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TRANSPORT

European Union

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of his Department's time and resources are spent dealing with administrative and policy matters connected with British membership of the European Union. [4961]

Mr. Bowis: The Department has a European unit, devoted very largely to work connected to the European Union, which has a budget of just over £500,000. Beyond that, European Union matters are fully integrated into other policy and administration matters, and the sums of time and money spent in dealing with them cannot be disaggregated.

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 568

Walking

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the national travel survey excludes consideration of distances covered on foot during employment. [4478]

Mr. Bowis: The primary purpose of the national travel survey is to estimate the demand for personal travel. This comprises travel for private purposes or for work or education, provided that the main reason for the journey is for the traveller himself or herself to reach the destination.

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the information in the latest issue of the national travel survey in respect of walking. [4477]

Mr. Bowis: The 1993 to 1995 report on the national travel survey contained a number of tables showing the contribution of walking to figures for personal travel. The main section shows that the average number of journeys walked per person and the average distance walked have fallen over recent years and we have therefore set up a steering group to look at the causes of this and at ways that have been shown to be effective in encouraging walking. I have chaired the first two meetings of this group.

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the national walking strategy. [4476]

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 569

Mr. Bowis: I have formed and chaired the first two meetings of a steering group whose membership comes from a range of interested parties. The group is drafting a discussion document which will invite comments from a wider constituency to help establish what measures may be commended as good practice to encourage walking as a mode of transport, as a component in journeys with public transport and as an alternative to the car for short journeys.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5075]

Mr. Bowis: The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed the importance of collecting and monitoring information on future spending commitments arising from contracts under the PFI. This information is now being collected. As indicated in the Government's response, aggregate projections of the level of expenditure expected to arise from signed PFI contracts, including those in the transport sector, will be published in the 1997-98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

Speeding

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of his recent television campaign on speeding on maximum and minimum speeds; and what other measures he plans to use to monitor the campaign's effect. [4479]

Mr. Bowis: The objective of the kill your speed campaign is to make driving too fast for the conditions--such as 40mph in a 30mph zone--as socially unacceptable as drink driving. That requires a long-term campaign to change entrenched social attitudes before behaviour can be affected.

Independent research shows a high awareness of the recent advertising with 65 per cent. of all drivers recalling the publicity. It also shows that just six months after the launch there has been a positive shift--from 42 per cent. to 50 per cent. in the proportion of drivers who felt that they could personally drive more slowly to avoid accidents. There has also been a positive shift in the perceived safe speed on residential roads.

The Department will continue to monitor the campaign with both quantitative research and consumer focus groups to evolve the message in the most effective way. We also monitor vehicle speed in residential and urban areas.

North-eastern and North-western Traffic Areas
(Merger)

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the transfer of work of the north-western traffic area office to the north-eastern traffic area office indicating which areas of operation will not be transferred. [5172]

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 570

Mr. Bowis: Detailed arrangements for handling the transfer of work from the north-western traffic area office in Manchester, which is closing next year, have not yet been finalised.

Disabled People (Access to Public Transport)

Mr. Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Members for Knowsley, South (Mr. O'Hara) and the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) of 28 October, Official Report, column 43, when he expects to publish regulations and guidance under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in relation to access to public transport for disabled people. [5128]

Mr. Bowis: Discussions are being held with the transport industries and with the disabled persons transport advisory committee on the technical specifications for vehicle accessibility that will form the basis of the regulations.

We plan to publish our proposals for the taxi accessibility regulations early in the new year. Proposals for public service vehicles and for rail vehicles will follow shortly afterwards. There will be informal consultation with groups representing disabled people, industry and other interested parties at that time. This will cover both the content of the specifications and the timetable for implementation.

Once responses to this initial consultation have been taken into account, there will be a further formal period of consultation on the draft regulations.

Copies of all consultation documents will be placed in the Library as soon as they are published.

Rail Privatisation

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 31 October, Official Report, column 4, if he will list for each rail franchise the administered profit included within the support paid to British Rail prior to franchising. [4145]

Mr. Watts [holding answer 14 November 1996]: The amounts of administered profit are provided in the table.

£ million

Support paid to BR prior to franchisingIncluding administered profit(5)
Gatwick ExpressNIL4.33
South Eastern Trains138.9218.34
LTS34.503.85
Midland Main Line16.766.68
Great Western60.8315.14
Thames43.805.14
Cardiff Railway22.200.70
South Wales and West84.804.79
InterCity East Coast74.7419.43
Chiltern18.562.33
Network SouthCentral101.9913.41
South West Trains85.4319.49
Island Line2.560.14
Total685.09113.77

Note:

(5)figures are for 1996-97 except for SWT and GW, where the figures are for 1995-96.


20 Nov 1996 : Column: 571

A total of £88 million operating profit was generated by the 13 franchised from operating companies whilst they were in BR ownership in 1995-96. This was some £16 million below the budgeted level of administered profits.

TREASURY

Retirement Pensioners

Ms Corston: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons receiving the basic retirement pension (a) pay income tax over the standard rate, (b) pay income tax at the standard rate and (c) pay no income tax; and in each case what is the percentage of the total. [3045]

Mr. Jack: Available information for 1996-97 is given in the following table and relates to individuals above state retirement age.

 Number in millions Percentage of total
Marginal tax rateIndividuals aged 65 or overWomen aged 60 to 64Individuals aged 65 or overWomen aged 60 to 64
Higher rate0.1(6)--11
Basic rate1.20.21318
Lower rate1.70.41925
No tax liability6.30.86756
Total9.31.4100100

(6) Fewer than 50,000.


The estimates are based on information projected from 1994-95 survey of personal incomes and population estimates from the Government Actuary's Department; they are therefore provisional.

National Insurance

Ms Corston: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people currently paying income tax are estimated to pay more, and how many are estimated to pay less, than their national insurance contributions, including employers' contributions on their behalf. [3053]

Mr. Jack: Estimates for 1996-97 are as follows:

Individuals paying income tax who:Number in millions
Pay more tax than national insurance contributions(7)10.7
Pay less tax than national insurance contributions(7)10.1
Pay tax but do not pay national insurance contributions(7)4.8
Total25.6

(7)Includes both employee contributions and the corresponding employers' contributions. The estimates are based on information projected from the 1994-95 survey of personal incomes and are therefore provisional.



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