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EU (Scottish Representation)
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State when the EC-Czech Republic Joint Transport Committee is next
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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. [73155]
Mr. Jamieson: This Committee is established under the provisions of an Agreement between the European Community and the Czech Republic establishing certain conditions for the carriage of goods by road and the promotion of combined transport. The remit of the Committee is to ensure the proper implementation of the Agreement. I am not aware that it has met in recent times or that there are any plans for it to meet in the future. Representatives of the Scottish Executive have not been—and would not in the future be—members of the Committee as the matters for which it has responsibility are reserved.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EC-Poland Joint Transport Committee 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. [73159]
Mr. Jamieson: This Committee is established under the provisions of an Agreement between the European Community and Poland establishing certain conditions for the carriage of goods by road and the promotion of combined transport. The remit of the Committee is to ensure the proper implementation of the agreement. I am not aware that it has met in recent times or that there are any plans for it to meet in the future. Representatives of the Scottish Executive have not been—and would not in the future be—members of the Committee as the matters for which it has responsibility are reserved.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2002, Official Report, columns 606–07W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances (SEVESO II); and if he will make a statement. [73168]
Mr. Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has not attended meetings of the EU Committee on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances (SEVESO II) since May 1999.
The mandate of the EU Committee on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances (SEVESO II) is to promote coherent implementation and consistent application of the provisions of the Seveso II Directive throughout the Community. This necessitates close co-operation of the competent authorities of all member states and the European Commission. The committee of competent authority meetings (CCA) provide such a forum. The CCA consists of representatives of the member states and the Commission services. It discusses all issues concerning the implementation of the Seveso II Directive and gives guidance as to their practical application.
The committee meets twice a year and is attended on behalf of the UK by representatives of the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency. Where appropriate officials from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Scottish Executive and other agencies may also attend.
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In Great Britain a Competent Authority for the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999, which implements the Seveso Directive, has been established. This committee meets twice a year, and its meetings are attended by the Health and Safety Executive, the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.
General Lighthouse Fund
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what terms the General Lighthouse Fund has lent money to operate holiday homes to Trinitas Services; what net rental proceeds have been remitted to the fund; and if he will make a statement. [72310]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 23 July 2002]: The General Lighthouse Fund has made available to Trinitas Services Ltd. a loan facility up to £1 million for the refurbishment and marketing of the lighthouse cottages under a commercial contract with Rural Retreats Ltd. To date £440,000 has been drawn down against this loan facility.
The loan is repayable over 10 years and carries an interest rate of 5 per cent. starting after three years. Security is by a Deed of Charge over TSL's interest in each property. The lease provides for ground rents in addition to the interest on the loan. There is no direct rental income. A non executive director of Trinity House Lighthouse Service (THLS) has been appointed to the board of TSL as a nominee of the Lighthouse Service.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the General Lighthouse Fund report and accounts for the financial year 2001–02 will be published; and if he will make a statement. [72313]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 23 July 2002]: We expect to publish the General Lighthouse Fund report and accounts for the financial year 2001–02 in early 2003.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the lighthouse centres opened to visitors over the past two years; what the (a) capital costs, (b) revenue costs and (c) income of each of those centres has been in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement. [72311]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 23 July 2002]: The Northern Lighthouse Board has none of its lighthouses opened to visitors over the last two years other than by exceptional special arrangement. The board is currently negotiating with two local trusts one in south-west Scotland and the other in Orkney to reach agreement for regular public access to two lighthouses.
All of the Trinity House Lighthouse Service visitor centres are operated through third parties and not directly by the Lighthouse Service. The GLF benefits from an agreed share of the profits under each scheme and thus profits and costs are set out in the table.
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Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investment has been made by the General Lighthouse Fund in the development of the 40 vacant houses owned by Trinity House to turn those dwellings into holiday lettings; and if he will make a statement. [72314]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 23 July 2002]: The properties are ex lighthouse keepers' cottages and have been empty in recent years. In order to put them in a suitable material state for transferring to Trinitas Services Ltd. it was necessary to bring them up to modern building standards and comply with health and safety regulations. The cost is in the order of £500k which includes reinstatement of kitchens and bathrooms. This cost would have been similar if the cottages had been prepared for sale.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the value is of the General Lighthouse Fund's reserve fund; and if he will make a statement. [72312]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 23 July 2002]: The General Lighthouse Fund is valued at £64 million as at 22 July 2002. This includes a reserve of £32 million to support pension arrangements.
The fund is maintained at a level to meet liabilities under Section 211 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, including expenditure on wreck removal, pensions and self insurance of assets.
Transport 10-year Plan
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a list of the 96 major local road and public transport schemes approved under the transport 10-year plan. [71609]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 19 July 2002]: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the lines included in the target given in his 10-year plan for an 80 per cent. increase in patronage on
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intercity lines, at paragraph 6.22, page 49; and if he will publish the relevant patronage levels for each of the last three years. [71566]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 19 July 2002]: The 80 per cent. increase in patronage on intercity lines is an expected outcome over the period of the 10-year plan. There are six operators who run high-speed services between major towns and cities. These are listed in the table, which shows passenger kilometres for these operators over the last three years. These figures are included in the Strategic Rail Authority's annual report.
| Long distance operator | 1999–2000 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Great Western | 2,387 | 2,387 | 2,428 |
| Great North Eastern Railways | 3,931 | 3,910 | 3,768 |
| Midland Mainline | 1,070 | 1,091 | 1,134 |
| Virgin CrossCounty | 2,374 | 2,205 | 2,423 |
| Virgin West Coast | 3,398 | 3,322 | 3,177 |
| Anglia | 726 | 666 | 774 |
Note:
The Anglia figure includes both local as well as intercity services
Source:
SRA Annual Report
Passenger kilometres on long-distance operators fell by 8 per cent. following the Hatfield accident, down from 13.2 billion km in 1999–2000 to 12.1 billion km in 2000–01. This has been followed by a rise of 7 per cent. to 12.9 billion km in 2001–02. These figures are included in the Strategic Rail Authority's National Rail Trends publication, the most recent of which was published on 6 June, a copy of which is in the House Library.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library an updated copy of Table A3 from the 10-year transport plan (a) at outturn prices or (b) at today's prices. [72771]
Mr. Jamieson: A breakdown of revised 10-year plan spending will be published in the autumn as part of the first year report on the plan.
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