HC Deb 24 July 2002 vol 389 cc1272-3W
Angus Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EU Scientific Committee for occupational exposure limits to chemical agents is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [71820]

Mr. Jamieson

The European Union's Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) is next due to meet on 26 and 27 September 2002. No member or representative of the Scottish Executive either has been or is currently a member of SCOEL. The Health and Safety Executive nominates the two UK members of SCOEL on the basis of their scientific and toxicological background rather than as representatives of the UK Government. The current UK nominees are a Senior Toxicologist at the Medical Research Council Institute for Environment and Health and the Head of the Health and Safety Executive's Industrial Chemicals Unit.

Angus Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Joint Committee on the carriage of goods and passengers by inland waterway (EC-Czech Republic-Republic of Poland-Slovak Republic) is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [73153]

Mr. Jamieson

I have not been able to identify the Committee referred to by the hon. Member.

Angus Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EC-Slovak Republic Joint Transport Committee is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [73154]

Mr. Jamieson

This Committee is established under the provisions of an agreement between the European Community and the Slovak Republic establishing certain conditions for the carriage of goods by road and the promotion of combined transport. The remit of the Committee is to ensure the proper implementation of the agreement. I am not aware that it has met in recent times or that there are any plans for it to meet in the future. Representatives of the Scottish Executive have not been—and would not in the future be—members of the Committee as the matters for which it has responsibility are reserved.

Angus Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the EC-Hungary Joint Transport Committee is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [73158]

Mr. Jamieson

This Committee is established under the provisions of the Agreement of 12 July 2000 between the European Community and the Republic of Hungary establishing certain conditions for the carriage of goods by road and the promotion of combined transport. The remit of the Committee is to ensure the proper implementation of the agreement. I am not aware that it has met since the conclusion of the Agreement or that there are any plans for it to meet in the future. Representatives of the Scottish Executive have not been—and would not in the future be—members of the Committee as the matters for which it has responsibility are reserved.