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11 Jul 2003 : Column 1024W—continued
Traffic Lights
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research he has commissioned into the use of traffic lights to reduce pedestrian casualties; [124796]
- (2) what guidance he gives to local authorities on the use of traffic lights in preventing pedestrian casualties. [124802]
Mr. Jamieson: The current advice to local highway authorities on the design of pedestrian facilities at traffic light signals is contained in TA 15/81, "Pedestrian Facilities at Traffic Signal Installations". We are drafting a new version to give further information to practitioners following research which concentrated on the design of traffic signals.
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Other research has been concentrated on the detailed operation and design of pedestrian crossings on higher speed roads. There is current research into this specific subject and into Puffin crossings. One element of this latter research will look at accident figures before and after installation of the crossings.
Additionally we have recently commissioned a 2 year project entitled "The effects of traffic signals strategies on the safety of vulnerable road users". This will explore the linkages between the ways in which the various signal control strategies are operated, the behaviour of pedestrians and cyclists using these facilities, and the effect on casualty rates for pedestrians and cyclists. It is our intention that the findings of this project will form good practice guidance for local highway authorities.
Other Departmental guidance on the use of traffic signals at pedestrian crossings is contained in Local Transport: Notes 1/95 (the Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings) and 2/95 (The Design of Pedestrian Crossings) and as part of the Traffic Advisory Leaflet series of publications.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Coal Industry
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria are being applied to the availability of financial support to the coal industry. [125233]
Mr. Timms: The principal means of financial support to the coal industry is through coal investment aid, which has a budget of up to £60 million over three years. The full criteria that applications under coal investment aid must satisfy are set out in the scheme description document, which can be found at www.dti.gov.uk/enerRv/coal/invest aid/description.dpf
The funding of any project under coal investment aid will be discretionary and an application satisfying all the criteria will not necessarily receive investment aid. In determining which eligible projects are to be supported and to what level, the Government will assess the relative quality of the projects. The quality of an application will be judged by considering (in order of importance): medium term viability of the applicant and the project; number of jobs created or safeguarded by the project and how long the jobs will last; the commercial efficiency of the investment project; job quality; labour productivity gains and wider benefits offered to the local area.
The Government have been inviting applications under coal investment aid since 16 June 2003. The deadline for applications relating to the first assessment period is 31 July 2003.
Environmental Appraisals
Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of the Department's policies have been screened for their environmental impact since June 2001; how many environmental appraisals have been conducted, and on what policy issues; and what information has been published about these screenings and appraisals. [124717]
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Mr. Timms: In most instances, environmental screening and appraisal are undertaken as an integral part of the policy-making process, and separate records are not currently maintained.
Since June 2001, DTI has published the following self-standing appraisals:
- (i) An environmental appraisal of the draft Communications Bill was published in May 2002
(ii) A sustainability appraisal of the Energy White Paper was published in February 2003. This was undertaken using an integrated policy appraisal tool, which aims to draw together existing appraisal requirements (economic, social, environmental and distributional) and is being piloted across Government to assess its usefulness.
EU Committees
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many officials in the Department serve on EU committees or working parties. [116077]
Ms Hewitt: Membership of EU committees, working parties and working groups in which the Department of Trade and Industry has an interest, is not fixed. Depending upon the subject matter under consideration, the most appropriate policy official will attend. Further information is not held.
EU Contracts
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has had from small businesses regarding reform of the system for awarding EU public sector contracts. [125169]
Nigel Griffiths: I meet regularly with organisations representing the interest of small businesses, and am aware of the difficulties small firms face when tendering for public sector contracts across the EU.
We have highlighted these concerns in the UK's response to the Commission's Entrepreneurship Green Paper, written after a public consultation. Our response calls for the Commission to ensure that small firms do not face discrimination in relation to public sector procurement and that access to the EU public sector marketplace is encouraged for all firms, regardless of size.
This view is, I believe, also taken up by many small firm representative organisations' responses to the Commission, and I look forward to drawing further on their views as the drafting of the Entrepreneurship Action Plan progresses.
EU Directives
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry with which business leaders she has had discussions regarding the implementation of the EU directive on information and consultation; what conclusions she drew from these regarding business attitudes towards the directive; and if she will make a statement. [125295]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Government have consulted extensively on how best to implement the EC Information and Consultation Directive. As a first step we published a discussion document in July last year and held a series of roundtable discussions up and down the country during
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the autumn with a wide range of individual businesses and their representatives, unions and employment experts. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and other Government ministers attended the roundtables and heard views directly from those who will be affected by the directive. Building on this initial consultation, the Government then held discussions with the CBI and TUC, and a range of other organisations about implementation. An agreed framework for implementing the directive was published on 7 July 2003 in a consultation document "High Performance Workplaces: Informing and consulting employees", together with draft legislation and a regulatory impact assessment on which we are inviting comments. The Government were aware that business might be concerned about how the directive will be implemented in the UK. This is why we have agreed with the CBI and the TUC a framework for implementation that is flexible, and allows firms to agree with their staff arrangements that are best suited to the individual circumstances of the business.
Generating Costs
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much energy generation cost the UK in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002. [125653]
Mr. Timms: The value of electricity generated in the UK in 2000, 2001 and 2002 was as follows:
| Year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 7,840 |
| 2001 | 7,805 |
| 2002 | 7,540 |
Source:
Digest of UK Energy Statistics
Iraq
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which UK companies have submitted bids for contracts in Iraq, broken down by sector. [124426]
Ms Hewitt: We expect UK companies to play a significant role in the redevelopment of Iraq. In the short-term, US funding is likely to be the main source of opportunities for UK companies.
While we expect UK companies to bid for and win contracts, companies are not obliged to inform us if and when they have done so we are therefore unable to provide the information requested. If they did, normal procedures surrounding commercial confidentiality would apply.
Trade Rules
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the benefits to (a) the UK and (b) developing countries from eliminating all barriers to trade in goods. [124376]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: A number of studies indicate that the elimination of barriers to trade in goods could bring significant benefits both to European Union and to developing countries. Although these studies do not separately identify the effects on the UK economy, there are good reasons to suggest gains to the UK will be in line with those of the EU as a whole.
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