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23 Jan 2003 : Column 509W—continued

Container Ports

Dr. Julian Lewis To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of likely container port capacity at existing container ports over the next (a) five years, (b) 10 years, and (c) 15 years. [91697]

Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Southampton Test (Dr. Whitehead) on 3 December 2002, Official Report, columns 661–62W. The paper, "Recent Developments at UK Container Ports", mentioned in that answer, explains why the Department has not made national forecasts on container capacity. Likely capacity depends partly on future decisions on planning applications for port developments.

Correspondence

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 2 December from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. G. Sherriff. [92286]

Mr. Spellar: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 11 December 2002.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham, Ref.83261. [92585]

Mr. Jamieson: I have answered question ref. 83261 on 28 November 2002 and it was printed on 3 December 2002, Official Report, column 666W.

Disability Discrimination Act

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 on the transport sector, with particular reference to the rail sector. [91757]

Mr. Jamieson: Before accessibility regulations were implemented for new trains, buses and coaches under the Disability Discrimination Act, we published full assessments of the costs to industry of compliance with the regulations. These assessments were made on the basis of extensive and detailed consultation with manufacturers and operators. Since implementation, we have continued to maintain a close dialogue with industry, as well as with disabled people, to ensure the regulations are working effectively.

Heathrow

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Heathrow (Runway Alternations) 6 am to 7 am trial will conclude. [92125]

Mr. Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 9 January 2003, Official Report, column 290W. It is not possible at this stage to forecast when the trial will conclude.

23 Jan 2003 : Column 510W

Illegal Minicabs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham on 7 January, Official Report, column 102W, on illegal minicabs what funding has been allocated to local enforcement authorities to publicise the undesirability of using unlicensed minicabs. [92586]

Mr. Jamieson: My answer on 7 January made clear that the enforcement of illegal minicabs is a matter for local enforcement authorities and the police. It is for them to decide whether they wish to spend any of their budget on publicising the undesirability of using unlicensed minicabs.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas Vehicles

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with interested organisations on how to encourage more LPG fuelled vehicles. [92061]

Mr. Jamieson: My Department has regular discussions with organisations representing the LPG industry. The DfT have met with: vehicles manufacturers; fuel suppliers; the Energy Saving Trust, who manage the PowerShift programme, and the LP Gas Association.

These discussions centre on how to bring high quality LPG vehicles to market, looking at what measures can help to remove market barriers and ensuring that there is a nation-wide LPG refuelling infrastructure.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to increase the number of LPG outlets in and around London. [92062]

Mr. Jamieson: There are now over 1,100 LPG refuelling outlets, giving good coverage across the UK, including the London area. The Government has supported the general development of the LPG market through fiscal measures including favourable duty rates, grants towards the premium cost of LPG vehicles and discounts for alternatively fuelled vehicles under the new Vehicle Excise Duty and company car tax regimes.

In addition Planning Policy Guidance note 13, indicates that local authorities "should look favourably at proposals" to provide LPG and other alternative fuel infrastructure, "in order to deliver wider environmental objectives".

London (Transport Access)

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of the population of the United Kingdom living within an area which can access London SW1 by (a) public and (b) private transport by (i) 9.15 am and (ii) 11.30 am without starting their journey earlier than 6.00 am. [92642]

Mr. Jamieson: No such estimate has been made.

23 Jan 2003 : Column 511W

London Underground

Harry Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many attributable delays of 15 minutes or more there were on each London underground line in each year since 2000. [91067]

Mr. Jamieson: This is an operational matter for London underground. However, they have provided the information in the table showing by line, for financial years since 2000–01, the number of attributable delays of at least fifteen minutes that were within London underground's control.

London underground: Number of train delays of at least 15 minutes by line

Line	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03(26)
Bakerloo	249	253	205
Central	376	378	172
District	303	431	286
Jubilee	176	227	121
East London	93	84	64
Northern	136	142	116
Piccadilly	189	248	183
Victoria	68	112	77
Metropolitan	351	444	328
Circle and Hammersmith	239	219	157
Waterloo and City	20	30	40
Total	2,200	2,568	1,749

⁽²⁶⁾ To 7 December 2002

The increase in delays between 2000–01 and 2001–02 is primarily a consequence of problems with aging assets, especially signalling, including a major problem on the Metropolitan line during 2001. This emphasises the urgent need for the major investment and renewal which our tube modernisation plans will deliver.

Marine Casualty Officers

Mr. Sanders : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many marine casualty officers are employed to work within UK waters. [91768]

Mr. Jamieson: There are 10 marine casualty officers in the United Kingdom under the employment of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Motorway Services (M65)

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by whom the decision was made to name the services at junction 4 of the M65 motorway The Blackburn Services; and who was consulted before the decision was taken. [91934]

Mr. Jamieson: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from T. Matthews to Ms Janet Anderson, dated 23 January 2003:

I have been asked by David Jamieson to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the naming of the Motorway Services at Junction 4 of the M65 in Lancashire.


The developer of this service area initiated the name "The Blackburn Services".


The development was submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council for planning approval. When considering planning applications, the Council is required to undertake

23 Jan 2003 : Column 512W

consultations with a standard list of consultees, which in the case of a proposed motorway service area includes the Highways Agency. When consulted, our considered view was that the proposed facility was in the interests of road users, and we therefore made no objection to the proposal. Once these consultations, required by the planning process, are complete, there is no requirement to consult further.


The Highways Agency would only have intervened in the naming of these services if we considered that road safety could have been compromised by the provision of misleading or confusing information on our road signs.


If you would like any further information about this matter, you may wish to contact the Agency's Route Manager for this section of the M65, Roy Wood, at Sunley Tower, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester, Ml 4BE (Tel [phone]).

Oil and Chemical Spills

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what specific funding is available to coastal local authorities for counter-pollution measures and clean-up operations for (a) oil, (b) diesel and (c) other spillages at sea; [91599]

(2) what steps he has taken to train local authority staff and staff of other interested organisations, in the management, containment and clearance of oil, chemical and diesel spillages at sea. [91598]

Mr. Jamieson [pursuant to his answer, 20 January 2003, Official Report, c. 36–37W]: In the last 24 months the MCA have trained over 150 people on the Oil Pollution, Contingency Planning and Response courses. The MCA will also run courses in Inverclyde, North East Scotland, North Devon, Humberside, the Isle of Wight and Dorset before April 2003.

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