| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Rail Freight
Sir Raymond Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has held with Railtrack on the (a) sale of land and (b) retention of land for future rail freight terminals. [33672]
Ms Glenda Jackson: My right hon. Friend has met Railtrack on a number of occasions to discuss a variety of railway issues, including the sale of land and the need to encourage the development of the rail freight market. We are considering what measures are necessary to safeguard and further develop future rail freight opportunities as part of our integrated transport strategy.
Sir Raymond Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what obligations have been imposed on Railtrack to encourage rail freight. [33700]
Ms Glenda Jackson: Railtrack's obligations to its freight customers are contained in track access contracts which are approved by the Rail Regulator.
Fishing Industry
Sir Richard Body: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. George) of 3 March 1998, Official Report, column 546, on the fishing industry, what estimate he has made of the costs of implementing the EC Directives on health and safety; and if he will list the directives concerned. [33889]
Ms Glenda Jackson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Marine Safety Agency, Mr. Robin Bradley, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Sir Richard Body, dated 12 March 1998:
12 Mar 1998 : Column: 265
12 Mar 1998 : Column: 266
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the Government's liability under the rules governing the Private Finance Initiative in respect of London and Continental Railways Channel Tunnel Rail Link. [33905]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
London and Continental Railways raised some £430 million of debt to fund the Development of the CTRL and Eurostar operations for the period up to the main fund raising for construction. If LCR were to fail then the Eurostar business, along with all of its assets and liabilities including this debt, would transfer back into public ownership. The funding agreements with the lending banks provide for the debt to be repaid from Eurostar revenues.
Mr. Letwin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his policy on the imposition of taxes on fertilisers. [33738]
Angela Eagle
[holding answer 10 March 1998]: The Government issued a discussion paper 'Economics Instruments for Water Pollution' in November 1997. This included consideration of some possible uses of economic instruments to help reduce the environmental impact of nutrients, including a charge on chemical fertilisers. We are currently considering the responses to the paper.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will arrange for European (a) Commission and (b) Parliament documents, due to be discussed by Ministerial Council meetings during the United Kingdom presidency, which have environmental implications, to be placed in the Library 10 working days before the appropriate Ministerial Council meeting. [33974]
Angela Eagle:
In accordance with House of Commons Standing Order 143 which governs the operation of the Select Committee on European Legislation, a range of European Community documents is deposited in Parliament for consideration by that committee. This includes European Commission proposals for Council legislation and other policy documents, such as Commission communications, reports and consultation papers submitted to the Council of Ministers. These are available from the Vote Office and the Library of the House; and the vast majority are deposited at least 10 working days before they are considered by the Council of Ministers. The Government provide an explanatory memorandum on all these documents, commenting on the policy implications including environmental implications.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library the new appraisal criteria to be used in respect of the proposals currently being submitted from regional offices to the Roads Review. [33880]
12 Mar 1998 : Column: 267
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The new appraisal framework which we are developing to help us determine the new trunk road investment programme uses our previously published criteria of integration, accessibility, safety, economy and environmental impact. We expect to publish further details with the report of the Roads Review later this year.
Mr. Butterfill:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those parliamentary questions he has taken eight weeks or more to answer since 1 May 1997. [32708]
Dr. Gibson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement on the value of the rolling stock leased by Anglia Railways which was supplied by Eversholt, Angel Train Contracts and Porterbrook; [34035]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Anglia Railways receives fixed subsidy from the Franchising Director of £35.9 million in the 1997/98 financial year, progressively declining to £6.3 million in 2003/04. What costs they incur in meeting their service obligations under their franchise agreement and how these costs are met are matters for the Company. The value of the relevant rolling stock is a matter for the owners.
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your question about the costs of implementing the EC Directives on health and safety for fishing vessels. I attach a complete list of the EC directives on occupational health and safety, all of which apply to fishing vessels although some will have minimal effect.
The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) Regulations 1997 (S.I. 1997/2962), which come into force on 31 march, implement three EC directives:
Council Directive 89/391/EC--the "Framework directive";
Council Directive 91/383/EC--the "temporary workers directive"; and
Council Directive 92/85/EC--the "pregnant workers directive".
A Compliance Cost Assessment (CCA) was published with the draft regulations at public consultation stage, as is standard procedure for new regulations which have cost implications for businesses, charities or voluntary organisations. A copy has been placed in the House of Commons library. The CCA shows estimated set up costs between £400 and £1,000 per vessel, and ongoing costs of between £300 and £800 per vessel per year--this however is considered to be very much a worst case estimate.
Work is in progress to implement three further daughter directives:
Council Directive 93/103--the "fishing vessels" directive;
Council Directive 90/269--the "manual handling" directive; and
Council Directive 94/33/EC--the "young workers" directive.
Fishing Vessels Directive
In order to implement the fishing vessels directive, amendments are due to be made to:
Fishing Vessel (Safety Provisions) Rules 1975
Fishing Vessel (Life Saving Appliances) Regulations 1988
Merchant Shipping (Fishing Vessel) Crew Accommodation Regulations 1975.
Many of the provisions of the directive are already required by existing domestic regulations for vessels of 24m and over. The amendments will extend those provisions to new vessels of 15m and over with immediate effect and to existing vessels of 18m and over from November 2002. Currently there are some 850 existing vessels of 18m and over. A CCA was published at public consultation stage. This gives a worst case estimate for set up costs of £15,400 per new vessel and £11,700 per existing vessel, with recurring costs of £2,500 per vessel.
Manual Handling Directive
Public consultation is now in progress on regulations to implement the manual handling directive. Our initial view is that there will be no compliance costs additional to those already identified for the framework directive.
Young Workers Directive
Draft regulations are being prepared to implement the young workers directive and we are seeking advice from industry on the likely compliance costs of those provisions which apply to fishing vessels.
Work on implementing the remaining daughter directives, which in each case will include consideration of the compliance costs in consultation with industry, will proceed in due course.
EC OHS Directives:
89/391/EEC Framework Directive
The daughter directives
89/655/EEC Use of Work Equipment
89/656/EEC Personal Protective Equipment
90/269/EEC Manual Handling
90/394/EEC Carcinogens
90/679/EEC Biological Agents
91/383/EEC Temporary Workers
92/58/EEC Safety Signs
92/85/EEC Pregnant Workers
93/103/EEC Fishing Vessels
94/33/EEC Young Persons.
(2) how much public money Anglia Railways spent on leasing rolling stock from Eversholt, Angel Train Contracts and Porterbrook. [34036]
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |