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11 Dec 2002 : Column 351W—continued
Central Railway Scheme
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place a copy of the Strategic Rail Authority's report to him on the Central Railway Scheme in the Library. [86581]
Mr. Spellar: We are considering whether and in what form to make available the SRA report, in line with our commitment to open government, bearing in mind that some of the information it contains may be commercially sensitive.
Concorde
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what checks are carried out on Concorde to ensure its structural integrity; and if he will make a statement. [86588]
Mr. Jamieson: The structural integrity of Concorde is ensured in service by way of a phased inspection programme designed to detect potential failures. Both visual and non-destructive examination techniques, such as ultra sound scanning, are used in this process. Inspections are repeated periodically, with the frequency depending on the structural location in question. The efficacy of these inspections is continually reviewed by the UK and French airworthiness authorities in co-operation with Concorde's Anglo-French manufacturers.
Gaul Inquiry
Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total legal costs to date have been of the inquiry into the sinking of the Hull trawler, Gaul; and if he will make a statement. [86718]
Mr. Jamieson: In 1998 the Deputy Prime Minister announced that the formal investigation into the sinking of the Gaul would be reopened. Since then the legal costs have amounted to some #600,000 to date. The reopened inquiry is due to take place in Hull next summer.
London Underground
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the original estimate supplied to his Department was of the PPP consultancy costs for London Underground. [86530]
Mr. Jamieson: London Transport's expenditure on consultants costs has been regularly reported to the House at six-monthly intervals since 13 January 1999. London Transport could not at that stage be confident of the overall requirements or costs of external advice. An estimated outturn figure of #98 million was first reported to the House on 4 December 2001. London Transport's latest estimate of between #103 million–#105 million was
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reported to the House on 25 November. The increase was partly as a result of the Mayor's second unsuccessful legal challenge.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the NAO about the Government's decision to accept liabilities relating to tube PPP. [86595]
Mr. Jamieson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's minute of 4 December notified Parliament of a contingent liability that London Regional Transport is intending to enter into in respect of the PPPs, and a guarantee that he in turn is intending to provide to London Regional Transport in the event that the contingent liability should materialise. No discussions have been held with NAO. However, in accordance with the guidance set out in Government accounting, Treasury were consulted before notification, and a copy of the minute was also separately sent to the Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts.
Motorcycling (Emissions)
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made by his Department of the European Emission Standard Directives on motorcycling; what discussions have taken place; what representations have been received; and what steps have been taken by his Department as a result. [86089]
Mr. Jamieson: EU directive 2002/51/EC provides for two stages of reductions in emission limit values for two and three wheeled vehicles to have effect from 2003 and 2006 together with a number of other measures designed mainly to maintain emissions performance in-service.
The first stage reductions should contribute a small but useful reduction in carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions at a reasonable cost to manufacturers. With regard to the second stage reductions, while the Government welcome further measures for reducing motor cycle emissions, they considered that mandating a second stage of emissions reductions before its impact on the industry could be fully assessed was not in accord with the principle of better regulation, as reasserted in the Mandelkern Report and endorsed by heads of Government at the Barcelona European Council. While the UK did succeed in negotiating some relief for small manufacturers, support from other member states and the European Parliament for a review prior to any second stage implementation was not forthcoming. The Government therefore abstained from voting in the EU Environmental Council's third and final reading on this measure.
The Department has been in contact with the UK industry throughout the negotiations and continues to do so in order to revise its regulatory impact assessment to take account of the second stage measures. The Department intends shortly to provide a copy of the regulatory impact assessment to the House scrutiny committees on European legislation. Copies will also be placed in the House Libraries.
Oil Tankers
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has
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made of proposals from the International Maritime Organisation to phase out single hull tankers, following the Erika oil spill disaster; what discussions have taken place; and what steps his Department has taken to take these proposals forward. [86101]
Mr. Jamieson: Following the loss of the tanker Erika in December 1999, the UK, jointly with Denmark and the Netherlands, took the lead in securing mandatory change to the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) MARPOL Convention to accelerate the international timetable to phase out single hull oil tankers. To ensure unambiguous enforcement through Port State Control in the EU area we have also supported the EU Regulation which has imposed the IMO text in EU member states. At last week's Transport Council it was agreed to invite a proposal from the Commission to accelerate the timetable even further and to consider how the carriage of heavy oil in single hull tankers might be restricted.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken since October 2000 to (a) accelerate the phasing out of single hull oil tankers and (b) amend the MARPOL Convention; and what the outcome was. [86102]
Mr. Jamieson: In October 2000 the Transport Council approved proposals put forward by the UK, Denmark and the Netherlands for a common approach in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to accelerate the existing international timetable for the phasing out of single hull oil tankers. In April 2001, following negotiations in which the UK played a major part, IMO reached agreement on an amending the MARPOL convention under which single hull tankers having no protection would be phased out in order of age between 2003 and 2007. Under the same agreement partially protected tankers would be phased out of EU ports in order of age between 2003 and 2015. At last week's Transport Council it was agreed to invite a proposal from the Commission to accelerate the timetable even further and to consider how the carriage of heavy oil in single hull tankers might be restricted.
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the risk of large oil spills from single hulled oil tankers in UK waters. [83028]
Mr. Jamieson: The risks of shipping incidents and of the resulting oil spills have been modelled as part of the analysis of the environmental characteristics and pollution risks of the entire coastline. The results are reported in XIdentification of Marine Environmental High Risk Areas (MEHRA) in the UK" published by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in December 1999.
The UK has made it a high priority to reduce the risk of oil spills occurring, and to minimise the impact of any spill which does occur. We have responded positively to the large number of detailed recommendations contained in Lord Donaldson's report XSafer Ships,
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Cleaner Seas" (1994) and his Review of Salvage and Intervention and their Command and Control (1999). The measures which we have taken include:
- Comprehensive surveys of shipping movements;
Implementing a range of ship routeing measures around the coast;
Locating all-year round Emergency Towing Vessels at four points around the UK coasts;
Supporting the mandatory carriage of transponders to allow shipping movements around our coasts to be identified and monitored;
Creating a new function, the Secretary of State's Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention (SOSREP) to provide overall command and control of operations during marine emergencies;
Updating and publishing the UK's revised XNational Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution from Shipping and Offshore Installations", which clarifies the role of the relevant agencies and ensures that environmental considerations are now fully integrated with operational response procedures. This plan is compatible with the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation 1990.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times the Prestige oil tanker has docked in the UK in the last 10 years; what safety measures are in place governing entry into UK docks for oil tankers; what measures he is taking to improve safety measures on oil tankers; what plans he has to work with European partners to bring forward the date for outlawing single-hulled oil tankers; and if he will make a statement on the reduction in size of the largest oil tankers in order to improve safety. [83151]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 28 November 2002]: The records which would enable the movements of this vessel to be plotted over the last 10 years are not readily available. However, records of ship movements for the last five years have been placed in the House Libraries. These record sightings of the PRESTIGE and details of its entries into port. They indicate that the PRESTIGE has called three times at UK ports (Tees in October 1998 and at Tees Bay and Tees in May 1999). The database of inspections under the port state control system does not record ship movements but does indicate that the vessel was inspected in Hull in July 1995 and has not been inspected in a UK port since then.
The movement and manoeuvring of vessels in harbours is the responsibility of the harbour authorities.
Since July 2002 the International Safety Management Code has applied to most vessels trading internationally. It is the international standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention.
The UK was instrumental in securing international agreement to accelerate the phasing out of single hull tankers of 20,000 tons deadweight or more. Those
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having no additional protection must be phased out in order of age no later than the dates in the following timetable:
- 2003 for ships delivered in 1973 or earlier,
2004 for ships delivered in 1974 and 1975,
2005 for ships delivered in 1976 and 1977,
2006 for ships delivered in 1978, 1979 and 1980,
2007 for ships delivered in 1981 or later.
- 2003 for ships delivered in 1973 or earlier,
2004 for ships delivered in 1974 and 1975,
2005 for ships delivered in 1976 and 1977,
2006 for ships delivered in 1978 and 1979,
2007 for ships delivered in 1980 and 1981,
2008 for ships delivered in 1982,
2009 for ships delivered in 1983,
2010 for ships delivered in 1984,
2011 for ships delivered in 1985,
2012 for ships delivered in 1986,
2013 for ships delivered in 1987,
2014 for ships delivered in 1988,
2015 for ships delivered in 1989 or later.
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