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Bus Vehicle Inspectors
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many bus vehicle inspectors are in post in each traffic region. [152002]
Mr. Hill: The Vehicle Examiners and Traffic Examiners employed by the Vehicle Inspectorate check Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), Passenger Service Vehicles (PSVs) and other road vehicles for roadworthiness, emissions and compliance with drivers' hours and other traffic legislation. Vehicle Examiners also carry out standards control checks
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at MOT testing stations and support the Traffic Commissioners in their operator licensing functions. The total number of Vehicle Examiners and Traffic Examiners
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in post in each Enforcement Group Area in 1999-2000 and the equivalent resource deployed on PSVs are shown in the table.
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| Enforcement Group | Number of Vehicle Examiners (VE) | Number of Traffic Examiners (TE) | VE resource deployed on PSV work | TE resource deployed on PSV work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish | 26 | 17 | 2.0 | 1.7 |
| North Eastern | 48 | 29 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
| North Western(24) | 42 | 25 | 2.9 | 2.7 |
| West Midlands | 26 | 17 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| South Wales | 14 | 9 | 1.4 | 0.8 |
| Eastern | 41 | 28 | 2.6 | 2.4 |
| South Eastern and Metropolitan | 39 | 29 | 2.3 | 3.4 |
| Western | 40 | 21 | 2.2 | 2.4 |
| Total | 276 | 175 | 18.1 | 17.9 |
(24) Including North Wales
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Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many buses were inspected by bus vehicle inspectors in the West Midlands Traffic Commission area in the (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01 financial year to date; and how many were found to be defective in each year. [151999]
Mr. Hill: Vehicle Examiners (VEs) and Traffic Examiners (TEs) employed by the Vehicle Inspectorate check buses and coaches at the roadside and at operators' premises for roadworthiness, emissions, weight and compliance with drivers' hours and other traffic legislation. Where serious defects are found, or offences detected, an immediate or delayed prohibition notice may be issued and the offence may be reported for prosecution. The tables show the number of passenger service vehicles checked in the West Midlands Traffic Area and the enforcement action taken in 1999-2000 and in the half year to the end of September 2000.
| Spot and fleet checks | Emission checks | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of vehicles examined | ||
| 1999-2000 | 2,634 | -- |
| Half year 2000-01 | 1,068 | -- |
| Spot check prohibitions | ||
| 1999-2000 | ||
| Number of checks | 2,195 | 664 |
| Percentage | 10.3 | 0.6 |
| Half year 2000-01 | ||
| Number of checks | 880 | 143 |
| Percentage | 14.1 | 1.4 |
| Fleet check prohibitions | ||
| 1999-2000 | ||
| Number of checks | 439 | -- |
| Percentage | 11.8 | -- |
| Half year 2000-01 | ||
| Number of checks | 188 | -- |
| Percentage | 4.8 | -- |
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| 1999-2000 | Half year 2000-01 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Foreign | UK | Foreign | |
| Number examined (inc. number weighed) | 1,822 | 71 | 933 | 68 |
| Number weighed | 85 | 0 | 47 | 2 |
| Offences found and action taken: | ||||
| Drivers' hours tachographs and records | ||||
| Report for prosecution | 60 | -- | 149 | -- |
| Convicted | 52 | -- | 148 | -- |
| Prohibited (foreign only) | -- | 0 | -- | 2 |
| Overloading | ||||
| Prohibited | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | ||||
| Report for prosecution | 9 | -- | 23 | -- |
| Convicted | 8 | -- | 10 | -- |
GM Crop Trials
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will advise the removal of flower heads from the winter and spring trials as a precautionary measure in line with the advice from the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Stretford and Urmston (Ms Hughes), in a Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions press release of 23 August 2000. [151539]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 1 March 2001]: The News Release of 23 August 2000 set out the arrangements for the farm-scale evaluations of autumn oilseed rape. It recognised that the review of separation distances for GM crops published by MAFF earlier that month had highlighted that increased separation distances might be required for certain types of oilseed rape. As an interim measure the News Release announced 100 m separation distances for varietal association oilseed rape pending full consideration of the NIAB report. If as a result the separation distances turned out to be greater than 100 m, consideration would be given to other risk reduction measures such as removal of flower heads from the rape plants to prevent pollen dispersal.
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MAFF announced the outcome of their review and the distances to be applied to future rounds of the farm-scale evaluations on 6 February 2001, Official Report, column 492W. As a result, the Government have asked the agriculture and farming industry body SCIMAC to incorporate two changes into their revised code of practice on GM crops. The first is to continue to apply the 100 m separation distance used at the autumn sown sites where varietal association oilseed rape was nearby, as mentioned in the 23 August press release. The second is an increased distance of 80 m for maize crops. This is intended to ensure that contamination of neighbouring crops does not exceed 1 per cent.
The MAFF announcement means that it is not necessary to remove the flower heads from the GM oilseed rape fields presently growing or planned for this spring where they are near conventional crops of varietal association oilseed rape. There are no maize or beet sites presently being grown. The new separation distance for maize crops will be implemented at all of the spring 2001 sites, when they are sown later in the year.
Local Authority Reserves
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those local authorities which have been advised by the Audit Commission to increase their reserves in each of the past three years. [152142]
Ms Beverley Hughes: It is the responsibility of the independent auditors appointed by the Audit Commission to consider the financial practices of authorities and to comment direct to an authority where they identify any matter which gives any cause for concern. This may include the level of an authority's reserves. The Audit Commission does not advise authorities on the level of reserves nor does it keep any central record of the recommendations of individual auditors.
National Air Traffic Services
Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those who have responded to the three-month consultation on the NATS PPP; when the consultation period will end; and when he plans to announce his decision. [152377]
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: The Government undertook to hold further discussions about the public-private partnership for National Air Traffic Services during a period of three months from the date of Royal Assent to the Transport Act 2000. Royal Assent was given on 30 November, so the discussion period ended on 28 February. A report will be made to Parliament shortly.
During the three-month period, my colleagues and I had meetings with, or received written representations from, the following organisations:
- Air 2000
Air Transport Users Council
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
Airport Operators Association
Association of British Travel Agents Ltd.
Aviation Environment Federation
BAA plc
Birmingham International Airport Ltd.
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Board of Airline Representatives in the UK
British Air Transport Association
- British Airline Pilots Association
British Helicopter Advisory Board
Civil Aviation Authority
Civil Aviation Authority Retired Staff Association
Federation of the Electronics Industry
Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee
General Aviation Manufacturers and Traders Association
Guild of Air Traffic Control Officers
Heathrow Airport Consultative Committee
Independent Pilots Association
International Air Carrier Association
International Air Transport Association
International Civil Aviation Organisation
Institute of Directors
Institute of Logistics and Transport
Institution of Professionals, Managers and Specialists
London Luton Airport Consultative Committee
Manchester Airport plc
National Air Traffic Services Ltd.
- Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety
- Popular Flying Association
Public and Commercial Services Union
Royal Aeronautical Society
- Society of British Aerospace Companies Ltd.
Strategic Aviation Special Interest Group of the Local Government Association
Trustees of the Civil Aviation Authority Pension Scheme.
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