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Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 26 March 2003

TRANSPORT

M1

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason and at whose expense a wooden fence is being erected adjacent to the southbound carriageway of the M1 motorway near junction 11; and what the total cost is of such work. [104582]

Mr. Spellar: The wooden fence is a noise barrier that will be provided next to both carriageways of the motorway through the centre of Luton.

We announced in March 1999 a new sift criteria to be used when assessing serious noise problems on existing trunk roads together with an annual ring-fenced budget to deal with locations identified.

The M1 at Luton qualifies as one of the sites under the criteria. The cost of the works is met from the ring-fenced budget which is managed by the Highways Agency. The first phase of the works at Luton will cost £2.6 million. A later phase will extend the barriers on the southern and northern sides of the town. This phase is planned to be undertaken in 2004–05 and will cost a further £2 million.

WALES

Coal Health Claims Monitoring Group

Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the work of the Welsh Sub Group of the Coal Health Claims Monitoring Group chaired by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary. [103376]

Mr. Touhig: On the most recent figures I have available, in Wales we have paid £197 million under the respiratory disease scheme and £83 million under the Vibration White Finger Scheme, with full and final payments having been made to 13,762 and 8,632 claimants respectively. In Bridgend over £1.5 million has been paid out in respiratory disease payments and over £760,000 has been paid to Vibration White Finger claimants.

Despite this significant and welcome progress, much remains to be done. The Government intends to keep up the pressure to get justice for our miners, their widows and their families, and I will continue to make every effort as part of this process. The Welsh Sub Group has seen the major stakeholders in the process working together in a highly constructive way, identifying real improvements to the system which have speeded up payments to miners in Wales and across the UK. It has also provided a model for similar groups across the UK.

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Energy Review

Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the impact on Wales of the work of the Advisory Board of the Performance and Innovation Unit's Energy Review in the last three years. [103368]

Peter Hain: The Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) Energy Review had a Sponsor Minister and Advisory Group. The Wales Office was represented on this group by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales.

The PIU (now the Strategy Unit) published its energy review in February 2002. This was a key input into the development of the Government's Energy White Paper, which was published last month. The Wales Office was represented at both Ministerial and official level in the production of this key Government statement on the future of Britain's energy policy.

The Energy White Paper sets out a strategic vision for the development of energy policy across the UK as a whole. It clearly has important implications for Wales, as for other parts of the UK.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry made an excellent statement to launch the White Paper on 24 February which was very clear on the implications for the UK as a whole.

That said, it is clearly crucial that key players in Wales engage in the delivery of the White Paper objectives. In particular, the White Paper welcomes the development by the National Assembly for Wales of a strategic approach to energy policy as it applies in Wales.

Ministerial Travel

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list internal flights made by Ministers in his Department in 2002, including in each case the (a) cost, (b) departure location and (c) destination; and of these how many were (i) first class, (ii) business class and (iii) economy class. [103595]

Peter Hain : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 22 January 2003 Official Report 334W.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has visited Scotland on official duties each year since 2000; and what meetings were held on each occasion. [103598]

Peter Hain: Since my appointment as Secretary of State for Wales in October 2002, I have visited Scotland once, in February 2003.

In line with exemptions 2 and 7 of the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information", it is not the normal practice of Governments to release details of specific meetings or their content, as some of these discussions may have taken place on a confidential basis.

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Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans Ministers in the Department have to (a) visit Scotland on official business, (b) announce public appointments and (c) make ministerial announcements in April. [103663]

Peter Hain: My Department's business during the campaign period preceding elections to the Scottish Parliament will be conducted in accordance with the Guidance on Conduct for Civil Servants in UK Departments in respect of elections to the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales, published by the Cabinet Office on 10 March.

Tidal Energy

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what appraisal he has made of plans to use tidal lagoons to generate electricity in (a) the Severn estuary and (b) off the north Wales coast; and if he will make a statement. [103530]

Peter Hain : I have made no such appraisal, since such matters rest with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

However, my hon. Friend will know that I am a keen enthusiast for renewable energy. The Severn estuary barrage was one of the issues that the Government examined during its consideration of the Energy White Paper. It is hugely expensive, but there are other opportunities for utilising tidal and wave power. The Welsh coast and the Severn estuary may represent such opportunities.

Wales Office (Complaints)

Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many formal complaints he has received about the Wales Office since April 2002. [103374]

Peter Hain: No formal complaints have been received.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces Act 1955

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to amend the Armed Forces Act 1955. [104716]

Mr. Ingram: There is no Armed Forces Act 1955. The Army and Air Force Acts of that year and the Naval Discipline Act 1957 have a finite life, and Parliament considers their renewal every five years in the form of an Armed Forces Bill. This is also the main vehicle for amending the 1955 and 1957 Acts. The Armed Forces Act was last renewed in 2001.

All the procedures covered by the Service Acts are kept under review and it is envisaged that any proposals for further change that may be considered necessary would be included in the Armed Forces Bill due for introduction in the 2005–06 session. We intend to introduce legislation to bring the three separate Acts together into one tri-Service Act, but whether it will be possible to include this in the 2005–06 Bill will depend on the availability of parliamentary time.

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Army Recruits

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what phase in Army training a recruit is permitted to handle weapons containing live rounds without supervision; what (a) age and (b) other restrictions limit troops' access to lethal weapons; and in what circumstances an armourer may exercise discretion to refuse the issue of a weapon to a member of Her Majesty's forces. [104898]

Dr. Moonie: No recruits in initial training are allowed to handle weapons containing live rounds without supervision. As part of their training, all recruits have access to lethal weapons from the start of phase 1 training; the age limit is therefore effectively 16. However, all such recruits are fully supervised whilst handling such weapons. Within the Army, an Arms Storeman will refuse the issue of a weapon to a soldier if he or she is unaccompanied by a supervising NCO or if the weapon has not been ordered for training.

European Defence Co-operation

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to work with other European nations on the development of an unmanned aerial vehicle; and if he will make a statement. [104231]

Mr. Ingram: United Kingdom unmanned aerial vehicles are being pursued through two programmes: Watchkeeper, which plans to deliver a tactical UAV in 2006; and the Future Offensive Air System (FOAS) programme within which we are assessing the feasibility of UAVs contributing to our future strike capability from about 2020 onwards. There are no plans to work with other European nations on the development of Watchkeeper, although we do share information regarding the acquisition, operation and support of UAV systems with a number of European countries. The FOAS programme plans to carry out some technology demonstration work within a six-nation collaborative European Technology Acquisition Programme comprising France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

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