

Dr. Whitehead: We have no plans to bring parish councils within the jurisdiction of the Local Government Ombudsman. In the case of parish councils there is a direct line of accountability provided by the right of local electors to raise any concerns about the business or conduct of their parish council at the annual public meeting.

Cotswold Line

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the re-franchising of railway services operating on the Cotswold line between Oxford and Worcester. [9503]

Mr. Jamieson: Oxford-Worcester services are predominantly provided by Thames Trains. The current franchise is not due to expire until April 2004. On 16 July the Secretary of State asked the Strategic Rail Authority to consider how improvements for passengers could be secured within existing franchises, or by negotiating short extensions. The Strategic Rail Authority has reviewed

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its franchise replacement programme in light of that statement and will announce its plans as agreed with Ministers in due course.

Private Sector Housing Stock

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what initiatives he has taken to (a) renovate and (b) clear decaying private sector housing stock in (i) England and (ii) east Lancashire since 1997. [9388]

Ms Keeble: The responsibility for renovating or clearing decaying private sector housing lies primarily with local housing authorities. But in our Housing Policy Statement "The Way Forward for Housing", published last April, we set out a number of ways in which local housing authorities may make better use of their powers.

"The Way Forward for Housing" announced relaxations to the rules governing the declaration of renewal areas and group repair schemes. These came into force immediately. The Housing Policy Statement also set out major new changes to allow authorities far greater freedom in renovating or clearing private sector stock. Subject to parliamentary approval of an order under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001, local authorities will be given a new general power replacing the present detailed grant regimes. These reforms, planned to come into force in 2002, will broaden authorities' present loan-giving powers, enable payments to be made to third parties to lever in private finance, and enable help to be offered to people to move to a new home as an option to renovating their existing one.

These reforms are in addition to a wide range of regeneration programmes pursued by this Government, including the Single Regeneration Budget, the New Deal for Communities and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund which can be used for decaying private sector housing.

Royal Prerogative

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many ministerial decisions were made where authority for the same derived from the royal prerogative for the most recent calendar month for which information is available. [9372]

Dr. Whitehead: Records are not kept of the individual occasions on which powers under the royal prerogative are exercised nor could it be practicable to do so.

South Central Rail Franchise

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects GoVia to take over the South Central rail franchise. [9066]

Mr. Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority announced the transfer of the South Central franchise to GoVia on 24 August. Negotiations are continuing between the two parties to put in place a new 20 year franchise as soon as possible.

GoVia

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what

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assessment he made of the impact on the timetable and content of GoVia's recently awarded franchise and the timetable and content of GoVia's proposed new franchise of his decision on Railtrack before the announcements on its future. [9895]

Mr. Jamieson: The current condition of the rail network and the need for investment are clearly relevant to the future of the South Central franchise, and my right hon. Friend's announcement was intended to pave the way for those issues to be better addressed.

Airport Security

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list (a) the promotional material relating to airport security prepared by his Department, its predecessors or agencies offered for potential broadcast on TV, radio or in cinemas since 11 September, indicating which have been broadcast by whom and when and (b) programmes, companies and organisations which have refused to broadcast such material; and if he will make a statement. [9467]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 23 October 2001]: No such material has been offered for potential broadcast on TV, radio or in cinemas.

Area-based Initiatives

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will publish the report he commissioned on the impact of the Government's area-based initiatives. [9856]

Ms Keeble: I anticipate the report on "Collaboration and co-ordination in area-based initiatives" will be published in mid to late December 2001.

Flight Paths (London)

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the decision made after the events of 11 September to re-route flights away from central London. [8306]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 23 October 2001]: Following the tragic events in USA on 11 September, the Government took immediate steps to restrict flying over the United Kingdom as a precautionary measure while the new terrorist threat was evaluated. Two Restriction of Flying Orders were put in place. These measures were kept under constant review and as a consequence there was a gradual relaxation of restrictions. The first order banning all general aviation flying was lifted at midnight on Wednesday 12 September. The second order banning flights over central London was amended at midnight on 13 September to reduce the amount of London airspace restricted and enable London City airport to reopen (while still protecting central London including Canary wharf). Although this order lapsed at midnight on Saturday 16 September the Government continue to monitor the situation and stand ready to impose further restrictions should they become necessary.

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