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Airport Car Parks

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what

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regulatory approval has been sought by BAA to impose a public transport levy on users of car parks at its airports; [11240]

(2) what regulations govern the car parking charges that BAA impose at their airports; [11242]

(3) what future regulatory approval is required by the BAA to (a) vary a public transport levy on users of car parks at their airports and (b) ensure the money raised is invested in the most cost-effective way; [11238]

(4) if the imposition of a public transport levy on people using car parks at BAA airports will be part of the regulatory review being undertaken by the CAA; [11228]

(5) what regulatory requirements exist to ensure that there is competition among car park operators at airports owned by BAA; [11241]

(6) what monitoring is conducted by (a) his Department and (b) the CAA to ensure that the revenue from the levy imposed on car park users at south-east airports benefits the users paying the charge. [11239]

Mr. Spellar: Car parking charges at BAA airports are a matter for the BAA and do not require any specific regulatory approval. They are, however, subject to general competition law and are open to investigation by the Office of Fair Trading under the Competition Act 1998. In addition, as part of its periodic review of the BAA London airports, the Competition Commission could investigate whether car parking charges levied by the airports give rise to public interest concerns.

Rail Transport Meetings

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the (a) contracts and (b) meetings between Ernst and Young LLP and his Department in relation to rail transport in the last 12 months. [11224]

Mr. Spellar: Ernst and Young were engaged on 24 August to advise on possible options for Railtrack. In the course of that work, there were numerous meetings with the Department.

Energy Efficiency Week

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action his Department took in recognition of Energy Efficiency Week. [11517]

Dr. Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 30 October 2001 Official Report, column 592W. Within DTLR we continue to take energy efficiency seriously through implementing our greening operations policy and monitoring and reporting progress against cross-government targets. We raise awareness of energy efficiency, and other greening operations issues, through regular advice and information for our staff. A recent example is the foyer displays of environmental performance at our headquarter buildings in London.

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TransPennine Franchise

Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the new TransPennine franchise will include investment in new trains. [11553]

Mr. Jamieson: The three short-listed counterparties have been invited to re-submit their proposals for the TransPennine Express franchise. The Strategic Rail Authority anticipates and will encourage investment in new rolling stock as part of these proposals.

Bifuel Vehicles

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to reclassify bifuel vehicles representing a manufacturer's standard option, according to their carbon dioxide emissions, for road tax purposes. [11321]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 31 October 2001]: In the case of new private motor cars registered on or after 1 March this year, vehicles which, in the words of the relevant order are:

"capable of being propelled by

(i) petrol and road fuel gas, or

(ii) electricity and either petrol or diesel", i.e. so called "bifuelled" cars, are now subject to Vehicle Excise Duty ("road tax") according to their carbon dioxide emissions. All new cars are now subject to VED according to their carbon dioxide emissions and bifuelled cars come into the lowest range of rates—that assigned to "Alternative Fuel Cars".

Vehicle Safety

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made in reducing the use of vehicles with non-flexible fronts. [12285]

Mr. Jamieson: The European Commission are proposing to make a negotiated agreement with car manufacturers, which will require new cars to have fronts which are less harmful to pedestrians. This proposal is due to be discussed by Ministers at the Internal Market, Consumer Affairs and Tourism Council on 26 November.

Jo Moore

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what records have been kept of conversations between Ministers and Ms Jo Moore since 11 September; [12237]

(2) what meetings and telephone conversations he has had with Ms Jo Moore since 10 September; [12236]

(3) if he will publish the departmental correspondence, including e-mails, leading to the announcements (a) on councillors' allowances and (b) on councillors' pensions on 12 September; [12235]

(4) if, before administering a personal reprimand to Ms Jo Moore regarding her e-mail of 11 September, he received other e-mails sent by her after 11 September. [12234]

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Mr. Byers: Under paragraph 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it is not the practice to disclose details of internal communication.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions who authorised the interview with Sky News given by Ms Jo Moore on 16 October. [12241]

Mr. Byers: The interview was given with my agreement.

Special Advisers

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will set out the process that would be followed in his Department if (a) a member of staff other than a special adviser and (b) a special adviser applied to leave their job through ill health. [12232]

Mr. Byers: For all staff in DTLR including special advisers, the process for retirement on grounds of ill-health is set out in the DTLR Staff Handbook.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if a personal reprimand from the Secretary of State is a formal part of the disciplinary procedure applying to special advisers in his Department; and if such a reprimand is included on the personnel record of these special advisers. [12231]

Mr. Byers: My personal reprimand was in addition to the formal disciplinary procedure.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what changes he has made to the selection criteria for special advisers in his Department since 9 October. [12233]

Mr. Byers: None.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

The Gambia

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the presidential election held in The Gambia on 18 October; and if he will make a statement on relations with The Gambia. [10978]

Mr. Bradshaw: We consider the result of the presidential election of 18 October, in which the incumbent President Jammeh was re-elected with 52.9 per cent. of the vote, to have been a fair reflection of the views of the Gambian people on the day.

The United Kingdom and The Gambia have a long standing relationship and there are close ties between us. While the unwarranted expulsion of the British Deputy High Commissioner in August has caused some tensions, the United Kingdom will continue to work closely with The Gambia to promote democracy, good governance and the rule of law.

UK/China Human Rights Dialogue

Mr. Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will make a statement regarding the objectives and criteria for evaluation of the UK/China human rights dialogue. [10763]

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Mr. MacShane: The Government have identified a set of working objectives towards which we expect the dialogue process to work. They cover issues relating to the rule of law; engagement with UN mechanisms, political and religious rights; economic and social rights and the situation in Tibet.

These objectives, and the achievements of the dialogue process over the past year, are set out in the FCO annual human rights report.

Mr. Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues the Government intends to raise with China regarding Tibet in the UK/China dialogue on 19 November. [10762]

Mr. MacShane: The 7th round of the UK/China human rights dialogue will take place in London from 19–21 November.

The agenda for the dialogue has not yet been finalised. But we will express our concern over human rights conditions in Tibet and will continue to urge the chinese to open a dialogue with the Dalai Lama.

I raised our concerns about human rights and the rule of law in China in discussions with the Chinese Government in Beijing in September and in London last month.

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