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First, I should explain that the Roads Service is committed to play its part in achieving the targets set by the Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy through the implementation of road safety engineering measures, and in this context we give a high priority to the introduction of traffic-calming schemes in residential areas.
However, the Roads Service receives many requests for traffic-calming measures and, although the funding allocated to this type of work has significantly increased in recent years, demand still outstrips our capacity to meet all such requests, and priorities have to be established. The prioritisation of work within any particular area is never easy; however, I can assure you that the Roads Service does attempt to prioritise all schemes in a fair and equitable manner concentrating the available finance in those areas where the need is greatest.
In helping to prioritise areas for the provision of traffic-calming measures, Roads Service officials take account of a number of factors including: collision history, volume and speed of vehicles, and environmental factors such as the presence of schools, playgrounds, shops et cetera. Of these factors, the highest priority is given to safety, resulting in those sites with an accident history being treated before those with a reasonably good safety record. Implicitly, this assessment process takes cognisance of the overall cost of road traffic collisions to society in general. This approach has led to a substantial reduction in collisions and personal injuries at treated sites over a number of years.
With regard to the Ballyhackamore area of Belfast, I can advise that Roads Service has carried out a number of traffic-calming assessments, although the only site treated to date has been Wilgar Street.
Our local officials have also recently carried out consultations on proposals to provide traffic calming features in the following streets located in the Ballyhackamore area:
I understand that a number of objections have been received, and these will have to be considered fully before a decision is taken to proceed with the traffic-calming measures.
In addition, preliminary assessments have also been carried out on the following streets, with a view to possible inclusion within our three-year programme of works, subject to their being favourably prioritised against competing locations:
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Transport: Belfast
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Rooker: The chief executive of the Roads Service has written to the noble Lord in response to this Question. The text of the letter is as follows:
“The Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP) was published in November 2004 and takes forward the strategic initiatives of the Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS) for Northern Ireland which was accepted by the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2002. The BMTP sets out transport proposals for the Belfast Metropolitan Area to be implemented or commenced by 2015 and also supports the development proposals contained in the draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP) published by the Department of the Environment (DoE) in 2004.
Within the Transport Plan there is a high priority given to public transport, walking and cycling, as large urban areas like the Belfast Metropolitan Area offer the best opportunities to reduce reliance on the private car. Measures to improve rail frequencies and bus services, effective parking controls, better walking and cycling networks and options for rapid transit should all help in this regard. The BMTP sets out a range of proposals to tackle these problems, under the headings of Walking and Cycling, Public Transport, Highway Network and Management. Key features include: improvements in facilities for walking and cycling; step-change in quality of public transport provision, including an ambitious Park and Ride programme, Quality Bus Corridor programme, improvements to rail services and the commencement of a Rapid Transit network; Highway improvements focused on improving the efficiency and safety of the main strategic network; Better management of the transport systems through parking controls, the application of technology; and Measures to change travel attitudes.
Whilst a modal shift from private car to more sustainable modes of travel is unlikely to take effect until towards the end of the Plan period, there are a number of road improvement schemes identified in the Transport Plan that are necessary to remove existing bottlenecks and improve traffic flows on the road network. These include: Ml/Westlink; A55 Outer Ring Road; A2 Sydenham Bypass; M2 widening between Sandyknowes and Greencastle; and completion of south section of the City Centre Ring Road (Bankmore Link).
As you may be aware, the highest profile scheme, the Ml/Westlink/M2 project, is under way and programmed for completion by Spring 2009. This will significantly improve traffic flows on the main strategic route connecting the Ml and M2 motorways through Belfast. As outlined above, road improvement schemes are not the only element of the Plan that will help to improve traffic flows. This week the Department took over responsibility for the enforcement of parking offences in NI and this will also make a contribution to improved traffic flows on Belfast's local road network.
Further details of the proposals in the Transport Plan can be obtained from the BMTP website https://pronet.wsatkins.co.uk/bmtp/. A copy of the BMTP Transport Plan is also available in the House Libraries”.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they plan to consider proposals for a rapid transit system from Greater East Belfast into the city centre.[HL8017]
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Lord Rooker: The Department for Regional Development is currently in the process of appointing consultants to carry out economic appraisals of both EWAY, operating between Dundonald and Belfast city centre, and CITI-route, linking Belfast city centre and Belfast City Airport through the Titanic Quarter of the Harbour Estate in the Bangor Corridor, as pilot rapid transit routes.
Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
In calculating the contribution which each class of heavy lorry should make to vehicle excise duty, what account they took of the latest calculations of the damage factors relating to axle weights; and whether any allowances are made in these calculations for vehicles which are overloaded.[HL8052]
Lord McKenzie of Luton: Vehicle excise duty (VED) for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) is banded by revenue weight. This is the confirmed maximum weight (ie, gross weight or gross train weight) for vehicles which are subject to plating and testing. For non-testable vehicles, this will be the maximum weight at which a vehicle can lawfully operate under construction and use limits (ie, the design weight).
HGV VED rates were revised in 2001 to reduce the total burden of lorry VED on the haulage industry and, at the same time, to improve the environmental signals that hauliers face to use lorries which cause less road damage and pollution.
The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), an executive agency of the Department for Transport, stops and checks vehicles at the roadside. VOSA can issue a prohibition to any vehicle found to be overloaded, which prevents the vehicle being further used until the excess weight has been removed. VOSA can also prosecute serial offenders or those that have grossly overloaded their vehicles.
The recent installation of more in-road weigh-in-motion sensors (WIMS) enables VOSA examiners to more easily identify overweight vehicles.
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McKenzie of Luton on 24 October (WA 234), whether the Burns inquiry has addressed the question of whether heavy goods vehicles as a whole meet the costs attributed to their operation.[HL8054]
Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Burns inquiry was not a government initiative but was privately commissioned and funded by the Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association. Resulting papers are publicly available on the internet at www.freight-taxes.co.uk.
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Ulster-Scots
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 9 October (WA 119), how they demonstrate their commitment to affording equal respect and recognition to the Irish and Ulster-Scots languages and cultures.[HL7688]
Lord Rooker: The Government demonstrate their commitment to affording equal respect and recognition to the Irish and Ulster-Scots languages and cultures by ensuring that Ulster-Scots and Irish cultural and language development are given equal importance and equal consideration within the overarching framework of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and subject to budgetary and business planning processes.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals they have to ensure that the Ulster-Scots language obtains equality and parity of esteem with Irish in any arrangements resulting from the discussions at St Andrews.[HL7913]
Lord Rooker: The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has tasked the Ulster-Scots Agency with drawing up a package of measures, supported by business cases, to enhance and develop the Ulster-Scots language, heritage and culture in the light of the commitment contained in the agreement at St Andrews.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals they have to ensure that an understanding of Ulster-Scots history and culture is taught in schools in Northern Ireland.[HL7915]
Lord Rooker: There is a great deal of scope within the revised curriculum for schools to teach Ulster-Scots history and culture. In particular, pupils will have opportunities to learn about cultural heritage under citizenship provision. The department has also provided support to the Ulster-Scots Agency for the publication of its primary school curriculum materials, which were launched by the Education Minister in April 2006.
Universities: Stranded Students
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their policy on the treatment of persons who become stranded in the United Kingdom, having been granted asylum in the United States, and having been refused second applications to the United States authorities for renewal of their convention travel documents, following their attendance at institutions of higher education in the United Kingdom.[HL7934]
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The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The Immigration and Nationality Directorate would consider any application for leave such persons may make. If they did not qualify for leave we would look to remove them to the United States or to another country.
Water Supply: Older People
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the need for fresh drinking water to be made available to older people in hospitals and care homes; and [HL8109]
Whether they will instruct the Food Standards Agency to include in its new Nutrient and Food Based Guidance for Care Homes measures to ensure that free, fresh water in addition to other drinks is made available to residents throughout the day.[HL8110]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): The Care Homes Regulations state that homes must provide, in adequate quantities, suitable, wholesome and nutritious food which is varied and properly prepared and available at such times as may reasonably be required by service users. Food, in the regulations, includes fluids.
The review of the National Minimum Standards for Care Homes, which the Commission for Social Care Inspection must take into account when inspecting care homes, is ongoing and will be subject to public consultation in due course. The issue of availability of drinking water to residents is being considered as part of the review. The intention is to implement any revised standards in 2007.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) published, on 19 October 2006, nutrient and food-based advice for those providing food in care homes. The advice includes example menus, which include making water available at all eating occasions. Government advice is that we need to drink six to eight glasses of fluid every day. It is therefore implicit that care homes should make water freely available throughout the day.
There is no specific standard relating to the provision of drinking water in the National Health Service. However, there are two core standards that refer to food, against which the Healthcare Commission assesses as part of its annual health check. Food, for this purpose, as in care homes, includes fluids.
Water Supply: Schools
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
What guidelines are in place for schools and pre-schools with regard to the supply of free fresh drinking water for children.[HL8111]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Adonis): The Education (Nutritional Standards for School Lunches) (England) Regulations 2006, which cover primary, secondary and special schools, state that pupils should have easy access at all times to free, fresh drinking water.
For nursery schools and nursery units within primary schools, previous guidance still applies. Healthy school lunches for pupils in nursery schools/units—guidance for school caterers on implementing national nutritional standards recommends that drinking water should be available to all children every day, free of charge.
Wildlife: Wild Birds
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the remarks by the Lord Bach on 27 February (HL Deb, col. 46) on the then Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, whether the meeting referred to with key stakeholders in Europe to gauge the likely impact of a ban on the import of wild caught birds has taken place; if so, what was the outcome; and whether a record of the meeting is available.[HL8063]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The meeting to which the Lord Bach referred was a round-table meeting of mainly UK (not European) stakeholders, which took place in London on 13 March 2006. The aim was to look at issues surrounding the ban on imports of wild birds from a conservation perspective. Specifically, the meeting considered the impact of wildlife trade
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An informal note of the meeting was prepared and I have asked officials to place a copy in the Library of the House.
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