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Multinational Companies

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to take steps as recommended by paragraphs 177 and 178 of the UN Expert Panel report to ensure compliance by UK-based companies and individuals with OECD Guidelines for multinational enterprises. [81317]

Ms Hewitt: The proposal that countries, which are signatories to the OECD Guidelines, ensure their companies adhere to and act on the Guidelines, is one of a wide range of recommendations made by the UN Expert Panel report being considered by the Government. In consultations at the UN on 13 November 2002, a number of states asked for more information to be made available to substantiate the report's allegations. The UK has also asked the UN directly for more information, but has not yet received a response.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of whether UK-based companies have breached OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises in respect of activities in the DRC, as set out in the UN Expert Panel report. [81318]

Ms Hewitt: The claim that a number of UK companies are in breach of the OECD Guidelines in respect of their activities in the DRC is one of a number of violations alleged by the UN Expert Panel report, which is being considered by the Government. In consultations at the UN on 13 November 2002, a number of states asked for more information to be made available to substantiate the report's allegations. The UK has also asked the UN directly for more information, but has not yet received a response.

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TRANSPORT

Public Highways

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list those categories of public bodies which can apply for the permanent closure of areas of the public highway to prevent use by motorised vehicles; [82465]

(2) in what circumstances individuals or organisations, other than public bodies, may apply for the permanent closure of areas of the public highway to prevent use by motorised vehicles; and in what circumstances this would be allowed. [82464]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 25 November 2002]: Use of a public highway by vehicles may be prohibited or restricted by means of traffic regulation orders (TRO) made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, while the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Highways Act 1980 include provisions for stopping up highways completely.

Responsibility for making TROs rests with the local traffic authority. It is open to anyone to make representations about the need to control vehicular traffic, but it is for the traffic authority concerned to decide whether the making of a TRO is appropriate. For local roads the making of a TRO is subject to the procedures set out in The Local Authorities Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996 SI 1996/2489 and for trunk roads The Secretary of State's Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1990 SI 1990/1656. These regulations require prior notice of the proposed making of an order and allow for objections to be made which the traffic authority must consider in deciding whether to make the order.

Section 247 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides for the stopping up or diversion of highways in connection with development by means of an order made by the Secretary of State on the application of a developer who has been granted planning permission or by a government department. A section 247 order removes all highway rights. Applications must be made to the relevant Government Office. Section 249 of the Act enables the extinguishment of the right to use vehicles on a highway where a local planning authority has resolved to adopt such a proposal in the interest of improving the amenity of part of their area. Section 252 of the Act sets out the procedure for making orders under sections 247 and 249. Proposed orders must be advertised to allow for objections to be made and a public inquiry to be held if necessary.

Under the provisions of section 116 of the Highways Act 1980 a magistrates court may make an order authorising the stopping up or diversion of a public highway on the grounds that it is unnecessary or can be diverted so as to make it nearer or more commodious to the public. Such an order removes all highway rights. An application for an order may be made by the highway authority or that authority acting on behalf of another person where they are willing to grant a request by that person to stop up or divert a highway. The highway authority must give notice of an application for an

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order. Persons aggrieved by the proposal to stop up or divert a highway under section 116 have a right to be heard by the court.

A180

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when resurfacing of the A180 with low noise materials will commence. [82919]

Mr. Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Tim Matthews to Shona McIsaacs dated 28 November 2002:

I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking when resurfacing of the A180 with low noise materials will commence.

The criteria for deciding the priority for applying quieter surfacing to concrete roads were announced in October 2001. These criteria are:

that wherever possible the application of quieter surfaces will fit in with normal maintenance needs;

that priority will be given to those sites where treatment would benefit the greatest number of people;

that the works will be carried out in such a way as to minimise disruption to general public and users of the network;

that priority will be given to roads, opened since June 1998, where actual noise levels turned out significantly higher than predicted at the time of Public Inquiry.

Resurfacing of two concrete sections of the A180, between Harborough and Stallingborough and between Great Coates and Pyewipe, is due to be undertaken by 2001 under the Ten Year Plan. Originally, both schemes were included in the list of roads to be resurfaced by 2005, based on an assessment that maintenance would need to be carried out by that date. However, current indications are that maintenance work will not be needed between Great Coates and Pyewipe before 2005 and it is probable that this work will be undertaken later.

I am afraid that it is not possible to provide a better idea of timing until the review of the maintenance programme is complete following the 2002 spending settlement. We will write to you again once the results of that review are known.

If you require any further information, please contact Mick Spink, the Highways Agency's Area Manager for the a180. He can be contacted on 1003 283 5397 or e-mail [e-mail]. Or for further information on resurfacing of concrete roads, visit our website at www.highways.gov.uk and use our search facility to find 'concrete roads'.

A316, Twickenham

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many speeding tickets have been (a) issued and (b) withdrawn from each of the speed cameras on the A316 within the constituency of Twickenham; and if he will make a statement. [83659]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.

This information is not collected centrally.

A428, Bedfordshire

Mr. Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the repair bill for the cracked whisper road surface of the A428 in Bedfordshire which was laid when owned by the Highways Agency will be met by Central Government. [83142]

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Mr. Jamieson: The A428 in Bedfordshire was detrunked on 1 September 2001. At that time no specific road maintenance work (other than routine) had been identified by the Highways Agency in their forward programme and this was agreed with Bedfordshire County Council.

Funds have been provided for minor maintenance and routine works for the remainder of 2001–02 and for routine works in 2002–03. There have been no requests from Bedfordshire County Council for additional funding. Any maintenance or improvement works that have been identified by the Council since they became the Highway Authority for the A428 should be included in their annual Local Transport Plan updates.

Turvey High Street (Pedestrian Crossing)

Mr. Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the repair bill for the eroded high friction dressing laid for the Highways Agency at the Turvey High Street pedestrian crossing in Bedfordshire will be met by Central Government. [83141]

Mr. Jamieson: The A428 in Bedfordshire was detrunked on 1 September 2001. At that time no specific road maintenance work (other than routine) had been identified by the Highways Agency in their forward programme and this was agreed with Bedfordshire County Council. Funds have been provided for minor maintenance and routine works for the remainder of 2001/02 and for routine works in 2002/03. There have been no requests from Bedfordshire County Council for additional funding. Any maintenance or improvement works that have been identified by the Council since they became the Highway Authority for the A428 should be included in their annual Local Transport Plan updates.

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