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Nuclear Waste

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what amounts of (a) low level, (b) intermediate-level and (c) high-level nuclear waste have been transported by train in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [135172]

Mr. McNulty [holding answer on 29 October 2003]: The regulations that ensure the safe transport of radioactive materials do not distinguish on safety grounds between waste and any other radioactive materials. This is because there are no special safety issues pertaining specifically to the transport of waste. There is no regulatory requirement for this department to be notified of waste shipments.

The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) carried out studies in 1984 and 1991 examining road and rail transport of radioactive material in the UK for the Department. The latest report identified that around 5000 containers of low-level waste and some 765 irradiated fuel flasks (this material may not have been classified as waste) were transported in 1989. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.

A further study has been commissioned from NRPB, which is due for completion at the end of 2004. This will contain a similar analysis of national trends. The report will be lodged in the house library when complete.

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Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports his Department has received about plans to increase the transport by train of nuclear waste through London; and if he will make a statement. [135173]

Mr. McNulty [holding answer 29 October 2003]: In October 2001 the Greater London Authority (GLA) investigated the transport of irradiated fuel through London. This concluded that there would be no increase in the frequency of transport of spent nuclear fuel through London during the imminent decommissioning of some nuclear reactors in the south east. The Department is not convinced that the conclusions of this report present a full and accurate picture of future trends.

A study has been commissioned from NRPB, which is due for completion at the end of 2004. This will contain an analysis of national trends in the shipment of radioactive material. In particular it will look at trends expected as a result of decommissioning. The report will be lodged in the house Library when complete.

The Department has offered to collaborate with the GLA by including a specific study of London within the national study. This would provide the information requested.

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trains went through London with (a) low-level, (b) intermediate-level and (c) high-level nuclear waste in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [135174]

Mr. McNulty [holding answer 29 October 2003]: The organisation that operates trains transporting irradiated fuel (Direct Rail Services) has stated that shipments through London have averaged three per week on a reasonably constant basis over the past five years.

A study examining road and rail transport of radioactive material nationally has been commissioned from the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB), which is due for completion at the end of 2004. This will contain an analysis of national trends of numbers and types of shipments. The report will be lodged in the Library of the House when complete.

In October 2001 the Greater London Authority (GLA) investigated the transport of irradiated fuel through London. In response to this the Department has offered to collaborate with the GLA by including a specific study of London within the national study.

Pensions (Network Rail)

Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the decision by Network Rail to close its final salary pension scheme. [139159]

Mr. McNulty: Network Rail's decision about its final salary pension arrangements is a matter for Network rail itself and the independent corporate trustee of the Railways Pension Scheme.

It is our understanding that there is no intention to breach the arrangements put in place to protect staff pensions on privatisation of the industry. The relevant

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final salary arrangement will still be open to protected rail industry staff who transfer voluntarily to Network Rail.

Regulatory Proportionality

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the principle of regulatory proportionality will be incorporated in the proposed amendments to Regulation 32 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulation relating to lightly tinted windows. [138734]

Mr. Jamieson: Regulation 32 is not being amended. The regulations are being clarified to verify that the prescribed minimum light transmittance values apply irrespective of whether or not windows have tinted film stuck on them.

Road Congestion

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the rates of congestion were on the M54 between Shrewsbury and Telford in each year since 1997; [138355]

(2) what the rates of congestion were on the A5 road between Shrewsbury and Wrexham in each year since 1997. [138371]

Mr. McNulty: I have asked the Acting Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Stephen Hickey, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Stephen Hickey to Mr. Paul Marsden, dated 18 November 2003:

I have been asked by Tony McNulty to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about rates of congestion on the A5 road between Shrewsbury and Telford and Shrewsbury and Wrexham in each year since 1997.

Established modelling techniques are used by the Department for Transport and the Highways Agency in England to assess existing road congestion and forecast future congestion for specific purposes such as the preparation of road improvements. A consequence of this is a 'stress map' indicating those parts of the motorway and trunk road network that are experiencing peak and off-peak congestion. The latest available version of the map was published in the Ten Year Plan for Transport, a copy of which is available in the House Library, The length of A5 between the Welsh border and Wrexham is the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly.

Regular measurement of journey times at the level of detail required (by most congestion indicators) has not been carried out in the past, mainly on economic grounds.

The opening of the Highways Agency's Traffic Control Centre next year will greatly improve our knowledge of traffic conditions and will lead to comprehensive information on journey times and speeds being made generally available to the travelling public.

School Transport

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Department for Education and Skills regarding funding for school transport. [138869]

Mr. McNulty: The Secretary of State has had a number of discussions with the Secretary of State for Education in the course of developing our new joint initiative on school travel, which was launched on 17 September.

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Strategic Rail Authority

Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the decision by the Strategic Rail Authority to take over the south-east franchise. [139158]

Mr. McNulty: On 26 June 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) formally notified Connex that its franchise would be terminated by 31 December 2003. This followed Connex's failure to introduce agreed changes to their financial monitoring and reporting arrangements designed to ensure that the substantial public subsidy they had received was being properly used. With Connex's agreement, the franchise was in fact terminated on 9 November 2003 and the service is now being run by the SRA through a subsidiary company, South Eastern Trains. This will continue only until a private sector operator is appointed to run the proposed Integrated Kent Franchise, which is expected to begin in 2005.

Train Performance

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings he has had with train operating companies to discuss train performance in the last six months. [138866]

Dr. Howells: Departmental Ministers meet regularly with train operating companies to discuss performance. Since July 2003, I have visited South West Trains, Midland Mainline and South Central, Virgin, Silverlink, Centro, Central and Wales and Borders.

Transport Security

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken since 11 September 2001 to improve security at (a) ports and (b) rail freight terminals. [138356]

Mr. Jamieson: My Department's approach is to manage the risk to the industry arising from the threat of a terrorist attack. The security measures imposed seek to minimise the industries' vulnerabilities while recognising operational realities.

Following the events of 11 September 2001 the security programmes for all modes of transport were reviewed and some adjustments made. The programmes are kept under review. While it is not our practice to detail the required security measures for obvious reasons, we believe that the core policies and baseline measures and the levels of security required are appropriate.

In respect of the security at ports, our national regime (which has been in place since 1990) will be augmented next year with the implementation of the recently agreed International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) global maritime security regime.

For rail freight terminals my Department issued a National Railway Security Programme in July 2001. The review of the programme (which covers the whole of the Great Britain rail network) confirmed that the measures required for domestic rail freight depots are appropriate and proportionate to the threat.

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International rail freight terminals using the channel tunnel have been subject to more stringent requirements since the opening of the channel tunnel in 1994. International rail freight terminals have protective security measures in place and all rail freight is liable to be searched. Since 11 September 2001 the level of search required has been increased.

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