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European Railways (Interoperability)
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 23 October 2001, Official Report, column 192W, what practical changes will be required in the UK rail network as a result of Directive 2001/16/EC. [10950]
Mr. Jamieson: The Directive requires that all projects relating to the construction, upgrading, renewal and operation of the trans-European conventional rail system conform to European Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSIs). This system includes all the main rail lines in the UK. These TSIs will set out the detailed technical requirements that must be met, at both component and overall system levels.
They do not yet exist and the drafting process has only recently begun, so it is not possible at this stage to state what practical changes will be necessary to the UK rail network.
Cleaner Vehicles
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what guidance he has given to car manufacturers on the future for LPG cars; [9939]
- (2) what recent assessment he has made of the potential for LPG cars to improve air quality; [9940]
(3) what plans the Government have to encourage manufacturers to make LPG cars. [9944]
Mr. Jamieson: The changes I announced recently to my Department's PowerShift programme, following consultation with vehicle manufacturers, fuel suppliers and others, indicate the Government's strong continuing commitment to supporting the wider introduction of vehicles running on LPG, natural gas and electricity, reflecting their contribution to improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Availability of production-line LPG vehicles will help consumers to take up the gas option, and the Government have introduced an additional 20 per cent. grant for production-line LPG vehicles. I am pleased that several manufacturers are already introducing such vehicles.
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The PowerShift programme monitors the environmental performance of LPG vehicles to ensure that PowerShift- approved vehicles and conversions deliver consistently clean performance.
Speed Restrictions
Mr. Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to issue revised guidance on factors affecting the imposition of speed restrictions on roads. [10000]
Mr. Jamieson: The Road Safety Strategy committed us to an assessment framework for determining the appropriates speeds for roads and a simplified method of making speed limit orders.
Starter Home Initiative
Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions for what reason teachers in further education are not eligible for the Starter Home Initiative. [10231]
Ms Keeble: The Starter Home Initiative assistance available for teachers is being targeted on the compulsory education sector where the most severe recruitment and retention problems for teachers, which the Initiative aims to help alleviate, are being experienced.
We recognise that other key workers, including teachers in further education, need to be able to find affordable homes within a reasonable distance of their workplace. Our wider housing policies to increase the supply of affordable homes, particularly in areas where demand is high, will benefit other groups of key workers. By 2003–04 capital investment in housing will have risen to more than £4 billion compared with planned spending of £1.5 billion in 1997–98. We plan to provide 100,000 new or improved homes for low cost renting or home ownership over the next three years.
We are also looking afresh at planning guidance as a means of providing more opportunities for key worker housing.
National Air Traffic Services
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the financial position of National Air Traffic Services; and if it is seeking new public finance. [10439]
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he has received an application for additional funding from the National Air Traffic Services; and what effect additional funding would have on the proposed National Air Traffic Control Centre at Prestwick. [10246]
Mr. Jamieson: National Air Traffic Services (NATS) is in the process of reviewing its financial position, following the downturn in the demand for air travel arising from the events of 11 September.
The Government have received no request for financial assistance for NATS.
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Port of London Authority
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what application he has received from the Port of London Authority under section 14 of the Harbours Act 1964 concerning (a) changes to the Act and (b) proposals for a statutory instrument; and if he will make a statement. [10455]
Mr. Jamieson: The Port of London Authority (PLA) applied in February this year for a Harbour Revision Order under section 14 of the Harbours Act 1964. The order contains a number of provisions for amending existing legislation, mainly relating to the licensing and registration scheme for craft and boats for hire. Following advertisement of the order the PLA are currently engaged in discussions with relevant parties in an attempt to resolve objections that have been made to the order.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Afghanistan
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will estimate the number of trucks of food which have been transported into Afghanistan (a) in the last week, (b) on average on a daily basis since 7 October and (c) since 11 September. [9076]
Clare Short: In the week ending 28 October, which is the latest information received from WFP in the field, a total of 8,048 tonnes of food were dispatched to Afghanistan. The table shows the daily breakdown.
On information received to date the daily average food despatch between 7 and 28 October has been 771 tonnes.
| Week ending 28 October 2001 | Tonnes despatched |
|---|---|
| 22 October 2001 | 104 |
| 23 October 2001 | 1,857 |
| 24 October 2001 | 2,729 |
| 25 October 2001 | 946 |
| 26 October 2001 | 1,469 |
| 27 October 2001 | 0 |
| 28 October 2001 | 943 |
| Total | 8,048 |
Note:
Data from WFP, 29 October. Further confirmed data not yet available from the field.
Papua New Guinea
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid projects in Papua New Guinea are supported by her Department (a) bilaterally, (b) from EU sources and (c) multilaterally; what is their value for each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement. [11446]
Clare Short: We do not provide direct bilateral assistance to Papua New Guinea, but it benefits from our contributions to multilateral agencies, including the European Union, Asian Development bank and World
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bank, all of which have substantial programmes in PNG totalling some £8 million per year. PNG also benefits from the UK's support to Pacific regional organisations and a small gifts scheme of some £70,000 per year. The details we have available are as follows:
- European Union Programme
- PNG benefits from:
- (i) the current National Indicative Programme (50 meuro) which focuses on education, forestry and fishers. Projects comprise:
- (a) the Regional Indicative Programme on agriculture (phase 1) which has now been completed (1.2 meuro);
- (b) the Island Region Environment programme (phase 1) which has also been completed (6 meuro):
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- (c) budgetary support which is provided through the Structural Adjustment Programme (10.4 meuro).
- (ii) SYSMIN (50 meuro) which is providing support for highways, mining, roads and bridge construction.
- (iii) STABEX (12 meuro).
- World bank
- 1. The current programme comprises:
- (a) the last tranche of the Structural Adjustment Operation (totalling 90 million dollars) which is due in December 2001;
- (b) projects in education ($30 million); health ($20 million) and infrastructure ($32 million);
- (c) technical assistance forming, gas and agriculture (oil palm).
- 2. The World bank's indicative lending programme for PNG currently totals $210 million.
| Of which: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asian development bank | Total value | OCR(3) | ADF(4) | TA(5) |
| 1997 | ||||
| Health Sector Development Programme | 50 million | 45 million | 5 million | — |
| Health Sector Development Project(6) | 13 million | — | 10 million | — |
| Improving Provincial Agricultural Support Services(7) | 150,000 | — | — | 150,000 |
| Financial Management(7) | 150,000 | — | — | 150,000 |
| Development Strategy Workshop | 62,000 | — | — | 62,000 |
| Strengthening Financial Management of the Health Sector | 600,000 | — | — | 600,000 |
| Restructuring Plan for the Department of Agriculture and Livestock | 150,000 | — | — | 150,000 |
| 1998 | ||||
| Smallholder Support Services Pilot Project(6) | 11.49 million | 7.6 million | — | — |
| Fisheries Development(6) | 9.3 million | 6.5 million | — | — |
| Financial Management (Supplementary)(7) | 72,500 | — | — | 72,500 |
| Skills Development(7) | 500,000 | — | — | 500,000 |
| Social and Environmental Studies(7) | 150,000 | — | — | 150,000 |
| Road Upgrading and Maintenance(7) | 750,000 | — | — | 750,000 |
| Road Asset Management System | 1.0 million | — | — | 1.0 million |
| Review of Foreign Aid Management | 115,000 | — | — | 115,000 |
| Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council | 50,000 | — | — | 50,000 |
| 1999 | ||||
| Financial Management(6) | 46.9 | 25.8 | — | — |
| Employment-Oriented Skills Development(6) | 39 million | — | 20 million | — |
| Road Maintenance and Upgrading(6) | 114.7 million | 63 million | — | — |
| Rehabilitation of Navigation Aids system(7) | 500,000 | — | — | 500,000 |
| Provincial Towns Water Supply and Sanitation(7) | 908,000 | — | — | 908,000 |
| Governance and Public Sector Reform Programme(7) | 600,000 | — | — | 600,000 |
| Microfinance and Employment(7) | 150,000 | — | — | 150,000 |
| Road Sector Cost Recovery Improvement | 350,000 | — | — | 350,000 |
| Financial Management Strategic Framework | 500,000 | — | — | 500,000 |
| Provincial Road Asset Management System | 581,000 | — | — | 581,000 |
| 2000 | ||||
| Rehabilitation of Maritime Navigation Aids System(6) | 30.12 million | 20.6 million | — | — |
| Microfinance and Employment(6) | 20.51 million | — | 9.6 million | — |
| Provincial Towns Water Supply and Sanitation(6) | 23.3 million | — | 15.34 million | — |
| Governance and Public Sector Reform Programme (Supplementary)(7) | 381,000 | — | — | 381,000 |
| Agro-Industry Development(7) | 500,000 | — | — | 500,000 |
| Coastal Fisheries Management and Development(7) | 340,000 | — | — | 340,000 |
| Community Water Transport Project(7) | 580,000 | — | — | 580,000 |
| Strengthening Financial Management of the Health Sector (Supplementary) | 186,000 | — | — | 186,000 |
| Review of Mining and Hydrocarbons Tax Regimes | 325,000 | — | — | 3250,000 |
| Review to Constraints to Informal Sector Development | 225,000 | — | — | 225,000 |
| Rehabilitation of Maritime Navigation Aids System | 800,000 | — | — | 800,000 |
(3) Ordinary Capital Resources
(4) Asian Development Fund
(5) Technical Assistance
(6) Project Preparatory TA
(7) Total project cost includes financing by the ADB, governments, borrowers, beneficiaries, sub-borrowers; co-financing from official, export credit, and commercial sources; equity sponsors; and local participating private companies and financial institutions.
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