| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Roads: Improvements
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which local
authority major transport schemes currently have departmental approval;
and, in each case, (a) whether the schemes have full or provisional
approval; (b) what is the scheduled date for the start of construction;
(c) what is the scheduled completion date; and (d) what is the capital
cost of each
scheme.[HL6443]
Lord Davies of Oldham: We have placed in the Library a table which sets out the local authority major transport schemes which have approval from the Department for Transport.
The table provides information on: what approval stage the scheme is at; date of start of works, where known; expected completion date, where known; and the latest approved contribution to the scheme costs.
The timing of start of works and completion of many of the schemes are subject to decisions on the advice we have received from the regions in England on the order of priority for timing and funding they attach to proposed major transport schemes. We hope to announce our response before the Summer Recess. The start of works and completion dates for schemes subject to this announcement are marked as “To be confirmed” in the table.
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What schemes are
currently listed in the Highways Agency’s Targeted Programme
of Improvements; and what is (a) the scheduled date for the start
of construction; and (b) the scheduled completion
date.[HL6444]
Lord Davies of Oldham: A table has been placed in the House Libraries which lists all schemes in the current Targeted Programme of Improvements which are being progressed, taken from the published Highways Agency business plan 2006-07, against their respective actual or expected start and completion dates.
Trunk-road schemes of regional importance which are due to commence construction after April 2008 have been subject to a regional prioritisation process that is under way. Ministers are considering the advice from the regions on their priorities for major transport schemes in their region within indicative funding allocations. Final decisions by Ministers on the delivery timetable for regional trunk-road schemes due to start construction after April 2008 are expected to be announced before the Summer Recess.
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency
Lord Campbell-Savours asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the
Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 28 June (HL6469), on how
many occasions in the past three years the Vehicle and Operator
Services Agency has been required to pay the costs of unsuccessful
actions it has brought before the courts; and what was the total value
of the costs
paid.[HL6659]
Lord Davies of Oldham: There have been two occasions in the past three years when costs have been ordered against the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), to the amount of £4,583.75 (£1,233.75+£3,350).
Volatile Organic Compounds
Lord Redesdale asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the
environmental implications of the Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs's interpretation of “placing on the market”
in the
5 July 2006 : Column WA59
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The implications of the interpretation of “placing on the market” have been part of the consideration throughout negotiations on the proposal that became Directive 2004/42/EC and in relation to the regulations transposing that directive into UK national law.
Industry has been aware of the provisions of the directive in respect of the timetable for meeting their obligations since it was adopted in April 2004. The directive includes provisions that allow for stock manufactured before 1 January 2007 to be sold until 31 December 2007.
My officials are discussing options with representatives from the paint industry but we do not accept that disposal as waste is the only option for compliance. The industry tells us that 85 per cent to 90 per cent of products expected to be in the supply chain after 31 December 2007 will comply with the directive's requirements on solvent content. These products could be sold by adding a label with the information needed by the regulations. The industry already has experience of undertaking such an exercise when it introduced a voluntary solvent-content labelling scheme for its products. It would be a commercial decision for those holding these stocks to treat them as waste.
My officials will continue to work with the industry to help them find the best environmental outcome to meet their obligations arising from the requirements.
Lord Redesdale asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How
many tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions have been emitted as a result
of the interpretation of the term “placing on the market”
in the Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle
Refinishing Products Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/2773) and the consequent
transport of waste and replacement production
activities.[HL6616]
Lord Rooker: I am not aware of any emissions of carbon dioxide as a result of the new regulations, as the standards for paint that they introduce do not yet apply, so no paint products would yet have been disposed of in response to the regulations.
Officials will continue to work with the industry to help them find the best environmental outcome resulting from implementation of the new product requirements.
Lord Redesdale asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What
interpretation was given to the term “placing on the
market” for the purpose of the regulatory impact assessment
undertaken on the
5 July 2006 : Column WA60
Lord Rooker: Economic assessments of the potential impact of Directive 2004/42/EC and ofSI 2005/2773 have always assumed an interpretation of “placing on the market” that required obligations to be met at each stage throughout the supply chain, and the regulatory impact assessment was prepared on the basis of that interpretation. The interpretation of the term was recognised as being of high importance, throughout all stages of negotiation, adoption and implementation of the directive.
Lord Redesdale asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Why they agreed
to change the original definition of “placing on the
market” in Directive 2004/42/CE to the later definition which
applies throughout the supply
chain.[HL6618]
Lord Rooker: We are not aware of any change to the interpretation of “placing on the market” between Directive 2004/42/CE and the regulations (SI 2005/2773) that transpose it into UK law.
Water Supply: Consumption
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How much water
in total and per occupant in cubic metres was consumed in the
headquarters of the Department for Transport in each year since its
creation.[HL6570]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Specific water targets in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate were that departments should reduce water consumption in office buildings to an average of 7.7 cubic metres person per year by 31 March 2004 and 7 cubic metres per person per year for all new buildings/major refurbishment after 2002.
The water consumption data for the department's headquarters building since the Department for Transport’s creation are shown in the following table.
| Year | Per occupant (cubic metres) | Total consumption (cubic metres) |
| * The total consumption figures exclude water used in the kitchen and retail units |
| Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |