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Written Answers to Questions

Tuesday 16 December 2003

TRANSPORT

Leominster Station

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to provide disabled access to Leominster station. [144101]

Mr. McNulty: The SRA is considering how best to prioritise a programme of works to ensure stations and train services meet the accessibility requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act. The SRA will consult widely on draft criteria next year. The implementation of works will be subject to the availability of funding.

Heathrow Airport

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of whether the (a) M4 and the (b) M25 would need to expand to accommodate further traffic if a third runway was constructed at Heathrow airport. [144179]

Mr. McNulty: "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East" consultation document covered the impact of a third runway at Heathrow airport on the M4 and the M25. These roads were also considered in the Thames Valley and Orbit multi-modal studies. The Secretary of State's response to those studies was published in July 2003.

The Government's conclusions on UK airport capacity, including surface access issues, have been set out in the White Paper, published today.

Ministerial Visits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has to visit the East Midlands to discuss the proposed expansion of East Midlands airport; [142927]

Mr. McNulty: I visited East Midlands Airport in September and have discussed its future development with a number of interested parties. Our conclusions on the proposed development of the airport have been published today in the air transport White Paper. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to visit Leicester at present.

Parking Fines

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what powers private operators of local authority car parks may pursue (a) civil action and (b) criminal action for unpaid fines levied on late and non-payers of car park charges. [143460]

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Mr. Jamieson: Section 4(3) of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 provides that the council of a county, district, London borough or the Common Council of the City of London may institute proceedings for offences under section 35A of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (contravention of an order as to the use of a parking place). It is an established legal principle that a power delegated to one body may not be further delegated in the absence of express provision or necessary implication. This does not, however, prevent a local authority lawfully exercising its prosecution functions under section 4(3) with the assistance of service providers. In any given case, it is for the local authority to ensure that any arrangements it makes with a service provider are lawful and in accordance with its statutory functions.

Rail Services

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the total public investment in transport in England and Wales was spent on railways in the last year for which figures are available. [142617]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 8 December 2003]: The Department's provisional outturn expenditure for 2002–03 (as recorded in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper 2002–03, Cm5884) was £8.8 billion. Of this, £2.8 billion or 32 per cent. was spent on railways. DfT's expenditure was across the UK as a whole, with additional funding for transport provided by the Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly Government. It is not possible to provide a detailed breakdown of the proportion of spending specifically in England and Wales.

US Ships (Decommissioning)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the earliest date is on which the Government expects the return to the United States of the US Navy ships moored in Hartlepool could safely begin, assuming normal weather conditions. [143763]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 15 December 2003]: A return passage would be permitted only when application is made; and detailed arrangements approved by the sending and receiving States.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Zimbabwe

14. Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to enforce the sanctions regime in place against Zimbabwe. [144053]

Mr. Mullin: Her Majesty's Government continue to fully implement EU measures against Zimbabwe. These comprise an arms embargo, including for equipment that might be used for internal repression, and an assets freeze and travel ban on President Mugabe and 78 of his associates. The details are set out in the EU's Common Position 2002/145/CFSP, the EC Regulation 310/2002 and their subsequent amendments.

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Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's future relationship with Zimbabwe following its departure from the Commonwealth. [144049]

Mr. Mullin: The UK maintains diplomatic relations with Zimbabwe. Following the Commonwealth decision to maintain Zimbabwe's suspension, some of Mugabe's supporters have called for the breaking of diplomatic relations with the UK and the expulsion of the British High Commission. This would only serve to damage further Zimbabwe's reputation and the Zimbabwean people.

Cameroon

18. Mr. Chaytor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on human rights in Cameroon. [144058]

Mr. Mullin: We are concerned about Cameroon's record on human rights and regularly raise human rights issues with the Government of Cameroon. We are closely involved in the Commonwealth's work to assist the Government of Cameroon to meet the standards laid down in the Harare Declaration, and we provide bilateral assistance for relevant projects and initiatives.

Middle East

19. Ms Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what influence the United Kingdom is exerting on the United States to put pressure on the Israeli Government to stop the building of the wall. [144059]

Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed the Middle East Peace Process with President Bush during his recent visit to London. In a joint statement on 20 November, they called on all parties to fulfil their obligations under the roadmap, and to refrain from steps which would prevent or prejudge the terms of a final settlement.

Additionally, the Foreign Secretary, FCO officials and I regularly discuss key elements of the Middle East Peace Process with the US Administration.

The Government recognises Israel's legitimate security concerns, and deplores the terrorist suicide bombings of Israeli civilians. But, we consider Israel's building of a wall, or fence, on occupied land to be unlawful, and have urged the Israeli government to reconsider the route of the fence.

Mr. Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the US Administration to encourage them to exert pressure on the Israeli Government in relation to the building of the wall. [143810]

Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed the middle east peace process with President Bush during the latter's recent visit to London. In a joint statement on 20 November, they called on all parties to fulfil their obligations under the roadmap, and to refrain from steps which would prevent or prejudge the terms of a final settlement.

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Additionally, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, my noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly discuss key elements of the middle east peace process with the US Administration.

The Government recognise Israel's legitimate security concerns, and deplores the terrorist suicide bombings of Israeli civilians. But we consider Israel's building of a fence on occupied land to be unlawful, and have urged the Israeli government to reconsider the route of the fence.

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further consultation he has had with Palestinian and Israeli authorities on the impact of the security wall built by the Israelis. [144052]

Mr. Rammell: The Government continues to urge the Government of Israel to re-route the fence away from Palestinian areas. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have made clear our concerns to the Israeli Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on a number of occasions. I raised the matter with the Israeli Foreign Minister during my visit to Israel on 30 September, and have since then discussed with the Israeli Ambassador and Israeli Minister for National Infrastructure.

We are in regular contact with the Palestinian Authority and NGOs on the ground.

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