You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Lords Publications > Lords Hansard > Daily Hansard

Previous Section Back to Table of Contents Lords Hansard Home Page

21 Nov 2002 : Column WA7

Written Answers

Thursday, 21st November 2002.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Lord Harrison asked Her Majesty's Government:

    When the codes of practice under Sections 45 and 46 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 will be laid before Parliament.[HL186]

The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): I have placed a copy of both codes of practice in the Libraries of both Houses today.

Committee on Standards in Public Life: Eighth Report

Lord Dormand of Easington asked Her Majesty's Government:

    When they expect to receive the eighth report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.[HL222]

The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn): The Government are pleased to announce that the eighth report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, entitled Standards of Conduct in the House of Commons, has today been published by the committee. Copies are available in the Vote Office and the Libraries of both Houses.

Drug Abstinence Orders

Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:

    How many drug abstinence orders have been made by the courts in England and Wales.[HL18]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): Drug abstinence orders (DAO) and drug abstinence requirements (DAR) were made available to the courts covering the three pilot sites, Nottingham, Staffordshire and Hackney on 5 November 2001. As at 28 February 2002, seven drug abstinence orders and 85 drug abstinence requirements have been issued. The pilot programme was extended to a further six sites, Bedford, Blackpool, Doncaster, Torquay, Wirral and Wrexham & Mold in the summer of 2002. Further outcomes from the pilot sites will be available in the interim evaluation report due in the spring of 2003.

Temple Mills Maintenance Facilities

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What is the expected capital cost of moving the Eurostar maintenance facilities from North Pole to Temple Mills in London; and who would be responsible for the costs of such a move.[HL50]

21 Nov 2002 : Column WA8

The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston): Under the current proposals the construction of the new facility would be phased, with the first phase being ready for the opening of the whole Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2007. The construction cost of the first phase is estimated to be about £140 million, but further work is in hand to refine the estimates. Discussions are currrently underway beween the parties about how the costs will be borne and financed.

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What assessment has been done of the costs and benefits of moving the Eurostar maintenance facilities from North Pole to Temple Mills in London, and compared with creating a small stabling siding at Temple Mills and undertaking most maintenance at Paris or Brussels.[HL51]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: An assessment of the costs and benefits of various potential solutions has been carried out and it has been concluded that the optimum technical and economic solution is a phased development of new facilities at Temple Mills.

This assessment took account of the fact that the stabling, servicing and light maintenance facilities need to be located as near as possible to St Pancras in order to support the daily operation of the train services.

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Who financed the creation of a new refuelling facility for EWS Railway at Temple Mills; why it was necessary; how much it cost; and what was the date of opening.[HL52]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The EWS refuelling facility at Stratford had to be moved to make way for the ongoing construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. It was relocated at Temple Mills under the terms of an undertaking given by Viscount Goschen to the Select Committee of this House that considered the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill. The undertaking required the Secretary of State to ensure that land is made available on the Stratford Railway Lands (including Temple Mills) for EWS' refuelling point. The move was financed by Union Railways (North) Ltd, the nominated undertaker for the construction of this part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. The estimated capital cost of moving the refuelling facility is around £1 million; it came into operation at the beginning of July 2001.

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Why they imposed a compulsory purchase notice on EWS Railway's new refuelling facility at Temple Mills on the date that it opened; what alternative refuelling arrangements will be provided and where; and what are the total estimated costs of such a further move.[HL53]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Compulsory purchase notices, (Notices to Treat, stating that the

21 Nov 2002 : Column WA9

land would be required) were served on 14 December on the land on which a new refuelling facility had opened at the beginning of July 2001. This was because it had become clear that part of this land was required for servicing and maintaining Eurostar trains earlier than anticipated. The refuelling facility may not need to be relocated until about 2020, but it will remain on an appropriate site on the Stratford lands including Temple Mills, in accordance with an undertaking given by Viscount Goschen to the Select Committee to this House that considered the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill. It is estimated that such a move may cost in the order of £2 million.

Railway Overbridges

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Which organisations are responsible for funding the programme of railway overbridge strengthening now being undertaken; what is the total cost; and what is the purpose of this work.[HL55]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Network Rail, as owner of the national railway infrastructure, is responsible for the maintenance and renewal of rail over road bridges. The programme of work is an operational matter for Network Rail.

Safety Cameras

Baroness Scott of Needham Market asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What consultation took place in advance of the issue of the new safety camera partnership handbook which came into force on 30 June.[HL81]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The handbook of rules and guidelines for the safety camera netting off scheme came into effect on 11 August 2001 when the scheme was made available nationally. The rules are conditions of payment to public authorities prescribed under Section 38 of the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 and no consultation is required by statute. However, the rules have been devised in collaboration with a project board comprising representatives from key government departments, the police and local authorities.

New Car Registrations

Lord Lucas asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What data they have on the numbers of new cars registered per head of population in each of the past five years for which records are available, analysed by region or by local authority areas.[HL98]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The number of new cars registered per 1,000 population for each region is as follows.

21 Nov 2002 : Column WA10

Region19971998199920002001
Great Britain3536373843
England3536373843
North East3132313436
Yorkshire and Humber3434343637
East Midland3636363643
East of England3840394147
South East4042424450
London2727262631
South West3738373840
West Midland3538454857
North West3335384145
Wales3433323134
Scotland3435374041

Apsley House

Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Further to the passage of the Contracting Out (Functions in relation to Apsley House) Order 2002 in February, when they will announce the name of the body to which the management of Apsley House will be transferred; and whether a member (or members) of the Wellington family will be formally invited to be involved in the future management of the house.[HL82]

The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone): Following initial expressions of interest earlier this year, and a subsequent review of the procurement process by the Office of Government Commerce, we have invited interested parties to meet a number of essential pre-qualifying criteria. Responses were due by 15 November and are currently being evaluated. We will decide next steps in the light of that evaluation. We remain keen to see family involvement in the management of Apsley House in whatever management arrangements result from the competitive tendering exercise.

Disabled Children: Local Authority and NHS Support

Baroness Howe of Idlicote asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What is the average cost for each disabled child in residential care; and what is the average cost of the financial and physical support given by local authorities and health authorities for each disabled child living with their parents.[HL9]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The average cost to social services of each disabled child in residential care during the Children in Need Census survey week in September/October 2001, excluding those who receive only planned short-term breaks, was £1,400. The average cost to social services of each disabled child supported in their family or

21 Nov 2002 : Column WA11

independently during a survey week in September/October 2001 was £130.

Data on the health cost of supporting disabled children are not collected centrally.

Next Section Back to Table of Contents Lords Hansard Home Page