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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 20 October 2004
LEADER OF THE HOUSE
Parliamentary Questions (Agency Letters)
Paul Holmes: To ask the Leader of the House from which Government agencies letters in response to Parliamentary Questions are (a) published in Hansard and (b) placed in the Library; and what criteria are applied in deciding which answering mechanism should be used. [190581]
Mr. Hain: The responsibility for deciding answering mechanisms for all Parliamentary Questions rests with individual Ministers. Where a written Parliamentary Question is about a matter assigned to an Executive Agency under the terms of its Framework Documents, Ministers normally ask the Chief Executive to provide a substantive response to hon. Members. The text of the Chief Executive's letter is reproduced in the Official Report under the Minister's formal reply that he or she has commissioned such a response. Copies are also placed in the Library of the House.
Where a letter is confidential (for example, if it contains personal information about a constituent), or where it is excessive in length, the Official Report will make a decision on whether to print the letter or to place it in the Library of the House.
I would also like to refer the hon. Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 July 2004, Official Report, column 35WS, on the new policy for handling "I will write" replies.
Select Committee Representation
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Leader of the House what progress he has made in his assessment of options for representation of minority parties on departmental select committees; and if he will make a statement. [192219]
Mr. Hain: I am aware that the minority parties have concerns about their representation on the departmental Select Committees, but believe that it would be inappropriate to seek to address these at this stage in the Parliament. Meanwhile, the Government are ensuring that the interests of the minority parties are accommodated in the nomination of Standing Committees and ad hoc Joint Committees.
TRANSPORT
Signage/Street Furniture
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made in reducing the impact of traffic signs and street furniture in areas of high environmental value; and if he will make a statement. [191144]
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Charlotte Atkins: The management of traffic signs and street furniture is mainly the responsibility of local authorities. The Department for Transport recognises that over-provision or poor design of signs can have an adverse effect on the street scene. Our published advice on the design and use of traffic signs is intended to help local authorities provide adequate information for road users while avoiding sign clutter and other adverse environmental impacts. In particular, Chapter 4 of the Traffic Signs Manual (TSM), published in June 2004, stresses the importance of using warning signs sparingly, not cluttering signposts with more information than drivers can assimilate, not using yellow backing boards unnecessarily, and removing signs when they are no longer needed. Chapter 7 of TSM gives advice on sign layouts to avoid wasted space and reduce the overall size of signs. The Design Manual for Roads and Bridges includes advice on limiting the number of destinations shown on directional signs to minimise environmental intrusion.
The Department is also working with English Heritage to develop regional street design manuals, primarily for conservation areas, which are expected to be published later this year.
Air Quality (Aircraft Cabins)
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information the Aviation Health Unit has collated on symptoms from acute exposure to decomposition products in confined spaces. [192443]
Air Safety (Boscombe Down)
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions in the past year National Air Traffic Services and the Ministry of Defence Airfield at Boscombe Down communicated in respect of incidents relating to airspace under Boscombe Down surveillance; and if he will make a statement. [191771]
Charlotte Atkins: NATS has a close working relationship with the Ministry of Defence at Boscombe Down and the two organisations communicate on a daily basis. NATS is not aware of any incidents within airspace operated by Boscombe Down in the past year.
Air Traffic Organisers Licence Scheme
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps he is taking to ensure British holiday-makers travelling abroad are covered by the Air Traffic Organisers Licence scheme; and if he will make a statement; [191557]
(2) what advice he offers to British holiday-makers who are stranded abroad when an airline fails and their holiday booking does not include Air Traffic Organisers Licence protection; and if he will make a statement; [191558]
(3) if he will give effect to the recommendations of the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure that the Air Traffic Organisers Licence scheme applies to cover direct purchase flights; and if he will make a statement; [191559]
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(4) what estimate he has made of the number of British holiday-makers who will be protected by the Air Traffic Organisers Licence scheme in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [191560]
Charlotte Atkins: The ATOL scheme protected 27.6 million people in 2003. The Civil Aviation Authority estimates that the number of people protected in the next three years will be as follows:
| Million | |
|---|---|
| 2004–05 | 27 |
| 2005–06 | 23–27 |
| 2006–07 | 18–28 |
The figures for 2005–06 and 2006–07 reflect different scenarios concerning the trend for customers to make their own travel arrangements rather than buy traditional package holidays. The Government are assessing the advice provided by the CAA on options for financial protection of air travellers. Officials are working closely with the CAA and the aviation industry to improve information on financial protection and advice on travel insurance to those booking flights via the internet and call centres. British embassies, high commissions and consulates are able to provide consular advice and assistance to UK citizens who find themselves in difficulties while abroad.
Aviation
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will commission a study by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Health and Safety Executive into the prevalence of Organophosphorus Ester-Induced Chronic Neurotoxicity induced by low-level inhalation of organophosphates present in lubricating oils and hydraulic fluids in aircraft; [191552]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 27 April 2004, Official Report, column 888W, on aviation, whether he has received a report from the Aviation Health Unit on the presence of organophosphate fumes in aircraft cabins and their effect on passengers and crews. [191768]
Charlotte Atkins: As part of its research commissioning process, the Aviation Health Working Group has invited the British Air Line Pilots Association to give a presentation at its meeting on 27 October 2004. This will cover concerns on cabin air quality, including chronic neurotoxicity related to organophosphates. On the basis of this presentation, and with the advice of the Aviation Health Unit, the group will decide whether to commission further research into this issue.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his policy to proceed with the introduction of market mechanisms to reflect the contribution of aviation to global warming if such measures are opposed by the United States. [192243]
Charlotte Atkins:
The Government are committed to taking a lead in tackling the problem of climate change. We are pursuing vigorously our commitment in the
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"Future of Air Transport" White Paper to press for aviation joining the EU emissions trading scheme in 2008, or as soon as possible thereafter. We will make this a priority during the UK Presidency of the EU in 2005 and beyond. And we intend to pursue similar action at the global level.
We will continue to explore and discuss options for the use of other economic instruments, building on the work in the March 2003 report, "Aviation and the Environment: Using Economic Instruments". We reserve the right to act alone or bilaterally with like-minded partners if progress towards agreements at an international level proves too slow.
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