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Smuggling
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many scanners to detect tobacco smuggling in freight containers are deployed by HM Customs and Excise; at which ports the scanners are located; and if he will make a statement. [9042]
Mr. Boateng: Customs have seven scanners in operation, another three will come into operation soon and a procurement exercise is in process to obtain more. It is Customs policy not to provide details of precise operational deployment. All Customs scanners are mobile and are deployed flexibly throughout the UK to ensure Customs can react to, and tackle, the smuggling threat as it changes.
Revenue Evasion
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total United Kingdom revenue evasion prevented by HM Customs and Excise was in 2000–01. [9179]
Mr. Boateng: The total United Kingdom revenue evasion prevented by HM Customs and Excise in 2000–01 will be published in the Department's annual report that will be laid before Parliament in due course.
Savings Ratio
Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the savings ratio has been for each quarter since May 1992; [9751]
- (2) what the savings ratio has been among families in the lowest income quintile in each year since May 1997. [9747]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. Howard Flight, dated 25 October 2001:
- The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent questions on the savings ratio among families in the lowest income quintile in each year since May 1997, and the overall household savings ratio for each quarter since May 1992 (9747, 9751). I am replying in his absence.
- The only data available on household expenditure and income by gross income for the lowest income quintile group are those collected in the Family Expenditure Survey and published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in "Family Spending". However, these data are not on a comparable basis to the National Accounts definition of expenditure and income.
- The information for overall household savings ratios for each quarter since 1992 is available as part of the output of the quarterly National Accounts and is published quarterly in the ONS' First Release, "Quarterly National Accounts". The series is held on the ONS database, using the four digit code NRJS. All sources are available in the House of Commons library.
TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND
THE REGIONS
Signals Passed at Danger
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he
25 Oct 2001 : Column: 381W
will publish the location of the five signals most often passed at danger in the last year for which figures are available. [7449]
Mr. Jamieson: The details of all signals passed at danger (SPADs) are contained in the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) monthly SPAD reports, copies of which are placed in the House Library and are also available on HSE's website at www.house.gov.uk/ railway/spad/index.htm.
Unadopted Alleyways
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if he will introduce targets for the condition and safety of unadopted alleyways; and if he will make a statement; [7383]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the number of unadopted alleyways in the United Kingdom; [7380]
(3) what plans he has to facilitate the improvement of unadopted alleyways; and if he will make a statement; [7385]
(4) if he will introduce standards and targets to encourage the adoption of unadopted alleyways; and if he will make a statement. [7384]
Ms Keeble: Recent figures are not available for the number of unadopted streets or alleyways. In 1972 there were some 40,000 private streets throughout the country.
Whether or not a street should be adopted is a matter for individual local authorities. They have the power to adopt such streets and to contribute towards the cost of making them up to an adoptable standard, where they deem that to be appropriate. An authority can also carry out urgent repairs to unadopted areas to prevent or remove danger to persons or vehicles, using powers conferred on them by section 230 of the Highways Act 1980, but without necessarily committing themselves to adoption. Any decision about whether to carry out urgent repairs is for the authority to make.
Transport Journeys
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in each year since 1995, in each region and nation of the UK, what the percentage change in the number of journeys undertaken by (a) car, (b) train, (c) bus, (d) light railways, (e) trams, (f) underground and (g) other forms of transport was; what estimates he has made of trends in journeys undertaken by each category until (i) 2010, (ii) 2020 and (iii) 2030; and if he will make a statement. [6949]
Mr. Jamieson: Figures for Great Britain are set out in the tables. Information is not available for all modes in the format requested. However, some greater detail for bus, rail, underground and light rail can be found in Transport Statistics Great Britain 2001 in the Library.
| Great Britain trips (million) | Percentage change | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 35,500 | — |
| 1995 | 35,000 | 0 |
| 1996 | 36,500 | 3 |
| 1997 | 37,100 | 2 |
| 1998 | 37,200 | 0 |
| 1999 | 37,000 | 0 |
| 2000 | 36,600 | -1 |
Source:
National Travel Survey
25 Oct 2001 : Column: 382W
| Great Britain passenger journeys (million) | Percentage change | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 735 | — |
| 1995–96 | 761 | 4 |
| 1996–97 | 801 | 5 |
| 1997–98 | 846 | 6 |
| 1998–99 | 892 | 5 |
| 1999–2000 | 931 | 4 |
| 2000–01 | 957 | 3 |
Source:
Strategic Rail Authority
| Great Britain passenger journeys (million) | Percentage change | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 4,420 | — |
| 1995–96 | 4,383 | -1 |
| 1996–97 | 4,350 | -1 |
| 1997–98 | 4,330 | 0 |
| 1998–99 | 4,248 | -2 |
| 1999–2000 | 4,279 | 1 |
| 2000–01 | (22)4,314 | 1 |
(22) Provisional
Source:
DTLR annual survey of PSV operators
| Great Britain passenger journeys (million) | Percentage change | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 63.2 | — |
| 1995–96 | 67.8 | 7 |
| 1996–97 | 73.3 | 8 |
| 1997–98 | 79 | 8 |
| 1998–99 | 85 | 8 |
| 1999–2000 | 93.9 | 10 |
| 2000–01 | 119.5 | 27 |
Source:
DTLR survey of light rail operators
| Great Britain passenger journeys (million) | Percentage change | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 778.7 | — |
| 1995–96 | 798.3 | 3 |
| 1996–97 | 785.7 | -2 |
| 1997–98 | 846.1 | 8 |
| 1998–99 | 880.6 | 4 |
| 1999–2000 | 941.7 | 7 |
| 2000–01 | 984.4 | 5 |
Source:
London Underground, Strathclyde PTE
25 Oct 2001 : Column: 383W
| Great Britain trips (million) | Percentage change | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 20,400 | — |
| 1995 | 19,500 | -4 |
| 1996 | 19,100 | -3 |
| 1997 | 18,900 | -1 |
| 1998 | 18,900 | -0 |
| 1999 | 18,200 | -4 |
| 2000 | 17,400 | -5 |
Source:
National Travel Survey
Central Railway
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) when he will make a statement on the Central Railway proposal; [8332]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the specific recommendations made to Ministers by the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the Central Railway proposal. [8836]
Mr. Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority has carried out, with the help of consultants, a high level review into Central Railway's proposals and has forwarded its report to my Department. The Government will take a view on the issues raised by the report and respond to Central Railway in due course.
All-Wales Rail Franchise
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the timetable is for the establishment of a single all-Wales rail franchise; and if he will make a statement. [8643]
Mr. Jamieson: An announcement will be made in due course.
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the Government's policy is on the establishment of a single all-Wales rail franchise; and if he will make a statement. [8644]
Mr. Jamieson: The draft Policy Statement on Passenger Rail Franchising issued on 16 July recognises that different approaches will be necessary to achieve the benefits we are looking for from different franchises.
The Strategic Rail Authority has proposed the creation of a single franchise for Wales. It is considering this alongside the other options for delivering benefits to rail passengers on Welsh routes.
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effect of Railtrack's financial problems on the establishment of a single all-Wales rail franchise; and if he will make a statement. [8642]
Mr. Jamieson: We would not expect the establishment of a Welsh franchise to be affected by the High Court's decision to place Railtrack plc in railway administration.
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