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EU Legislation

Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what EU legislation was implemented by (a) the Vehicle Excise Duty (Reduced Pollution) (Amendment) Regulations 2000, (b) the Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness, Equipment, Use and Certification) (Amendment) Regulations 2002, (c) the End-of-Life Vehicles Regulations 2003 (Composition and Content), (d) the Motor Fuel (Amendment) Regulations 2003 and (e) the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004. [1714]

 
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Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is as follows:

(a) The Vehicle Excise Duty (Reduced Pollution) (Amendment) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/3274) amended the requirements as to rate and content of particulate emissions (compliance with which means the reduced pollution requirements are satisfied). This was to reflect the particulate emission levels set out in Directive 1999/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from compression ignition engines for use in vehicles and against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from positive ignition engines fuelled with natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas for use in vehicles and amending Council Directive 88/77/EEC.

These regulations have been revoked and replaced by the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2742) (see in particular regulation 2 and Schedule 1 and regulation 5 and Schedule 2).

(b) The Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness, Equipment, Use and Certification) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/489) do not in fact implement any Community legislation but simply amend the fees payable in respect of certificates of initial fitness, type approvals and certificates of conformity.

(c) The End-of-Life Vehicles Regulations 2003 (S.I.2003/2635) implement provisions of Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 September 2000 on end-of-life vehicles. Although DfT (and DEFRA) has a policy interest in these regulations they are primarily the responsibility of DTI and I am responding on their behalf in order to be as helpful as possible.

The regulations impose both requirements to ensure vehicle materials and components do not contain specified substances and information requirements for producers regarding such materials and components. The regulations also introduce certificates of destruction and requirements in relation thereto as well as regulating the treatment of end-of-life vehicles.

(d) The Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/3078) implement Directive 2003/17/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 March 2003 amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels.

Essentially these regulations prohibit the distribution or sale of petrol or diesel from 2009 if its sulphur content exceeds 10 milligrams per kilogram. These regulations prohibit the sale of gas oil intended for use in tractors or non-road mobile machinery if the sulphur content is 2,000 or more milligrams per kilogram and from 2008 its sale is prohibited if the sulphur content is more than 1,000 milligrams per kilogram.

(e) The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/568) implement three directives.
 
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Firstly, there is implementation of Council Directive 94/55/EC of 21 November 1994 on the approximation of the laws of the member states with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by road (as amended by Directive 2000/61/EC and Directive 2003/28/EC) in application of the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road—and in particular the latest biennial revisions (up to 2003) thereof.

Secondly, there is implementation of Council Directive 96/49/EC of 23 July 1996 on the approximation of the laws of the member states with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by rail (as amended by Directive 2000/62/EC and Directive 2003/29/EC) in application of the dangerous goods part of the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF)—and in particular the latest biennial revisions (up to 2003) thereof.

Thirdly, the Regulations implement the obligations of Council Directive 1999/36/EC of 29 April 1999 on transportable pressure equipment including the application of requirements for the placing of such equipment on the market and making provision in relation to conformity assessments.

Freight Transport

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress his Department has made in achieving a shift in freight transportation from road to rail since 1997. [1018]

Derek Twigg: Between 1997–98 and 2003–04 (the latest year for which figures are available), levels of freight moved by rail increased from 16.9 billion to 18.9billion tonne kilometres—an increase of around 12 per cent. It is estimated that in 2003–04 the rail freight industry saved 1.35 billion lorry kilometres.

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what Government financial support is available to support a shift in freight transportation from road to rail. [1019]

Derek Twigg: Over the next two years, the Government will provide over £24 million per annum in grant funding to support the transfer of traffic from road to rail. The Government also provide support for rail freight through their funding of rail infrastructure— for instance, the £7.6 billion West Coast Route Modernisation programme, which will substantially increase capacity for rail freight from the channel ports to the north west, and the circa £30 million Felixstowe-Nuneaton gauge enhancement.

Rail Freight

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to upgrade rail freight between the east coast ports and the Midlands of England. [1260]

Derek Twigg: The £30 million gauge enhancement project between Felixstowe and the west coast main line was completed in October 2004 on time and under budget. This will allow 9ft 6in containers to be carried
 
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on standard wagons for the first time between the Haven ports and the key rail freight terminals in the midlands and the north west.

Future Heathrow

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) direct and (b) indirect financial backing his Department has provided to Future Heathrow. [2289]

Ms Buck: The information requested is as follows:

(a) None and (b) none.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons he attended the launch of Future Heathrow. [2290]

Ms Buck: The Secretary of State attended the launch to set out the Government's policy in relation to Heathrow, as contained in the White Paper, The Future of Air Transport", published in December 2003. He confirmed the importance of taking a forward-looking, strategic approach to dealing with the pressures caused by the increasing need to travel while at the same time meeting our commitment to protect the environment in which we live.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the nature of the relationship between his Department and Future Heathrow. [2322]

Ms Buck: Future Heathrow has the same access to information on the project of the sustainable development of Heathrow as do any other parties with an interest in Heathrow issues.

Future of Transport White Paper

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether a Sustainable Development Appraisal was undertaken prior to publication of The Future of Transport White Paper. [1238]

Ms Buck: A Sustainable Development Appraisal of the 'Future of Transport' White Paper was published on 21 March 2005, and can be viewed on the Department's website. Copies of the appraisal have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

M1 Speed Limit

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason a 50 mph speed limit has been imposed for the first few yards of the northbound carriageway of the M1 motorway. [1630]

Dr. Ladyman: A 50 mph speed limit was introduced in 1994 following the construction of the A406 westbound link road. The link road was constructed to ease congestion at the Staples Corner roundabout.

Due to the constraints of the site it was not possible to build this section of road to full motorway design standards. The 50 mph limit was introduced in the interests of road safety.
 
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