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MV Derbyshire
Mr. Loyden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if media representatives have been invited to be present on phase II of the expedition to the motor vessel Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement. [15158]
Mr. Bowis: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is discussing with the Discovery Channel the possibility of making a scientific and technical programme about the Derbyshire expedition.
Mr. Loyden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the names and expertise of the assessors taking part in phase II of the expedition to the MV Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement. [15159]
Mr. Bowis:
The assessors taking part in phase 2 of the return expedition to the wreck of the MV Derbyshire are Robin Williams, an independent consulting naval architect, who will act as chief scientist; Professor Douglas Faulkner; John Elder, professor and former head of the department of naval architecture and ocean engineering at Glasgow university; and Dr. Remo Torchio, a naval architect who is a consultant to RINA, the Italian classification society.
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Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints have been received by the Office of the Rail Regulator regarding the lack of impartial advice on ticket sales. [14493]
Mr. Watts:
Since 1 April 1996, the Rail Regulator has received two specific complaints about the lack of impartial advice on ticket sales.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff will be involved in the proposed survey of rail ticket outlets by the Rail Regulator following his report into impartial ticket sales. [14495]
Mr. Watts:
The Rail Regulator has employed a professional market research organisation to carry out the survey of rail ticket outlets. The number of staff involved in the survey is a matter for it.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research was undertaken in the form of anonymous purchase of rail tickets by Rail Regulator staff prior to the publication of the recent report into impartial ticket sales. [14494]
Mr. Watts:
The Rail Regulator employed consultants to test the capabilities of station ticket offices in 1995, when all train operating companies were owned and controlled by the British Railways Board.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many railway stations will be included in the proposed survey of rail ticket outlets by the Rail Regulator following his report into impartial ticket sales.[14496]
Mr. Watts:
Some 613 stations are included in the Rail Regulator's survey of rail ticket outlets.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Rail Regulator will give advance warning to train operating companies before undertaking the survey of rail ticket outlets. [14400]
Mr. Watts:
The Rail Regulator has given advance warning of his intention to carry out surveys of rail ticket outlets. No prior warning is being given about the details of the surveys.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the investigations into the channel tunnel fire to be completed. [14492]
Mr. Watts:
The channel tunnel fire has raised a number of complex issues. A judicial inquiry into the cause of the fire is being carried out by the French authorities; I have no information on its timetable. Eurotunnel is carrying out its own investigation, the timetable for which is a matter for the company. The inquiry by the independent Channel Tunnel Safety Authority is proceeding as quickly as possible, but until it has progressed further and has been given access to evidence currently held for the French judicial inquiry, the authority is not able to forecast when its inquiry will be completed.
10 Feb 1997 : Column: 70
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the distance between the freight train involved in the recent fire in the channel tunnel and the passenger service immediately behind was at the time that the freight train stopped in the tunnel. [14429]
Mr. Watts:
Three investigations, including a judicial inquiry, are under way into the channel tunnel fire. Until all the facts have been established, it could be prejudicial to release partial information.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 20 January, Official Report, columns 487-88, how many aircraft have been found to be overloaded in each of the last two years.[14427]
Mr. Bowis:
The information requested is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what percentage of fatalities on United Kingdom roads were due to drink-driving offences in the last year for which figures are available; [14920]
(3) how many driving-related fatalities occurred in the last year for which figures are available. [14874]
Mr. Bowis:
Latest provisional estimates indicate that, in 1995, there were 580 fatalities in drink drive accidents accounting for 16 per cent. of all fatalities on public roads in Great Britain. On these same roads, there is no evidence available to assess the effect of driver error on fatalities in road accidents. However, research indicates that errors of judgment by road users, whether sober or not, is a contributory factor in about 95 per cent. of road accidents. In 1995, there were 3,590 fatalities in road accidents involving motorised vehicles.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the International Civil Aviation Organisation to complete its assessment of Thailand's ability to meet international aviation standards; and what advice he has given to UK passengers regarding the safety of airlines registered in Thailand. [14426]
Mr. Bowis:
The International Civil Aviation Organisation safety assessment of Thailand is complete and a report is awaited. We continue to issue permits for Thai-registered aircraft to operate services to the UK. Where we have concerns about the safety standards of an airline, we pursue this through aircraft ramp checks and direct consultation with the national aviation authority concerned. If these investigations show that there is a failure to meet international minimum safety standards, we will take action to refuse, vary, suspend or revoke as appropriate these operating permits. To date, my
10 Feb 1997 : Column: 71
Department has not asked for a ramp check to be conducted on any Thai-registered aircraft operating to the UK.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if applications have been made by (a) Air Operations Europe and (b) Air Operations International for an air operating licence. [14428]
Mr. Harry Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to decrease pollution caused by road vehicles; and if he will make a statement.[13710]
Mr. Bowis:
More stringent emission standards have been introduced for new and existing vehicles, the most recent of which further reduced permitted emissions from passenger cars from 1 January 1997. As a result of these measures, pollution from road vehicles is forecast to decline until well into the next decade. Further improvements, which are currently being discussed with our EC partners with a view to implementation from 2000, are aimed at sustaining this decline against the forecast growth in traffic.
Fiscal measures are also encouraging the use of cleaner fuels. Lower tax rates are being applied to unleaded petrol and road fuel gases. It is also proposed to reduce the duty level on ultra low sulphur diesel from May 1997. The Government are currently consulting on the introduction of an incentive of up to £500 for lorries meeting stringent emission standards.
Mr. Dykes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce the conclusions of his Department's examination in 1996 of the proposal for a link line to be created to combine the underground and BR line services of the Bakerloo line north of Harrow and Wealdstone station with the British Rail Euston to Watford facility.[13843]
Mr. Bowis:
The promotion of new rail projects in London is the responsibility of the transport operators--London Transport, Railtrack and the train operating companies.
I understand that London Transport has, from time to time, reviewed the proposal to reintroduce Bakerloo line services between Harrow and Wealdstone and Watford junction, most recently in the light of both the proposed Croxley rail link project and the recent franchising of North London Railways, but that its initial indications are that there remains insufficient demand to justify the additional costs involved. London Transport will, however, continue to work closely with the new franchisee to investigate ways of developing the route.
10 Feb 1997 : Column: 72
(2) what percentage of fatalities on United Kingdom roads were due simply to errors of judgment committed by sober drivers in the last year for which figures are available; [14921]
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