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Mobile Phones
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the mobile phones which have been supplied to his Department in each of the last eight years have been cloned; and on what dates. [11014]
Mr. Norris: Eleven mobile phones have been cloned as follows:
| Number | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Central Transport Group | 4 1 1 | January 1995 May 1995 November 1995 |
| Highways Agency | 3 | September 1995 |
| Driving Standards Agency | 1 | April 1995 |
| Coastguard Agency | 1 | April 1993 |
National Rail Information System
Mr Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what obligations (a) franchisees already appointed and (b) potential franchisees are under (i) to participate in and (ii) to fund, a national rail information system; and if he will make a statement. [11519]
Mr. Watts:
Existing and potential franchisees are already required to participate in a national railway information scheme. All train-operating companies on the
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domestic passenger railway are members of a contractually binding scheme, administered by the Association of Train Operating Companies, which requires them, among other things, to provide the full range of information contained in the national railway timetable. The scheme ensures the continuation of the existing network of railway telephone enquiry bureaux--TEBs--sets demanding standards for improving their performance, and requires TEBs to provide impartial information to passengers. TEBs are funded by train operators under arrangements specified in the scheme.
British Rail is examining ways of increasing the capacity of the national telephone enquiry bureaux network. It will finalise its recommendations in due course.
Mr. Wilson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints were received by the rail users' consultative committees concerning quality of service in each of the past 12 months. [11520]
Mr. Watts:
The information is not available in the form requested. The number of complaints about quality of service received by the RUCCs in the first three quarters of 1995 is as follows:
Figures for the last quarter of 1995 are not currently available.
1st quarter: 2,592 complaints
2nd quarter: 2,209 complaints
3rd quarter: 3,322 complaints.
Seat Belts
Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice the Department of Transport has offered to drivers of vans with regard to the wearing of seat belts; and what additional publicity on the need to wear seat belts and the value of doing so is planned. [11247]
Mr. Norris:
Van drivers, like all drivers, are advised to wear seat belts whenever they are in their vehicles, using the legal exemptions only as far as necessary. The
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message is simple: seat belts save lives. We are planning a further publicity campaign for March to emphasise this fact.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the latest available annual figures for the number of deaths, serious injuries and slight injuries to van drivers and passengers; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of seat belts in reducing injury to van occupants; what is the current seat belt wearing rate for van drivers and passengers; and what percentage of journeys made by van is exempt from the requirement that their occupants must wear seat belts because the vehicle is engaged in local deliveries. [11248]
Mr. Norris:
Some 53 drivers and 11 passengers were killed in light goods vehicles in 1994. Some 734 drivers and 303 passengers were seriously injured and 4,552 drivers and 1,901 passengers were slightly injured in these vehicles in that year. The proportion of these not wearing seat belts is not known. A survey in October 1995 showed that 65 per cent. of drivers and 56 per cent. of van passengers were wearing belts. We do not know, however, how many of those not wearing belts were carrying out local deliveries and therefore exempt. Clearly, seat belts play a vital role in saving drivers and passengers in vans, as in other vehicles, from death and serious injury.
Mr. Allen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many kerbside emission tests have been undertaken by the Vehicle Inspectorate in each of the last three years; and how many notices have been issued to drivers as a result of these tests. [11243]
Mr. Norris:
I have asked the chief executive of the Vehicle Inspectorate agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. J. Oliver to Mr. Graham Allen, dated 23 January 1996:
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Mr. Andrew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much has been spent on external consultants in the tendering process of the private finance initiative in each year since its introduction (a) in real terms and (b) in cash terms disaggregated by (i) legal fees,
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(ii) publicity costs, (iii) accountancy fees and (iv) management consultancy fees; [10972]
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Mr. Watts
[holding answer 22 January 1996]: Attracting private finance for infrastructure investment affects policy work throughout the Department and the related expenditure on running costs cannot be estimated in isolation.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of kerbside emission tests in each of the last years and how many notices have been issued.
Information is not held which differentiates between checks carried out as the roadside and those done, for instance, at operators' premises. The attached table shows the total number of special checks for emissions and the total number of prohibitions issued in each of the last three years.
The reason for the increase in prohibition rates between 1992/3 and 1994/5 is due mainly to the introduction of objective measurement of diesel smoke.
1994-95
1993-94
1992-93
Inspections Prohibitions Inspections Prohibitions Inspections Prohibitions
HGV 12,959 450 10,589 219 5,706 37
PSV 7,292 184 5,165 145 4,647 77
Cars and light commercial vehicles 70,899 2,580 33,103 223 4,759 23
(2) what have been the running costs relating to the tendering process of the private finance initiative in each year since its introduction (a) in real terms and (b) in
cash terms disaggregated by (i) staff costs, (ii) information technology and (iii) other costs. [10973]
| (a) 1995-96 prices | (b) Cash terms | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) Legal fees | 5,950 | 5,850 |
| (ii) Publicity costs | 50 | 50 |
| (iii) Accountancy fees | 700 | 700 |
| (iv) Management consultancy fees | 5,650 | 5,600 |
Transport Blueprint
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which individuals and organisations have responded to the consultation exercise instigated by his Department to produce a transport blueprint for the next century; if he will make the responses publicly available; and what plans he has to issue a Green Paper on these issues. [11241]
Sir George Young: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies given to him on 7 November, Official Report, column 755.
Motorway Services
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current cost of managing the freeholds of motorway service areas. [11192]
Mr. Watts: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 16 January, Official Report, columns 498-99.
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that motorway service stations provide (a) adequate toilet facilities 24 hours a day and (b) disabled toilet facilities. [11631]
Mr. Watts: The operator of any motorway service area signposted from the motorway is required to provide a range of specified facilities 24 hours a day. The requirements include sufficient free toilets to cater reasonably for the amount of traffic using the motorway and facilities for disabled people. The Highways Agency investigates any report that these facilities are not being provided and, where necessary, takes action to ensure that the position is remedied.
Rail Privatisation, (Isle of Wight)
Ms Glenda Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy in respect of the franchising of rail services on the Isle of Wight; and if he will make a statement. [11228]
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Mr. Watts:
The island line has been vested as an autonomous wholly owned subsidiary of the British Railways Board and will be franchised in accordance with the franchising director's timetable in due course.
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