| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Rail Services
Mr. Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received (a) on train cancellations and delays that are due to leaves on the track, (b) on the arrangements made by Railtrack and train operating companies to clear leaves from the track, (c) on the level of resources spent each year since privatisation on such activities and (d) on train cancellations and delays on Connex North Kent lines due to leaves on the track. [97225]
Mr. Hill: The Secretary of State and the Franchising Director have received few representations about train cancellations and delays relating to leaves on the track or the level of resources devoted to leaf clearance. None of these has concerned the Connex North Kent lines specifically. Railtrack and train operating companies have set aside £50 million to combat leaves on the lines.
Train Drivers
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the circumstances surrounding the suspension and subsequently continued employment of train drivers who are caught driving without due care or attention. [97776]
Mr. Hill:
In the first instance, it is for the employer to decide on appropriate disciplinary action to be taken with staff who contravene proper working practices. In addition there are duties on employees and employers under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and under specific regulations to ensure that work is done safely. For instance, the Railways (Safety Critical Work)
8 Nov 1999 : Column: 390
Regulations 1994 require that employees are fit and competent to undertake activities (such as train driving) which are safety critical. The Health and Safety Executive could prosecute employers or employees who have contravened these duties and requirements.
Among the immediate measures agreed at the meeting that my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister held with rail industry leaders on 25 October were a review of consistent standards of driver training and establishing a consistent approach to safety management, embracing best practice across the network.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions by what means the Government will define energy-intensive operations when deciding which firms will receive significant discounts on the climate change levy. [97378]
Mr. Meacher:
For the purpose of the climate change levy, energy intensive operations have been defined as those listed in Annex I to the European Union's Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive. Sites which undertake operations of this type may join an appropriate sectoral energy efficiency agreement. Sectors which are able to negotiate satisfactory agreements will be eligible for reduced rates of levy.
We have received suggestions from industry for alternative definitions and are giving these consideration as part of overall consideration of industry representations on the design of the levy.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions with which less energy-intensive sectors the Government have started preliminary discussions on energy efficiency agreements; and to what extent those discussions have included the possibility of linking in with such agreements a mechanism for varying rates of climate change levy. [97380]
Mr. Meacher:
The Government are not discussing energy efficiency agreements with less energy-intensive sectors. The Government invited the ten largest energy intensive industry sectors to participate in negotiations for energy efficiency agreements in March this year. Subsequently, we have initiated negotiations for agreements with a number of smaller energy intensive sectors.
In both cases, the Government are offering the prospect of significantly lower rates of levy for those sectors that can agree targets for improving their energy efficiency which meet the Government's criteria.
We have received representations from some non-intensive sectors. For non-intensive sectors, it may be worthwhile for them to explore the possibility of voluntary energy efficiency agreements under the Government's energy efficiency best practice programme. Though voluntary agreements would not entitle participants to discounts from the levy, they would facilitate the sharing of best practice, benchmarking, and other information between companies. They would also help them cut out waste, save money and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
8 Nov 1999 : Column: 391
Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the cost of road improvement works in connection with the line of pylons from Lackenby to Shipton; and if he will make a statement. [97375]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
I understand that the National Grid Company, in consultation with appropriate parties, is making various road improvements in the process of constructing the North Yorkshire electricity line. The cost of these roads improvements is being met by the company and the details are a matter for it.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce legislation on leasehold reform. [97434]
Mr. Mullin:
We have almost completed our analysis of the responses received to our consultation paper on residential leasehold reform, and will announce our conclusions shortly.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to set targets for (a) investment in railways serving rural areas and (b) improvement in rail services in rural areas. [97433]
Mr. Hill:
There are no plans to set targets for this investment. I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 1 November 1999, Official Report, column 10, concerning funding of improvements in rail services in rural areas.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his timetable for dealing with the report of the panel on Regional Planning Guidance for the south-east of England; and what opportunities there will be for the public to have their views on the panel report taken into account. [97288]
Ms Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 5 November 1999]: There will be an opportunity for the public to make their views known when the Government's proposed changes to the draft Regional Planning Guidance are published for consultation. As my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning indicated in the Opposition Day debate on Planning on 2 November 1999, Official Report, column 1221, we hope this will happen early in the new year.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what investigations are currently under way into the auditing procedures for town and parish councils; [97284]
8 Nov 1999 : Column: 392
Ms Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 5 November 1999]: Audit procedures are a matter for the independent Audit Commission. Their officials have been discussing with the National Association of Local Councils a pilot exercise to investigate whether the cost of audits of town and parish councils can be reduced whilst maintaining the necessary level of assurance.
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been spent on publications by the Government Office for the North West since its establishment. [97608]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
I will write to the hon. Member with the information and place a copy in the Library.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to bring into force the contaminated land regime in Part IIA of the Environment Protection Act 1990. [97755]
Mr. Mullin:
Subject to the outcome of the current consultation, and necessary Parliamentary procedures, we expect to bring the regime into force on 1 April 2000.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for the removal of full moped licence entitlement from new car licences; and if he will make a statement. [97672]
Mr. Hill:
In July, we consulted on a proposal to issue successful car driving test candidates with a provisional, rather than a full moped licence, as part of a package of measures to improve rider safety. This would mean that newly qualified drivers wanting to ride a moped would be required to take a basic training course like other persons who wish to ride powered two-wheelers. These drivers are generally young, and they have high accident rates. Our reason for proposing this change is that the skills for riding safely a powered two-wheeler are different from those for driving a car and that these riders would be safer on the road after basic training. The proposed change would not affect anyone who already held a full moped licence. We are currently considering the responses that we have received and, when we have taken decisions, they will be announced.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many (a) moped riders and (b) cyclists were (i) killed and (ii) seriously injured in the years 1993 to 1998; what were the annual rates per 100,000 in each case; and if he will make a statement. [97673]
8 Nov 1999 : Column: 393
Mr. Hill:
The number of killed and seriously injured pedal cyclists and moped riders in Great Britain and rates of casualty per 100,000 population are given in the table.
(2) what recent discussions have been held between officials of his Department and representatives of the National Association of Local Councils the auditing procedures faced by town and parish councils. [97285]
| Pedal cyclists | Moped riders
| Killed | Seriously injured | Killed | Seriously injured
| Casualties |
| 1993 | 186 | 3,611 | 22 | 660
| 1994 | 172 | 3,829 | 17 | 545
| 1995 | 213 | 3,754 | 19 | 541
| 1996 | 203 | 3,586 | 11 | 431
| 1997 | 183 | 3,409 | 17 | 402
| 1998 | 158 | 3,154 | 10 | 393
| |
| Casualty rate per 100,000 population
| 1993 | 0.33 | 6.38 | 0.04 | 1.17
| 1994 | 0.30 | 6.75 | 0.03 | 0.96
| 1995 | 0.37 | 6.59 | 0.03 | 0.95
| 1996 | 0.36 | 6.28 | 0.02 | 0.75
| 1997 | 0.32 | 5.95 | 0.03 | 0.70
| 1998 | 0.27 | 5.48 | 0.02 | 0.68
| | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |