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Column 447
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 30th June 1992
TRANSPORT
London Underground
Mr. Booth : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many administrative staff were employed by London Underground as a whole (a) in 1979 and (b) currently ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : I understand that 1,250 administrative staff were employed by London Underground as at 25 April 1992. No comparable figure is available for 1979, which was before London Underground became a nationalised industry. However, the number of administrative staff will undoubtedly have increased over the period, as a result of the number of major capital investment projects which London Underground now has to manage.
Motorway Service Areas
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorway service areas were built each year from 1979 to the current year.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The information requested is as follows : 1979 None
1980 None
1981 None
1982 None
1983 None
1984 None
1985 1 (Ferrybridge, M62)
1986 2 (South Mimms, M25 ; Sedgemoor southbound,
M5)
1987 1 (Sedgemoor northbound, M5)
1988 None
1989 None
1990 2 (Thurrock, M25 ; Tamworth, M42)
1991 None
1992 None
These details cover only motorway services areas in England ; those in Wales and Scotland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland.
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions he has reached on the provision of motorway service areas following the publication of his consultation document in February ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Some 200 responses to the consultation document have been received. They are currently being considered and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State hopes to make a further statement shortly.
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Auxiliary Coastguards
Mr. Harris : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the review by the regional controller of the detailed proposals for the reorganisation of auxiliary coastguards in Cornwall.
Mr. Norris : Her Majesty's Coastguard's regional controller Falmouth undertook a reappraisal of the operational requirements of the sector review in the south-west and submitted his proposals to coastguard headquarters. Additional operational evidence to substantiate the proposals was required by coastguard headquarters, which is currently being studied.
Local Authority Airports
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to require local authorities to sell their shareholding in local authority airports to the general public and private sector institutions ; what plans he has to encourage local authorities to sell such shares to the general public and private sector institutions before he requires them to do so ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Sir T. Arnold) on 18 May, Official Report, column 31.
Roads (Adoption)
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to amend his Department's circular 3/92 on transport and policies programme submissions, to include the adoption of roads as one of his principal objectives for capital spending on roads.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I have no such plans.
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will extend the criteria used in considering application for transport supplementary grants to include the adoption of roads.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : No. Transport supplementary grant is for capital expenditure cost on existing local authority roads. Its main purpose is to finance improvements on roads of more than local importance.
South Circular Road
Mr. Dowd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to bring forward proposals arising from the south circular assessment study before 16 July.
Mr. Norris : No. More time is needed to consider these proposals. I want to be sure that any which are taken forward are fully justified on environmental, safety and traffic capacity grounds.
Mr. Dowd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further plans he has for land acquisitions in connection with the A205 south circular Catford relief road ; and what discussions he has had with (a) the London residuary body and (b) the London borough of Lewisham on the land acquisition programme.
Mr. Norris : The Department has for some time been negotiating the acquisition of a small plot of land, outside
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the compulsory purchase order originally promoted by the Greater London Council for this improvement scheme. This was school land, formerly owned by the Inner London education authority and transferred to the London residuary body--now the responsibility of the royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Solicitors for the parties are in the process of drawing up the necessary transfer documents. The Department has no further plans for land acquisition in connection with this trunk road scheme. The Department has had no discussions with the London borough of Lewisham on the land acquisition programme for this scheme.Mr. Dowd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer on 24 June, Official Report, column 245, on what date he expects to consult local authorities and others about the further recommendations of his Department's consultants, Travers Morgan, arising from the south circular assessment study.
Mr. Norris : I do not envisage further consultation on recommendations made by the consultants who carrried out the south circular assessment study. We informed Lewisham borough council in March that a limited scheme to improve conditions at the A205/Burnt Ash Hill junction had been added to the Department's national roads programme. We shall be consulting them further when more detailed proposals are available. The case for other limited road improvement schemes on the A205 is still being considered. Consultation on individual schemes will follow as and when appropriate in accordance with the Department's normal procedures. I cannot forecast at this stage when that might be.
Milk Floats
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what figures are available on the number of accidents and injuries associated with milk floats.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Milk floats cannot be specifically identified from accident records held by the Department. However, using vehicle registration marks, additional vehicle information is obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency at Swansea for about 80 per cent. of vehicles involved in injury accidents. The table shows information on injury accidents in 1990 where DVLA data indicate the involvement of floats. The 1991 data are not yet available.
|c|Injury accidents involving floats and casualties in those accidents: by|c|
|c|float propulsion type: Great Britain: 1990|c|
Number
|Casualties
Propulsion type |Injury |Fatal |Serious |Slight
|accidents
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Electric |124 |3 |31 |126
Other |64 |1 |14 |70
A45
Mr. Mills : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the proposals on the renaissance project road works affecting the A45 near the national exhibition centre ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : We have assessed the scheme against the usual criteria for transport supplementary
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grant : its eligibility as a scheme on a road of more than local importance ; its economic performance and its effects on road safety, the environment, the local community and local industry and commerce. It performed well against these criteria and has been accepted for transport supplementary grant and credit approvals from the present financial year onwards. The renaissance area road and the A45 to which it connects are not trunk roads.Bus Deregulation
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what means he plans to ensure that after the privatisation and deregulation of bus services in London (a) standards of service for the public are maintained throughout the week, (b) conditions of employment facilities and health checks for the staff are of the same level and (c) that in central London traffic congestion is not increased by unregulated flows of privately owned buses.
Mr. Norris : I am confident that competition will ensure a high standard of service on those routes which are operated commercially. The London Bus Executive will specify service standards for uncommercial routes operated under contract.
The health and safety of employees will, as in other industries, be the responsibility of the individual employer, who will be subject to inspection by the Health and Safety Executive. I do not anticipate a great influx of new operators into central London, where the costs of bus operation are high. The traffic commissioner and local authorities will, in any case, have adequate powers available to them to deal with any congestion problems that do arise.
National Exhibition Centre
Mr. Mills : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the national exhibition centre about the volume of road traffic attracted to the centre when the motor show and the ideal homes exhibition are held at the same time ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : My Department chairs a working group of all the interests involved, including the national exhibition centre, the local highway authorities and the police, to draw up proposals for managing motor show and ideal homes exhibition traffic. We will do what we can to ensure that the traffic runs as smoothly as possible.
Cycle Parking
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will issue guidelines to local authorities on the secure parking of cycles on roadsides and pavements.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 9 June, Official Report, column 115.
A628
Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish preferred routes for the A628 Tintwistle, Hollingworth, Mottram bypass.
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Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I cannot give a firm date. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport will introduce proposals for public consultation as soon as he can.Emergency Standby Vessels
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many standby vessels have been assessed as satisfactory in terms of the regulations and criteria set out in the revised code for the assessment of the suitability of standby vessels attending offshore installations ; what proportion of the fleet of standby vessels this number represents ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : Forty-three standby vessels, representing 22 per cent. of the fleet, have been assessed and comply with the revised code. A further 75 vessels are at various stages of assessment.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many standby vessels have been assessed as unsuitable or inadequate in relation to the regulations and criteria set out in the revised code for the assessment of the suitability of standby vessels attending offshore installations ; and what action was taken in each case.
Mr. Norris : Full compliance with the code is not required until 31 December 1992 to allow vessel owners time to carry out any modifications found necessary. Most of the 75 vessels currently under assessment will require some modification and owners are being advised accordingly ; it is for owners to decide if the cost of modification renders the further use of their vessels uneconomic.
Harbour Police
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statutory protection exists for constables of police forces under the provisions of the Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act 1847 from unfair dismissal ; what statutory restrictions exist on their taking industrial action ; what statutory police federation exists to represent them ; and what statutory restrictions exist on their entitlement to join a trade union.
Mr. Norris : I understand that the provisions of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 do not apply to persons employed as police constables under any enactment. The provisions of the 1847 Act, which are incorporated in various local harbours Acts, cover only the swearing in of constables and their dismissal from that office by the justices. They do not mention conditions of employment.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statutory protection exists for constables of the Port of Tilbury police from unfair dismissal ; what statutory restrictions exist on their taking industrial action ; what statutory police federation exists to represent them ; and what statutory restrictions exist on their entitlement to join a trade union.
Mr. Norris : There is provision for a statutory police federation at the Port of Tilbury. The legislation debars constables from membership of a trade union. I understand that taking part in industrial action would be a disciplinary offence.
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Road Traffic Act 1991
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions of the Road Traffic Act 1991 are coming into effect on 1 July ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The whole of part I of the Road Traffic Act 1991 will come into force on 1 July, with the exception of the provisions already in force and sections 41 and 42--variation of parking charges-- which have yet to come into force. Schedules 1 and 2 and various consequential amendments and repeals will also come into force on that date.
Saltford Bypass
Mr. Aspinwall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish the environmental study report of the proposed route from Keynsham to Beckington, south of Bath, including the Saltford bypass.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The report on this study has not yet been completed. I will make an announcement when I am satisfied that an environmentally acceptable route can be found for a new road bypassing Bath to the south and west.
M1-M62 Link
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if proposals for a link road between the M1 and M62 require the construction of a motorway service station.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 29 June 1992] : Scheme planning is at too early a stage to assess the requirement for service facilities.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the required alterations in (a) electricity supply cables, (b) gas pipelines, (c) water supply and (d) telecommunications, for the purple and yellow routes proposed for a link road between the M1 and M62 motorways.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 29 June 1992] : Information on existing service apparatus has been gathered from the relevant authorities. An assessment has been made of the possible impact on this apparatus, but only in broad terms appropriate to the present early stage of scheme development.
EDUCATION
Disabled Employees
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what percentage of officers in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively and overall in his Department are registered disabled people.
Mr. Forman : The number and percentage of registered disabled staff in each grade specified and the overall number for the Department are :
|Number in |Percentage
|grade
-----------------------------------------------
Grades 1 to 5 |0 |0
Grade 6 |4 |1
Grade 7 |0 |0
Overall |70 |2.5
The figures include staff in the Teachers Pensions Agency. They also include 386 of Her Majesty's inspectorate staff, of whom the majority, together with their support staff, will transfer to the Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector which is to be considered as a separate non- ministerial department from 1 September 1992.
Mature Students
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total number of mature students attending colleges and universities in the United Kingdom for each year since 1981.
Mr. Forman : Information is given in the table :
|c|Mature, home domiciled
students<1> attending universities (
including|c|
|c|Open University), polytechnics
and colleges in Great Britain|c|
Year |Number
|(thousands)
------------------------------------
1981 |165.4
1982 |165.7
1983 |174.7
1984 |175.0
1985 |195.3
1986 |215.8
1987 |218.9
1988 |234.5
1989 |250.1
1990 |274.8
<1>Mature students defined as those
enrolling as first years on first
degree and sub-degree courses aged
21 or over and on postgraduate
courses at age 25 or over.
Mandatory Awards
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to review the list of courses regarded as degree equivalent which qualify for mandatory awards.
Mr. Forman : My right hon. Friend has no such plans.
Education Funding, Bradford
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will arrange to meet a representative group of parents and governors during his visit to Bradford on13 July to discuss the effect of the current financial position of schools on the numbers of teaching staff ; if he will also arrange to meet the chair of the local education authority to discuss education funding in Bradford ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : Arrangements have already been made for my right hon. Friend's visit to Bradford and it is not possible for him to include additional meetings in his itinerary.
Women Engineers
Mrs. Angela Knight : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many women took up (a) further engineering courses and (b) higher engineering courses in (i) 1969, (ii) 1985 and (iii) 1991.
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Mr. Forman : The number of women on engineering and technology courses in England was :
Thousands
|1985-86|1990-91
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Further education enrolments |<1>18 |19
Higher education enrolments (including universities student numbers) |<1>7 |11
<1>Figure adjusted to be broadly comparable in coverage with 1990-91.
In 1969-70 the information collected was for England and Wales.
Thousands
|1969-70
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Further education students |6.0
Higher education students (including universities) |0.5
Transitional Funds
Mr. Fatchett To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the transitional grants to be paid to further education and sixth form colleges by individual institution.
Mr. Forman : The allocation of transitional funds to colleges will be for the Further Education Funding Council, which is expected to be formed soon.
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the percentage of the £25 million Further Education Funding Council transitional fund to be granted directly to further education and sixth form colleges.
Mr. Forman : Allocations direct to colleges are expected to account for about two thirds of the £25 million transitional funding to be made available to the Further Education Funding Council in 1992-93. The balance will be required to meet the running costs of the council and the costs of supporting colleges' preparations for incorporation on a national basis.
Getting Colleges Ready"
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the total cost of the current Touche Ross survey "Getting Colleges Ready" ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forman : Information about the cost of the study carried out by Touche Ross is commercially confidential. The handbook prepared by Touche Ross as a result of the study, entitled "Getting Your College Ready", was issued at the end of April and has been widely welcomed by colleges.
Pilot Tests
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the pilot tests in English for 14-year-olds ; and what part was played by the Northern Examining Association in the development of the tests.
Mr. Patten : Last year, the School Examinations and Assessment Council, with the agreement of my
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predecessor and of the Secretary of State for Wales, commissioned the preparation of the first statutory tests for 14 -year-olds in mathematics, science, English, Welsh and technology, which will be held in 1993.The development of the tests is well advanced, and a successful national pilot of the mathematics and science tests was held earlier this month. At the same time, prototype English and technology tests were trialled in a small number of schools in both England and Wales, and prototype tests in Welsh were trialled in some Welsh schools. As work on the English tests has developed, it has become clear that some changes are needed in order to secure rigour and a proper test of the breadth and depth of pupils' reading. On the advice of the School Examinations and Assessment Council, under its chairman, Lord Griffiths, I have therefore decided that the English tests for 1993 should consist of :
questions on a set Shakespeare play ;
questions on a standard anthology of short stories, poems and extracts chosen to reflect the breadth of reading required by the English national curriculum order, to be distributed to secondary schools in advance of the tests ;
an objective test of pupils' basic reading skills, including their grammar and vocabulary ;
a test of comprehension of an unseen passage, which will also serve as a test of pupils' writing skills ;
a separate test of pupils' imaginative writing.
In view of these changes, SEAC intends to invite fresh tenders to write the tests for 1993. It will be open to the Northern Examining Association, which has worked on the tests so far, to tender for this new contract. I am placing copies of the specification in the Library.
This decision will ensure that the first tests for 14-year-olds in 1993 will be academically rigorous ; will reflect the breadth of reading specified in the national curriculum ; and will prove manageable for teachers and stimulating for pupils.
Special Educational Needs
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he intends to publish the planned consultative proposals to shorten the special educational assessment procedure, to introduce the right for the parents of children with special educational needs to express a preference for a school and to improve parental rights of appeal against a local authority decision ; and if he will make a statement.
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