| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Watts: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs.
Statutory Instruments
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the statutory instruments which his Department has sponsored in the last 12 months.
Column 460
Mr. Norris: My Department was responsible for 116 statutory instruments during this period. I have placed a list in the Library.
Bray's Detective Agency
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 20 February Official Report , column 3 , on what date Bray's Detective Agency ceased to be contracted to his Department; and what was the total expenditure by his Department in relation to the contract or contracts with Bray's.
Mr. Watts: Bray's Detective Agency ceased to be contracted to the Department of Transport on 31 July 1994. The total sum paid to Bray's by the Department on 31 July 1994. The total sum paid to Bray's by the Department amounted to £267,377.
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on which road schemes promoted by his Department private detective agencies are being retained to identify protestors, serve writs, or for other purposes; in each case, what is the name of the agency and to whom the agency is contracted; and what financial liability rests with his Department for his contract.
Mr. Watts: Bray's Detective Agency is currently being employed through the Treasury Solicitor in connection with the A12 Hackney Wick M11 link and M65 Blackburn southern bypass schemes. The question of financial liability will depend on the degree and amount of any work that Bray's might be instructed to undertake.
Royal Train
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mileages were covered by the royal train in each of the past seven years; and what were the total costs measured per mile travelled.
Mr. Watts: The information is as follows:
|Total costs charged
|to
|Department of
|Transport, averaged
|Mileage covered by |per mile travelled
|the
Year |royal train |£
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |21,936 |44.40
1988-89 |22,611 |45.64
1989-90 |19,979 |58.55
1990-91 |25,207 |78.66
1991-92 |28,568 |78.20
1992-93 |24,629 |87.23
1993-94 |30,494 |80.33
Notes:
1. Information has been provided by British Railways Board.
2. 1989-90 was the first year in which police costs were charged as a separate
item to the Department of Transport. Full police costs were charged from
1990-91. In that year, police costs amounted to £600,000.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what have been the total amounts paid for the royal train in each of the past seven years; what additions or reductions were listed in estimates; and what is his estimated total for the next two years.
Mr. Watts: Expenditure met by the Department of Transport and estimated expenditure for 1994 95,
Column 461
1995 96 and 1996 97 in respect of the royal train, including refurbishment, and travel by scheduled train on official business by members of the royal family and their households has been as follows:
|Supplementary
|Total paid |estimates included
Year |£000s |£000s
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |3,081 |-
1988-89 |3,301 |-
1989-90 |2,288 |-
1990-91 |2,868 |+700
1991-92 |2,628 |+1,075
1992-93 |2,556 |+1,000
1993-94 |2,827 |+730
1994-95 |2,360 |+351
1995-96 |2,041 |-
1996-97 |2,041 |-
Notes:
1. The figures for 1987-88 to 1993-94 are outturns, for 1994-95 a forecast
outturn and for 1995-96 to 1996-97 planned expenditure.
2. Costs are met by the Department of Transport following receipt of agreed
claims for journeys undertaken.
Fish Factory Ships
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 14 February, Official Report, column 633, when the consultation document on the regulation of fish factory ships will be published; and if he will place a copy in the Library.
Mr. Norris: A consultation paper on possible further measures to ensure that fish factory ships meet agreed safety standards and carry adequate liability insurance will be issued shortly. Copies will be made available in the Library.
Nuclear Waste Shipments
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 30 January, Official Report, column 482, if he has now received representations from the Channel Islands on nuclear waste shipments.
Newbury Bypass
Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what change there has been since 19 December 1994 to the timetable for the announcement of his decision on the Newbury bypass.
Dr. Mawhinney: I will announce my decision after I have had an opportunity to consider carefully the Highways Agency's answer to the questions I have posed.
Donaldson Inquiry (MV Braer)
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he hopes to publish the Government's response to Lord Donaldson's inquiry recommendations set up after the Braer disaster.
Civil Servants (Fast Stream)
Mrs. Maddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of those accepted for
Column 462
fast-stream entry for which his Department is responsible (a) in 1991, (b) 1992, (c) in 1993 and (d) in 1994 were women.Mr. Norris: Intake to the Department's administrative and specialist fast stream for 1991 and 1992 are contained in the Civil Service Commissioners' report for both years. For 1993 the split was six men and three women; and for 1994, seven men and five women.
Blackwall Tunnel
Mr. Dunn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the need to undertake remedial works on the Blackwall tunnel; and what estimate he has made of the likely length of time for such works if deemed necessary.
Mr. Norris: This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend. Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Bob Dunn, dated 27 February 1995:
I refer to your request in the House for information on the need for remedial works at Blackwall Tunnel. This is a trunk road operational matter and your request has therefore been referred to the Highways Agency.
I imagine that your enquiry is a result of recent press reports about subsidence caused during the excavation of a pilot heading for the Jubilee Line Extension (JLE) at Blackwall Tunnel in Greenwich. These gave the impression that the problem was far worse than was the case. There has been no damage to the tunnels and no remedial works are required beyond placing grout and concrete in and around the pilot heading. The incident in question was in any case under the southbound tunnel exit ramp, not under the tunnels.
You may be interested to know that the normal maintenance regime provides for routine work such as cleaning, removal of debris, changing of light bulbs etc. to be carried out in the northbound tunnel during regular Tuesday night closures. Such work in the southbound tunnel takes place under lane closures that are implemented on two nights every week. Further, there are full closures of the southbound tunnel on six Saturdays nights per year--three in March and three in November for more extensive cleaning works.
As you know major refurbishment of the northbound Blackwall Tunnel was completed as recently as 1992 at a cost in excess of £20 million.
A recent study of the southbound tunnel has shown that after being in operation for 27 years the cladding and the ventilation system are in need of refurbishment/replacement. These works will take about eighteen months to complete, and are planned to start in 1996/97. Suitable advance publicity will be arranged closer to the start of works.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Wheelclamping
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who will be allowed to wheelclamp unlicensed vehicles on his behalf; whether private contractors or local authorities will be allowed to wheelclamp vehicles; whether the authority to wheelclamp unlicensed vehicles will remain following the introduction of continuous liability; and what level of remuneration will be set for
Column 463
the wheelclamping companies for each vehicle that is wheelclamped.Mr. Norris: The scheme for wheelclamping unlicensed vehicles is being developed in consultation with the police and local authorities. A pilot will take place in London later this year. The London boroughs now have responsibility for much of the parking enforcement in the capital, which includes responsibility for vehicle clamping and removal. Details of the scheme, including levels of remuneration for contractors, have yet to be agreed upon. Decisions on the use of wheelclamping under continuous licensing will be based on its effectiveness in tackling evasion under the current system.
Column 464
Kidsgrove Station
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek assurances from Railtrack to keep open the booking office at Kidsgrove station beyond October 1995.
Mr. Watts: I understand that Regional Railways Central has no plans to close this booking office.
Track Access Grants
Sir David Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many track access grants to reduce Railtrack charges have been made since the announcement of this facility.
Column 463
|
| Home Page |