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Bayley Island Junction

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many (a) pedestrians and (b) vehicle occupants were (i) killed and (ii) seriously injured in road accidents at Bayley Island junction between the A49 and A5 in each year from 1992; and if he will make a statement. [111068]

Mr. Hill: The information requested is shown in the following table.

29 Feb 2000 : Column: 193W

Pedestrians and motor vehicle occupant casualties in accidents at the Bayley Island junction (8)(9) between the A49 and A5: 1992-98

Pedestrian MV Occupant (10)
FatalSeriousSlightAllFatalSeriousSlightAll
199200000011
199300000055
199410010178
199500110066
199600000156
199700000033
199800000033

(8) Accidents on or within 20 metres of a junction

(9) Includes casualties where A5112 intersects A5 and or A49

(10) Motor vehicle occupant or rider


29 Feb 2000 : Column: 195W

Greater London Authority Elections

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the purpose of the computer bar code which is to be on the ballot papers for the Greater London Authority elections; and what safeguards relate to them. [111581]

Mr. Hill: It is proposed that the ballot papers for the Greater London Authority elections on 4 May 2000 should be counted by electronic scanning equipment. The unique bar code which will appear on each ballot paper enables the electronic scanning equipment to identify each ballot paper as having been properly issued. Ballot papers without a proper bar code will not be counted. The bar code does not contain any information about the voter, but puts the number normally present on a traditional ballot paper in a form which can be read by the scanning equipment. The computer system supporting the scanning equipment has a number of security features which prevent unauthorised access.

Driving Test Centres

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the consultative process used for the closure of driving test centres involves seeking the approval of (a) the Chief Executive of the Driving Standards Agency and (b) a Minister for the closure proposal before other interested parties are consulted. [111695]

Mr. Hill: The consultative process currently used by the Driving Standards Agency when the closure of a driving test centre is being considered involves seeking the approval of the Agency's Chief Executive and the Minister to consult about the proposed closure. Then other interested parties are consulted. A final decision has to be approved by the Chief Executive and the Minister, taking into account the results of the consultation. Consultation before closure is not always possible, for instance when a test centre has to be closed at short notice for health and safety or operational reasons.

Mr. Livsey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the maximum round trip distance that driving test candidates are expected to travel to a driving test centre in an area of 23 persons per square kilometre. [111102]

Mr. Hill [holding answer 22 February 2000]: The guideline currently operated by the Driving Standards Agency is that in areas with a population density of less than 100 persons per square kilometre, candidates should not have to travel more than 30 miles to a practical driving test centre.

Parking Revenue (London)

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the revenue derived from parking by each London borough in the last full year for which figures are available. [112002]

Mr. Hill: The information requested is shown in the table.

29 Feb 2000 : Column: 196W

London Local Authorities--1998-99 Parking Income

Income £000
Barking and Dagenham935
Barnet3,060
Bexley2,618
Brent4,052
Bromley5,404
Camden21,286
Corporation of London12,702
Croydon10,148
Ealing3,120
Enfield3,777
Greenwich5,570
Hackney3,473
Hammersmith and Fulham13,194
Haringey4,129
Harrow3,408
Havering3,478
Hillingdon3,192
Hounslow3,339
Islington5,793
Kensington and Chelsea25,946
Kingston4,775
Lambeth5,476
Lewisham1,338
Merton2,365
Newham2,542
Redbridge2,312
Richmond5,561
Southwark4,749
Sutton3,484
Tower Hamlets7,469
Waltham Forest3,173
Wandsworth6,160
Westminster101,894
Total289,922

Note:

The figures for parking revenue in the table are derived from the RO2 (Revenue Expenditure) forms which all local authorities (including the London boroughs) must submit to DETR. Parking revenue covers all parking income i.e. revenue from parking meters, pay and Display, off-street parking, car parks, parking tickets, clamping, removal etc.

The RO2 form splits revenue expenditure into two categories-- (i) "Sales, Fees and Charges" and (ii) "Other Non-Grant income". These are terms used by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. The figures in the table represent the total of these two categories.


Local Government Ombudsman

Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to extend the jurisdiction of the Local Government Ombudsman to consider complaints against parish councils; and if he will make a statement. [112023]

Ms Beverley Hughes: We have no plans to bring parish councils within the jurisdiction of the Local Government Ombudsman. Every elector has a right to raise any concerns that they may have about the business or conduct of their parish council at the annual public meeting.

Urban Foxes

Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions who has responsibility for the control of urban fox populations; and what powers local authorities have in this area. [112013]

29 Feb 2000 : Column: 197W

Mr. Mullin: The fox is not a protected species and may be killed or taken by owners and occupiers of land using any method, eg shooting or trapping, which is not prohibited by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Local authorities are therefore able to take action to control foxes if they deem it appropriate.

Housing

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many houses have been improved in Shrewsbury and Atcham from funding released from capital receipts in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [111914]

Mr. Mullin: The table shows the capital allocations that have been made to Shrewsbury and Atcham under the Capital Receipts Initiative (CRI), together with the number of properties which have been renovated using these resources. Allocations are made in the form of Supplementary Credit Approvals.

Allocations (£)Number of properties renovated
1997-98219,00075
1998-99757,000136
1999-2000685,000153

Note:

There has been no separate allocation of resources under the CRI since 1999-2000, following the introduction of the single housing capital pot from 2000-01


Road Traffic Accidents

Mr. Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's research into the involvement of drugs in road traffic accidents with particular reference to (a) road traffic accident and (b) road traffic accidents involving pedestrians. [112077]

Mr. Hill: The Department's research into the numbers of road accident fatalities (drivers/riders, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians) with a measurable trace of drugs in their body will be published in July. The research will help to provide data on the incidence of drugs--both illegal and medicinal. However, the presence of drugs in a fatality is not evidence of accident causation, although there may be an association.

Drugs and driving is an issue addressed in our road safety strategy, on which an announcement is to be made tomorrow. Relevant documents will be placed in the Library tomorrow morning.


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