---

18 Nov 2002 : Column 19W—continued

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Former Icelandic Water Trawlermen

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many refused claims for compensation for former Icelandic water trawlermen are awaiting (a) first appeal and (b) a decision by the independent adjudicator. [80118]

Nigel Griffiths: At present there are 248 claims awaiting a decision on initial queries against the decision of the Watford Office. There are 71 appeals awaiting the decision of the Independent Adjudicator.

18 Nov 2002 : Column 20W

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many appeals from former Icelandic water trawlermen have been dealt with by the independent adjudicator. [80119]

Nigel Griffiths: 366 appeals have been dealt with by the Independent Adjudicator.

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many refused claims for compensation for former Icelandic water trawlermen have been overturned (a) at first appeal and (b) by the independent adjudicator. [80121]

Nigel Griffiths: 414 queries against the decision of the Watford office have been allowed. Of these, 92 were because of the change in the rules concerning fishing after 1979. 36 appeals have been allowed by the Independent Adjudicator, a number of them because of the change in the scheme rules after the Watford Office considered them.

TRANSPORT

Air Transport Consultation

Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the ultimate recommendation for the future of Birmingham airport will be drawn from and confined to the three options set out in the Government's consultation document. [81072]

Mr. Jamieson: We are consulting on a range of development options throughout the midlands, including at Birmingham international airport. No decisions have yet been taken and no final view will be taken on any option until we have taken full account of the consultation responses.

The purpose of a proper consultation is to seek views from a wide range of stakeholders and, as part of their formal responses, different options may be brought forward. We would need to consider and assess the merits of any other option as a necessary part of the consultation process.

Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when answers will be given to written inquiries from members of the public regarding the air transport consultation process with particular reference to questions submitted to him in writing during the first week of October. [81073]

Mr. Jamieson: To date, we have received over 25,000 letters from the public on the midlands options alone. My officials are cataloguing each letter and drafting responses as quickly as practicable.

Buses

Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average age is of the UK bus fleet. [81030]

Mr. Spellar: The average age of the bus and coach fleet in Great Britain was 8.4 years in June 2002. The age profile of the GB fleet is published in the Department's quarterly Transport statistics bulletin bus quality indicators, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

18 Nov 2002 : Column 21W

Cyclists and Pedestrians

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have received hospital treatment in each of the last five years following collisions between cyclists and pedestrians. [80393]

Mr. Jamieson: Information is not available on the number of people who have received hospital treatment as a result of road accidents. The Department's statistics of road casualties identifies those who were Xseriously injured"—which includes those who were detained in hospital as an in-patient, as well as those who suffered a range of other injuries whether or not they were detained in hospital.

The number of people seriously injured in collisions between cyclists and pedestrians in Great Britain for each of the last five years is listed in the following table:

Year	Seriously injured
2001	57
2000	65
1999	75
1998	85
1997	90

Disabled People (Parking)

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when the review of the disabled persons' parking card scheme will be completed; and if he will make a statement; [80762]

(2) if he will publish the response and recommendations of the Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee to the Government's review of the disabled persons' parking card scheme. [80763]

Mr. Jamieson: We are currently finalising our response to the DPTAC recommendations. We aim to make a statement to the House shortly.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of parking enforcement notices were not paid due to inaccuracy of information provided by the DVLA in each of the last five years. [80806]

Mr. Jamieson: The information requested is held neither centrally nor by local government.

London Traffic

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of road in London have been closed to through traffic since 1997. [81029]

Mr. Spellar: Roads are closed to traffic, either temporarily or permanently, for a variety of reasons by the police or the local traffic authorities. There is no central record of such closures.

Road Safety Improvements

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of urban road have been given safety improvements since 1997. [81032]

18 Nov 2002 : Column 22W

Mr. Spellar: The information requested is not held centrally.

Strategic Rail Authority

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what review of the Strategic Rail Authority his Department has carried out which (a) was required under the terms of the Transport Act 2000 and (b) has been required by any subsequent changes to legislation. [81743]

Mr. Jamieson: None. It has been normal practice for an executive non-departmental public body to be reviewed every five years. The SRA assumed its full powers on 1 February 2001.

Train Safety Incidents

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list (a) the location and (b) the number of major train safety incidents in each year since 1992. [81006]

Mr. Jamieson: The Health and Safety Executive have provided the following list of major railway accidents since 1992. A major accident has been defined as those where either the Health and Safety Commission directed the Health and Safety Executive to produce a special report or where the Commission (with the consent of the Secretary of State) directed a public inquiry.

Date	Location
15 October 1994	Cowden
31 January 1995	Ais Gill
8 March 1990	Rickerscote
8 August 1996	Watford Junction
4 February 1997	Bexley
19 September 1997	Southall
5 October 1999	Ladbroke Grove
17 October 2000	Hatfield
28 February 2001	Great Heck
10 May 2002	Potters Bar

Comprehensive railway safety data and analysis can also be found in the Chief Inspector of Railways Annual Reports on Railway Safety, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

TREASURY

Annuities

Phil Sawford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government has taken to ensure that consumers who are considering buying an annuity have clear information about all the options available to them. [80420]

Ruth Kelly: Since 1 September annuity firms have been required, by Financial Services Authority (FSA) rules, to draw to the attention of their customers their right to exercise the Xopen market option", that is to say to shop around among annuity providers.

18 Nov 2002 : Column 23W

The FSA has at the same time introduced a fact sheet for distribution by firms that explains the importance of choosing the right type of annuity and shopping around for good value, and provides help with exercising those choices.

This fact sheet also draws attention to other FSA fact sheets and guides for those approaching retirement and contemplating the purchase of an annuity.

Equitable Life

Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the Penrose report into Equitable Life. [80925]

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Colchester (Mr. Russell) on 15 October 2002, Official Report, column 608W.

Musical Instruments

Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he estimates will be raised in the current financial year from the levying of value-added tax on musical instruments. [80756]

John Healey: The lack of reliable data means it is not possible to estimate accurately the revenue from the levying of VAT on musical instruments.

---