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National Audit Office
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many files marked "Not for National Audit Office Eyes" are currently held by his Department. [24859]
Mr. Norris: There are 119 files in the Department of Transport, out of a total, 1,169,731, marked "Not to be seen by NAO without reference to the appropriate Head of Division", sometimes abbreviated to "Not for NAO Eyes". These figures refer to individual jackets--file parts. For each study, a number of divisions may be involved and each may possess a file with a number of parts.
The marking "Not for NAO Eyes" is used in accordance with an agreement between the Treasury and the National Audit Office, under which documents relating to the handling of relations between Departments and the NAO and Public Accounts Committee are not automatically available to the NAO while they are current.
Newbury Bypass
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the tendering documents for the construction contract for the A34 Newbury bypass. [25184]
17 Apr 1996 : Column: 505
Mr. Watts [holding answer 16 April 1996]: No.
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 1 February, Official Report, column 843, (1) if he will break down the costs of construction of the A34 Newbury bypass to indicate the cost of (a) the advance clearance contract, (b) the construction contract, (c) security during advance clearance and construction and (d) the enforcement by the under-sheriff of the various court orders for possession; [25340]
- (2) if he will make it his policy not to enter into a construction contract for the A34 Newbury bypass until the Department of the Environment has completed its public consultation on a special area of conservation to protect the terrestrial pulmonate snail Vertigo Moulinisiana. [25338]
Mr. Watts [holding answer 16 April 1996]: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Cynog Dafis, dated 17 April 1996:
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to enter into the construction contract for the A34 Newbury bypass. [25183]
As you know, the Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about the costs of construction of the A34 Newbury Bypass and the timing of the award of the main works contract.
At the time of award, the value of the contract for the site clearance was £1.684M. Although most of the work is complete, the contract is still extant and the final cost has yet to be determined.
The cost of the security for the clearance work is likely to be in the order of £6M. This will cover the costs of the security firm hired by the clearance contractor and the costs incurred by the Under Sheriff in enforcing the eviction orders.
Much of the work involved overlaps the clearance contract and the enforcement work. For instance, the cost of felling the trees increased because it was necessary first to trim a tree before evicting the protestors to allow the tree to be felled, rather than simply felling the tree in one go. We cannot therefore disaggregate the costs.
We are still assessing the tenders for the main works contract so I cannot say what the costs of those works, and any associated security costs, will be.
It is too soon to say when we will award the contract for the main works, or to speculate on whether any part of the area qualifies for designation as an SAC. English Nature will advise the Government on the latter on the basis of further survey work we and they have commissioned in respect of Vertigo Moulinsiana.
Mr. Watts [holding answer 16 April 1996:]: It is too early to say when the contract will be awarded.
Catalytic Converters
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motor vehicles there are in the United Kingdom; and what estimate he has made of the percentage of them equipped with catalytic converters. [25013]
Mr. Norris: It is estimated that, at the end of September 1995, there were 25.51 million vehicles licensed to use Great Britain's roads. Of these 21.46 million were passenger cars of which, it is estimated, some 23 per cent. were equipped with catalytic converters. There is negligible use of catalytic converters in other vehicle sectors.
17 Apr 1996 : Column: 506
A40
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) accidents were reported, (b) casualties required hospital treatment and (c) fatalities occurred on the A40 between Oxford and Gloucester for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [24908]
Mr. Norris: The table shows the number of personal injury accidents on the A40 between Oxford and Gloucester which were reported to the police, and the number of casualties resulting. Non-fatal casualties are classified as either seriously or slightly injured--the police do not record whether or not hospital treatment was required.
| Casualties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year of accident | Injury accident | Fatal | Serious | Slight | All casualties |
| 1979 | 168 | 5 | 68 | 148 | 221 |
| 1980 | 157 | 5 | 63 | 146 | 214 |
| 1981 | 155 | 14 | 73 | 132 | 219 |
| 1982 | 164 | 11 | 78 | 142 | 231 |
| 1983 | 144 | 9 | 55 | 147 | 211 |
| 1984 | 184 | 7 | 66 | 182 | 255 |
| 1985 | 171 | 11 | 64 | 171 | 246 |
| 1986 | 158 | 8 | 61 | 166 | 235 |
| 1987 | 177 | 6 | 52 | 174 | 232 |
| 1988 | 188 | 9 | 68 | 192 | 269 |
| 1989 | 196 | 6 | 62 | 214 | 282 |
| 1990 | 136 | 5 | 39 | 158 | 202 |
| 1991 | 135 | 10 | 42 | 152 | 204 |
| 1992 | 152 | 2 | 33 | 183 | 218 |
| 1993 | 139 | 3 | 28 | 168 | 199 |
| 1994 | 140 | 7 | 39 | 165 | 211 |
Crash Barriers
Mr. Nicholls: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission the Transport Research Laboratory to carry our a full-scale assessment of the effectiveness of crash cushions. [25151]
Mr. Watts: No, a study into the situations where there may be a need to deploy crash cushions on the highway network has already been carried out. Generally, their widespread use is not cost effective because of the unpredictability and infrequent occurrence of the type of accidents they prevent.
The Highways Agency has developed an effective prototype crash cushion, and other proprietary systems exist. They can be installed at particular sites on truck roads if in the light of the specific circumstances they provide an appropriate solution.
Mr. Nicholls:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of accidents within the last two years where vehicles have left the road and descended down an embankment (a) where a barrier has been present and (b) where no barrier has been present. [25143]
Mr. Norris:
The information requested is not available.
17 Apr 1996 : Column: 507
Sir David Steel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the report commissioned by his Department from the Confederation of Passenger Transport on the trial ban on coaches using the outside lanes of motorways; and when he will make a statement on the outcome of the ban. [24620]
Mr. Norris:
A copy of the report produced by Wootton Jeffreys on behalf of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, formerly the Bus and Coach Council, was placed in the Library in January 1995. A statement on the outcome of the ban on coaches using the outside lane of motorways with three or more lanes will be made after two years' accident data have been studied.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic accidents involving newly qualified drivers were reported in (a) 1993 and (b) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [24584]
Mr. Norris:
The table shows the number of injury road accidents in Great Britain in 1993 and 1994 which involved one or more drivers aged 17 to 21. The national road accident reporting system does not specifically identify newly qualified drivers, and final data for 1995 are not yet available.
| Year of accident | ||
|---|---|---|
| Accident severity | 1993 | 1994 |
| Fatal | 764 | 724 |
| Serious | 8,567 | 8,309 |
| Slight | 42,560 | 41,271 |
| Total | 51,891 | 50,304 |
Air Safety
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations are currently in place to ensure that military and civilian aircraft do not use the same air space at the same time; and if he will make a statement. [25478]
Mr. Norris: The same rules apply to civil and military aircraft with regard to avoiding other traffic. Within controlled air space, aircraft comply with instructions received from air traffic control. Outside controlled air space, there are procedures and minimum flight visibility rules to enable pilots to see and avoid other traffic.
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what safety regulations are currently in place in respect of amateur pilot training; and if he will make a statement; [25476]
- (2) what plans he has to amend the safety aspects of the amateur pilot training regulations; and if he will make a statement. [25475]
Mr. Norris: The safety regulations relating to the private pilot's licence are laid down in schedule 8 to the Air Navigation (No. 2) Order 1995, and policy and guidance material for PPL training and testing is set out in "Civil Aviation Publication 53", issued by the Civil Aviation Authority.
17 Apr 1996 : Column: 508
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