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9 Sept 2003 : Column 370W—continued
Health
13. Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with other Ministers about cross-border health issues. [128455]
Mrs. McGuire: My right hon. Friend and I have frequent discussions with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of issues.
Fallen Stock
14. Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Scottish Executive to discuss arrangements for the disposal of fallen stock on offshore islands. [128456]
Mrs. McGuire: Responsibility for agricultural matters in Scotland rests with the Scottish Executive.
Scottish Boundary Commission
15. Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish the recommendations of the Scottish Boundary Commission. [128457]
Mr. Darling: I refer the hon. Lady to my reply of earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk, East (Mr. Connarty), Official Report, c. 152.
Devolution
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the devolution settlement as it affects Scotland. [128463]
Mr. Darling: The Scottish devolution settlement is well established and successful. The recent changes to the machinery of government at Westminster reflect its maturity.
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Road Haulage Industry
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive about the road haulage industry in Scotland. [128452]
Mr. Darling: I have regular discussions with Scottish Ministers on a wide range of issues affecting Scotland, including transport.
TRANSPORT
Robin Rigg Windfarm
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he first discussed with the Scottish Executive the safety zones for shipping around the proposed Robin Rigg windfarm. [127860]
Mr. Jamieson: The Scottish Executive attended a meeting on 11 February 2003 at which UK Government Departments discussed policy on the development of offshore windfarms and their impacts on the safety of navigation including the case for safety zones around such structures. The Robin Rigg windfarm was one of a number of offshore renewable energy projects discussed.
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he first discussed the exclusion of unauthorised shipping from Robin Rigg windfarm with the Scottish Executive. [128020]
Mr. Jamieson: My officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency appeared before the Convenor of the Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm (Navigation and Fishing) (Scotland) Bill Committee at the Bill's preliminary stage on 11 November 2002. There they were questioned about the proposals to establish an exclusion zone around the Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm. Their appearance before the Committee was discussed at a meeting between my officials and the Scottish Executive on 15 November 2002.
Transport Responsibilities
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on responsibility for transport between (a) parts of the United Kingdom covered by devolved Administrations, (b) England and (c) Northern Ireland. [127778]
Mr. Jamieson: The responsibility for transport between the United Kingdom Government, devolved Administrations and Northern Ireland is outlined as follows:
The National Assembly for Wales's powers are limited to those functions specifically transferred to it by a Transfer of Functions Order, or conferred on it by specific primary legislation or an EU Designation Order. The functions which have been devolved in the field of transport include, among others, maintenance and improvement of the Welsh trunk road network, funding local authority expenditure on roads, a range of road safety responsibilities, concessionary parking schemes for disabled and blind people, land use and
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surface access planning. Railways, aviation and shipping issues in Wales are generally the responsibility of the UK Government.
Unless a matter is expressly reserved to the UK Government in Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998, it is devolved. The Scottish Parliament has legislative competence in areas of transport including the Scottish road network; parking controls; promotion of road safety; bus policy; concessionary fares; cycling; taxis and minicabs; non-technical aspects of transport for disabled people; promotion and construction of new railways which start and end in Scotland; grants for passenger rail services; consultative arrangements in respect of public transport; ports, harbours, piers and boatslips; provision of freight shipping and ferry services, including CalMac; activities of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.; planning and environmental issues relating to airports; and inland waterways
In addition, the Scottish Executive have power to issue directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority in relation to franchised rail services that both start and end in Scotland; power to issue directions and guidance to the SRA in respect of franchised sleeper services; power to give advice to the SRA in relation to cross-border franchised rail services; applications to the EU for the designation of lifeline air services; and enforcement of vehicle emissions standards. The Executive are also the highway authority for the Scottish Trunk Road network.
Functions reserved to the UKG in the field of transport in Scotland include transport security; transport safety and regulation, including the regulation of air transport and shipping, marine and air safety, the provision and regulation of railway services including rail safety; and marine, air and rail accident prevention and investigation; some aspects of road traffic regulation, including driver and vehicle licensing and testing, road signing, vehicle standards, general speed limits; some aspects of road safety; and technical standards relating to the transport of disabled persons.
While devolution in Northern Ireland is suspended, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has assumed responsibility for the direction and control of the Northern Ireland Departments including that dealing with transport.
The Secretary of State for Transport is responsible for all legislative matters regarding transport in England. He is also the highway authority for the trunk road network in England.
A27
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his intention to undertake a safety review of the A27 between Beddingham and Polegate with a view to identifying on-line safety improvements. [127218]
Mr. Jamieson: The Secretary of State announced on 9 July 2003 that the bypasses of Selmeston and Wilmington proposed by the south coast multi-modal study (SoCoMMS) were not acceptable in the form
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proposed. Therefore, he asked the Highways Agency to work with local authorities and statutory environmental bodies to identify less damaging options, including management measures that reduce the need for major road construction, and report back. The Agency will be looking at the current problems and safety issues on the existing road between Beddingham and Polegate as part of this work.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what timescale will apply to the redesign of the A27 Southerham-Beddingham scheme; what public consultation process will apply to the redesigned scheme; and if he will make a statement. [127219]
Mr. Jamieson: The Highways Agency will provide further advice on a redesigned scheme in October 2003. In the light of that advice, a recommendation will be announced together with arrangements for consultation.
Aggregate
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his Answer of 2 July 2003, Official Report, column 267W, on aggregate, what assessment his Department has made of the environmental impact of mineral extraction to provide aggregate for road building and maintenance; and when estimates of the amount of aggregate required for road improvement schemes in the Ten Year Plan will be made. [127203]
Mr. Jamieson: Revised national and regional guidelines for the provision of aggregates for all end uses for the 16-year period 2001–16 were issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in June of this year. Regional Planning Bodies in England will take into account the likely environmental impacts of the implied extraction when apportioning the regional guidelines to mineral planning authority areas. Estimates of the amount of aggregate required for road improvement schemes in the Ten Year Plan will be made on a scheme specific basis as the design for each scheme is developed.
Air Quality (London)
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has collated on changes in air quality in central London since the introduction of congestion charging. [127180]
Mr. Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 15 May 2003, Official Report, column 339W. The position remains unchanged. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs publish regular
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data on pollution levels in London which can be seen at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/airquality/index.htm
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