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WALES

Coroners Courts

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the annual budget is for each coroner's court in Wales; and what percentage is ring-fenced to enable the provisions in the Welsh Language Act 1993 to be met. [132423]

Mr. Touhig: Coroners' courts are funded by local authorities through the settlement and as such a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

European Year of Disabled People

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives his Department (a) has undertaken and (b) is taking to commemorate 2003 as the European Year of Disabled People. [133287]

Mr. Touhig: The Wales Office does not have direct responsibility for specific programmes. However, my right hon. Friend and I recognise the importance of promoting the rights of disabled people and raising awareness of the contribution they make to society. On 4 September my right hon. Friend spoke at Remploy's awards ceremony, honouring employers in Wales who have led the way in the employment of disabled people.

The Disability Unit within the Department for Work and Pensions has been working closely with the National Assembly to promote the European Year of Disabled People in Wales. Joint sponsorship from DWP and the European Commission has enabled 13 special European Year projects to run in Wales covering a wide range of issues.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL FOR SCOTLAND

Legislative Competence

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Advocate-General if she will place in the Library copies of communications her Department has had with the Scottish Executive on consideration by her office of the legislative competence of the Bills detailed in Annex 9 of the Scotland Office Departmental Report 2003. [132984]

The Advocate-General for Scotland: Any such communications which take place between my Department and the Scottish Executive are confidential.

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TRANSPORT

Essex Coastguard Service

Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many full-time coastguards were employed by the Essex Coastguard Service on 1 September. [132630]

Mr. McNulty: On 1 September, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) employed 33 full-time coastguards in Essex.

Biofuels

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK will meet the EU target for 2 per cent. of road transport to be fuelled by biofuels by December 2005; and if he will make a statement. [132870]

Mr. Jamieson: The European Union's Biofuels Directive requires member states to set their own indicative targets for sales of biofuels to be met in the years 2005 and 2010. The Government will be consulting early next year on the level of targets that might be appropriate for the UK, and on the steps that we might take to meet them.

Correspondence

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes of 17 June concerning the Teenage Cycle Safety Campaign; and what the reasons are for the delay. [132589]

Mr. Jamieson: I replied to the hon. Member on 7 July.

Flight Paths (Walthamstow)

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what altitude restrictions apply to aircraft on flight paths above Walthamstow; and how these have changed in the last five years. [131582]

Mr. McNulty [pursuant to his answer, 14 October 2003, Official Report, c. 168–69W]: The airspace over all of Walthamstow above 2,500 ft has been classified as 'controlled' for many years. Over the southernmost quarter of Walthamstow the airspace has been controlled to ground level since the opening of London City Airport. Aircraft using Heathrow and City operate within this controlled airspace. Aircraft inbound to Heathrow will normally be above 5,000 ft.

Over the remainder of my hon. Friend's constituency below 2,500 ft, helicopters and general aviation aircraft from smaller aerodromes can determine routes and altitudes according to their particular requirements. Such flights are subject to the Rules of the Air Regulations, notably Rule 5, which means most will be above 1,500 ft.

There have been no changes to the airspace over Walthamstow in the last five years.

Unmanned Level Crossings

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Inspectorate on Network Rail's proposals to close unmanned level crossings in Scotland; [133121]

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(2) what recent representations he has received from organisations representing country pursuits regarding Network Rail's proposals to close unmanned level crossings in Scotland. [133122]

Mr. McNulty: None. This is an operational matter for Network Rail.

However, I understand that there are continuing discussions between the Health and Safety Executive, Network Rail, the Ramblers' Association, the Scottish Executive, Scottish Natural Heritage, local authorities and residents about Network Rail's policy of preventing unauthorised use of a small number of private level crossings in Scotland. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has drawn the attention of Network Rail's Chief Executive to the need for decisions to enforce restrictions at such crossings to be properly justified on safety grounds.

St Christopher House

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what percentage of the demolition waste from the demolition of St. Christopher House, London is being sent to landfill; [133117]

(2) to what uses the waste from the demolition of St. Christopher House, London is being put; and what percentage of the total waste is being used in each way. [133118]

Mr. McNulty: The Highways Agency left St. Christopher House in September 2002 and the lease expired shortly after. The MOD remained for a few months longer, as their lease had not expired. The building was never a Crown building and it is being demolished by the private landlord. The Highways Agency now has nothing to do with the building.

Thelwall Viaduct

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps he is taking to monitor traffic congestion in North Warrington with particular reference to the Winwick area, while repairs to the Thelwall viaduct are being carried out; [132685]

(2) when he expects the repair work being carried out on the Thelwall viaduct to be completed. [132686]

Mr. McNulty: I have asked the acting Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, to write to my hon. Friend on these matters.

Letter from Keith Miller to Helen Jones dated 20 October 2003:

Tony McNulty has asked Stephen Hickey, Acting Chief Executive of the Highways Agency to reply to your two recent Parliamentary Questions about traffic congestion in North Warrington, arising from ongoing works to the M6 Motorway Thelwall Viaduct, and the expected timescale for completion of those works. Stephen is currently away on official business and I am writing on his behalf.

The Highways Agency is responsible for the operation, management, maintenance, and improvement, of the trunk road and motorway network in England, including the M6 Thelwall Viaduct. As you may be aware, the Agency's ongoing works are to replace 140 support bearings, following the discovery, during a routine inspection in July 2002, of a single failed support bearing on the viaduct carrying northbound traffic. All but one lane of that particular viaduct was then closed, and traffic is now carried on

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this single lane allowing access to Warrington at Junction 21, and on six reduced-width lanes on the viaduct carrying southbound traffic (three lanes in each direction) in contraflow, with a 40mph speed limit. Detailed investigations were urgently carried out and these revealed other failures in the bridge support bearings.

The Agency is conscious that traffic is diverting onto the local road network, including the Winwick area, as a result of the ongoing works and is working closely with Warrington Borough Council on this issue. Data is being collected by both the Council and the Agency to assess the impact of the traffic diversions.

Our aim is to re-open the northbound viaduct as soon as is practicable, and expect to complete the repair works by Spring 2005. However, we are in discussions with the Contractor to identify whether an earlier completion date for the works is possible.

I hope this is helpful. If you would like any further information on this matter, please contact the Agency's Project Manager for the viaduct repairs, David Brindle, Room 803, Sunley Tower, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester M1 4BE telephone [phone].

US Ships (Dismantling)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason he has not responded to the letter from the hon. Member for Lewes, dated 11 September, on the proposal to allow the dismantling of ships from the US reserve fleet on Teesside; and if he will make a statement. [133289]

Mr. McNulty: Staff from my Department have contacted the hon. Member's office on a number of occasions asking for a copy of the letter but we have yet to receive it. When we do I shall reply to the hon. Member.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he undertook of the availability of facilities in the US to dismantle the ships from the US Reserve Fleet intended for dismantling in the United Kingdom before permission was given for that dismantling. [133291]

Mr. McNulty: Such availability is a matter for the US authorities which tendered the recycling contract. We understand that AbleUK won the particular contract for 13 ships in competition with US and foreign bidders and that other contracts have been won by US firms. Trade in waste for recovery or recycling is legal among OECD countries and the EU has its own needs for efficient and properly regulated ship recycling facilities as a contribution to sustainable development.

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