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Work-related Illness

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many claims for work-related injury illness were settled on behalf of workers in local government in the last year for which figures are available; and what the total cost was in compensation. [56069]

Dr. Whitehead: The information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many employees in local government retired through work- related illness or injury in the last year for which records are available; and what the total cost was to the Department. [56070]

Dr. Whitehead: The information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many claims for work-related illness were settled by his Department in the last year for which records are available; and what the cost was in compensation. [56066]

Dr. Whitehead: In 2001–02, this Department settled 15 cases of work-related illness and injury. 13 of these claims were long standing cases relating to ex-PSA staff, mostly for asbestos related disease, amounting to £402,305 in compensation costs. There were two claims for DTLR staff amounting to £8,500.

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Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many employees of his Department retired through work-related ill health in the last year for which records are available; and what the cost was to the Department. [56067]

Dr. Whitehead: Records are not maintained by DTLR which enable ill health retirements to be separately identified as work-related. The number of staff retired in DTLR (including its executive agencies) with a medical retirement certificate issued by the civil service pension scheme medical adviser in the year 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 was 56. Benefits provided on medical retirement are as set out in the rules of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme and laid before Parliament. This provides for an immediate payment of an enhanced pension and lump sum. Ill health retirement expenditure is met centrally from the Civil Superannuation Vote and it is not possible to separate out the cost for cases in this Department.

Committee Mandates

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the committee on application of the legislation on application of tonnage measurement of ballast spaces in segregated ballast of oil tankers is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [56834]

Mr. Jamieson: The committee was set up under Article 7 of regulation (EC) 2978/94/EC on the implementation of IMO resolution A.747(18) on the application of tonnage measurements of segregated ballast tanks in oil tankers. The committee is composed of representatives of member states and is chaired by the European Commission with a remit to assist the European Commission with the application of the regulation. My Department is not aware of any committee meetings in the past 12 months and has incurred no travel or subsistence costs in relation to it.

Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of the House on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Implementation Committee on minimum requirements for vessels bound for or leaving Community ports and carrying dangerous or polluting goods is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its

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work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [56835]

Mr. Jamieson: The Minimum Requirements for Vessels Bound for or leaving Community Ports and Carrying Dangerous or Polluting Goods Committee was established under Article 12 of Council directive 93/75/EEC. The committee is composed of representatives of the member states and is chaired by a representative of the Commission. The remit of the Committee is to consider amendments to the Council directive and vote on them accordingly. This committee has not met in the last 12 months and therefore there has been no cost to the public funds.

Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".

As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final).

As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee for the establishment of conditions for the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [55679]

Mr. Jamieson: A regulatory committee, comprised of member states' representatives and chaired by the Commission, was set up under Article 21 of Directive 96/48/EC on the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system. The remit of the Committee has now been extended to include conventional rail in accordance with Directive 2001/16/EC on the interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system. The "Article 21 Committee" approves technical specifications for interoperability-TSIs—and considers various issues arising from the implementation of interoperability (including the cost-benefit analysis to support the draft TSIs and applications to the Commission for derogations from the TSIs).

The Committee has met four times over the last 12 months—there have also been a number of subordinate working group meetings. The UK is now represented by the Strategic Rail Authority, although officials from DTLR and HM Inspectorate of Railways have also attended. Over the last 12 months, the cost of the main committee's work to public funds has been approximately £7,000.

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The Article 21 Committee is currently completing the formal adoption of TSIs for the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system and establishing ground-rules for the preparation of TSIs for the interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system.

Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both houses on 26 February (Commission Document 5685–02). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the development of the community railways is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [55682]

Mr. Jamieson: The Developing European Railways Committee was established under the provisions of Directive 2001/12/EC. The Committee is composed of representatives of member states and is chaired by the European Commission. The remit of the Committee is to facilitate the implementation of Directives 2001/12/EC, 2001/13/EC and 2001/14/EC, commonly referred to as the 'Railway Infrastructure Package Directives'. The Committee has met twice in the last 12 months. The UK is represented by officials from my Department and the Office of the Rail Regulator. The annual cost of its work to public funds is about £2,500.

Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the conditions under which non-resident carriers may operate national road passenger transport services within a member state is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds;

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if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [55685]

Mr. Jamieson: The Advisory Committee is established under the provisions of Article 10 of the road passenger transport cabotage regulation (Council Regulation (EC) 12–98). The Committee is composed of representatives of the member states and chaired by the European Commission. The remit of the Committee is to advise the Commission on measures intended to resolve a serious disturbance of the internal transport market due to cabotage. As no member state has ever reported such a disturbance to the Commission, the Committee has not been convened.

Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on measures to be taken in the event of a crisis in the market in the carriage of goods by road and for laying down the conditions under which non-resident carriers may operate national road haulage services within a member state is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [55686]

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Mr. Jamieson: The Advisory Committee is established under the provisions of Article 7 of Council Regulation (EEC) 3118–93 and Article 5 of Council Regulation (EEC) 3916–90. The Committee is composed of representatives of member states and chaired by the Commission. The remit of the Committee is to advise the Commission on measures proposed to deal with a serious disturbance of the national transport market due to either international haulage or cabotage. As no member state has ever reported such a disturbance to the Commission, the Committee has not been convened.

Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of the House on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

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