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Railways: West Coast Main Line

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the journey time and capacity benefits of the proposed West Coast Main Line Stafford bypass; and what are the estimated costs and benefits of the alternative schemes being considered. [HL1903]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Work continues to determine an optimum solution to the present constraint on capacity at Stafford on the West Coast Main Line. A preferred option has yet to be agreed with Network Rail, which is still working on a range of options. These all have varying costs and benefits, although the priority issue is to provide capability to meet the longer-term growth in both passenger and freight traffic on this trunk route.

Roads: A303

Lord Cameron of Dillington asked Her Majesty's Government:

In the light of the postponement of an agreed scheme for the development of the A303 past Stonehenge, whether they maintain the commitment given in November 2004 by the then Secretary of State for Transport to support the main outcome of the south-west area multimodal study and develop a second strategic route to and from the south-west of England; and [HL1775]

Roads: A358

Further to the decision in November 2004 to develop the A358 from Ilminster to Taunton as part of a second strategic route to and from the south-west of England, when they intend to carry out this investment. [HL1776]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Following our decision to give regions a greater role in determining priorities for major transport schemes within indicative funding allocations, it is for the south-west region to advise on the relative priority of proposed improvements to the A305/A358, including on the A358 from Ilminster to Taunton, alongside other schemes in the region. The region advised us in 2006 that funding for these improvements should not be prioritised until the latter end of the period to 2015-16.

The region is currently considering the implications for the A303 /A358 route of our decision in December

19 Feb 2008 : Column WA50

2007 to cancel the A303 Stonehenge improvement scheme. The outcome of this work will help to inform decisions on the development of the A303/A358 including the delivery of improvements to the A358 between Ilminster and the M5 at Taunton.

Schools: Isle of Wight

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay asked Her Majesty's Government:

In relation to the 23 primary schools in the Isle of Wight under threat of closure under the “best case scenario”, what was the conclusion of the latest Ofsted report on the island's other primary schools. [HL1812]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Lord Adonis): The Isle of Wight is consulting on three options for school reorganisation. Under the option that would have the least effect on primary schools, 21 schools would not be closed. The outcome of the most recent Ofsted report on each of these primary schools is shown in the table below.

School	Date of last Ofsted report	Grade
Oakfield CE Primary	11/03/2003	Good *
Sandown CE Primary	23/02/2004	Good **
Binstead Primary	01/03/2004	Good **
Whippingham Primary	26/04/2004	Good **
Niton Primary	28/06/2004	Very good **
Dover Park Primary	05/07/2004	Good **
Nettlestone Primary	24/01/2005	Satisfactory **
Broadlea Primary	25/04/2005	Satisfactory **
Nine Acres Primary	13/06/2005	Good **
Cowes Primary	02/02/2006	Good ***
Shanklin CE Primary	28/02/2006	Satisfactory ***
St Boniface CE Primary	04/07/2006	Satisfactory ***
Brighstone CE Primary	10/07/2006	Good ***
Wooton Primary	22/01/2007	Good ***
Newport CE Primary	01/02/2007	Good ***
Barton Primary	21/02/2007	Good ***
Northwood Primary	14/03/2007	Outstanding ***
Shalfleet CE Primary	20/03/2007	Good ***
Newchurch Primary	22/03/2007	Good ***
All Saints CE Primary	22/07/2007	Satisfactory ***
St Saviour's Cath Primary	01/11/2007	Satisfactory ***
* Inspected before 1 September 2003 when a grading system was introduced
** For schools inspected between 1 September 2003 and 1 September 2005 the grading system used was: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor(7)
*** For schools inspected since 1 September 2005 the grading system used is: 1 outstanding; 2 good; 3 satisfactory; 4 inadequate.

19 Feb 2008 : Column WA51

Secure Training Centres: Oakhill

Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many trainees are currently held at Oakhill Secure Training Centre; and [HL1890]

What is the capacity of Oakhill Secure Training Centre. [HL1891]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): On 8 February 2008 there were 44 trainees at Oakhill Secure Training Centre. Oakhill's full capacity is 80 places, but the Youth Justice Board has currently capped occupancy at 58 places.

Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:

On how many days in the past three months the staffing at Oakhill Secure Training Centre has been below the minimum level set by the Youth Justice Board. [HL1892]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Youth Justice Board has currently capped the maximum occupancy of Oakhill at 58. On no occasion during the period in question (1 November 2007 to 31 January 2008) has the number of staff on site been below that required for the number of young people in residence.

Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:

For each of the last three months, how many social workers have been employed at Oakhill Secure Training Centre. [HL1893]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The table below, based on data provided by the Youth Justice Board, shows the number of social workers (full-time equivalents) at Oakhill between 1 November 2007 and 31 January 2008.

	November 2007	December 2007	January 2008
Number of Social Workers	11.6	12.6	12.6

Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:

On how many occasions in the past three months restraint has been used at Oakhill Secure Training Centre; and [HL1894]

On how many occasions in the past three months restraint with pain distraction has been used at Oakhill Secure Training Centre. [HL1895]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The table below, based on data provided by the Youth Justice Board, shows the total number of restraints and those involving pain distraction techniques for the period October to December 2007. Figures for January 2008 are not yet available.

19 Feb 2008 : Column WA52

	October	November	December
Total restraints	67	55	78
Restraints involving distraction techniques	2	2	0

Shetland: Weather Radar

Lord MacKenzie of Culkein asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there are plans to install weather radar in the Shetland Isles; and whether the former Royal Air Force site Saxa Vord has been secured by the Ministry of Defence pending a decision on this matter. [HL1603]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): Due to the high costs involved, the Met Office always seeks partners willing to share the expense of installing and running new weather radar. The Met Office has advised local interested parties that if a partner or partners were found willing to make significant contributions towards the capital and operating costs of a weather radar on the Shetland Islands, it could undertake a feasibility study to establish more definite costs of the proposal.

The Met Office has expressed an interest in the upper site at Saxa Vord as a potential location for a weather radar, in the event this matter can be progressed. Other sites may also be suitable.

Shipping: Fuels

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether commercial ships entering or leaving United Kingdom ports are required to provide details of fuels carried; and, if so, to whom. [HL1833]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Commercial ships entering and leaving UK ports are not required to provide details of fuels being carried for use on the vessel.

Under planned legislation to bring into effect Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, there will be a requirement for ships to retain samples of fuel oil to demonstrate compliance with fuel quality standards in that convention. These samples and associated documentation may then be reviewed by inspectors when vessels enter port.

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