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European and International Business

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the role is of the division in his Department responsible for European and international business; if he will list the responsibilities of the posts within the division; and if he will make a statement. [70654]

Mr. Jamieson: Within the Department for Transport, the Europe and International Division (EID) leads on European and international issues. EID is responsible for providing advice on the impact of EU affairs on DfT's policies as a whole; planning, preparation and support for the Minister for Transport at EU Transport Council; policy on EU horizontal or cross-cutting issues; and is a focal point for cross-cutting international issues.

EID comprises a divisional manager and three branch heads responsible for particular areas. The head of Europe and International Branch, supported by five staff, provides advice and guidance to DfT on EU and international issues and developments, including EU enlargement; co-ordinates briefing and arrangements for ministerial committees, EU contacts, bilateral initiatives and visitors from overseas; and develops and promotes European awareness and expertise among DfT officials who deal with EU issues.

The head of Transport Council Branch, supported by six staff, co-ordinates the UK position and briefing on EU Transport Council business; co-ordinates UK parliamentary scrutiny of EC transport legislation; monitors the transposition of EC transport directives; co-ordinates the response to infraction proceedings; co-ordinates transport briefing for UK MEPs and co-ordinates the Department's interest in the European Conference of Ministers of Transport and the Inland Transport Committee of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

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The head of European Transport Policy Branch, supported by six staff, co-ordinates policy on EU cross-modal transport issues including the proposed extension of the working time directive to mobile workers in road transport, proposed regulations on land transport public service requirements, the EU Common Transport Policy, the integration of the environment into EU transport policy, charging for the use of transport infrastructure and also co-ordinates policy and negotiates UK funding in respect of the transport trans-European Network (TEN).

Further information on the work of Europe and International Division can be found on the Department's website at www.dft.gov.uk/europe/index.htm.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what occasions since 7 June 2001 he has asked the chief executives of the (a) Highways Agency, (b) DVLA, (c) DSA, (d) Maritime and Coastguard Agency, (e) Vehicle Certification Agency and (f) Vehicle Inspectorate to write to an hon. Member in response to a parliamentary question; under what guidance such decisions are made; and if he will make a statement. [70645]

Mr. Jamieson: Where a written parliamentary question is about a matter assigned to an agency under the terms of its Framework Document, the responsible Minister normally asks the chief executive to provide the substantive reply to the hon. Member. This has been the practice for many years. Since 7 June 2001, about 90 parliamentary questions (less than 1 per cent. of the total) have been answered by a chief executive letter. The letters are published in the Official Report, in accordance with the guidance issued by the Cabinet Office in 1994.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will answer the questions from the hon. Member for Maidenhead of 1 July 2002, concerning park and ride schemes and 2 July 2002, concerning Network Rail. [71492]

Mr. Jamieson: The question concerning park and ride schemes was answered on 16 July 2002, Official Report, column 142W and the question concerning Network Rail on 17 July 2002, Official Report, column 327W.

New Road Schemes

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list new (a) Government funded and (b) other agency funded trunk road and bypass schemes which have been given approval and the expected start date in each case. [70612]

Mr. Jamieson: The following lists all the schemes in the Government's targeted programme of improvements and when construction is planned to start. The actual date for the start of works for those schemes not already under construction is subject to the satisfactory completion of any remaining statutory procedures and the availability of funding.

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Completed
A27 Polegate Bypass (opened June 2002)
Under Construction
A1 Willowburn-Denwick Improvement
A5 Nesscliffe Bypass
A6 Great Glen Bypass
A6 Clapham Bypass
A6 Rothwell—Desborough Bypass
A11 Roudham Heath-Attleborough Dualling
A41 Aston Clinton Bypass
A46 Newark-Lincoln Improvement
A43 Whitfield Turn—Brackley Hatch Improvement
A43 Silverstone Bypass
A43 M40-B4031 Dualling
A63 Selby Bypass
A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass
A120 Stansted—Braintree
A500 Basford, Hough, Shavington Bypass
A650 Bingley Relief Road
A1033 Hedon Road Improvement, Hull
2002–03
A1(M) Ferrybridge to Hook Moor
A1(M) Wetherby to Walshford
A6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass
A6 Alvaston
A10 Wadesmill—Colliers End Bypass
A21 Lamberhurst Bypass
A34 Chieveley/M4 J13 Improvement
2003–04
M25 J 12–15 Widening
M60 J 5–8
A2 Bean-Cobham Widening Phase 1
A5 Weeford—Fazeley Improvement
A63 Melton Grade Separated Junction
A249 Iwade—Queenborough Improvement
A500 City Road/Stoke Road Junctions
2004–05
M6 Carlisle-Guardsmill
A1 Peterborough—Blyth Grade Separated Junction
A2 Bean—Cobham Widening Phase 2
A14 Rookery Crossroads Grade Separated Junction
A30 Bodmin-Indian Queens Improvement
A66 Temple Sowerby Bypass and Improvements at Winderwath
A421 Great Barford Bypass
2005–06
M62 Junction 6 Improvement
A2/A282 Dartford Improvement
A3 Hindhead Improvement
A11 Fiveways to Thetford Improvement
A11 Attleborough Bypass Improvement
A14 Haughley New Street—Stowmarket Improvement
A38 Dobwalls Bypass
A303 Stonehenge
A595 Parton—Lillyhall Improvement
A5117/A550 Deeside Park Junctions

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2006–07
A1(M) Bramham—Wetherby
A46 Newark—Widmerpool Improvement
A47 Thorney Bypass
A64 Rillington Bypass
A419 Blunsdon Bypass
A483 Pant—Llanymynech Bypass
2007–08
A1(M) Dishforth—Leeming
A1(M) Leeming—Barton.

The Highways Agency is also progressing a number of schemes partly or fully funded by developers. The following is a list of those costing over £5 million with the date on which construction is planned to start, where known to the Department.

Under construction
A120/M11 Stansted Slip Roads
M62 J8 and J8–9 Widening
M1 J15A Swan Valley
A1 Newcastle Great Park
2003–04
M25 Heathrow Terminal 5 Spur Road
Not known
A13 M25—Lakeside Widening
A19 Wolviston Second Samsung Access
A428 Caxton Common—Hardwick
M49 Intermediate Junction at Severnside
M56 (J5) Manchester Airport Access.

London Bridge Railway Station

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of the 10 July 2002, Official Report, column 981W, on London Bridge railway station, if he will define the intended output given in his 10-year plan for additional capacity at London Bridge, at paragraph 6.72, page 71; and if he will make a statement. [70559]

Mr. Jamieson: Railtrack's proposals for the Thameslink 2000 project include scope to raise the number of services calling at London Bridge to eighteen an hour in each direction, with the operation of 12-car trains.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer of 11 July 2002, Official Report, column 1113W where I stated that the public inquiry Inspector's report into Railtrack's proposals is currently under consideration in the office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Air Traffic Control

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answers of 11 June 2002, Official Report, column 1134W and of 10 June 2002 to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban), Official Report, column 759W, on Swanwick, what statutory restrictions on the disclosure of information obtained by HSE in pursuance of its powers apply in relation to the HSE report on IT systems in operation at Swanwick. [70732]

Mr. Jamieson: The statutory restrictions on the disclosure of information obtained by HSE in pursuance of its powers are set out in Section 28 of the Health and

18 Jul 2002 : Column 459W

Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. These restrictions apply in relation to HSE's report on the IT systems in operation at Swanwick.

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