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Mr. Key : The table shows the amount spent on lighting in 1992-93, in 1993-94 to date, and the budget for 1994-95. Figures for earlier years are unavailable.
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|£ million
--------------------------------------
1992-93 (actual) |23.911
1993-94 (to date) |28.793
1994-95 (budget) |27.248
Cycle Lanes
Mr. Robathan : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated cost of a mile of cycle lane on the average road if it is constructed on the current road surface and does not involve extending the road.
Mr. Key : The estimated cost of providing signing and white-lining for a mile of cycle lane on the current road surface is approximately £3,000. In addition there are costs which will be site-specific, for example for provisions at junctions and traffic management during installation, but these items cannot be estimated.
Mandatory cycle lanes can only be marked on the carriageway when the remaining width is sufficiently wide for existing traffic flows and when waiting and loading can be effectively restricted.
Sustainable Development
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which new policy commitments and initiatives in the field of transport, announced in "Sustainable Development : The U.K. Strategy", have not already appeared in previous Government documents and ministerial speeches.
Mr. MacGregor : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside on 8 February, Official Report, column 149.
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Dame Peggy Fenner : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what EC funds are available to ensure additional environmental protection on the route of the channel tunnel rail link ; when he applied for them ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : I am not aware of any EC funds specifically for this purpose, but the channel tunnel rail link is already in receipt of funds from the EC's transport infrastructure programme, and my Department is in discussion with European Commission officials about further support.
Public Bodies
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which appointments since 1979 to public bodies or posts for which he is responsible have included candidates nominated by the Chief Whip's Office ; if any nominees by this source have been appointed ; and if he will give details.
Mr. MacGregor : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 2 February at col. 758.
Rail Travel
Mr. Boyes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what comparative date he has on the cost per kilometre of rail travel to passengers in each European Community country ; and if he will provide separate figures for the cost per kilometre to passengers on inter-city rail routes.
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Mr. Freeman : Comparative data of the kind requested is not available to the Department.
Road Safety
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) which local authorities no longer employ road safety officers ; (2) what is his estimate of the overall number of road safety officers employed in 1993-94 (a) in total and (b) for each local authority.
Mr. Key : No central record is kept of the numbers of road safety officers either in total or in any one authority. It is for individual local authorities to assess their own requirements for road safety officers, having regard to the needs of the local community.
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities have submitted road safety plans accompanying the transport supplementary grant plans under the national road safety plan ; and if he will make a statement as to the use made of these plans.
Mr. Key : All local traffic authorities have submitted road safety plans. These are used to provide advice on the allocation of funds for local safety schemes. More importantly, they are used by the authorities themselves to focus and monitor road safety activity within the authority.
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who is currently responsible for the co-ordination and monitoring of road safety policy.
Mr. Key : Mr. right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is responsible for the Government's road safety policy.
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account is taken of road accidents in the determination of road safety policy.
Mr. Key : The reduction of road accidents is the fundamental objective of road safety policy, and the yardstick by which its success is measured.
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the requirements within the Road Traffic Acts relating to road safety ; and what enforcement measures in each case are required of the police.
Mr. Key : The main provisions of road traffic law relating to road safety are set out on pages 67 to 72 of the Highway Code. The police have a duty to enforce all laws and it is for each chief constable to decide how best to fulfil that responsibility.
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what responsibility he expects the Highways Agency to have for road safety.
Mr. Key : The Highways Agency will be required to support the Department's road safety policy and to contribute to the Secretary of State's target of reducing road casulaties by one third by the year 2000 compared with the annual average from 1981 to 1985.
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the overall budget spent on road safety by local authorities.
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Mr. Key : The local roads settlement for 1994-95 includes provision of £50 million for expenditure on local safety schemes, maintaining the level of provision for the current year. In addition, local authorities spend money on education, training, publicity, street lighting, road maintenance, gritting and snow clearing, crossing patrol officers and many other safety related activities. No central record is kept of total expenditure.
Departmental Headquarters
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce details of his Department's new headquarters accommodation.
Mr. MacGregor : On 12 November 1992 at columns 963-64 I announced that the Department of Transport would remain in Marsham street for around three years, with suitable accommodation being sought for the longer term.
I am now able to announce my Department's new headquarters will be Great Minster, Horseferry road. After the building is fitted out staff will relocate there from 2 Marsham street, probably in autumn 1995. The Department will retain some space in Romney house nearby to provide overspill accommodation when required.
Driver Safety Consultation Paper
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what responses he has received to the new driver safety consultation paper ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. MacGregor : Some 5,200 copies of the consultation document wer1e distributed and about 400 responses were received from organisations and individuals. There was very widespread support for the four main proposals in the document and many interesting and helpful comments were made on points of detail. In the light of these responses. The Government propose to proceed as follows.
A1. Retesting for new drivers convicted of offences : The document proposed that a driver convicted of certain offences within a specified period of passing the driving test would be debarred from holding a full licence, reverting to "learner" status, until passing a further test. There was very strong support for this measure. A number of different views were expressed on the detailed questions asked in the consultation document, and a further exercise is being set in hand to consider how such a scheme could work in practice. Any such scheme will require the approval of Parliament either in the form of a statutory instrument requiring affirmative resolution or (for some variants) primary legislation.
A2. Separate theory testing : Consultees were asked whether a separate theory test should be introduced to fulfil the requirement of the Second EC Driving Licence Directive (91/439/EEC). Almost all consultees were in favour of a separate mandatory theory test. I am setting in hand detailed developmental work to ensure that such a test, and the organisation to operate it, is fully in place by 1 July 1996, the date on which the directive comes into effect.
This will be the most important change in the car driving test since its introduction in 1935, and we shall be aiming to devise a form of test that makes a significant contribution to reducing the accident rate among newly qualified drivers, in particular by improving hazard perception. We shall be carefully monitoring the effect of
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the separate theory test during the first five years of its operation and it will be rigorously evaluated to ensure that it is achieving the desired effect of reducing accidents. I shall make appropriate adjustments if it fails to do so. We are also anxious to obtain the fullest advantage from technological improvements that are likely to occur in this period.A3. Post-test driver training : The document proposed the development of voluntary schemes in which insurers would offer financial incentives to newly qualified drivers to take further training. A number of insurers and driving schools have expressed strong interest in this proposal, and my officials are working towards the setting up of a voluntary scheme.
A4. Road safety education : The document proposed the development of educational programmes of the 16-plus age group targeted at potential drivers and new drivers. Again there was strong support and we shall be working with the private and voluntary sectors to prepare suitable material for use in schools and colleges. We are already targeting this age group with the current "Drive" TV series, produced in conjunction with the BBC.
We also consulted on two other measures on which we were doubtful but prepared to keep an open mind :
B1. Probationary plates : We received a mixed response on this issue. Members of the public who commented were almost all in favour of the introduction of probationary ("P") plates for newly qualified drivers, but the main representative organisations were more guarded. In the Government's view, the case for introducing "P" plates is still not proven, though we are prepared to consider it further when the full results are available of a study into "Restricted" plates in Northern Ireland.
B2. Increasing age for full licence to 18 : Only a minority of consultees supported this, and a number of disadvantages were highlighted. We shall not take this proposal further.
The consultation document also described 10 further possible measures which the Government had considered but were not minded to pursue. While some of these attracted a fair measure of support, particularly from individuals who responded, the majority of consultees accepted our reasons for rejecting them.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those topics on which it is not his practice to answer parliamentary questions ; and if he will list any recent changes in the practice of his Department.
Mr. MacGregor : There has been no change from the practice of this and previous Administrations, as described on page 292 of the current edition of "Erskine May".
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what authority and under what regulation his Department advised the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust that the conditions laid down in enclosure statutes were only of permissive character ; and if he will make it his policy that his Department will not disregard such statutory requirements.
Mr. Key [holding answer 1 February 1994] : Because of the legal complexities involved in this issue, I will write
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to the hon. Member with an answer to his question as soon as possible. I will arrange for a copy of that reply to be placed in the Library.Projects and Contracts
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list all contracts awarded by his Department to (a) financial, (b) political and (c) other consultants without competitive bidding (i) for each of the past five years and (ii) as a total the number, and the cost over the same period ;
(2) if he will publish a list of all contracts or projects which are planned to be the subject of competitive bids by (a) financial, (b) political or (c) other consultants, the nature of each contract or project and the date envisaged by his Department for inviting bids ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. MacGregor [holding answer 19 January 1994] : I am placing the information in the Library.
Competitive bids are normally sought in awarding consultant commissions. The main reasons for awards without competitive bidding are ; specialist nature of work, need for continuity by extending an existing contract, urgency, and the small-scale nature of some projects. Fee bidding was introduced as normal policy for road schemes consultancies in 1991.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Public Bodies
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who are the members currently appointed to the consumer panel.
Mr. Soames : Currently the members are :
Mr. Phillip Bell
Mrs. Judy Brander
Mrs. Dorothy Craig
Mrs. Hariet Kimbell
Ms Suzi Leather
Mrs. Jean McVitty
Mr. Gareth Morgan
Mrs. Karen Powell
Mrs. Maeve Robinson
Mrs. Noel Whamond
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who are the members currently appointed to the Consumers Committee for England and Wales under the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958.
Mr. Soames : The members of the committee are :
Mrs. Janet Lawrence (chairman)
Miss Beata Brookes
Mrs. Marjorie Grimes
Mrs. Barbara Hawkins
Mr. John Murphy
Mrs. Evelyn Rose
Mr. John Tracy
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who are the members currently appointed to the consultative panel on badgers and tuberculosis.
Mr. Soames : The members currently appointed to the consultative panel on badgers and tuberculosis are :
Mr. M. T. Thomasin-Foster (chairman)
Mr. R. Baker
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Lady BolithoMr. C. P. Booty
Mr. H. V. Thompson
Dr. A. J. Mitchell-Jones
Professor H. E. M. Kay
Dr. D. W. Macdonald
Dr. W. Cresswell
Dr. Hans Kruuk
Mr. P. J. de Vries
Dr. J. L. Stanford
Mr. J. Sterry
Mr. E. R. Thomas
Professor S. Harris
Dr. M. J. M. Rowland
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who are the members currently appointed to the Farm Animal Welfare Council.
Mr. Soames : The current membership of the Farm Animal Welfare Council is as follows.
Professor Sir Colin R. W. Spedding CBE-- chairman
Mr. C. B. Atkinson
Mr. R. H. Baker
Dr. M. Baxter
Mr. G. Berry
Rev. A. L. Birbeck MBE
Dr. W. J. M. Black JP
Professor D. M. Broom
Mr. H. A. R. Dewhirst
Mr. T. Harris
Mrs. F. F. Hodgson
Mr. C. Hollands
Mrs. J. A. MacArthur Clark
Mr. R. Macpherson
Miss C. A. Milburn
Dr. M. Pattison
Mr. F. E. Sheidls MBE
Mr. P. F. Staines
Mr. J. G. Thomas
Mrs. J. Turnbull JP
Mr. A. Watkins
Mrs. T. Wickham
Dr. A. C. Winter
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