TNAG-2244-FCO40-3225-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-impact-on-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 161

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FMIFCO HKD TO: WASHINGTON

9 JULY 1991

ty for passengers in the front of heavy goods r commercial vehicles to wear seat belts; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chope: The present seat belt wearing regulations require seat belts to be used by front seat passengers occupying the specified passenger seat of such vehicles as well as by the driver, where they are fitted. A number of manufacturers of heavy goods vehicles already fit seat belts voluntarily as an important safety feature. A European Community directive will require all new HGVs to be fitted with seat belts from 1997. Seat belts have been required to be fitted to the driver's seat and exposed forward facing front seat of coaches and large minibuses since 1 October 1988.

Severn Bridge

Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the precise reference to where in the Severn bridge concession agreement the provisions and presumptions about interest charges for the project are covered.

Mr. Chope: Clause 5 and schedule 2—part 4—of the concession agreement with Severn River Crossing plc set out the basis of the financial terms for the project. The detailed provisions relating to interest charges are commercially confidential, and are contained in the supporting financial documentation to the agreement.

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Severn bridge debt.

Mr. Chope: The net debt on the Severn bridge at 31 March 1990 was £114 million.

M40 (Service Areas)

Mr. Roger King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what temporary service facilities will now be introduced on the M40 following the rejection of planning permission for motorway service areas.

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Mr. Chope: Planning permission has been refused for the motorway service area-MSA-proposed Tetsworth to serve the southern section of the M40. Two other MSAs are proposed, one at Barn Hill, between junctions 12 and 13, on which a planning decision is awaited; and one at Ardley, at junction 10, for which planning clearance has been obtained. It is hoped to have the Ardley MSA developed and open early in 1993.

In the meantime, signs to the MSAs at Frankley and Hilton Park on the M6 and at Tamworth on the M42 are being modified to indicate that there are no services on the M40. Signs to similar effect are being erected on major approach roads to the M40 such as A34 and A46.

Temporary signs will be erected on the M40 within the next few weeks to indicate the availability of 24-hour fuel facilities off junctions 10 and 15 for emergency use. The general "No services" signing will remain on the motorway.

Agreement in principle has been reached with Warwickshire and Oxfordshire county councils for emergency lavatory facilities to be provided on A542 between junctions 13 and 14 and off junction 10. When these facilities are in place, they, too, will be signed from the motorway.

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Road Accidents

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Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the results of traffic calming measures on accident levels; and if he will make a

statement.

Mr. Chope: The urban safety project carried out by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory indicated that traffic-calming measures can reduce casualties in residen-` tial areas by an average of 13 per cent. If this approach were applied nationally, approximately 5 per cent. of all road casualties would be saved.

PRIME MINISTER

Budget Secrecy

Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister if he will consider loosening pre-Budget secrecy on issues that are not market sensitive.

The Prime Minister: It is already the practice to consult interested parties where appropriate on tax measures for possible inclusion in future Budgets. In this year's Budget, my right hon. Friend announced consultation on at least nine separate issues. In addition, proposals in the Finance Bill are subject to detailed consideration in Committee in the usual way.

Steroids

Mr. Harry Barnes: To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements have existed between the Department of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food over the past four years in preparing prosecutions against people claimed to be dealing illegally in anabolic steroids.

The Prime Minister: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's investigation branch carries out investigations at the request and under the direction of the Medicines Control Agency's MCA-enforcement unit into persons suspected of dealing illegally in anabolic steroids. On completion of an investigation the MCA, subject to solicitor's advice, decides whether to prosecute.

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Sir Thomas Arnold: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's position regarding the renewal by the United States Government of China's most favoured nation status.

The Prime Minister: Renewal by the United States Government of most favoured nation status for China is of great importance to Hong Kong. We hope that both the House of Representatives and the Senate will give their support to this measure.

Hong Kong's economy is now inextricably linked with that of China. More than two-thirds of Chinese exports to the United States are routed through Hong Kong. It has been estimated that non-renewal of China's MFN could result in a loss of some 43,000 Hong Kong jobs, a drop of up to half in Hong Kong's current GDP growth and a loss of US$9 billion to 12 billion in trade. American commercial interest and investment in Hong Kong would also be adversely affected.

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