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Lord Birt

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on Lord Birt's role regarding transport policy. [64486]

Mr. Jamieson: The position remains as set out in the answer given by right hon. Friend the Member for Tyneside, North (Mr. Byers) on 21 January 2002, Official Report, column 568W.

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Regulatory Impact Unit

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many members of his Department have been employed in its regulatory impact unit in the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [65974]

Mr. Jamieson: The new Departmental Regulatory Impact Unit was established in October 2001 and it works for both the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department for Transport.

Figures for earlier years are not comparable with the current baseline due to the different policy responsibilities. The resource position for 1997–2001 were parts of a Grade 7, SEO, EO and AO.

1997–98 (1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998) = 4

1998–99 (1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999) = 4

1999–2000 (1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001) = 4

2001–02 (1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002) = 4 staff, 2 full time, 2 job share.

It is the job of Departmental Regulatory Impact Units to establish and promote the principles of good regulation in their Departments. The staff in each unit work closely with the officials responsible for developing policies within their Department and the Regulatory Impact Unit within the Cabinet Office. They focus on those regulations that impact on business, charities, and the voluntary sector.

Public Service Agreements

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of the public service agreements of his Department set out in the document "Public Services for the Future", 1998 have been met; and if he will make a statement. [68718]

Mr. Jamieson: Information relating to my Department's Public Service Agreements targets can be found in DTLR's annual report 2002.

Gas Explosion, Newton Heath

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the TRANSCO health and safety official report into the gas explosion in Newton Heath, Manchester on 17 November 2001. [68096]

Mr. Jamieson: Yes. Arrangements are in hand to provide a copy of the report to the Library of the House.

Public Safety Zones

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what decisions he has reached about his proposed circular to local authorities for use in considering applications for development within public safety zones; and if he will make a statement. [69219]

Mr. Jamieson: Since the issue of the draft circular for consultation in 1999 my Department has held extensive discussions with local planning authority and airport representatives, and we are grateful for their assistance in refining our proposals. We are today publishing the definitive version of the circular for application in England.

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Meanwhile, following a recent improvement and updating of their model, the Department's consultants have remodelled the risk around the airports which already have public safety zones. In the light of that work the Department is today notifying the English local planning authorities and airports concerned of the grid co-ordinates of redefined public safety zones. In addition, in the light of the modelling work now completed, we are establishing public safety zones for Sheffield city airport, as previously anticipated, and for Cambridge and Norwich airports. We shall establish public safety zones at other airports for which modelling work suggests that this would be justified.

Large Stadiums

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the provision of transport infrastructure to large stadiums. [67263]

Mr. Jamieson: The Government's integrated transport policy is set out in the White Paper "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone", published in July 1998 and underlines the need for the planning of developments to be closely linked with the consideration of transport priorities and investment.

Our Planning Policy Guidance note 13 on Transport (PPG13) of March 2001 requires that development comprising jobs, shopping, leisure and services should offer a realistic choice of access by public transport, walking and cycling. It also sets a national maximum parking standard of one space per 15 seats at stadiums with 1,500 or more seats.

Devolution

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EU Advisory Committee on Measures to be Taken in the Event of a Crisis in the Market in the Carriage of Goods by Road and Laying Down the Conditions under which Non-resident Carriers may Operate National Road Haulage Services within a Member State is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [68583]

Mr. Jamieson: No date has been set for a meeting of the committee nor do we expect it to meet in the foreseeable future. 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.

In the event of it being convened, officials from my Department would represent the UK on the committee as policy responsibility on the functioning of the single market in road haulage is a reserved matter. However, my officials would consult the Scottish Executive on agenda items in which it might have an interest in accordance with our Concordat with the devolved Administrations.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EU Advisory Committee for the Harmonisation and Comparability of the Accounting and Annual Accounts of Railway Undertakings is next due to

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meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [68586]

Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 16 May 2002, Official Report, column 791W.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EU Advisory Committee on Access for Community Air Carriers to Intra-Community Air Routes is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [68593]

Mr. Jamieson: The Advisory Committee on Access for Community Air Carriers to Intra-Community Air Routes, established under the provisions of Article 11 of regulation (EEC) 2408–92, meets only on an ad-hoc basis and no future meeting is currently scheduled. Since regulation of aviation and air transport is a reserved matter, officials from my Department represent the UK on the committee. However, my officials would consult the Scottish Executive on agenda items in which it might have an interest in accordance with our Concordat with the devolved Administrations.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EU 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 next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [68582]

Mr. Jamieson: No date has been set for a meeting of the committee nor do we expect it to meet in the foreseeable future. The remit of the committee is to advise the Commission on measures intended to resolve a serious disturbance of the internal passenger transport market due to cabotage. As no member state has ever reported such a disturbance to the Commission, the committee has not been convened.

In the event of it being convened, officials from my Department would represent the UK on the committee as policy responsibility for road passenger transport cabotage is a reserved matter. However, my officials would consult the Scottish Executive on agenda items in which it might have an interest in accordance with our Concordat with the devolved Administrations.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EU Committee for a transparent system of harmonised rules for restrictions on heavy goods vehicles involved in international transport on designated roads is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [68589]

Mr. Jamieson: No such Committee exists. In May 1998 the European Commission published a proposal for a Council Directive on a transparent system of rules for driving restrictions on heavy goods vehicles involved in international transport on designated roads. The proposal made provision for an advisory Committee composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by the Commission. The proposed Directive was never adopted.

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Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EU Advisory Committee for the application of uniform principles on costing for railway undertakings is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [68579]

Mr. Jamieson: The Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2183–78 of 19 September 1978 which established this Committee is no longer in force. The Committee has not met in recent years.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EU Committee on implementation of Protocol 9 to the Act of Accession of Austria concerning transport by road and rail and combined transport (Ecopoints) is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [68591]

Mr. Jamieson: The Committee is next due to meet on 18 July. Officials from my Department represent the UK on the Committee as policy responsibility for the implementation of Protocol 9 to the Austrian Act of Accession is a reserved matter. However, my officials consult the Scottish Executive on agenda items in which it might have an interest in accordance with our Concordat with the Devolved Administrations.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EU Community-Switzerland Transport Committee (rail and road) is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [68576]

Mr. Jamieson: The inaugural meeting of the EU–Switzerland Transport Committee was held on 5 July. No date has yet been fixed for the next meeting of this Committee. Officials from my Department represent the UK on the Committee as policy responsibility for the EU—Switzerland Agreement is a reserved matter. However, my officials consult the Scottish Executive on agenda items in which it might have an interest in accordance with our Concordat with the Devolved Administrations.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EU Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the development of the Community railways is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [68578]

Mr. Jamieson: No date has yet been fixed for the next meeting of the Developing European Railways Committee but we expect it to be held in December. Officials from my Department represent the UK on the Committee as policy responsibility for the development of railways is a reserved matter. However, my officials consult the Scottish Executive on agenda items in which it might have an interest in accordance with our Concordat with the devolved Administrations.

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