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Hampshire Light Rapid Transit Scheme

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his timetable is for determining the submission for the Hampshire Light Rapid Transit Scheme. [6008]

Derek Twigg: We will make a decision soon.
 
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London to Brighton Line

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Route Utilisation Strategy for the London to Brighton main line. [5140]

Derek Twigg [holding answer 20 June 2005]: A Route Utilisation Strategy for the Brighton main line will be published in due course.

M11 Link Road

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will arrange for electronic signs on roads leading to those joining the M11 Link Road in (a) Wanstead, (b) Leytonstone and (c) Leyton telling motorists when the Link Road is seriously congested; and if he will make a statement. [5958]

Dr. Ladyman: The M11 Link Road is now classified as the A12. The section of the A12 inside London now forms part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN). Therefore, any works, including signing on that road, or roads in the vicinity are a matter for the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL).

Rail Transport (Motorisation)

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on trials of alternative forms of motorisation for rail transport. [5218]

Derek Twigg: A number of private companies and individuals are working in this area but I am not aware of any such research being either carried out or funded directly by Government.

Road Safety

Mr. Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to give local authorities the power to erect 30 mph repeater signs on roads with high traffic accident rates. [5876]

Dr. Ladyman: The provision of repeater signs on only 30 mph roads with high traffic accident rates is likely to create uncertainty for drivers as to whether some roads are 30 mph or not. The absence of 30 mph repeaters on other 30 mph roads, may indicate to drivers that the speed limit is in fact higher, which is likely to increase accident risk.

Under current legislation the presence of street lighting indicates a road is subject to a 30 mph speed limit, unless signs indicate otherwise. This provides a consistent and easily understood approach. It has been law for over 70 years and is contained in the Highway Code, which all drivers study as part of learning to drive.

Sussex Coast Rail Lines

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at what percentage of maximum power the power supply on the Sussex Coast rail lines will allow the new rolling stock to operate. [5141]

Derek Twigg [holding answer 20 June 2005]: The power supply on Sussex Coast lines is sufficient for new rolling stock to run at full power where trains are formed
 
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of up to six coaches. Longer trains are restricted to less than full power but this is sufficient for them to maintain schedules.

Tyne Tunnel

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reasons are for the time taken for the (a) assessment and (b) approval of the Second Tyne Tunnel; and whether changes in the proposal made by the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority have had an impact on the time scale. [6353]

Dr. Ladyman: Following a public inquiry into the proposed new Tyne crossing the Tyne and Wear PTA have, on several occasions since the close of the inquiry, requested substantial changes to the powers they require to implement the scheme. This is unusual, as normally applicants and their legal advisers have established the powers they require before the inquiry opens. It has caused significant cumulative delays to the Department's assessment of the proposals as we have had to consider carefully the consequences of all the requested changes. We also had to give other interested parties the opportunity to comment on the changes, in the interests of natural justice. On the basis of the information we now have available, we hope to announce a decision shortly.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Nuclear Waste

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what volume of (a) low level, (b) intermediate level and (c) high level nuclear waste has become unaccounted for in each of the last five years; and what percentage has been located. [4454]

Mr. Morley: The Department is not aware of any radioactive waste that is unaccounted for. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and United Kingdom Nirex Ltd. undertake regular reviews and updates of the stocks and predicted arisings of radioactive waste in the UK. The last published version of the UK Radioactive Waste Inventory as at 1 April 2001 reported stocks of waste as 1,960m ³ HLW, 75,400m ³ ILW and 14,700m ³ LLW and predicted future arisings of 750m ³ HLW, 163,000m ³ ILW and 1,490,000m ³ LLW. An updated version of this inventory giving the stocks and predicted future arisings at 1 April 2004 is currently being prepared and will be published later this year.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many new nuclear waste storage facilities she expects to be built in each of the next 10 years; and where. [5217]

Mr. Morley: It is for the owners of radioactive waste to make suitable arrangements for the management of their waste, including the provision of any stores, subject to securing the necessary regulatory and planning approvals.

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list sites in the West Midlands where nuclear waste is stored. [5760]

 
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Mr. Morley: The following sites are identified by the UK Radioactive Waste Inventory as storing quantities of radioactive waste:

Donnington

Stafford.

Sewer Rats (London)

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress of the review of the London Sewer Rat Joint Working Protocol; and what she expects the outcome to be. [4851]

Mr. Morley: The Local Government Association (LGA) and Water UK published a joint protocol in 1999 which set out arrangements for a closer working relationship between local authorities and water companies in England and Wales on the issue of rat infestation of sewers.

The Department sought the views of all local authority chief executives in England and Wales on the effectiveness of the protocol, but the level of response was disappointing (77 responses were received) and we are unable to draw any clear conclusions from the information provided.

Snaring

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) reports have been received on, (b) prosecutions have been brought and (c) convictions have been secured for (i) the setting of an illegal snare, (ii) killing through snaring and (iii) taking a protected species through snaring in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [4843]

Jim Knight: There is no specific data available for prosecutions on the illegal use of snares. The only figures available relate to the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under the Protection of Animals Act 1911, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 S.11, Deer Acts 1991 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, England and Wales 1993 to 2003. This data can be found through the following link: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/commandpubs1.html

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Phthalates

Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring forward legislation to compel manufacturers to reveal which of their products contain phthalates and in what concentrations. [2573]

Mr. Sutcliffe: We have no current plans to bring forward such legislation.

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