Customs and Excise

HC Deb 23 April 1982 vol 22 cc160-1W

Dr. McDonald

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the number of days taken by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise for (a) normal inspection and (b) preventive inspection at Tilbury, Dover, Ipswich and Felixstowe for each container load.

Mr. Wakeham

[pursuant to his reply, 22 April 1982, c. 132]: The time taken to examine the contents of a container varies considerably according to the circumstances but would rarely exceed a few hours. It is not possible to state averge times for the ports named, since records are not kept.

Description of Sample	Number of samples taken	Number of samples tested	Laboratory carrying out the tests
Original bearing plinth material, samples taken during	1,800	4	Property Services
temporary repair work.	(approx.)		Agency Laboratory,
			Cardington.
Original bearing plinth material, samples taken during repair contract.	101	0	—
Original shims, in sets, from beneath bearing.	40	0	—
Original grease from between bearing plates.	14	13	Fulmer Research
			Institute Ltd.,
			Stoke Poges,
			Slough, Bucks.
New bearing plinth material	901	901	West Midland
			County Council's
			Laboratory.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr on 18 March, Official Report, c. 153, if he will make a further statement outlining progress repairing the bearing plinths at the Gravelly Hill viaduct on the Midland links motorway; and whether any financial penalties will be imposed if the work is not completed by the extended contract period of 2 May 1982.

Mrs. Chalker

The position on 21 April 1982 was that 90 per cent. of the plinths had been repaired and the contractual date for completion of the remainder was 2 May 1982. It is, however, expected that the work will not be completed until later in May.

The contract provides for the payment of liquidated damages in the event of late completion, but the question of any further extensions on the contract period remains subject to decisions by the engineer to the contract, the county surveyor of the West Midlands county council.