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YAK 42 Aircraft
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many YAK 42s are currently registered to fly into United Kingdom airports; and what was the date of manufacture of each of these aircraft. [16081]
Mr. Norris: No YAK 42 aircraft are currently covered by the operating permits granted by the Department to foreign airlines.
Buses and Coaches
Sir Roger Moate: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the level of investment in new buses and coaches since deregulation and privatisation; and what was the number of new vehicles ordered each year. [15838]
Mr. Norris: Decisions on the level of investment in new vehicles are a matter for bus and coach companies themselves. Information on the number of orders for new vehicles is not available, but the number of buses and coaches registered for the first time is available from data recorded by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. The list gives figures since 1985:
Number of buses and coaches with nine or more passenger seats registered for the first time. 1
1985: 3,747
1986: 5,479
1987: 5,015
1988: 4,970
1989: 5,081
1990: 4,547
1991: 3,016
1992: 3,051
1993: 3,643
1994: 4,202
1995: 5,214
1 Up to end June 1995 vehicles are those in taxation class 35--Hackney. From 1 July 1995 vehicles are those in taxation class 34--Bus. Both these taxation classes cover the use of vehicles for public transportation.
Rail Ticketing Agreement
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 14 February 1996, Official Report, column 574, how many young people are employed by Rail Settlement Plan Ltd. to police the ticketing and settlement agreement. [15909]
Mr. Watts: Rail Settlement Plan Ltd. employs the equivalent of 95 full-time staff, under contract from British Rail Business Systems, to provide independent auditing and monitoring of compliance with the terms of the ticketing and settlement agreement.
Central Railway
Mr. Pawsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent consultations have taken place
20 Feb 1996 : Column: 112
between his Department and Central Railway plc; and what evaluation his Department has undertaken of its proposals. [15832]
Mr. Watts:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met Central Railway plc on 17 January as part of a continuing dialogue between the company and the Department on procedural aspects of the Transport and Works Act 1992. The Department has undertaken no evaluation of the proposals, but has made comments on initial drafts provided by the company of certain application documents in the context of the statutory requirements.
Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the company Reliance employed by the Highways Agency for work on the Newbury bypass has carried out checks on staff for previous criminal convictions. [15295]
Mr. Watts:
I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Mike Gapes, dated 20 February 1996:
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many persons are employed by the rail franchising director to check the bona fides of franchise applicants. [15161]
Mr. Watts:
A number of staff at the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and merchant bank advisers employed by the franchising director check the bona fides of franchise applicants through various procedures at the pre-qualification stage and throughout the tendering process.
Mr. Tom Clarke:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to ensure that the operators of Ashford international railway station provide (a) a ticket office window at a height convenient for wheelchair using passengers and (b) means of independent access by wheelchair users to the carriages of trains using the station. [14454]
Mr. Watts:
We have no powers to require European Passenger Services to make modifications to Ashford international or to the trains which serve it. In the longer term, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 will enable
20 Feb 1996 : Column: 113
us to set access standards for new rail vehicles and to address the accessibility of railway stations. We have already begun discussions with the rail industry.
In the meantime, I understand the EPS worked closely with disabled people and I think that is borne out by the generally high standard of access which is provided.
The company took advice specifically on the design of the ticket counter and concluded that the particular design of desk provided met the needs of both wheelchair users and other passengers. The arrangements for access to the trains at Ashford are the same as those provided at Waterloo international and on other parts of the InterCity network. They have been shown, over a number of years, to work satisfactorily.
Mr. Mark Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received the Railway group safety plan for 1996-97; and if he will make a statement. [16240]
Mr. Watts:
The Railtrack board has now submitted a 1996-97 safety plan for Britain's national railway network. Copies have been placed in the Library.
The plan sets out strategic safety objectives for 1996-97, reports safety performance by British Rail and Railtrack in 1995-96, and gives details of the arrangements for managing safety on the railway.
All current train operators have had their railway safety cases accepted, a process which relies on an adequate demonstration of commitment and competence by the companies. New operators will need to satisfy the same rigorous scrutiny. The plan is an important companion to these safety cases. It sets a number of objectives designed to maintain safety performance and provide strategic direction to initiatives to improve safety.
Mr. Trimble:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which corporate bodies have been specified as a relevant body under article 3(3) of the Housing (NI) Order 1986. [15147]
Mr. Trimble:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases have been heard by fair employment tribunals. [15148]
Mr. Ancram:
A total of 203 cases have been heard up to 31 January 1996.
Mr. Trimble:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many appeals there have been in respect of cases heard by fair employment tribunals. [15149]
Mr. Ancram:
There have been 11 appeals up to 31 January 1996.
20 Feb 1996 : Column: 114
Dr. Strang:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many payments he expects to be made in Northern Ireland in 1995-96 for set-aside between (a) £0 and £5,000, (b) £5,001 and £10,000, (c) £10,001 and £15,000, (d) £15,001 and £20,000, (e) £20,001 and £25,000 and (f) over £25,001; [15319]
(3) how many payments were made in Northern Ireland in 1994-95 for set-aside between (a) £0 and £5,000, (b) £5,001 and £10,000, (c) £10,001 and £15,000 and (d) over £15,001; [15318]
(4) how many payments he expects to be made in Northern Ireland in 1995-96 under the arable area payments scheme between (a) £0 and £5,000, (b) £5,001 and £10,000, (c) £10,001 and £15,000, (d) £15,001 and £20,000, (e) £20,001 and £25,000, (f) £25,001 and £50,000, (g) £50,001 and £75,000, (h) £75,001 and £100,000, (i) £100,001 and £150,000, (j) £150,001 and £200,000, and (k) £200,001 and over. [15338]
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question asking if the company Reliance Security Services Limited employed by the Highways Agency for work on the Newbury Bypass has carried out checks on staff for previous criminal convictions.
Reliance are not employed by the Highways Agency. They are employed by the site clearance contractor. It is a requirement of the Highways Agency that sub-contracted security companies are members of the British Security Industry Association and meet British Standard 7499 covering static guards and mobile patrols.
I understand that to comply with these requirements, Reliance policy is to make detailed checks for criminal convictions going back five years before they employ someone. A further check going back 10 years is then made within three months of employment.
(2) how many payments were made in Northern Ireland in 1994-95 under the arable area payments scheme (a) between £0 and £5,000, (b) £5,001 and £10,000, (c) £10,001 and £15,000, (d) £15,001 and £20,000, (e) £20,001 and £25,000, (f) £25,001 and £50,000, (g) £50,001 and £75,000, (h) £75,001 and £100,000 and (i) £100,001 and over; [15337]
| Set-aside | Arable-area payments | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 |
| 0-5,000 | 194 | 184 | 2,767 | 2,828 |
| 5,001-10,000 | 16 | 14 | 96 | 62 |
| 10,000-15,000 | -- | 1 | 47 | 55 |
| 15,001-20,000 | -- | -- | 10 | 34 |
| 20,001-25,000 | -- | -- | 6 | 22 |
| 25,001-50,000 | -- | -- | 8 | 18 |
| 50,001-75,000 | -- | -- | -- | 2 |
| 75,001-100,000 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 100,000-150,000 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 150,001-200,000 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 200,001-and over | -- | -- | -- | -- |
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