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Pool Re Scheme
Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how negotiations are progressing with industry on changes to the Pool Re scheme to take account of changes in the terrorism insurance and reinsurance markets since 1993 and in particular since 11 September 2001. [73100]
Ruth Kelly: Today I am announcing changes to the Pool Re scheme which will enable insurers to offer terrorism insurance across a wider range of risks. The outcome is part of a package of reforms which have been agreed by a government-industry working group set up to look at changes to Pool Re needed after 11 September.
The working group has reached agreement on the main changes to the scheme. The changes include extension of Pool Re cover from "fire and explosion" only, to an "all risks basis", to ensure that a terrorist attack involving, for example contamination, impact by aircraft, or flood damage could be covered by the scheme. This increased cover will be available in the next few weeks and will be reflected in higher premiums for the period covered. There will be an option to backdate to 1 January 2002. The existing exclusion for nuclear risks will also be removed as soon as practicable, and by 1 January 2003 at the latest.
Other changes to the scheme include changes to the financing of Pool Re to encourage competition, and changes to make governance arrangements more transparent in the public interest. These will take effect from 1 January 2003.
The details will need to be finalised over the coming months. Further information about these changes are published on the Treasury's website and in an explanatory statement in the House Library.
EU Committees
Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the EU Contact Committee—European economic interest grouping 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. [70905]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
I am not aware of any plans for a meeting.
The Committee consists of representatives of the Member States and the EU Commission. The Scottish Executive is not separately represented on the Committee.
E-commerce
Mr. Bell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Treasury is taking to introduce public-private partnerships into the e-commerce sector; and if he will make a statement. [71600]
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Mr. Timms [holding answer 18 July 2002]: I have been asked to reply.
The Government has no specific policy to bring public-private partnerships into the e-commerce sector. All Departments when assessing the funding options for a project will consider the possibility of a PFI. However, the final decision will always be based upon which option offers the best value for money for the taxpayer.
TRANSPORT
Departmental Contracts
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contracts his Department has recently awarded to (a) TNO (Netherlands), (b) IAV (Germany), (c) AVL (Austria), (d) FEV (Germany) and (e) IKA (Germany). [72200]
Mr. Jamieson: The Department has no contracts with those companies.
Cranford Agreement
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 616W, if he will place a copy of the Cranford Agreement in the Library; when he expects to have completed the review of it; if he will list the parties involved in the Cranford Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the status of the agreement. [72431]
Mr. Jamieson: The arrangement normally referred to as the Cranford Agreement is believed to date from 31 July 1952. It would appear that it was an undertaking given by a senior airport official during a local public meeting of the Cranford Residents and District Amenities Association, which was attended on that occasion by the Minister of Civil Aviation ("Mr. Lenox-Boyd"). If there was a written record, it appears not to have survived. The evidence given by the former DETR to the Terminal 5 Inquiry in July 1997 includes a fuller account and history of the undertaking, and I have placed an extract from that evidence in the Library. Our aim is to complete the technical review stage this year. I will then issue a consultation paper.
Press Office
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) full time equivalents were employed by his press office and (b) secondees were placed in his press office in the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [70535]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 22 July 2002]: Detailed information on the numbers of permanent press officers employed in departmental press offices during the financial years 1997–98 were provided in a memorandum dated 16 June 1998 to the select Committee on Public Administration and published in its report on The Government Information and Communication Service (HC 770) in July 1998. Copies are in the Libraries of the House.
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The number of full time equivalent press officers employed in the relevant departmental press office on 1 January for subsequent years were:
| Year | Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 34.3 |
| 2000 | 40.8 |
| 2001 | 38.0 |
| Year | Numbers |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 27.8 |
| Year | Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 0 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 5 |
Ministerial Speeches
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the speeches made by Ministers with responsibility for transport issues to external organisations between 1 January and 31 May. [71449]
Mr. Jamieson: Ministers responsible for transport issues have undertaken a very wide range of speaking engagements between 1 January and 31 May 2002. A record of all speeches is not held centrally. Archived DTLR speech material can be viewed at www.dtlr.gov.uk/ about/ministers/speeches/index.htm
Departmental Reorganisation
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes there have been in the total wage expenditure budget since the departmental reorganisation in June; and if he will make a statement. [70712]
Mr. Jamieson: There have been no changes in the total pay budget associated with the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions' total administration resources. The division of these resources between the two new departments—the Department for Transport and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister—is currently being finalised. However, no additional resources are being made available from the Exchequer as a result of the departmental reorganisation.
European and International Business
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what work is being undertaken in his Department by the division responsible for European and International Business; and if he will make a statement. [70655]
Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 18 July 2002, Official Report, columns 455–56W.
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Travel Times
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the differences between travel times road users would achieve in free-flowing conditions and the travel times they actually achieve, in average time lost per kilometre driven (a) on inter-urban trunk roads, (b) on roads in large urban areas, (c) in other urban areas, (d) in London, (e) in all other areas and (f) on all roads in each of the last three years. [71316]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 19 July 2002]: We hope to publish a year 2000 baseline figure for congestion.
Transport Benchmarks
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the benchmark is for (a) accessibility, (b) punctuality, (c) reliability and (d) use of local public transport against which the PSA targets for transport contained in the 2002 Spending Review are set. [71620]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 19 July 2002]: The underlying target of increasing the use of local public transport (bus and light rail) by more than 12 per cent. by 2010 will be measured against the baseline figure of 3,881 million passenger journeys by light rail and local bus services in England in 2000–01.
We are considering the most appropriate means of measuring improvements to accessibility, punctuality and reliability in relation to this target.
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