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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 1 December 1993
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
GATT
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the current proposals on the Multilateral Trade Organisation being negotiated at the GATT talks.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the Government's position on the current proposals for the Multilateral Trade Organisation being discussed at the general agreement on tariffs and trade talks.
Mr. Goodlad : The Government support the establishment of the proposed Multilateral Trade Organisation (MTO). This is intended to provide a vehicle for the effective implementation of the results of the Uruguay round, and an institutional framework for the conduct of future trade negotiations. The Government have consistently endorsed the idea that the round should be a single package, with participants required to accept the results of the negotiations in their entirety. The proposed MTO agreement will be the means to implement the total package.
Belize
Mr. Davidson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guarantee has been provided to the Government of Belize that Britain will safeguard Belize's territorial integrity in the event of external aggression.
Mr. Goodlad : We have made it clear to the Belize Government that we are fully prepared to play our part in any consultations leading to an appropriate response should the security of Belize be threatened in the future.
Arms Embargo
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries which are subject to a United Kingdom arms embargo (a) as part of or (b) independently of (i) United Nations or (ii) EC policy.
Mr. Goodlad : We observe arms embargoes imposed by the United Nations on the following countries : Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Liberia, Haiti, South Africa and the former Republic of Yugoslavia. We also observe arms embargoes imposed by the European Union on China, Syria, Burma and Zaire and by the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe on Armenia and Azerbaijan. In addition, as a matter of declared national policy we refuse to supply arms to Argentina, Iran and Israel.
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We consider applications for the export of arms to other countries on a case-by-case basis. We refuse applications for exports which in our view would not be consistent with our established criteria, including the common criteria for arms transfers agreed with EU partners at Luxembourg in 1991 and at Lisbon in 1992 and the guidelines agreed by the permanent five in London in 1991.Security (Visits)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list by year and by date for the last 10 years and for the current year to date the occasions when a Minister from his Department has visited (a) the headquarters of MI6 and (b) GCHQ, Cheltenham ; and what were the subjects discussed on each occasion ;
(2) when he next expects to make a visit to (a) the headquarters of MI6 and (b) GCHQ, Cheltenham.
Mr. Hurd : Contacts with the agencies are close and frequent and Ministers visit periodically. I do not propose to provide full details of dates or subjects discussed or to give advance notice of such visits. I last visited the headquarters of GCHQ on 25 January 1991 and of SIS on 1 July 1993. The most recent FCO ministerial visit to GCHQ was by my right hon. and noble Friend the Baroness Chalker of Wallasey on 28 September 1993 and to SIS by my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on 21 October 1993.
Bomb-proofing
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost, by location, of bomb-proofing the Department's premises.
Mr. Goodlad : On security grounds, I do not propose to give this information.
Israel
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the arms embargo against Israel was defined ; what items it included ; and if he will set out the precise terms and date of each change in his policy on applying the embargo since 1982.
Mr. Goodlad : We announced in June 1982, following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, that we would withhold approval of licences for the export to Israel of all British military equipment until further notice. In 1983 it was decided to allow the export of electronic and other small non- lethal components, provided that they did not form part of equipment due to be put into immediate service with the Israeli forces in Lebanon.
Entry Clearance Applications
Mr. Ottaway : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made to the list of posts abroad designated to accept entry clearance applications.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : There are three significant changes to the list. Since 17 November the consulate-general in St. Petersburg has provided an entry clearance service, for
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the present to residents of its consular district only. In early December, the embassy in Tallinn will accept applications from residents in Estonia. In Cameroon we have centralised our visa operation in Yaounde ; Douala no longer accepts applications. I am placing copies of the revised list in the Library of the House.Coastal Pollution
Mr. David Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the United Kingdom is to contribute to the cost of sewage treatment and other anti-beach pollution measures in other European Union member states ; what contribution it is to receive from the EU towards the cost of similar measures in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : I have been asked to reply.
The cohesion fund assists the poorest member states to improve their transport and environment infrastructure including sewerage systems. We contribute only 5 per cent. of the cohesion fund, substantially less than France, Germany or Spain. We benefit from the EC structural funds and expect to receive about £10 billion from 1994-99. Investments in sewerage improvements can be supported by these funds.
Civil and Political Rights
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list policy and legislative changes which have been introduced by successive British Governments to comply with the international covenant on civil and political rights since it came into force on 23 March 1976 ; whether the Government intend to allow citizens of the United Kingdom to petition the United Nations Human Rights Committee by ratifying the optional protocol to the international covenant on civil and political rights ; and what are the reasons for his decision. Mr. Charles Wardle : I have been asked to reply.
Comprehensive accounts of the action taken by successive Governments to comply with the international covenant on civil and political rights (ICCPR) are provided in the periodic reports which are submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Committee every five years, copies of which are in the Library.
The United Kingdom has accepted the right of individual petition under the European convention on human rights since 1966. The Government do not believe that becoming a party to the optional protocol to the ICCPR would enhance the protection of human rights in the United Kingdom.
Nigeria
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes Her Majesty's Government have made in its policy regarding arms and military sales to Nigeria following the recent military coup.
Mr. Goodlad : All aspects of our policy towards Nigeria are currently under review. We shall announce the outcome shortly.
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Mr. Bates : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Chad.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Our relations with Chad are cordial, but not substantial. United Kingdom exports to Chad in 1992 were £1.36 million. There is no bilateral aid programme, but we contribute to European Community aid programmes, which amount to over 10 million ECU this year. Diplomatic relations are covered by Her Majesty's Ambassador in Yaounde , Cameroon, on a non-resident basis.
South Africa
Mr. George : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Britain's role in the monitoring of elections in South Africa in 1994 ; and in what ways the Government are contributing to a fair and democratic transition in that country.
Mr. Goodlad : We intend to play a full part in helping to ensure that the South African elections are free and fair. We are discussing with the European Community, Commonwealth and United Nations the best ways in which to assist. The precise details of South Africa's election monitoring needs are unlikely to become clear until the Independent Election Commission has been established. This is expected shortly.
Our entire aid programme which is currently over £11.5 million a year plus a similar sum as a share of EC aid, is designed to support the transition to a democratic and non-racial society in South Africa.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Stonemasonry and Woodcarving
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to encourage the use of British stonemasons and woodcarvers in the restoration of Windsor castle.
Mr. Brooke : Management of the restoration of Windsor castle is the responsibility of the Royal household and so, therefore, is the selection of craftsmen. However, there is no reason to suppose that the craftsmen used will not be British.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will seek to provide funds to the National Trust, the English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Heritages and the Churches to recruit and train apprentices in stonemasonary and woodcarving and to employ them subsequently.
Mr. Brooke : I have no plans to provide specific funding on the lines proposed. English Heritage has recently established its own training centre for conservation skills at Fort Brockhurst, Hampshire. My Department also part-funds the conference on training in architectural conservation (COTAC), which aims to ensure that formal training and practical experience in conservation skills is available to all sectors of the construction industry, and works through a national network of training institutions to achieve this. Funding for such activities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends.
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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Chief Justices' Clerks
Mrs. Anne Campbell : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations the Lord Chancellor has received concerning the appointment of chief justices' clerks.
Mr. John M. Taylor : One hundred and twenty responses were received to a consultation paper on the role of chief justices' clerks, issued in February 1993. In addition, 10 magistrates and other interested persons have made written representations directly to the Lord Chancellor or his Department on the subject of chief justices' clerks, and 62 hon. Members have received representations which have been conveyed to me on behalf of the Lord Chancellor.
The Lord Chancellor attended the annual general meeting of the Magistrates' Association on 9 October where he discussed various aspects of the White Paper. He also received written representations from the association following this meeting.
Crown Courts
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list, for the last 12 months and by individual Crown court, (a) the occasions of scheduled individual sittings of separate courts within a Crown court complex that have been unable to sit due to the absence of a judge or recorder, (b) the specific reason for each cancellation (c) the date of the maximum number of cancellations occurring on any single day and (d) the estimated cost to public funds on that day.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The information requested is unavailable and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Sittings of the House
Mr. Allen : To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects to put proposals before the House to implement the report of the Select Committees on Sittings of the House.
Mr. Newton : As I indicated in the debate on the Address on 25 November, I am continuing to seek agreement on a balanced package of measures that can be brought before the House.
TRANSPORT
West Coast Main Line
Mr. Day : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the modernisation of the west coast main line infrastructure.
Mr. MacGregor : My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget statement that the Government have decided that the modernisation of the west main line will be taken forward as a privately managed and financed investment as part of the private
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finance initiative. The investment made by the private sector will be additional to the investment which Railtrack will be able to fund under the public expenditure plans announced in the Budget. Principles for using private sector management and finance have been agreed between the Department of Transport and Railtrack following a study carried out by Hambros Bank Ltd. Under these : Railtrack will be responsible for project definition and will draw up performance standards for the line in association with the private sector. Railtrack will be inviting expressions of interest in the next few days.Once the new performance standards have been set, a competition will be held in late 1994 to select a private sector consortium to modernise the line and to maintain it for a defined period. The responsibility for project management and design will also rest with the successful consortium.
The successful consortium will be remunerated by service payments from Railtrack during the contract period. These payments will be subject to penalties and bonuses linked to the performance of the consortium in meeting the new performance standards and the consequential impact this will have on revenue losses and gains on the line.
The new standards will stipulate minimum performance criteria. Where commercially justified, the InterCity west coast franchisee (and, possibly, other train operators) will be able to contract for linespeed and other improvements in exchange for increased access payments.
To facilitate this the InterCity west coast franchise will be let at the earliest practicable date.
The principles have been devised to transfer risks out of the public sector to those who can control them best. The risk that the infrastructure fails to perform to specification will be transferred to the private sector consortium. That consortium will also bear revenue risk insofar as it is affected by the performance of the infrastructure. The bulk of the remainder of the revenue risk will be transferred to the train operating companies and the providers of private sector funds.
This approach will bring together private and public sector expertise to modernise the line in a way which will ensure that its full potential is realised without the capital cost coming out of public funds.
M11 Link
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the cost to his Department in respect of the demonstration on 6 November opposing the M11 link at George Green, Wanstead ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : Cost will arise directly from the destruction of a fence and damage to other works and from the need to reinstate them and prevent recurrence of the damage. Indirectly costs will arise from delay to the contractor's programme. The works have yet to be reinstated. No claims have been received from the contractor, and so the amount of cost which may be borne by the Department is unknown. We intend to make further progress with the work as soon as possible.
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Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the advantages he expects to arise from the M11 link at George Green, Wanstead ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : The link road will relieve existing unsuitable roads of through traffic between the M11/North Circular road at Redbridge and the A102(M) Eastway approach to Blackwall tunnel at Hackney Marsh. The amenities of George Green, Wanstead, will be improved by the removal of this traffic from adjacent local roads and maintained by the provision of a tunnel for the link road. Some disruption is, however, unavoidable while the tunnel is constructed by the cut-and-cover method. The works have begun on site and are programmed to take four years to complete.
Railway Stations (Violence)
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of violent crime and sexual assault were recorded at British Rail stations in each year since 1990 ; what were the figures for Network SouthEast ; and how many of these incidents occurred when a station was unstaffed.
Mr. Freeman : The tables show the recorded incidents of violent crime and sexual assault at British Rail stations since 1990. Figures for incidents occurring at unstaffed stations are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
All British Rail stations
|1990 |1991 |1992 |<1>1993
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Crimes of violence |1,630 |1,584 |1,586 |1,212
Sexual offences (excluding
indecent exposure) |556 |474 |437 |352
<1>January to September 1993.
Network SouthEast
|1990 |1991 |1992 |<1>1993
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Crimes of violence |n/a |713 |692 |502
Sexual offences (excluding
indecent exposure) |n/a |269 |219 |205
<1>January to September 1993.
n/a-not available.
Rail Privatisation
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated net cost to public funds of railway privatisation.
Mr. Freeman : It is impossible to estimate the net effect of privatisation at this stage because the process will take some years to complete. Nevertheless, for any given level of public funding key factors such as investment and quality of service are expected to improve as a result of greater efficiency from increasing private sector management and competition.
Concessionary Travel Schemes
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the local authority areas by political control which operate concessionary travel schemes for pensioners.
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Mr. Freeman : According to a survey of local authorities done by the Department of Transport in 1992, there were concessionary fare schemes for pensioners in 96 per cent. of districts in Great Britain, some operated by district councils and some by county councils or passenger transport executives. In London the scheme is funded by the boroughs.
It is therefore less cumbersome to list the small number of local authorities that had no schemes for pensioners. These were : Caradon, Carrick, Eden, Hambleton, Kennet, Kerrier, North Cornwall, Orkney Islands, Penwith, Rhuddlan, Salisbury, Scarborough, South Holland, Stratford-on- Avon, West Somerset, Woodspring.
Of the 16 authorities listed, most of those in England and Wales not covered by a scheme were rural areas served by little public transport. Some of those authorities do support voluntary organisations which provide community transport or social car schemes. In Scotland, Orkney Island Council does not provide a formal concessionary fare scheme, but a subsidy is provided for inter-island air and sea travel.
Vehicle Excise Duty
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications were received annually for exemption from vehicle excise duty on the ground of disability, from 1988 to 1992 inclusive ; and how many of these were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful.
Mr. Key : The Benefits Agency deals with applications for certificates of entitlement for exemption from vehicle excise duty (VED), because exemption is linked to certain Benefits Agency allowances, chiefly the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance. In 1988, 320,000 people received exemption from VED on the grounds of disability, in 1989 350,000, in 1990 375,000, in 1991 420,000,and in 1992 465,000. No figures for unsuccessful applications for exemption certificates are available.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost of exemptions from vehicle excise duty in 1992.
Mr. Key : In 1992, 465,000 people were issued with exempt vehicle excise duty (VED) discs on the grounds of disability. The value of those discs was £57 million. 425,000 other vehicles (such as emergency vehicles) were also exempt from VED in 1992. Had they been required to pay VED, the revenue raised would have been at least £47 million.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he will take to compensate disabled persons, following the abolition of exemption from vehicle excise duty for persons with mobility problems.
Mr. Key : There are no plans to introduce compensation. The Government introduced provisions to ensure that those disabled people benefiting from the exemption at the time of its repeal on 13 October 1993 (approximately 20,000) will continue to benefit from the exemption for as long as their disability remains. The repeal does not affect entitlement to exemption from vehicle excise duty granted under the war pensioners mobility supplement or the higher rate mobility component of DLA. Some 400,000 people currently benefit from exemption through this route.
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M20 Widening
Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what penalties have been incurred by Balfour Beatty, the contractors, for the widening of the M20 at Maidstone, for late completion of the contract ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what assessment he has made of whether the reasons so far published for delays in completion of the M20 widening contract around Maidstone are complete ; and if he will carry out an investigation into them.
Mr. Key : The contract contains provisions for payment of liquidated damages if the contractor overruns the final contract completion date, This will be determined by the engineer to the contract when all the relevant facts of this complex issue are known to him and have been fully assessed. It is too early to say what penalties will be imposed.
Goods Vehicles (Mirrors)
Mr. Gapes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what improvements to large goods vehicles' mirrors he plans to reduce the risk of accident to cyclists and others caused by left turning lorries' blind spot.
Mr. Key : None. The Government have already amended national regulations to require close proximity mirrors on goods vehicles weighing over 12 tonnes and first used from 1 October 1988. These mirrors are specifically designed to provide the drivers of such lorries with improved vision to the side of their vehicles and make them more aware of cyclists and other road users.
Tachographs
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the types of vehicle required to have tachographs ; what information such equipment records ; and what is the penalty for operating such vehicles with the equipment disconnected or non operational.
Mr. Key : EC regulations require the fitment of tachographs to most heavy goods vehicles over 3 tonnes, to domestic passenger carrying vehicles with more than 17 seats unless on regular scheduled services and to vehicles with 10 or more seats on international journeys within the European Community.
The tachograph records the driver's activities (driving, rest and periods of other work) as well as vehicle speed and time. The resultant records allow retrospective checking by enforcement authorities. The maximum penalties for producing a false tachograph chart by tampering with the device are, on summary indictment, a fine of £5,000 and, on conviction on indictment, two years imprisonment. Convictions may be taken into account by Licensing Authorities in deciding whether to grant or renew an operator's licence or an HGV/PCV driver's licence.
Heavy Goods Vehicles
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require all heavy goods vehicles to display the name, address and telephone number of the user of the vehicle for each journey ; and if he will apply the same requirements to hired vehicles.
Mr. Key : I do not propose to extend the requirements already laid down in the goods vehicle operator licensing
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provisions. These apply to users of heavy goods vehicles, including hired vehicles, over 3.5 tonnes and require that a vehicle specified on an operator licence display a disc showing the name of the licensed operator, a trading name if applicable, the registration number of the vehicle and the type of licence held by the operator.A361
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1)if he will review his Department's policy regarding 60 mph repeater speed limit signs on the A361 north Devon link road ;
(2) if he will review the overtaking arrangements on the A361 north Devon link road ;
(3) if he will make a statement about the upgrading of parts or all of the A361 north Devon link road to dual carriageway ;
(4) if he will review the lighting arrangements at, and layout of, junctions on the A361 north Devon link road ;
(5) if he will arrange for an official from his Department to visit north Devon and meet representatives of the local county, district and parish councils, and other concerned parties, to discuss safety of the A361 north Devon link road.
Mr. Key : A number of accident reduction measures have already been implemented. Officials of the Department's South West regional office have arranged urgent discussions with our agent authority, Devon county council, and the police on possible further measures. This will include consideration of some of the suggestions put forward by the hon. Member.
I will write to the hon. Member as soon as I have the outcome of the discussions.
Great Western Network
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations have been made to him about the successors to 125 diesel locomotives for operating the InterCity service of the Great Western network ; and if he will make a statement on the implications of the Railways Act 1993 for this particular service.
Mr. Freeman : I have received a number of representations about replacing the fleet of 125 diesel locomotives cue existing diesel fleet reaches the end of its economic life.
Under the franchising proposals in the Railways Act, services on the Great Western main line will be among the first to be transferred to private sector operators. To this end, British Rail will begin shadow running from next April.
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many speed restrictions apply to the Great Western railway network west of Reading ; what stretches of line they apply to ; whether they are caused by deficiencies in track maintenance ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : This information is not held by the Department. These are operational matters for British Rail.
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