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29 Jan 2003 : Column 930W—continued

Rail Crime

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many crimes have been committed against passengers on British Rail lines in the past five years. [93825]

Mr. Jamieson: The British Transport Police (BTP) have provided me with the following information.

	2001–02	2000–01	1999–2000	1998–99
Violent Crime	4,737	4,726	4,652	4,084
Sexual Offences	718	647	751	789
Theft of passenger property	16,918	15,194	14,661	12,725
Robbery	2,625	2,109	1,813	1,612
Public Disorder Offences	1,712	1,585	1,691	1,796
Motor vehicle/cycle offences	13,197	13,044	13.460	14,895
Total	39,907	37,305	37,028	35,901

These figures are for offences reported to the BTP for the rail network that they police, less London Underground. The figures for 1997–98 were recorded using different Home Office rules that would not be comparable with the figures for subsequent years.

Road Deaths

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) people (b) children under 15 and (c) cyclists were killed on Britain's roads in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [93096]

Mr. Jamieson: The table shows the number of fatalities in the All, Child (0–14) and Cyclist categories in each year since 1992.

Road accident fatalities: GB 1992–2001

Casualties
	All	Child	Cyclists
1992	4,229	268	204
1993	3,814	270	186
1994	3,650	265	172
1995	3,621	230	213
1996	3,598	211	203
1997	3,599	228	183
1998	3,421	179	158
1999	3,423	196	172
2000	3,409	162	127
2001	3,450	185	138

⁽⁴⁶⁾ Fatalities aged 0–14.

During the period 1992–2001 there has been a steady downward trend in the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads. This has been achieved despite an increase in road traffic (including pedal cycles) since 1992 of 15 per cent.

Road Quietening

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the road quietening schemes that are being examined by his Department in Hull and the East Riding. [93821]

Mr. Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the right hon. Member.

Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. David Davis, dated 29 January 2003:

I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson, 10 reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for a list of road quietening schemes that are being examined by his Department in Hull and the East Riding.

The Highways Agency is working to achieve the Government's commitment to deliver the target of resurfacing 60% of the trunk road and motorway network with low noise surfacing by 2011. This includes resurfacing all concrete roads. Within Hull and the East Riding there are two sections of concrete roads, both on the M62 Motorway, between Gilberdyke and Newport, and Balkholme and Gilberdyke. Some preliminary design work has been undertaken on schemes for these sections of road. There is also a section of concrete carriageway on the Ml8 Motorway between Junctions 6 and 7, which falls partly within the East Riding. The timing of resurfacing work will depend on when road maintenance is required.

In addition, the Agency regularly reviews the trunk road and motorway network to identify the need for maintenance. At present, we envisage undertaking the following maintenance schemes within the next four years and will be considering the use of quieter surfaces:

M62

Junction 35 to Langham

A63

M62 to South Cave

South Cave to Welton

Western Interchange to Brighton Street

I hope this is helpful. If you would like any further information you may wish to contact the Agency's Area Manager for Hull and the East Riding, Mick Spink, on 0113 283 5397, or you can email him at [e-mail]

29 Jan 2003 : Column 931W

Thames Valley Multi-modal Study

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the annual capital sums are which are planned within the budget for transport over 10 years announced in the Thames Valley multi-modal study. [93612]

Mr. Spellar: The capital measures recommended by the Thames Valley Multi-Modal Study have been estimated by the consultants to cost £1.1 billion over an implementation period to 2018. Subject to the Government's response to the recommendations, the annual capital costs will depend on decisions about the phasing and construction of recommended schemes.

Train Franchises

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many train franchises were (a) renewed and (b) let in the last year; and what the average duration of those new franchises is. [93609]

Mr. Spellar: The following franchises were renewed or re-let in 2002. The table shows the type of extension/renewal/re-letting and the duration.

Train operator	Re-letting etc. (date)	Duration
Chiltern railways	18 February 2002	Until 2012, 2017 or 2022 depending upon the achievement of contractual terms
GNER	16 January 2002	Extension of two years to April 2005
South West Trains	6 November 2002	Extension of one year to February 2004 in order that negotiations about extension of the franchise for a further three years may continue

TREASURY

Flooding

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he plans to introduce an extra tax for property owners whose dwellings are threatened by persistent flooding. [92857]

Mr. Boateng: As stated in the 2002 Spending Review White Paper, the Government are building on the work of the flood and coastal defence funding review to explore options for putting in place new funding mechanisms and simplifying the administration of flood defences. An announcement on any reforms to the administration or funding of flood defence will be made in due course.

Diversity Objectives

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the diversity objectives set by each senior civil servant within his Department for the latest year available; and if he will make a statement. [93443]

29 Jan 2003 : Column 932W

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Financial Secretary to the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) on 13 January 2003, Official Report, column 414W.

Health and Safety Accidents (Treasury)

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the health and safety accidents which occurred in HM Treasury in 2001–02, stating the reason for each accident; and if he will make a statement. [93450]

John Healey: There were 27 minor health and safety accidents in the period concerned, of which 11 involved Treasury staff and 16 involved contractors working in HM Treasury.

Information Technology Skills

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the credit incentives from learning providers about higher level information technology skills; and what financial incentives his Department is planning to encourage individuals to undertake training. [93368]

John Healey: The Chancellor and other Treasury Ministers have received representations on skills issues from a variety of organisations, including learning providers. The Government are currently reviewing the funding of adult learning, including the role of financial incentives. This review will feed into the National Skills Strategy, which will be published in the summer.

Office of Government Commerce

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reasons underlie the reduction in expenditure by the Office of Government Commerce between 2001–02 and 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [93441]

Mr. Boateng: The level of resource consumption estimated for 2001 -02 for the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) in the latest H.M. Treasury Departmental Report (Cm5425) was £88 million, reducing to a planned -£5million in 2002–03. The actual level of resource consumption in 2001–02 was £6million. The change between the estimated and actual outturns for 2001–02 is largely accounted for by a revaluation to and change in timing of the run down of some of the provisions the OGC holds in respect of its obligation to dispose of the Government's remaining surplus Residual Civil Estate. The change in the timing will also affect the outturn for 2002–03 where it is now anticipated that the likely outturn will be some £50 million. Such fluctuations in the valuations of and timing for the sale of the remaining surplus Estate, which reflect market conditions and opportunities, can be expected to continue in the future, although on a smaller scale as the size of the remaining Residual Estate continues to reduce. The actual change in resource consumption between years also reflects a reduction in the level of income the OGC generates .

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