22 Nov 2000 : Column: 177W
Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 22 November 2000
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Crushed Cars
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his reply of 1 November 2000, Official Report, column 458W, in respect of the number of crushed cars in 2000, if he will break down the number by (a) registration year and (b) model. [136934]
Mr. Hill: DVLA's wheelclamping database holds information on clamped and impounded vehicles by registration mark and make. Although the exact ages of vehicles are not readily available, the age identification letter which forms part of the vehicle registration mark provides a good indication.
The following two tables show (i) the approximate age of the vehicle and (ii) the make of the crushed vehicle.
| Prefix/Suffix/Other | Letter | Year | Number of vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suffix | L | -- | 2 |
| Suffix | M | 1973-74 | 8 |
| Suffix | N | 1974-75 | 8 |
| Suffix | P | 1975-76 | 8 |
| Suffix | R | 1976-77 | 14 |
| Suffix | S | 1977-78 | 12 |
| Suffix | T | 1978-79 | 42 |
| Suffix | V | 1979-80 | 54 |
| Suffix | W | 1980-81 | 81 |
| Suffix | X | 1981-82 | 193 |
| Suffix | Y | 1982-83 | 396 |
| Prefix | A | 1983-84 | 664 |
| Prefix | B | 1984-85 | 1,008 |
| Prefix | C | 1985-86 | 1,340 |
| Prefix | D | 1986-87 | 1,654 |
| Prefix | E | 1987-88 | 1,842 |
| Prefix | F | 1988-89 | 1539 |
| Prefix | G | 1989-90 | 826 |
| Prefix | H | 1990-91 | 293 |
| Prefix | J | 1991-92 | 82 |
| Prefix | K | 1992-93 | 55 |
| Prefix | L | 1993-94 | 21 |
| Prefix | M | 1994-95 | 14 |
| Prefix | N | 1995-96 | 4 |
| Prefix | P | 1996-97 | 0 |
| Prefix | R | 1997-98 | 1 |
| Non age related marks | -- | Unknown | 44 |
| Total | 10,205 |
22 Nov 2000 : Column: 178W
| Vehicle make | Number crushed |
|---|---|
| Alfa | 11 |
| Audi | 68 |
| Austin | 816 |
| Bedford | 119 |
| Bertone | 1 |
| BMW | 139 |
| Cadillac | 2 |
| Carbodies | 2 |
| Chevrolet | 1 |
| Citroen | 160 |
| Colt | 6 |
| DAF | 1 |
| Daihatsu | 21 |
| Daimler | 1 |
| Dutton | 1 |
| Fiat | 305 |
| Ford | 3,303 |
| Freight | 38 |
| FSO | 1 |
| Honda | 140 |
| Hyundai | 48 |
| Jaguar | 23 |
| Kia | 2 |
| Lada | 59 |
| Lanchester | 4 |
| Lancia | 3 |
| Leyland | 30 |
| Mazda | 82 |
| Mercedes | 40 |
| Mercury | 1 |
| MG | 70 |
| Mitsubishi | 20 |
| Morgan | 3 |
| Morris | 1 |
| Nissan/Datsun | 588 |
| Oldsmobile | 1 |
| Opel | 29 |
| Peugeot | 358 |
| Porsche | 3 |
| Proton | 19 |
| Reliant | 3 |
| Renault | 346 |
| Rickman | 1 |
| Rover | 689 |
| Saab | 47 |
| Sao | 1 |
| Scania | 1 |
| Seat | 54 |
| Seddon | 1 |
| Sherpa | 1 |
| Skoda | 18 |
| Subaru | 13 |
| Suzuki | 19 |
| Talbot | 25 |
| Toyota | 170 |
| Trabant | 1 |
| Transit | 1 |
| Triumph | 24 |
| TVR | 1 |
| Unrecorded | 30 |
| Vauxhall | 1,369 |
| Volkswagen | 476 |
| Volvo | 368 |
| Yamaha | 2 |
| Yugo | 16 |
| Zastava | 8 |
| Total | 10,205 |
22 Nov 2000 : Column: 179W
Departmental Employees (HIV)
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will take steps to ensure that people who are HIV-positive do not suffer discrimination as a result of employment practices followed by his Department. [137783]
Ms Beverley Hughes: The Department is committed to equality of opportunity in the employment of staff. It also has commitments towards their welfare and well-being and takes a number of steps to ensure that there is no discrimination against staff who are HIV-positive.
HIV is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Human Rights Act 1998 and in accordance with these legislative requirements. Departmental guidance given in the staff hand book states that:
- There will be no discrimination in recruitment against applicants (for both external and internal vacancies) on the grounds that the applicant is HIV-positive. Applicants who have declared they are HIV-positive will be subject to the normal rules governing health appointments.
- Staff will not be dismissed because they are HIV-positive or transferred to alternative employment unless they request it or medical advice recommends this, or medical retirement is appropriate.
- No member of staff or applicant for a post is required to take the HIV antibody test.
- Victimisation of any member of staff who is HIV-positive could result in disciplinary action being taken against the offending member of staff.
- Staff who are HIV-positive are not required to inform the Department. If a member of staff declares that they are HIV-positive, the information will be maintained on a confidential basis.
The Department has the following support mechanisms available to staff who are HIV-positive:
- Counselling and Support Services
- Harassment Contact Officers
- Trade Union Support
- Lesbian Gay and Bisexual Network
- Disability Network
- Personnel Advisers.
Council Tax Bands (Properties)
Mr. Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many, and what percentage of, properties in each council tax band there are in (a) London, (b) Liverpool and (c) Birmingham. [138629]
22 Nov 2000 : Column: 180W
Ms Beverley Hughes: I have placed in the Library of the House a table showing the number and percentage of dwellings on 15 October 1999 that were in each council tax band in London, Liverpool and Birmingham.
Petrol Retailers
Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will establish a rate relief scheme for small independent petrol retailers in rural areas. [139104]
Ms Beverley Hughes: On 19 September, we published our Green Paper "Modernising Local Government Finance", in which we asked for views on whether the village shop rate relief scheme should be extended to certain rural petrol stations. This would provide 50 per cent. mandatory rate relief to singly owned petrol stations with rateable values below £6,000 that are located in designated rural settlements and provide a community facility or service which is not available elsewhere in the locality (for example, a cash machine or cashback facility) and up to 100 per cent. top-up relief. The consultation period ends on 8 December. We will make our decision on whether mandatory relief should be extended to rural petrol stations in light of responses to the Green Paper. All petrol stations with rateable values below £12,000 and located in qualifying rural settlements can already receive up to 100 per cent. discretionary relief if the local authority feels it is of benefit to the local community.
Energy Conservation
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 6 June 2000, Official Report, column 209W, on energy conservation, for what reason the improvements to Part L of the Building Regulations have not come into effect; and if he will make a statement. [139338]
Ms Beverley Hughes: In my answer of 6 June 2000, Official Report, column 209W, I said that our Part L proposals were to be published for public consultation shortly, and this happened on 15 June. The consultation period ended on 29 September and over 350 responses were received. The proposals are now being re-examined by my Department in conjunction with the Building Regulations Advisory Committee in the light of that excellent response.
River Wye
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the outcome of the recent public inquiry on access and navigation rights on the River Wye. [139278]
Mr. Mullin: The application made by the Environment Agency for an Order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 to confer on it powers to regulate navigation on the River Wye has raised complicated issues which require very careful consideration. Since the close of the inquiry we have continued to receive detailed representations from parties to the inquiry, including the Agency. Earlier this year, in the interests of proper administration, we made these representations available to others appearing at the inquiry so that they could comment on them. We are now considering the comments along with the Inspector's report of the inquiry.
22 Nov 2000 : Column: 181W
We will make a decision on the application as soon as possible. Before doing so, we will consult the National Assembly for Wales since the proposed Order would, if made, affect Wales as well as England.
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