Written Statement of 1 May 2003

TRANSPORT

  Board of Transport Accident Investigators
  The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. Alistair Darling)
  I have recently announced the appointment of the Chief Inspector designate of Rail Accidents, and we are now setting up a Board of Transport Accident Investigators. This will comprise the Chief Inspectors of the Air and Marine Accident Investigation Branches together with the Chief Inspector designate of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB). The Board will initially support the Chief Inspector designate in her establishment of the RAIB and in the longer term will seek to identify areas where the accident investigation branches can co-operate and adopt best practice.

  London Regional Transport Board
  The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. Alistair Darling)
  In my written statement of 4 February,Official Report, Col 10WS, I announced that the Government, Transport for London (TfL) and the London Mayor had agreed to work together to secure a speedy and orderly transfer of the Underground to TfL.

  It remains my intention for the transfer to be completed as soon as possible. In the interim, I have decided to appoint two non-executive members to the London Regional Transport Board, Paul Godier, Managing Director of London Underground Limited (LUL), and Martin Callaghan, PPP Director of LUL, so that it can operate at full strength in carrying out its remaining functions, including the transfer of the Underground to TfL, in this final period. Both already attend LRT Boards, but as non-members have hitherto been unable to contribute to its quorum.

  The appointments took effect on 24 April 2003. Neither member will receive any additional remuneration.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Immigration Control
  The Minister for Citizenship and Immigration (Beverley Hughes)
  The Government are firmly committed to maintaining effective immigration controls while at the same time ensuring that genuine passengers are able to pass through our ports with the least possible inconvenience.

  The number of Algerian nationals arriving at UK airports who are found to be inadmissible is unacceptably high. Although Algerian nationals must obtain a visa to enter the UK they may, in common with other nationalities, transit this country for up to 24 hours without a visa. However, this is a concession open to abuse by those who are intent on circumventing our immigration
  20WS
  controls. A significant number of Algerian nationals who do not qualify for leave to enter or remain in the UK go on to make unfounded asylum claims, some 1,060 in 2002. Therefore from 00.01 hours on Friday 2 May all Algerian nationals wishing to transit the UK will require a direct airside transit visa to do so.

  To avoid undue hardship for those who had already made their travel plans, we have agreed to operate a grace period. Until 23.59 hours on 6 May any transit passenger who brought their ticket on or before 1 May will not be refused transit solely on the basis of not holding a valid transit visa. Also, any person on the return leg of a journey they commenced before 1 May and who passed through the UK on the outward leg of their journey will be allowed to transit the UK without a visa.

DEFENCE

  Social Security (Incapacity Benefit) (Her Majesty's Forces) (Amendment) Regulations 2003
  The Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Dr. Lewis Moonie)
  In my capacity as Minster for Veterans I am pleased to announce that on 14 April 2003 the Department for Work and Pensions laid before the House the Social Security (Incapacity Benefit) (Her Majesty's Forces) (Amendment) Regulations 2003. The regulations provide that people discharged from the armed forces may in future count days of absence from duty on health grounds while in service towards the higher rates of incapacity benefit.

  For many years there have been special pay arrangements in place for members of the armed forces which recognise their unique position. Veterans with continuing health problems are able to make a claim for incapacity benefit immediately on discharge. However, until now, they were required to be in receipt of incapacity benefit for 28 weeks before qualifying for the higher rates. The new regulations, which take effect from 5 May, bring ex-members of the forces into line with civilian claimants who have been in receipt of statutory sick pay.

  I am grateful to DWP Ministers for making this change, which serves as an illustration of the power of the veterans initiative launched by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister with the aim of joining up the Government's response to veterans' concerns. I would also like to pay tribute to ex-service organisations such as South Atlantic Medal Association (82), who first brought this matter to my attention, for the valuable work they do in the interests of ex-servicemen and women and their dependants.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  European Council
  The Minister for Europe (Mr. Denis MacShane)
  The forthcoming business is as follows:

  Date

  Location

  Event

  MAY

  2–4

  Cruise from Rhodes to Kastellorizo

  Gymnich (Informal Foreign Ministers)

  21WS

  Date

  Location

  Event

  3–4

  Athens

  Informal Environment (Ministerial Informal)

  5–6

  Brussels

  Education, Youth & Culture Council

  Brussels

  Meeting of the Presidium

  10–13

  Corfu

  Agriculture (Ministerial Informal)

  12–13

  Brussels

  Competitiveness

  Brussels

  EUROGROUP

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  Brussels

  Meeting of the Presidium

  Brussels

  Transport, Telecom & Energy Council

  15–16

  Brussels

  Convention Plenary

  15–16

  Brussels

  EU—ACP Ministerial

  16–17

  Halkidiki

  Informal Regional Policy (Ministerial)

  16–18

  Cruise off Greece

  Informal Transport & Merchant Marine (Ministerial)

  Brussels

  EU—W. Balkans (Zagreb Process)

  19

  Brussels

  Competitiveness Council

  Brussels

  General Affairs & External Relations (+ Defence)

  Brussels

  General Affairs & External Relations

  Brussels

  Meeting of the Presidium

  Thessaloniki

  Informal Culture (Ministerial)

  26–27

  Brussels

  Agriculture & Fisheries Council

  26–27

  Crete

  EUROMED Conference (Mid Term Ministerial)

  Brussels

  Environment Council

  Brussels

  Meeting of the Presidium

  28

  Brussels

  Economic & Financial Affairs Committee

  30–31

  Brussels

  Convention Plenary

  St. Petersburg

  EU—Russia Summit

  JUNE

  2

  Brussels

  EUROGROUP

  5–6

  Brussels

  Transport, Telecom & Energy Council

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  Brussels

  Meeting of the Presidium

  5–6

  Brussels

  Convention Plenary

  5–6

  Brussels

  Justice & Home Affairs Council

  2–3

  Brussels

  Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council

  Rhodes

  Public Administration (Ministerial Informal)

  Brussels

  Meeting of the Presidium

  11–12

  Brussels

  Agriculture & Fisheries Council

  2–3

  Alexandroupolis

  Development Co-operation (Ministerial Informal)

  12–13

  Brussels

  Convention Plenary

  13

  Brussels

  Environment Council

  17–18

  Luxembourg

  General Affairs & External Relations

  20

  Halkidiki

  EUROPEAN COUNCIL

  Thessaloniki

  Zagreb II Summit

  Brussels

  General Affairs & External Relations

  JULY

  2–3

  Rome

  Research (Ministerial Informal)

  4–5

  Naples

  Transport Infrastructure (Ministerial Informal)

  22WS

  Date

  Location

  Event

  10

  Palermo Varese

  Trade (Ministerial Informal) Informal Council/ Troika

  11–12

  Varese

  Employment & Social Policy (Informal Council)

  15–16

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  17–18

  Treviso

  EU Employment Committee (Informal)

  18–20

  Montecatini

  Energy & Environment (Ministerial Informal)

  22–23

  Brussels

  Agriculture & Fisheries Council

  Brussels

  General Affairs & External Relations

  24–25

  Milan

  European Conference on Discrimination

  25–26

  Rome

  Competitiveness (Informal Ministerial)

  25–26

  Verona

  Education (+ Research?) (Ministerial Informal)

  AUGUST

  No Meetings, Planned

  SEPTEMBER

  3–4

  Viterbo

  Telecommunications (Ministerial Informal)

  5–6

  Riva del Garda

  Gymnich (Informal Foreign Affairs)

  7–9

  Taormina

  Agriculture (Informal Council)

  12–13

  Stresa

  ECOFIN (Informal Council)

  19–20

  Rome

  Justice & Internal Affairs (Informal Council)

  22–23

  Brussels

  Competition (Internal Market, Industry & Research)

  26–27

  Erice

  Community Regional Cohesion Policy (Ministerial Informal)

  29–30

  Brussels

  General Affairs & External Relations

  29–30

  Brussels

  Agriculture & Fisheries Council

  OCTOBER

  2–3

  Brussels

  Justice & Internal Affairs

  3–4

  Rome

  Defense (Ministerial Informal)

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  9–10

  Brussels

  Transport, Telecom & Energy Council

  13–14

  Brussels

  General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC)

  13–14

  Brussels

  Agriculture & Fisheries Council

  16–17

  Brussels

  EUROPEAN COUNCIL

  20–21

  Brussels

  Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council

  27

  Brussels

  Environment Council

  NOVEMBER

  4

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  6

  Brussels

  Justice & Internal Affairs (Informal Council—to be confirmed)

  17–18

  Brussels

  General Affairs & External Relations

  17–18

  Brussels

  Agriculture & Fisheries Council

  2.4–25

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  2.4–25

  Brussels

  Education, Youth & Culture Council

  27–28

  Brussels

  Justice & Internal Affairs (Informal Council)