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Air Bags
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate his Department has made of the number of people (a) killed, (b) injured and (c) whose lives have been saved, by air bags in vehicles in the most recent year for which figures are available. [86300]
Ms Glenda Jackson: Statistics collected for Great Britain do not yield this information. However, international research indicates that air bags provide an overall safety benefit for drivers.
BMW Advertisement
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has made to BMW about its national newspaper advertisements on 10 June which refer to the enjoyment of cornering on country lanes at high speed; if he will publish its response; and if he will discourage such advertisements. [87633]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Department registers complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority against press advertisements which contravene the British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion in relation to road safety. The advertisement for BMW to which the hon. Member refers is one in a series placed over three pages. The three advertisements include many road safety messages taken from "The Advanced Driver's Manual" published by the motoring organisation the Institute of Advanced Motorists. The Department does not consider
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this advertisement contravenes the advertising guidelines and supports advertising campaigns which encourage drivers to take responsibility for their driving and to learn advanced driving skills.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which non- departmental public bodies do not have aims or objectives under the public service agreements, related to environmental protection or environmentally sustainable development; and if he will list them. [88909]
Mr. Meale:
The Green Ministers Committee has reviewed how departments and their associated bodies (including non-departmental public bodies) take account of sustainable development in their aims and objectives. The first annual report of the Green Ministers Committee is due to be published in July 1999 and will set out the findings of this review. As part of this review non- departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department have been advised of the Government's policy on sustainable development, including the environmental protection aspects of the policy. They have been encouraged to include their plans for sustainable development in their corporate plans and work is in hand to discuss with them their scope for contributing further to the policy. Many of the Department's non-departmental public bodies do contain environmental matters as part of their aims and objectives and we are considering whether all our non-departmental public bodies should have an environmental policy on which they should report.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which Government Departments do not have aims or objectives, under the public service agreements, relating to environmental protection or environmentally sustainable development. [88908]
Mr. Meale:
Each Department's Public Service Agreement was set out in the document "Public Services for the Future: Modernisation, Reform, Accountability" which was presented to Parliament by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in December 1998. The Green Ministers Committee has since then reviewed the aims and objectives of Departments in terms of how sustainable development and the environment are addressed. We will set out our findings and the background in the first annual report of the Green Ministers Committee which is due to be published in July 1999.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what has been the amount spent on consultants in relation to London Transport matters in each of the last eight years; and how much is currently (a) committed and (b) estimated to be spent; [89012]
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Ms Glenda Jackson:
The information is not available in the form requested. The Government use external consultants when they require expert independent advice. Over the last eight years consultants have been employed to advise on, among other issues, the Jubilee Line Extension, Crossrail and the privatisation of London Transport's bus operating companies. Consultants that are currently employed by the Department to advise on London Transport are Ove Arup, acting as the Secretary of State's Agent on the Jubilee Line Extension project, and Gibb Ltd. to advise on integrating the national rail network with the Underground. In 1998-99 the Department spent £693,000 on consultancy work relating to London Transport and in 1999-2000 the amount spent by 1 July was £294,000.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what (a) negotiations and (b) consultations took place prior to his Department selling the site of Leyton Yard to Asda; which other potential purchasers expressed an interest and how the sale decision was determined; what amount was agreed; how much of the proceeds will be paid to Government and how much to other parties; what conditions were attached to the sale agreement; and if he will make a statement. [89017]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Under the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) Development Agreement, London & Continental Railways (LCR) is permitted to dispose of land, transferred to them under that Agreement, which the Secretary of State determines to be surplus to the needs of the CTRL Project. Leyton Yard is such a site. The sale of the Leyton Yard site, as with other sites which may be declared surplus, is subject to a clawback which returns half the proceeds to the taxpayer, allowing for the costs of site development and sale. London & Continental Railways' share of the sale proceeds has to be used to fund the CTRL project. The disposal price of Leyton Yard was arrived at through an open bidding process. I understand from LCR that, in addition to Asda, negotiations were held with other major supermarket chains. The final size of the clawback payment cannot yet be calculated as the development is still at an early stage. The non-cash terms of the agreement are a matter for LCR, but the agreement also delivers significant planning gains to the London Borough of Waltham Forest, and helps to facilitate and finance important local highway improvements.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the figures for each of the financial years 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98 in respect of the operations of London Underground Ltd. for (a) total sales revenue from (i) fares, (ii) elderly and disabled concessions and (iii) other sources, (b) staff costs, including pensions, (c) energy, including power distribution, (d) train movement and maintenance, (e) track and signalling maintenance, (f) stations and escalators and (g) other revenue costs including administration, excluding costs arising from the extensions to, and adaptation of, the Jubilee Line. [89015]
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Ms Glenda Jackson:
The following table shows London Underground Revenue and Operating Costs from 1995-96 through to 1997-98:
(Environmental Objectives)
(2) if he will make a statement on the principal reasons for the use of consultants in relation to London Transport matters (a) in each of the last three years and (b) currently. [89013]
| 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | |||
| Ordinary Fares | 746 | 779 | 878 |
| Elderly and disabled concessionary | 18 | 17 | 20 |
| Other fare income | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Non-fare income | 51 | 57 | 62 |
| Total | 816 | 854 | 961 |
| Operating Costs | |||
| Employee costs | 356 | 376 | 363 |
| Energy | 28 | 29 | 27 |
| Maintenance | 58 | 57 | 58 |
| Other costs | 182 | 182 | 248 |
| Total | 624 | 644 | 696 |
| Gross Margin | 192 | 210 | 265 |
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received concerning the decision of London Underground Ltd. to dispense with its own means of electricity generation in London; and if he will make a statement. [89010]
Ms Glenda Jackson: I imagine my hon. Friend is referring to the Power PFI deal with London Underground signed last August with the private sector Powerlink consortium. The deal involves the modernisation of the Underground's power generation and distribution network and all assets will return to the public sector at the end of this 30 year PFI contract.
I met my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Pound) and union representatives on 22 December 1997 to discuss a number of issues arising out of London Transport's PFI deals, including Power. Ministers have also received a total of 10 letters concerning the project from hon. Members and trade unions representatives.
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions his Department has had concerning plans to avoid disruptions to travellers during the scheduled closure of the London Underground Northern Line City Branch this summer. [89136]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I meet with the managing directors of London Underground (LU) and London Transport Buses (LTB) on a regular, monthly basis to discuss issues such as any line closures and measures to minimise the resulting passenger disruption. Officials from the Government Office for London have also been involved in regular meetings with LU, LTB, the London Boroughs and the Police to discuss replacement services during the Northern Line City Branch closure.
In addition, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport and I met the managing director of LU on 23 June to discuss both the Circle and Northern Line City Branch closures. He assured us that LU are making every effort to keep passenger disruption as low as possible. During the Northern Line City Branch closure, extra buses
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will be provided along the route and LU will also increase the number of trains along the Charing Cross Branch. Alternative routes are being advertised and extra station staff will help to keep passengers informed.
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions his Department has had concerning efforts to end disruptions for travellers on the Circle and District London Underground lines arising from current closure of parts of the line. [89137]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
My right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport and I met the managing director of London Underground (LU) on 23 June to discuss both the Circle and Northern Line City Branch closures. He assured us that the timetable LU are now operating around the Circle Line is robust and that it is providing passengers with a better service than they received in the first week after Circle Line engineering works began on 12 June. He also promised to provide us with a full report on what went wrong and to inform us immediately if the service around the Circle Line should deteriorate again.
In addition, I meet with the managing directors of LU and London Transport Buses on a regular, monthly basis to discuss issues such as any line closures. My officials have also discussed with LT the measures they are taking to minimise disruption around the Circle Line.
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the progress made with the construction of the Jubilee Line Extension; and when the section between Green Park and North Greenwich is due to be fully operational. [89134]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Phase 1 of the Jubilee Line Extension opened on 14 May. London Transport plan to open phase 2 (on to Waterloo) in late summer, and phase 3 (linking with the existing line and providing an end-to-end Stratford to Stanmore service) by late autumn.
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