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Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 3 November 2004

WALES

Fallen Stock

9. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with his colleagues in the National Assembly regarding the National Fallen Stock Collection Scheme. [194559]

Mr. Touhig: We have regular discussions with Assembly colleagues on agricultural issues and I am pleased to note that the National Fallen Stock Scheme will begin on 22 November.

Community Support Officers

10. Mr. David: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many police community support officers have been employed in Wales. [194560]

Mr. Hain: 130 at 30 September. An additional 40 are being recruited as part of the third round of Home Office funding.

Business Regulations

12. Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next expects to meet representatives of small business organisations in Wales to discuss business regulation. [194562]

Mr. Hain: I have regular meetings with representatives of the business community. I am looking forward to addressing an awards ceremony later this month to celebrate the achievement of Welsh small businesses.

Minimum Wage

13. Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the impact in Wales of recent changes in the minimum wage. [194563]

Mr. Hain: Tens and thousands of low-paid workers stand to benefit from the increases to the national minimum wage in October, including for the first time young workers aged 16 and 17 who will receive £3 an hour.

Albert Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues on the impact in Wales of recent changes in the minimum wage. [194561]

Mr. Touhig: Tens of thousands of low-paid workers stand to benefit from the increases to the national minimum wage in October, including for the first time young workers aged 16 and 17 who will receive £3 an hour.
 
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Recycling

15. Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Minister of the National Assembly for Wales regarding recycling. [194565]

Mr. Touhig: Regular ones. The Assembly's Waste Strategy sets escalating targets requiring at least 40 per cent. of municipal waste to be recycled or composted by 2010.

I know that Newport Wastesavers has a good record of developing successful recycling initiatives. Performance during their current trial of collecting recyclables and residual waste in alternate weeks has been most encouraging.

Railways

Mrs. Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to discuss the railway service between London Euston and North Wales with the relevant train operating companies. [194564]

Mr. Touhig: I have no immediate plans to do so.

I do, however, welcome the recent introduction of the first direct train service between Llandudno and London since 1964.

PRIME MINISTER

Butler Report

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken since the publication of the Butler Report to improve the machinery and operating procedures of government. [195695]

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has (a) adopted and (b) implemented all the recommendations of the Butler report. [195282]

The Prime Minister: As I said in my statements to the House on 14 and 20 July, we fully accept the conclusions of the Butler Review. We have a detailed programme under way to take forward work into addressing those conclusions. Progress will be reported to the Intelligence and Security Committee.

TRANSPORT

Cheap Flights (EU)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on measures taken by the EU to encourage cheaper flights between EU countries. [195292]

Charlotte Atkins: The European Community has been the driving force in the liberalisation of air services within Europe through the progressive establishment of the European single market in aviation during the late 1980s and 1990s. This has allowed European airlines to compete freely on intra-EU routes, offering services and setting fares according to their commercial judgement. The Government fully supports this process, as we believe that fair competition between air carriers in a liberalised market is the best guarantee of a good deal
 
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for air passengers. A good example of this is the rapid growth of the so-called "no-frills" sector, which would not have been possible without the development of the European single aviation market.

Colitis/Crohn's Disease

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish the research into the independent mobility needs of people with colitis and Crohn's disease to determine whether eligibility to the blue badge scheme should be extended; and if he will make a statement. [195213]

Charlotte Atkins [holding answer 1 November 2004]: The research we will be undertaking will consider the mobility needs of a number of groups of disabled people who are currently excluded from the scheme. I can confirm that this research will include the needs of those with colitis and Crohn's disease.

This is one of three research projects we are taking forward as a direct result of the review of the scheme. We are finalising the work specifications and intend to go out to tender later this year for all three. On this particular project we would expect to have results and recommendations in the course of next year.

Consultants

Mr. Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to consultants in each of the last five years, stating in each case (a) the name of the consulting company, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the purpose for which the contract was awarded; and if he will make a statement. [191734]

Charlotte Atkins: The Department was formed in May 2002. Lists of the consultants used and the total value of orders raised against each in 2002–03 and 2003–04 have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The values of each individual contract and the purpose of the work in every case are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Network Rail (Masts)

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate the Government has made of the number of Network Rail telecommunications masts that Network Rail are planning to erect. [195255]

Mr. McNulty: Network Rail advises that as part of its programme to introduce the Global System for Mobile Communication for Railways it is planning to erect approximately 2,000 new telecommunication masts nationally by 2013.

Night Flights

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions (a) he and (b) his Department have held with counterparts overseas on night flight arrangements at airports; and if he will make a statement. [196034]

Charlotte Atkins: No discussions have been held recently between Ministers on an international level on the subject of night flight arrangements at airports.
 
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The subject is discussed regularly at international official-level meetings, most recently during the environmental debates at the 35th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (27 September–8 October 2004). On that occasion, the trigger for discussion was a working paper by the Government of India entitled "Problems caused by night curfews in some parts of the world", in which it was argued that night curfews were a hindrance to market access and the growth of air transport operations and hence should be removed. The discussion concluded that

"this matter should be further studied by the [ICAO] Council, resources permitting, particularly with a view to determining the scope and scale of the problem".

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