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Road Safety
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what further steps he proposes to take to ensure that road safety targets for 2010 are met; to what extent the most recent road safety statistics are in line with current targets. [59603]
Mr. Jamieson: The Government's strategy for achieving its casualty reduction targets for 2010 was set out in Tomorrow's roads—safer for everyone published in March 2000. We publish quarterly progress reports on the department's website.
There were 41,564 road deaths and serious injuries in Great Britain in 2000—the latest figure currently available. This was 2 per cent down on the figure for 1999 and represented a 13 per cent reduction against the average for 1994 to 1998 which is the baseline for the 40 per cent reduction that we want to achieve by 2010.
There were 5,202 child road deaths and serious injuries. This was 9 per cent down on the figure for 1999 and a 24 per cent reduction against the 1994–1998 baseline for the 50 per cent reduction we want to achieve by 2010.
Parliamentary Questions
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he
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will reply to the Questions from the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham Ref. 42127 tabled on 6 March and Ref. 47381 tabled on 10 April. [59548]
Ms Keeble: I answered Question Ref. 42217 (not 42127 as stated in the text of this question) on Monday 11 March, Official Report, column 753W.
I understand Question Ref. 47381 was tabled to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and is not therefore a matter for my Department.
Regional Government
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what future role (a) regional development agencies and (b) Government offices for specific regions will play in areas that introduce elected regional assemblies. [59551]
Mr. Raynsford: Chapter 4 of the White Paper Your Region, Your Choice (Cm 5511) sets out the role of elected regional assemblies in relation to Regional Development Agencies and some functions currently discharged by the Government Offices. Chapter 8 of the White Paper describes the continuing role of the Government Offices.
Best Value Audits
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the cost of complying with best value auditing requirements on councils (a) in England and (b) each council in England. [59437]
Dr. Whitehead: In 2001, the most recent year for which figures are available, the total cost of undertaking Best Value Performance Plan audits was £11.45 million. The average cost to councils, by type, was:
Supporting People Partnership
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the cost is of the Supporting People Partnership (a) nationally and (b) in West Sussex. [59588]
Ms Keeble: The Government allocated £25 million in 2001/02 and £48 million in 2002/03 to implement the Supporting People programme. Implementation grants to West Sussex, including its district authorities, total about £222,000 and £456,000 in the same years.
Multi-modal Studies
Phil Hope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to provide guidance to regional planning bodies on their consideration of multi-modal studies. [60379]
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Mr. Byers: I have today written to the Chair of each Regional Planning Body in the following terms.
I am writing about two issues relating to the handling of decisions on the recommended strategies which are now being produced by the multi-modal studies. These are the assumptions to be made about the possible future introduction of road user charging and the timetable for the submission to Ministers of RPB advice on study recommendations.
I know that a number of multi-modal studies have been looking at the possible effects of distance based user charging on the inter-urban road network. As we set out in the 10 Year Plan for Transport, no decision on the role of charging in reducing congestion on the inter-urban network has been taken. As a practical matter, the hurdles involved in developing and testing the technology necessary to implement inter-urban road charging for cars and introducing it to 26 million private cars mean that it is extremely unlikely to be possible to introduce it before the end of this decade. This will also allow time to build experience with the distance charging system and associated technology for lorries. And it will provide time to continue the improvements in transport facilities and public transport for which the 10-year plan provides.
Given the practical considerations, we do not believe that a system of road user charging for cars could be introduced this decade; accordingly the Government has no plans to do so. However, this is a subject where further work and research is needed and we will revisit it when sufficient progress has been made in clarifying the technical and practical issues involved. In the meantime, we note the arguments put forward by the Commission for Integrated Transport, RAC and others in favour of inter-urban charging, and others against, and are listening to the debate.
As a consequence, the study recommendations should build in flexibility as to what should be done now given that we do not believe that a system of road user charging for cars could be introduced this decade and that no decisions have been made about the longer term introduction of road user charging. My Department will be re-emphasising this to the study teams.
On the second issue, we have always recognised that before the Government takes decisions on the recommendations from the multi-modal studies it is important to have advice from Regional Planning Bodies on the way in which the recommendations fit with, and will contribute to, the Regional Transport Strategy and Regional Planning Guidance.
However, it is also important to recognise that the studies have taken up to two years to produce their recommendations; that they have addressed the key issues in considerable detail in close consultation with local and regional interests; and that the Regional Planning Bodies have been represented on the study steering groups. This being the case, I believe that it is essential that we make decisions on the study recommendations, and start to resolve the problems on the transport network, as quickly as possible.
I understand that, in the case of a number of studies, the Regional Planning Bodies are planning to take as long as six months to consider the study recommendations and submit advice to the Government. Since the Planning Bodies will have developed a good understanding of the key issues during the study process, I am not convinced that it is necessary to take this length of time to produce sound advice. I should therefore be grateful if, from now on, Regional Planning Bodies could normally aim to provide advice to Government within three months of receiving each study's recommendations. I realise that in some cases this may necessitate re-timing meetings of the full RPB. Nevertheless, given the need to maintain momentum in delivering the 10 Year Plan for Transport, I must ask you to do this where it is necessary to meet the three month deadline.
Constructionline
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will
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make a statement about the Consultation document "Accelerating Change"; what role Constructionline will play in public sector tendering; when Constructionline was formed; what percentage of public sector tenders were vetted by this company in each of the last three years; how many are expected in each of the next three years; what financial sanctions will be imposed on those public sector bodies that do not use Constructionline; and what investigations he has carried out into the cost effectiveness of alternative companies to Constructionline. [57252]
Mr. Wilson: I have been asked to reply.
I welcome the efforts of the Strategic Forum for Construction, which launched the Accelerating Change consultation document on 22 April. It is important that Rethinking Construction principles are adopted deeply and widely throughout the industry and among its clients. The challenge for the Forum, with support from DTI, is to ensure the final document secures widespread commitment to deliver change.
Constructionline saves its clients (and registered firms) the bureaucracy and time otherwise required to process information about construction firms' underlying capacity and capability to undertake the types of work for which they offer themselves. Constructionline was formed in 1998. It does not vet tenders—it addresses pre-tender enquiries. It is a voluntary service free to clients. Constructionline is owned by government and operated by a private sector partner following a tendering exercise.
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