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Transport (Manchester, Central)

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new cycle lanes have been provided using public funds in Manchester, Central since 1997. [177695]

Mr. McNulty: A total of 2.7 miles of new cycle lanes have been provided in Manchester Central since 1997.

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of priority bus lanes have been created in Manchester, Central since 1997. [177696]

Mr. McNulty: A total of 1.5 miles of priority bus lanes have been created in Manchester Central since 1997.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Magistrates Courts (Totnes)

Mr. Steen: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the cost to public funds was of replacing two doors to the cells at Totnes magistrates court; and when these cells were last used. [177652]

Mr. Leslie: The two cells doors were replaced during April 2002. The cost of doing so was £3,036.00.

Shortly after the works were completed the Magistrates Courts Committee's (MCC) decided to centralise remand cases across the MCC area. While the cells at Totnes magistrates court have since no longer been used on a regular basis, as part of the MCCs contingency planning the cells are maintained in a condition which, if circumstances demand, means they could be used in an emergency.
 
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Corporate Legal Expenses Insurance

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what discussions he has had with the Bar over the proposal for mandatory corporate legal expenses insurance; and if he will make a statement. [177814]

Mr. Lammy: The Bar has proposed a scheme for compulsory corporate insurance to cover legal costs arising when company officers and directors are accused of commercial fraud, in order to free up legal aid funding for other priorities. This idea is being considered in the context of the Fundamental Legal Aid Review currently being carried out by my Department. The review will report to Ministers early next year.

SCOTLAND

Govan Shipyard

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) on which dates in 1999 the former Secretary of State met Mr. George Simpson of GEC; if he will publish minutes of the meetings; and if he will list the attendees at those meetings; [174304]

(2) what communications (a) the former Secretary of State and (b) his representatives and advisers had in 1999 with GEC over (a) the proposed merger of BAE-GEC and (b) Govan shipyard; and if he will publish the communications; [174305]

(3) what (a) meetings and (b) communications the (i) former Secretary of State and (ii) his representatives and advisers had with Kvaerner, their representatives and advisers over the proposed closure of the Govan shipyard in 1999; on what dates meetings were held; and if he will publish the communications; [174306]

(4) what meetings his Department held with management of Govan/Kvaerner to discuss the future of the Govan shipyard in 1999; [174307]

(5) what briefings the former Secretary of State (a) gave and (b) received in 1999 on the GEC interest in the Govan shipyard; [174316]

(6) on what date the former Secretary of State received the minutes of the meeting between Mr. George Simpson of GEC and the Prime Minister to discuss the merger of BAE and GEC; [174317]

(7) what meetings the former Secretary of State held at (a) Dover House and (b) elsewhere to discuss (i) the future of the Govan shipyard and (ii) the BAE-GEC merger; and on what dates; [174319]

(8) if he will publish the (a) minutes and (b) list of attendees of meetings held by the former Secretary of State at Dover House or elsewhere to discuss (i) the future of Govan shipyard and (ii) BAE-GEC merger; [174320]
 
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(9) what meetings (a) the former Secretary of State and (b) his advisers, representatives and officials had with the taskforce chaired by Sir Gavin Laird set up by the Government to look for potential buyers for the Govan shipyard in 1999; [174321]

(10) what meetings were held by the former Secretary of State with Sir Gavin Laird to discuss the future of the Govan shipyard in 1999; and what the dates were of the meetings; [174322]

(11) what meetings took place between Mr. Ed Miliband and his officials in 1999 to discuss the (a) GEC-BAE merger and (b) Govan shipyard; and what the dates were of the meetings. [174323]

Mr. Darling: My officials and I have meetings and discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings, under exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Exemption 12 of the Code also applies with regard to privacy of an individual.

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what his Department's involvement was in the negotiations over the future of Govan shipyard in 1999; [174308]

(2) what the involvement was of (a) the former Secretary of State and (b) his representatives and advisers in informal and oral approaches made to GEC over the purchase of Govan shipyard in 1999. [174309]

Mr. Darling: The then Scottish Office established the Kvaerner Task Force to act as a facilitator for discussions with key stakeholders, with the aim of securing the immediate future of the Govan shipyard.

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) who chaired the press briefing on 16 April 2004 at the Scottish Office at which it was suggested that GEC would be transferring some of its shipbuilding work to Govan from Barrow-in-Furness; [174310]

(2) if he will publish the (a) minutes and (b) list of attendees of the press briefing on 16 April 2004 at the Scottish Office at which it was suggested that GEC would be transferring some of its shipbuilding work to Govan from Barrow-in-Furness. [174318]

Mr. Darling: No Scottish Office press briefing was given on that date. I am informed that a briefing was given by Sir Gavin Laird in his capacity as Kvaerner Task Force chairman.

Low Sulphur Petrol

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the provision of low sulphur petrol in the north-east of Scotland and the highlands and islands after 1 September; and if he will make a statement. [174482]

Mrs. McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, on 24 May 2004, Official Report, column 1460W.
 
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CABINET OFFICE

E-Government

Mr. Berry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how the Government will be improving its e-Government Metadata Standard to ensure that the websites of (a) Government departments and (b) agencies and non-departmental public bodies are exemplars of accessibility. [177021]

Mr. Alexander: The e-Government Metadata Standard (e-GMS) provides information about the technical aspects of accessibility of a web page. It is reviewed and updated on an annual basis through consultation with a wide range of government departments, other public bodies, academics, the private sector and the UK public itself.

e-GMS is mandatory for new public sector IT systems and the number of sites meeting the standard will therefore improve as sites are replaced or upgraded.

The Cabinet Office encourages compliance through the provision of guidance and good practice. Compliance to the guidelines and standards is the responsibility of the individual departments.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Iraq

Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he first became aware of allegations of abuse of Iraqi detainees by British service personnel in Iraq; and from what source. [174392]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 19 May 2004]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary first became aware of allegations of abuse of Iraqi detainees by British service personnel in Iraq in April 2003. The allegations against Colonel Tim Collins, which were widely publicised in the media, were investigated and it was found there was no case to answer.

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