§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the safety of the security bolt seal chosen by Railfreight for channel tunnel operations relative to that of its competitors. [8486]
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§ Mr. WattsThe bolt seal meets the requirement laid down by the Department that any seal used must be on the Custom and Excise group 1 or 2 list. Railfreight Distribution has asked the Loss Prevention Council to undertake independent tests on the seal in the light of allegations made about it.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if Railfreight is required to operate in an open-market, competitive manner in its allocation of contracts. [8487]
§ Mr. WattsAs with other public bodies, Railfreight Distribution must operate openly in a competitive market. EC rules require large contracts to be advertised in theOfficial Journal of the EU and to be available to bidders throughout the EC. I am advised that Railfreight Distribution selected the bolt seal in 1994 following the evaluation of a number of seals. In EC and Railfreight Distribution procurement terms this was a small contract. However, Railfreight Distribution has agreed that the next contract will be put out for full competitive tender.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what considerations led Railfreight to require all users of the channel tunnel to use the same security bolt seal; and what are his powers in this respect. [8488]
§ Mr. WattsThis is entirely a management matter for the British Railways Board and Railfreight Distribution. I understand from the BR Board that for managerial and control purposes Railfreight Distribution needed a single, easily recognisable set of seals to permit rapid verification of the integrity of cargoes at depots in all weathers. It concluded that acceptance of more than one manufacturer's product could result in a multiplicity of seals which in Railfreight Distribution's view would have impeded the safe and efficient discharge of its responsibilities. The BR Board has reviewed this decision and agreed that this was correct in the circumstances.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration his safety inspectorate has given to the security seal policy of Railfreight; and what is its judgment thereon. [8489]
§ Mr. WattsSecurity matters are the responsibility of my Department's transport security division. Its inspectors routinely consider all aspects of channel tunnel security. They do not consider that there are any security problems with the seal system in use by Railfreight Distribution.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has met representatives of the British security seal industry about Railfreight's policy on security seals for the channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement. [8490]
§ Mr. WattsI have had one meeting with Mr. Bill Tait, the former chairman of the Security Seal Industry Association, and I have been in correspondence with the current chairman, Mr. Ken Lloyd. The policy on the use and control of seals is for Railfreight Distribution to determine. The Department's role is to lay down the standard of seal required.