---

Housing Units (Telford)

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many new housing units have been constructed by registered social landlords in Telford in each financial year since 1990. [39748]

Ms Keeble: The numbers of new dwellings constructed by registered social landlords in Telford and Wrekin unitary authority, as report by the local authority, for the financial years requested are given in the table.

4 Mar 2002 : Column 101W

Dwellings completed for registered social landlords in Telford and Wrekin

Period	Number of dwellings
1990–91	2
1991–92	152
1992–93	118
1993–94	82
1994–95	228
1995–96	130
1996–97	149
1997–98	15
1998–99	59
1999–2000	183
2000–01	180

Fire Authorities

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the separate precepting arrangements for combined fire authorities in England outlined in the latest local government White Paper will come into effect. [39727]

Dr. Whitehead: As announced in the White Paper, the Government are proposing to take the legislative steps necessary to make combined fire authorities in England major precepting bodies. This change will require an amendment to primary legislation, because the revised financial arrangements would otherwise conflict with the provisions of section 5 of the Fire Services Act 1947. The timetable for making the change will depend upon the Department securing a legislative slot in a forthcoming Session of Parliament for a Bill to implement proposals in respect of local government finance in the White Paper.

Transport Research Laboratory

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the studies (a) being conducted and (b) published since 1997 by the Transport Research Laboratory. [38531]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 28 February 2002]: TRL is an independent private company and carries out research studies for many clients including DTLR. Since 1997 a large number of studies have been completed or are continuing for DTLR, and reports are normally published by TRL on completion of each study. To list the studies and reports would require disproportionate effort, but TRL should be able to provide copies of any report that has been published. Also, TRL publishes annual reports that list all the research and publications for that year and copies of these from 1997 may be obtained directly from TRL.

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will publish the Transport Research Laboratory's report into speed and road traffic accidents. [38530]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 28 February 2002]: TRL has published many such studies over many years. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today [38531], about TRL studies and publications. The next TRL report on this topic is due to be published in March. This is TRL report number 511, "The relationship between speed and accidents on rural single carriageway roads" by M. C. Taylor, A. Baruya and J. V. Kennedy.

4 Mar 2002 : Column 102W

Local Strategic Partnerships

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the role of local strategic partnerships in rural areas; and what advice is available to parish and town councils. [39396]

Dr. Whitehead: Parish and town councils provide a recognised role for involvement specific to people in rural areas, not only for local authorities in predominantly rural areas but also for those in areas which include some rural elements. Accountable parish and town councils can make an important contribution to the work of local strategic partnerships, for example feeding into the establishment of the long-term vision and identifying local priorities to be contained in the community strategy. The role that parish and town councils play should be a matter for local discussion between those councils and the relevant local strategic partnership. The Government produced guidance on local strategic partnerships in March 2001, and on the related subject of preparing community strategies in December 2000.

Leylandii

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his plans to control leylandii hedges; and what the proposed timetable is for their implementation. [39487]

Ms Keeble: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole (Mrs. Brooke) on 30 January 2002, Official Report, column 325W.

European Railway Safety Agency

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his policy towards the establishment of a European railway safety agency under paragraph 36 of the Laeken conclusions; and what powers it will have. [39635]

Mr. Jamieson: The Government welcome the publication by the Commission on 23 January of a "second package" of proposed measures to revitalise Europe's railways. This package includes a proposal to establish a European Rail Agency (ERA). We are considering these proposals carefully and will be consulting widely on them before reaching a formal position.

The Commission's proposal makes clear that the ERA will have no substantive powers of its own. It will act in a technical advisory capacity to the Commission on railway interoperability and safety matters, and will be staffed by experts from the industry.

Coal Mining

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which organisations with a specific remit to support coal mining and former coal mining communities receive Government funding. [39381]

4 Mar 2002 : Column 103W

Ms Keeble: The Government funded organisations with specific remits to support coal mining and its former communities are:

(i) The Coal Authority, whose principal functions are to license coal mining operations and to discharge liabilities stemming from historic mining activity;

(ii) the Coalfield Regeneration Trust, whose objective is to be a key agency promoting and achieving the social and economic regeneration of the former coalfields.

In addition, English Partnerships are responsible for delivering the ringfenced National Coalfields Programme working with the RDAs. This programme delivers environmental improvements and development infrastructure on the 86 former coalfield sites within the programme's portfolio.

Furthermore, a Coalfields Enterprise Fund is to be launched later this year, providing venture capital to new and expanding small and medium sized business located in the former English coalfields.

Railtrack

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what arrangements will be made for debt to be covered by Railtrack's successor company; and if it will be guaranteed by Government. [39859]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 1 March 2002]: It is for bidders to propose their arrangements for the treatment of debt.

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the level of indebtedness was of (a) Railtrack plc and (b) Railtrack Group immediately prior to the date of being put into administration; and how much debt the administrator has built up (i) to date and (ii) until the financial year end. [39843]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 1 March 2002]: This is a matter for the administrator of Railtrack plc and, in the case of Railtrack Group plc, the company and its auditors.

Station Platforms

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the decision of Her Majesty's Rail Inspectorate not to allow new trains to stop at short platforms. [39438]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 1 March 2002]: The Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate's (HMRI) policy on long trains stopping at short platforms is based on an assessment of risk. HMRI prefer to see stations' platforms modified to ensure that they are long enough to accommodate trains without the need for selective door opening. However, where this is not possible, for example where there are structural constraints, HMRI are prepared to consider proposals from operators for selective door opening.

Braunstone Community Association

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report,

4 Mar 2002 : Column 104W

columns 808–09W, on the Braunstone Community Association, if he will publish (a) the results and (b) the evidence obtained by his Department's audit investigation into the Braunstone Community Association; and what plans he has to alter the aims of the New Deal project following the audit investigation. [40371]

Ms Keeble: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, columns 808–09W.

---