House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 27 Nov 2001 (pt 4)

Detling Beacon

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether the air corridor either side of Detling Beacon in Kent has been altered since 11 September. [18470]

Mr. Jamieson: The Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that there has been no alteration to the airspace route structure either side of the Detling Beacon since 11 September.

Rents

Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what he estimates to be the maximum capped rent payable in 2002–03 at current prices for tenants in (a) four bed, (b) three bed, (c) two bed, (d) one bed and (e) bedsit properties. [18660]

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Ms Keeble: The maximum capped rent payable by tenants of councils and housing associations in 2002–03 at current prices will be (a) £100 a week, (b) £95 a week, (c) £90 a week, (d) £85 a week and (e) £85 a week.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many formal notices his Department has received in the last year from the Parliamentary Ombudsman expressing an intention to carry out an investigation; and in respect of each notice how long it took to respond. [18767]

Dr. Whitehead: The number of cases received since last November by DETR or (after 11 June 2001) DTLR is as follows.

Number/date received from PCA Due date to PCA Date replied Number of working days taken

1. 13 November 2000 27 December 2000 4 January 2001 36

2. 16 February 2001 12 March 2001 13 March 2001 18

3. 21 February 2001 14 March 2001 15 March 2001 17

4. 8 June 2001 20 July 2001 24 July 2001 33

5. 21 June 2001 11 July 2001 9 July 2001 13

6. 11 September 2001 2 October 2001 26 September 2001 12

7. 17 September 2001 15 October 2001 15 October 2001 21

8. 18 September 2001 9 October 2001 3 October 2001 12

9. 24 September 2001 2 November 2001 5 November 2001 31

10. 19 October 2001 29 November 2001 ⁽³⁾— ⁽⁴⁾—

11. 22 October 2001 19 November 2001 16 November 2001 20

12. 15 November 2001 20 December 2001 ⁽³⁾— ⁽⁴⁾—

Number/date received from PCA	Due date to PCA	Date replied	Number of working days taken
1. 13 November 2000	27 December 2000	4 January 2001	36
2. 16 February 2001	12 March 2001	13 March 2001	18
3. 21 February 2001	14 March 2001	15 March 2001	17
4. 8 June 2001	20 July 2001	24 July 2001	33
5. 21 June 2001	11 July 2001	9 July 2001	13
6. 11 September 2001	2 October 2001	26 September 2001	12
7. 17 September 2001	15 October 2001	15 October 2001	21
8. 18 September 2001	9 October 2001	3 October 2001	12
9. 24 September 2001	2 November 2001	5 November 2001	31
10. 19 October 2001	29 November 2001	⁽³⁾—	⁽⁴⁾—
11. 22 October 2001	19 November 2001	16 November 2001	20
12. 15 November 2001	20 December 2001	⁽³⁾—	⁽⁴⁾—

⁽³⁾ Outstanding

⁽⁴⁾ Deadline not reached

Motorway Speed Limits

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to impose 50mph speed limits on motorways; and if he will make a statement. [17649]

Mr. Jamieson: There are no plans to introduce 50mph speed limits on motorways.

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on reducing speed limits on motorways in order to increase traffic flows. [17651]

Mr. Jamieson: The Highways Agency is currently trialling variable speed limits on sections of the M25. The Controlled Motorway Project automatically adjusts the speed limit to reflect prevailing conditions, and is enforced with speed cameras.

Independent monitoring and assessment of the scheme by TRL during the first year of operation confirmed its success. The monitoring indicated that traffic flow had improved, with drivers reporting more "comfortable", less aggressive driving conditions, with fewer very short, dangerous spaces between vehicles and fewer long (inefficient) spaces and more even use of the carriageway. There were also indications of improved road safety, and shorter and more reliable journey times.

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what factors underlay the decision to introduce variable speed limits on motorways. [17650]

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Mr. Jamieson: Research into traffic congestion and traffic flow improvement found that road capacity was not being maximised.

Effective speed control has the capability of increasing the capacity of the existing motorway network without the need for an extensive road building programme and evens out speed distribution increasing capacity.

Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the costs to British business of the Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive. [17424]

Dr. Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 November 2001, Official Report, column 337W.

Press Interviews

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the press interviews he gave between 5 and 12 October. [18776]

Mr. Byers: As is already a matter of public record, I gave a number of press interviews in the period between 5 and 12 October.

RenewCo

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the decisions outstanding on the establishment of RenewCo as at 1 October. [18760]

Mr. Byers: As at 1 October the Government awaited the decision of the Office for National Statistics on whether the RenewCo proposal would be classified as Government borrowing.

In addition, I wished to consider the RenewCo proposal in the light of Railtrack's request for further Government support under its "Rainbow" proposal.

Housing (Radon Emissions)

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what financial provision his Department gives local authorities and housing associations to undertake remedial work on housing stock to protect against radon emissions. [18355]

Ms Keeble: Local housing authorities may provide discretionary Private Sector Renewal Grants to assist homeowners with radon remedial works to their properties where the annual average concentration of the gas exceeds the action level.

The cost of such works to existing registered social landlord (RSL) dwellings contaminated by radon is eligible for Social Housing Grant, funded through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme. The funding is subject to the RSL obtaining a survey report from the National Radiological Protection Board indicating that the remedial works are necessary.

Mushrooms

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in how many instances trading standards officers have discovered

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since December 2000 Dutch mushrooms being sold in United Kingdom supermarkets as British mushrooms; what steps are taken to authenticate the source of mushrooms sold as British; and if he will make a statement. [16392]

Mr. Morley: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested is not available. It is not obligatory for the country of origin of mushrooms to be declared, although general food labelling rules require this information to be given if its omission would be misleading. Consideration is being given to the inclusion of mushrooms in EC Horticultural Marketing Standards which do require the country of origin to be given.

DEFENCE

HMS Renown

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has reached a decision on the proposals to dismantle HMS Renown; and if he will make a statement. [18933]

Dr. Moonie: In my answer on 11 May 2000, Official Report, column 447W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline, West (Rachel Squire), I announced that we would be investigating the options for the land storage of decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines. I also informed the House that we had separately received an unsolicited commercial proposal from Babcock Rosyth Defence Ltd. (BRDL), the owners of Rosyth Royal Dockyard, to dismantle the reactor compartment of the decommissioned nuclear-powered submarine, HMS Renown, and store the components. At that time we had agreed that planning and feasibility work could proceed, but I assured the House that the proposals would not be implemented until Ministers and the relevant regulatory authorities were entirely satisfied and that I would make a further statement.

Since May 2000, much valuable work has been undertaken by BRDL to demonstrate the feasibility of their proposals. While I am satisfied on the matter of feasibility, it is clear that the necessary regulatory approvals to commence dismantling Renown will not be in place until next year. Even if the approvals are granted, and that is a matter for the independent regulators, it would be many months before the work to dismantle Renown could be completed. We have already begun the process of inviting industry proposals on the best solution for the land storage of decommissioned nuclear submarines generally and it would therefore be too late for the knowledge gained from dismantling Renown to inform this process. As a result, I have decided that there would be no advantage in proceeding with the dismantling of Renown ahead of the other decommissioned submarines stored at Devonport and Rosyth.

Renown will continue to be stored afloat at Rosyth until such time as the final decisions on land storage are implemented. These decisions are unlikely to be taken for some two to three years and will be subject to full and open consultation.

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