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National Parks: Telecommunications Development
Lord Judd asked her Majesty's Government:
- In the light of the estimate made by the Lake District National Park Authority that there may be requests for 138 telecommunication masts in that national park and that some 25 of these will be BT Airwaves digital communications for the police and other emergency sevices, what are the implications for the fulfilment of the purposes of the national parks; whether any benefits are outweighed by negative environmental considerations; and what steps they are taking to reassert the special nature of the national parks and to find alternative, acceptable solutions to telecommunication needs. [HL3863]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: In national parks, proposals to install telecommunications masts are for the national park authorities to determine in the first instance, taking account of local planning policies and national planning policy guidance. Current planning guidance on telecommunications is set out in Planning Policy Guidance note 8 (revised) (PPG8). Advice on development in national parks is given in PPG7—The Countryside.
Protection from visual intrusion and the implications for subsequent network development will be important considerations in determining applications for telecommunications development. The Government are particularly concerned to ensure that the special landscapes and scenic beauty for which national parks have been designated are adequately protected. They are also concerned to ensure the economic and social well-being of the communities in national parks, in which the provision of modern telecommunications has a potentially vital role to play. Telecommunications development in national parks should be sensitively designed and sited and should blend into the landscape as far as possible. The developer must also demonstrate that there are no suitable alternative locations.
The mobile phone industry has pledged to provide local planning authorities with annual roll-out plans for each authority's area. We strongly encourage the use of pre-rollout discussions based upon these plans and collaboration between the operators and authorities as a means of overcoming potential technical and environmental constraints, particularly in national parks and other designated areas. These discussions should also provide an early opportunity to explore possible alternative approaches, particularly the opportunities for mast and site sharing and also in terms of the location and alternative design of the apparatus.
Rail Freight: 10-year Transport Plan
Lord Berkeley asked her Majesty's Government:
- What is their present commitment to the proposed growth of 80 per cent in rail freight contained in the 10 year transport plan; and [HL3881]
What funding for rail freight was contained in the 10-year transport plan from: (a) the private sector; and (b) the public sector; and whether current expenditure and budgets are in line with this plan. [HL3882]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Funding for rail freight under the 10-year plan comprises, roundly, £- billion from the private sector and £3- billion from the public sector. Funding and other matters will form part of our review of our 10 year plan for transport, which is being carried out in parallel with work on Spending Review 2002. jenny
Road Congestion: 10-year Transport Plan
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How they intend to achieve the planned reduction in congestion (in the 10-year transport plan) in spite of a planned increase in road traffic.[HL3884]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Most congestion is caused by the delays vehicles impose on each other when using the network at the same time or by temporary reductions in road capacity, for example from road works or accidents. Measures in the 10-year plan are aimed at improving capacity on the most congested parts of the network and at encouraging users away from them. Improvements to selected parts of the road network will improve traffic flows.
Where local authorities decide to introduce congestion charging, this will redistribute some traffic to less congested times of day with a lower charge. Both the Highways Agency and local authorities are looking to improve their management of the road network, improving the evenness of flows, making road users better informed about problems, responding faster to accidents and reducing the effects that road works have on traffic.
Cefn Croes
Lord Carlile of Berriew asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether, in the light of representations received, the Department of Trade and Industry will institute a fresh consultation process on the issue of the construction of a wind farm at Cefn Croes in mid-Wales.[HL3842]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): No. The statutory consultation process has already been undertaken and the Government see no reason why it should be reopened.
Rural Proofing
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will name the government departments which have failed to achieve their rural-proofing targets in the last full year.[HL3763]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): The Countryside Agency published its report on the first full year of rural proofing on 11 April. Table 2 in the report comments individually on how far rural proofing has been effectively implemented in each home department but the report does not explicitly categorise some departments as having succeeded and others as having failed; instead, it makes clear that in most departments there is more to do to ensure that sytems that have been put in place deliver tangible benefits to rural people.
Foot and Mouth Disease Inquiries
Lord Campbell-Savours asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list all the inquiries being carried out into the outbreak of foot and mouth, whether sponsored by local government, national government or other organisations. [HL3782]
Lord Whitty: There are a number of inquiries that have been or are being carried out into the 2001 foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak of which the Government are aware.
On 9 August the Prime Minister announced two independent inquiries into the outbreak, namely the Lessons Learned inquiry and the Royal Society study.
Both the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committees of the House of Commons have reported on FMD, the latter in respect of tourism. In addition, the National Audit Office is preparing a report on the FMD outbreak. Going wider than Great Britain, the European Parliament has established a temporary committee to investigate FMD.
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is looking into the impact of FMD in Scotland, the Welsh Assembly Agriculture and Rural Development Committee is conducting a scrutiny of FMD in Wales and PricewaterhouseCooper is carrying out a review of FMD in Northern Ireland.
Some local authorities have carried out inquiries into the FMD outbreak in their own areas: in particular Devon, Northumberland, Gloucestershire and Shropshire. Cumbria County Council has also announced such an inquiry.
Other organisations will also be reviewing their roles and experiences during FMD, although we do not have details of these centrally.
Bovine Tuberculosis
Baroness Masham of Ilton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What they are doing to eradicate bovine tuberculosis. [HL3870]
Lord Whitty: Resources are currently being targeted at the backlog of tuberculosis tests in cattle, following suspension of routine testing during the foot and mouth outbreak. Those herds which have been identified as posing the greatest risk are being prioritised on the basis of a veterinary risk assessment.
Baroness Masham of Ilton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there is a vaccine for bovine tuberculosis. [HL3871]
Lord Whitty: There is at present no practical vaccine against bovine tuberculosis. The Government are funding research at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency and the Institute of Animal Health to identify vaccine candidates for use in cattle and badgers but this is unlikley to deliver results in the short term. maria
Baroness Masham of Ilton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether badgers are infecting cattle with bovine tuberculosis; and, if so, what they are doing about it.[HL3872]
Lord Whitty: The Government have put in place a wide-ranging research programme better to understand the dynamics of cattle TB. An element of this programme is the field trial recommended in the Krebs report of 1997 to determine, once and for all, the role of badgers in cattle TB and whether culling them is an effective way of controlling the disease. The results of the trial are expected by end 2004 or early 2005.
Baroness Masham of Ilton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What they are doing to protect badgers from bovine tuberculosis.[HL3873]
Lord Whitty: The Government are funding a wide-ranging research programme into bovine TB which includes identifying vaccine candidates for use in badgers. The programme also covers the badger field trial which is designed not only to determine the role of badgers in cattle TB but also to provide epidemiological data on the incidence and prevalence of TB in badgers and its relation to badger population density and social group size. This work will help to ensure that future control policies are based on sound science and that healthy cattle and badgers can live side by side.
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