HC Deb 18 March 2002 vol 382 cc33-7W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if his Department(a) has collated and (b) will publish statistical information on the average number of daily lorry movements on port-related activity to and from Shoreham harbour in each of the last 36 months. [43703]

Ms Keeble

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: This information has not been collated.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will give his formal response to the proposed Shoreham Harbour Revision Order. [43713]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: The proposed Shoreham Harbour Revision Order has not yet been formally submitted to my Department. Officials received a copy of the latest draft of the proposed order on 7 March 2002 and will be responding to the authority within the next two weeks.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent discussions his Department has had regarding the proposed Harbour Revision Order for Shoreham Harbour with(a) Shoreham Port Authority and (b) representatives of (i) Adur council, (ii) Brighton and Hove council and (iii) West Sussex county council. [43711]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: Officials received a copy of a draft of the proposed Harbour Revision Order on 7 March 2002, and have not yet discussed this draft with the Shoreham Port Authority. No discussions regarding the proposed order have taken place between the Department and the Adur council, Brighton and Hove council or West Sussex county council.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his Department's policy is on the establishment of additional cross channel ferry services at Shoreham Harbour and other south coast ports. [43786]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: The establishment of additional cross-channel ferry services is a matter for decision by individual ferry operators and port authorities.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which Ministers have made official visits to Shoreham Harbour since May 1997. [43702]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: There has been one official visit to the port of Shoreham by a Minister from my Department since May 1997. On 24 November 2000 Lord Whitty, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of the Department visited the port as part of a tour of West Sussex arranged by the West Sussex county council.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what financial contribution will be made by Shoreham Port Authority towards the road link study between Shoreham Harbour and the A27 proposed by SEEDA; [43708]

(2) what the funding arrangements are for the road link study between Shoreham Harbour and the A27 proposed by SEEDA; [43707]

(3) what the remit is of the road link study between Shoreham Harbour and the A27 proposed by SEEDA; who will prepare the study; and when it is due to report. [43709]

Ms Keeble

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: A draft brief for a multiple mode transport study is currently being prepared by the Shoreham Maritime Steering Group. The remit, funding arrangements and time scales will be considered as part of the brief.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the extent is of his responsibilities for Shoreham Harbour; and on what connected subjects he is responsible to Parliament. [43785]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: I have no direct responsibilities in respect of Shoreham Harbour, other than responsibility for making board appointments to the Shoreham Port Authority who are the statutory body responsible for the harbour.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 11 March 2002,Official Report, column 754W, ref. 42321, if he will list all funding made available to the Maritime Vision for Shoreham Harbour through English Partnerships through the former Partnership Investment Programme. [43795]

Ms Keeble

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: Total expenditure by all partners, including English Partnerships, up to April 2001, was £305,000.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 11 March 2002,Official Report, column 755W, ref 42323, what proportion of land at Shoreham Harbour is considered (a) brownfield land and (b) land used for port-related activities. [43787]

Ms Keeble

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: Taking Shoreham Harbour as the area bordering the River Adur, the Eastern Arm and The Canal and excluding all water areas and the beach foreshore, the whole of the site consists of brownfield land with approximately 40 per cent. of this land being used for port-related activities.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what consultation has taken place on the proposed Harbour Revision Order for Shoreham Harbour between Shoreham Port Authority and(a) Adur council, (b) Brighton and Hove council, (c) West Sussex county council and (d) local residents. [43712]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: The proposed Harbour Revision Order is still in draft form and has not yet been subject to any formal consultation by the Shoreham Port Authority. The authority will be consulting with all stakeholders of the port in due course.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the businesses based at Shoreham Harbour as tenants of Shoreham Port Authority; and how many employees are employed by each. [43793]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: My Department does not hold details of these businesses or their employees.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what criteria apply to the Chairman, Chief Executive and board members of the Shoreham port authority under Nolan Standards Commission requirements. [43697]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: As the Shoreham port authority is not a public body, the authority, its board members and employees are not bound by the requirements of the Nolan Committee on Standards in Public Life. However, 'Modernising Trust Ports—A Guide to Good Governance' published by my Department in January 2000 recommended that all trust ports should seek to adopt the Nolan procedures when making appointments to their boards. My Department does follow the Nolan principles, as set out in the 'Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies' issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, when making direct appointments to the board.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action is taken by his Department to monitor borrowing levels by Shoreham port authority. [43784]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: Although we approve the overall borrowing limits of the authority which are set in Harbour Revision Orders approved by my Department, we do not monitor the level of borrowing at any particular time.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will name the members of the interviewing panel for new board members of the Shoreham port authority. [43698]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: No interviews for the current vacancies on the board have taken place yet. The interview panel will consist of the Chairman of the Shoreham port authority, an independent member and a senior departmental official.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guidance he has given to members of Shoreham port authority regarding remuneration figures for board members and executive employees. [43704]

Mr. Jamieson

None. The remuneration of the board members and executive employees of the Shoreham port authority is not a matter for my Department.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many applications were received for the two vacant places on the Shoreham port authority board; and how many candidates were interviewed. [43699]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: 79 applications or expressions of interest were received. No candidates have been interviewed yet.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what criteria will be used for appointing future members of the Shoreham port authority board on the basis of the proposed Shoreham Harbour Revision Order. [43706]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: The criteria for future appointments to the Shoreham port authority have not yet been formally approved.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what safety measures have been taken by Shoreham port authority to deal with hazardous waste since May 1997. [43790]

Dr. Whitehead

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: I am not aware of concerns over such safety measures. I would encourage the hon. Member to discuss his interest with the Health and Safety Executive or the Environment Agency.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the purpose was of the meeting between one of his officials and the vice-chairman and chief executive of Shoreham port authority on 1 February; who instigated the meeting; and if he will publish minutes. [43794]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: The purpose of this meeting, arranged by officials from my Department, was to shortlist candidates for interview for board appointments to the Shoreham port authority. The content of this meeting remains confidential as we are still considering the shortlist of candidates proposed by this selection panel.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the terms of contract of the Chief Executive of Shoreham port authority; and what the procedure is for appointing a successor. [43701]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: The recruitment and terms and conditions of employment of employees of the Shoreham port authority are not a matter for my Department.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the trust ports in the United Kingdom for which he is responsible and the members of their respective boards stating their appointing bodies where appropriate. [43700]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: I have no direct responsibility for any trust ports. We do not hold a list of the board members for every port and this information could be obtained by this Department only at disproportionate costs. The appointment procedures for each of these ports is set out in their own local legislation which we do hold copies of. However, this information could be collated only at a disproportionate cost to my Department.

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