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Isle of Wight (Expenditure)
Mr. Barry Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total expenditure by his Department on the Isle of Wight in 1994-95 broken down by category. [16777]
Mr. Norris:
Expenditure of some £4.5 million which can be attributed to the Isle of Wight in 1994-95 is as follows:
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£3 million paid to the Isle of Wight as part of the local transport capital settlement;
£1.3 million paid to British Rail by the Franchising Director in support of passenger rail services on the Island line;
£80,000 by the Driving Standards Agency;
£35,000 on vehicle testing operations, including staff costs;
and £74,000 by the Coastguard Agency.
Heavy Goods Vehicles (Accidents)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of accidents involving HGVs attributable (a) in whole and (b) in part to the defective eyesight of the HGV driver for the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available. [16728]
Mr. Norris: No statistics are collected on the relationship between accidents and defective eyesight; it is practically impossible to link defective eyesight and accident liability. Even if tests of eyesight were routinely conducted after accidents, it could not be established that poor eyesight was responsible.
Rail Privatisation
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was his Department's budget for (a) consultants' fees and (b) all other costs associated with the public and press launch for the introduction of (i) the Great Western, (ii) South West Trains and (iii) London Tilbury Southend rail franchises. [17006]
Mr. Watts: The Great Western and South West Trains rail franchises were publicly launched with the assistance of officials from my Department and its marketing consultants--Shandwick Consultants Ltd. It is not possible to identify separately the costs associated with my Department's role in these events. Information about payments to individual contractors is commercially confidential.
Ms Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has given to the Rail Regulator regarding the introduction of competition for passenger rail services up to 31 December 1996; and what arrangements will apply after this date. [16983]
Mr. Watts: Guidance on competition for rail passenger services was included in the guidance given by the Secretary of State to the Rail Regulator on 31 March 1994. The regulator published a policy statement, "Competition for railway passenger services" in December 1994. Both of these documents are in the House Library.
Rail (Speed Restrictions)
Ms Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the sections of rail track currently subject to temporary speed restrictions due to the poor condition of the track; and in each case, when it is estimated that these speed restrictions will be lifted. [17035]
Mr. Watts:
Railtrack informs me that this information is not held centrally and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
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Mr. Lewis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated relating to increasing the capacity of the M62 junctions 12 to 14 since the cancellation of the M62 relief road. [17095]
Mr. Watts:
Work is at an early stage and options are still being identified. So far, we have commissioned work on traffic management and demand, and on possible minor improvements to the M62.
We are also developing transport models in partnership with the Greater Manchester authorities. These will enable us to assess behavioural responses and to test alternatives.
Evaluation will start when all the information has been gathered.
We shall consult the public, and others, when we have identified effective and affordable alternatives.
Mr. Tony Banks:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what safeguards will be put in place to guarantee the continued service of the royal train after privatisation. [17113]
Mr. Watts:
Confidential contractual arrangements are being put in place to guarantee the continued service of the royal train after privatisation.
Mr. Allen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Government have to prevent young people from using high-powered motor cycles. [17552]
Mr. Norris:
Implementation of the second EC directive on driving licences will restrict motor cycle riders under the age of 21 to machines with a power output of up to 33 brake horse power (25kW) for two years.
Mr. Salmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out by home port the coverage of tugs on the north and west coasts of Scotland (a) before and (b) since the publication of the Donaldson report on the Braer incident indicating whether it is year-round; and if he will make a statement. [17211]
Mr. Norris
[holding answer 26 February 1996]: I have asked the chief executive of the Coastguard Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from C. J. Harris to Mr. Alex Salmond, dated 27 February 1996:
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Ms. Glenda Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the value of all severance payments, and payments in kind, made by his Department to Mr. Martin Helm. [17239]
Mr. Norris:
Mr. Martin Helm left the Department on 31 December 1995. He was paid a severance payment calculated in accordance with the rules of the civil service compensation scheme. Such payments are based on age, pay and length of service at the time of leaving. A payment of compensation in lieu of notice was also paid. It is not customary of divulge the value of payments made to individuals.
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests, indicating in each case if this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [16816]
Mr. Norris:
The following is a list of the answers for each of the Department of Transport's executive NDPBs.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what stage has been reached in the privatisation of the Transport Research Laboratory.[18219]
Mr. Norris:
Negotiations with the preferred bidder, the Transport Research Foundation, are continuing. I expect the sale to be completed by the middle of March.
Mr. Tracey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the Thameslink 2000 project. [18217]
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Mr. Watts:
I refer my hon. Friend to the oral statement given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the coverage of tugs in the North and West coasts of Scotland.
To ensure that the Coastguard is able to provide details of tugs available in an emergency they are maintained on a database at each Coastguard Rescue Centre. Tug availability may vary from time to time. Additionally standing arrangements exist with tug brokers to ensure that the Coastguard can obtain up to date whereabouts and availability of all tugs.
The Coastguard maintain a tug during the six month winter period in the Minches. The current vessel is the SMIT LLOYD SAFE.
Trinity House Lighthouse Service (THLS) and Northern Lights Board (NLB)
(a) and (b) THLS and NLB prepare annual reports which are consolidated into the Annual Report and Accounts of the General Lighthouse Fund. The Accounts are laid before Parliament as required by statute.
(c), (d) and (e) Neither THLS nor NLB publish minutes or agendas of meetings or a register or members' interests. There is no statutory requirement to do so.
London Regional Passengers' Committee (LRPC)
(a) LRPC publishes an annual report under statutory requirement.
(b) (c) and (d) Annual accounts, minutes of meetings and agendas of meetings are published voluntarily.
(e) A register of members' interests is not published. There is no statutory requirement to do so.
Traffic Director for London
(a) and (b) The Traffic Director publishes an annual report and accounts under statutory requirement.
(c), (d) and (e) the Traffic Director is a Corporation Sole and does not have a board, hold formal board meetings or have a register of members' interests. Therefore there are no minutes, agendas or register to publish.
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