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Pollution Directive

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact on Northern Ireland of the UK's non-implementation of the EU Directive on integrated pollution prevention and control rules; what representations he has made; what fines will be imposed; and what steps are being taken to rectify the situation. [98370]

Angela Smith: At present the Industrial Pollution Control (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 provides for an integrated approach to the control of pollution from industrial processes. This provides for a strong and effective system of control and has been successful in providing a better and cleaner environment.

However, the United Kingdom also has an obligation to comply with EC Directive 96/91 on integrated pollution prevention and control, which provides for a similar system. The delay in the introduction of the transposing legislation in Northern Ireland has meant that the United Kingdom has been unable to meet fully its obligations. The Commission has therefore brought infraction proceedings against the UK.

The necessary legislation has now been introduced in Northern Ireland with the introduction of the Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 and the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003. The United Kingdom now takes the view that it has met fully its obligations to comply with the Directive.

Translink

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of Translink's increased customer base, as set out in the latest edition of the Northern Ireland Road and Rail Transport Statistics Quarterly Bulletin, is accounted for by (a) paying customers, (b) those entitled to free travel, (c) new business and (d) ticket price increases. [98265]

Angela Smith: Translink has introduced a new integrated ticketing system on Citybus from 1 October 2001 and on Ulsterbus from 1 April 2002. The new system has not yet been implemented in Northern Ireland Railway hence information is not available to answer questions (a), nor is any information available which would identify new customers (question (c)).

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For question (b) it is estimated that the increase in patronage on Citybus is mostly attributable to over 65-year-olds who are entitled to free travel, while less than half of the increase on Ulsterbus resulted from the senior citizen market. It is not thought that there has been any increase in usage of the railways by the elderly sector who are entitled to free travel.

For question (d) there was a 4.5 per cent. fares increase in public transport. Overall receipts increased by £0.9 million which was an increase of 6.6 per cent. over the period. Therefore 68 per cent. of the increase in receipts was due to ticket price increases.

Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on Northern Ireland's compliance with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. [98336]

Angela Smith: The number of works complying with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive in Northern Ireland for the years 1999 to 2001 is:

1999—8 out of a total of 15 complied—which gives a compliance rate of 53 per cent.


2000—8 out of a total of 15 complied—which gives a compliance rate of 53 per cent.


2001—13 out of a total of 37 complied—which gives a compliance rate of 35 per cent.

The apparent fall in the rate of compliance between 2000 and 2001 reflects the phased introduction of targets under the UWWT Directive bringing more waste-water treatment works within its scope. For the year 2002, a total of 35 works have been assessed with the results still needing to be confirmed. However, the initial indication is that compliance is in the region of 50 per cent.—similar to 1999 and 2000.

There is a legacy of under-funding of Northern Ireland's infrastructure. However, the upgrading of Northern Ireland's water and sewerage services to meet EU regulations is a high priority. Over £250 million will be invested on the waste-water infrastructure over the next three years. This increased level of investment has been made possible by the allocation of an additional £180 million for the wider water and sewerage services over the next three years, as was announced in the Budget statement in December 2002. In addition, DRD is actively considering with the Strategic Investment Board the potential for delivering a sizeable Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme which could include a number of wastewater treatment works, as part of the Strategic Investment Programme.

This major increase in investment will deliver significant progress towards fall compliance with the Directive.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will reintroduce the moratorium on planning applications for developments that would (a) cause and (b) be likely to cause a breach of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. [98337]

Angela Smith: Last year planning applications in a number of areas in Northern Ireland were held on a temporary basis, as a precautionary measure, as a result of concerns expressed by the Department of the

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Environment's Environment and Heritage Service about the environmental compliance and pollution implications of further development. There was no moratorium on the determination of planning applications.

Discussions took place between Environment and Heritage Service, Planning Service and Water Service and, as a result, Environment and Heritage Service and Water Service agreed an expanded and reprioritised Capital Works Programme to carry out the improvement works to the sewage treatment and sewerage systems necessary in order to ensure compliance with EU Directives and national standards. On the basis of the agreed programme, the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly decided that planning applications that had been held on a precautionary basis and future planning applications in the locations affected would be processed to a conclusion. Dermot Nesbitt MLA announced the Executive Committee's decision in a statement to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 7 October 2002.

It was agreed that the Department of the Environment and the Department for Regional Development would monitor the implementation of the capital works programme and compliance with the relevant environmental standards in order to allow the agreed approach to be reviewed, if necessary.

There are no grounds for altering the policy approach agreed by the Executive Committee at this stage.

Water Service

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on whether Crown immunity is to continue for the Water Service of Northern Ireland. [98335]

Angela Smith: Water Service currently enjoys Crown Immunity from prosecution because it is an Executive Agency of a Central Government Department, the Department for Regional Development.

On 11 December 2002, the Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, South (Mr. Pearson) announced our intention to introduce self-financing arrangements for Water Service, which will require the introduction of domestic water and sewerage charges. I wish to ensure that water and sewerage services are delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible to ensure that future household charges are fair and affordable. This will require reform of the arrangements for the delivery of these services, and may require a change in the organisational status of Water Service.

No decision has been taken on this issue yet, and I intend to engage in full and inclusive consultation on any proposals for change. However, should a decision be taken to move responsibility for the delivery of water and sewerage services outside Central Government, Crown Immunity would not continue for Water Service.

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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Cultural Identity

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last discussed with other EU Ministers for Culture the strengthening of a common cultural identity; and what measures are being taken for this purpose. [97895]

Mr. Caborn: The Treaty establishing the European Community does not provide for strengthening a common cultural identity, but does encourage bringing the common cultural heritage to the fore while respecting regional and national diversity within the Member States. In order to achieve this the Council of Culture Ministers agreed the Council Resolution of 25 June 2002 on a new work plan on European co-operation in the field of culture. My right hon and noble Friend the Minister for the Arts attended the culture and audiovisual session of the Education, Youth and Culture Council in Brussels on 11 November 2002, accompanied by Dr Elaine Murray, Deputy Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport in the Scottish Executive. They discussed with other European Union Culture Ministers progress on the new work plan and agreed further resolutions, e.g. on mobility of persons and circulation of works in the cultural sector (Report in Official Report, 20 November 2002, column 143W). Future meetings of European Union Ministers for Culture will discuss further progress on the new work plan.

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