---

Disclosure of Interests

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what rules apply to the disclosure of interests on the part of those serving on public bodies which are responsible to his Department. [56455]

Ms Keeble: All advisory and executive non-departmental public bodies are required to adopt a board members' code, based on guidance produced by the Cabinet Office, and they should have registers of interests. The definition of interests is ultimately for individual Departments since they are best placed to decide what might be thought to influence members of their NDPBs.

The following table lists the NDPBs sponsored by this Department and in each case indicates what the relevant code of practice is and where it is available.

NDPB	Code of practice	Availability
Advisory Panel on Standards in the Planning Inspectorate	Does not yet have a code of practice
Audit Commission	The Code of Conduct for Commissioners, which is part of The Commissioners' Handbook.	By appointment at the Audit Commission, 1 Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PN
Building Regulations Advisory Committee	Members' handbook and register of interests	By appointment at Zone 3/C2, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU
Commission for Integrated Transport	Uses the Cabinet Office's standard code of practice	The register of interests is published in CfIT's annual report and is available on request.
Community Forum	This body was established in January 2002, the code of conduct has not yet been finalised. A register of members' interests will be included in the annual report.	When agreed it will be published on the Community Forum website www.neighbourhood.gov.uk or available from the Community Forum Secretariat, Zone 3/A5, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU.
Civil Aviation Authority	Although the CAA has no formal register of interests, under Paragraph 10, schedule 1 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982, board members are obliged to disclose their interests, and provide this information when requested. The Secretary of State must satisfy himself that members have no prejudicial interests.
Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee	Code of practice for members in existence. Register of interests being developed.	Available on request
English Partnerships	Code of practice	www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/pdf/codesofpractice.pdf
Health and Safety Commission	Code of practice, including conflicts of interest for board members.	Available on request from the Commission
Housing Action Trusts	Code of conduct and register of board members' interests.	Available on request from the Trusts
Housing Corporation	Code of best practice for board members of the Housing Corporation.	www.housingcorp.gsx.gov.uk
Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England	Code of practice	www.statistics.gov.uk./pbc
Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales	Code of practice currently not available as the Commission are moving their website.	From 1 July, the website will be hosted by the National Assembly for Wales, where the code of practice will be available for viewing.
Property Advisory Group	Code of practice and public register of interests	On request via the Secretariat, Zone 3/G10, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU.
Northern Lighthouse Board	Code of best practice for board members which includes a commitment to the Principles of Standards of Public Life.	On request from Director of Finance and Administration, Northern Lighthouse Board, 84 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3DA.
Rent Assessment Panels	Guidance to members on conflicts of interest and a register of interest.	Available on request from RAPCU, Whittington House, 19–30 Alfred Place, London, WC1E 7LR. Parties to cases being dealt with by RAPs are advised of the existence of the register and how it may be inspected.
Standards Board for England	Code of conduct	www.standardsboard.co.uk/board/membersCodeOfConduct
Strategic Rail Authority	Code of conduct currently being prepared, to be formally in place this summer. A register of interests is maintained.	On request from SRA, 55 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 0EU
Traffic Area Networks	No code of conduct or register of interests maintained.
Trinity House Lighthouse Service	Code of best practice for board members which includes a commitment to the Principles of Standards of Public Life.	On request from Director of Administration, Trinity House Lighthouse Service, Tower Hill, London, EC3N 4DH

20 May 2002 : Column 125W

Sick Leave

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many days of sick leave were taken by employees in local government in the last year for which records are available; and what the cost was. [56071]

Dr. Whitehead: Findings from research carried out by the Employers' Organisation research indicates that the number of days' sick leave taken by local government employees in England for the year April 2000 until March 2001 was approximately 15.9 million—an average of 9.6 days per employee.

The total number of employees in English local authorities (excluding teachers) was estimated in 2001 by the Employers' Organisation as being 1,654,925. A CBI/PPP healthcare survey also for 2001 suggested that sick absence costs the public sector an average £518 per employee per annum. From these surveys the total cost of sick leave taken by employees in local government can be estimated at approximately £857 million.

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many days of sick leave were taken by employees in his Department in the last year for which records are available; what proportion of those were due to work-related illness or injury; and what the cost was to the Department. [56068]

Dr. Whitehead: The most recent figures published in the Cabinet Office "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service" are for the calendar year 2000. For the "Environment and Transport Group", the average working days' absence per staff-year was 9.0 days compared with a civil service average of 9.9 days. The total number of days lost were 142,853. DTLR is committed to meeting

20 May 2002 : Column 126W

the target for reducing the number of working days lost due to sick absence in its service delivery agreement by 30 per cent. based on a 1998 baseline by the end of 2003. The Department does not have details of the days lost and associated costs for work-related illness and injury.

Coastguard (Lyme Bay)

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has for the coastguard helicopter serving Lyme Bay in Dorset; and if he will make a statement. [57234]

Mr. Jamieson: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is currently in discussions with contractors and other organisations about the future helicopter provision for the Lyme Bay area. No firm decisions have yet been taken.

Rural Transport (Cumbria)

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what improvements have been made to rural transport in Cumbria to increase access to health services. [57000]

Ms Keeble: Government funding has enabled Cumbria county council to increase the frequency of many rural bus routes facilitating access to health services. Recent community transport enhancements include:

Wigton town service


Cumbria Plusbus (Kirkby Stephen area)


Rural fells project (Caldbeck)


Community buses (brokerage schemes)


Voluntary social car schemes


Rural wheels—an innovative demand responsive service. Pilot being developed in South Cumbria using smartcard technology.

20 May 2002 : Column 127W

Enhancements to conventional bus services include:

Service X35 (Kendal—Barrow) provides access to both Westmorland hospital in Kendal and Furness general in Barrow.


Service 59 (West Cumbria to West Cumberland hospital) dial-a-ride service for evening visiting.


Service 58 (Maryport—Cockermouth) will be extended shortly to serve the health centre in Maryport; already serves Cockermouth hospital.


Service X12 (Coniston—Ulverston) will extend on request to the hospital/health centre in Ulverston.

Train Traffic (Scotland)

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what percentage of the train traffic on the (a) Kilmarnock to Dumfries and (b) Dumfries to Carlisle railway lines was (i) passenger and (ii) freight in the last 12 months; [54819]

(2) what percentage level of capacity the Kilmarnock to Dumfries railway line has operated in the last 12 months. [54821]

Mr. Jamieson: I understand that current weekday train traffic in each direction is as follows:

Rail line	Passenger trains	Freight trains
Kilmarnock to Dumfries	10	10
Dumfries to Carlisle	13	10

Over the last year, according to demand, up to 15 or 20 freight services per weekday have operated in each direction over each line. When the maximum number of freight services operate, the Kilmarnock to Dumfries line is operating to its maximum practical capacity.

---