---

12 Mar 2003 : Column 253W—continued

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the (a) gross and (b) net costs of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for each year

12 Mar 2003 : Column 254W

from 1990–91 to 2005–06; and if he will make a statement. [101520]

Mr. Jamieson: The information requested is available from 1991–92 and is as follows:

Published Business Accounts£000

	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97
(a) Gross costs	187,010	190,402	187,129	186,140	190,439	203,856
(b) Costs net of income	101,969	108,078	102,302	101,026	99,676	100,672

£000

	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02
(a) Gross costs	195,733	212,226	231,012	249,192	292,473
(b) Costs net of income	85,057	(715)	13,760	5,470	10,388

Allocated Funds Provisional£000

	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06
(a) Gross costs	368,795	285,952	284,742	284,507
(b) Cost net of income	109,831	88,150	87,250	87,250

The figures reflect provisional funds allocated to DVLA for 2002–03 to 2005–06 from the Department of Transport's spending review settlements and other agreed changes. Income includes revenue from sale of registration marks and other income paid over to the Exchequer as Consolidated Fund Extra Receipts but excludes Vehicle Excise Duty collected by DVLA.

DVLA's annual report shows unit cost efficiency gains in core activities averaging 3.4 per cent. a year. Transaction volumes have grown by an average of some 3 per cent. a year. From 1998 the Agency's core operations were extended by a number of major policy changes and business delivery improvements like photocard driving licences and graduated vehicle excise duty, which resulted in significant cost increases.

In addition, 1998–99 saw the introduction of a fee for vehicle first registrations and an increase in demand for personalised registration marks.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reasons underlie the increase in staffing of the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency between 1998–99 and 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [101521]

Mr. Jamieson: The number of staff employed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency at the end of 2002–03 is forecast to be 5,835 full time equivalent posts, which is 1,427 higher than at the end of 1998–99. The main reasons for the increase are:

(a) major new initiatives such as the Statutory Off-Road Notification scheme for unlicensed vehicles, photocard driving licences and Graduated Vehicle Excise Duty (577 posts);


(b) other projects such as the implementation of the mandatory vehicle registration document scheme and to support London congestion charging; to safeguard delivery of the core business such as improving the accuracy of the database and the new strategic partnership to support DVLA's substantial change programme of service delivery improvements (550 posts);


(c) increased workload involving initiatives to improve customer service delivery such as the introduction of extended hours in the Agency's call centre and growth in business volumes (23 per cent. higher than in 1998–99). The full impact on staffing levels from workload growth has been offset by more efficient working practices and the increase in electronic business (300 posts).

London Underground

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects service to be restored on the Central Line of London Underground; and if he will make a statement. [101613]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 7 March 2003]: London Underground (LU) are currently implementing a programme of work to modify all trains in the Central Line fleet. LU is working with the independent Health and Safety Executive to implement a robust and safe solution. Services will be phased back in as soon as possible, starting with a shuttle service on the eastern end of the line. This will be followed by a limited service on the western end of the line. Finally, when LU has modified enough trains, a full service will resume.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) track, (b) signalling and (c) rolling stock failures which have occurred on each of the London Underground lines in each of the last six years. [102171]

Mr. Jamieson: These are operational matters for London Underground who have provided the information set out in the tables relating to delays of at least two minutes resulting from problems with the relevant type of asset.

The number of delays is primarily a consequence of problems with ageing and life-expired assets following decades of under investment in the underground. This emphasises the urgent need for the major investment and maintenance, some £16 billion over the next 15 years, which our tube modernisation plans will deliver.

12 Mar 2003 : Column 255W

(a) London Underground—Number of delays (of at least two minutes) by line caused by track problems in each of the last six years

Line	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02
Bakerloo	193	201	176	168	171	210
Central	203	92	65	50	62	133
District	74	51	69	83	179	190
East London	—	—	—	—	10	26
Jubilee	45	38	77	146	126	103
Circle and Hammersmith & City	75	61	57	62	98	166
Metropolitan	105	73	83	82	136	136
Northern	141	165	109	105	208	143
Piccadilly	92	110	109	135	165	144
Victoria	54	80	66	66	56	56
Waterloo & City	—	—	—	—	5	5

Note:

1. East London included with Jubilee to 1999–2000

2. Waterloo & City included with Central to 1999–2000

(b) London Underground—Number of delays (of at least two minutes) by line caused by signalling problems in each of the last six years

Line	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02
Bakerloo Central	264	292	249	355	248	357
Central	644	880	308	335	490	582
District	303	269	278	394	525	632
East London	—	—	—	—	46	68
Jubilee	79	110	197	338	398	415
Circle and Hammersmith & City	129	131	125	238	407	396
Metropolitan	209	266	194	290	522	613
Northern	298	323	216	317	358	388
Piccadilly	261	241	213	202	326	289
Victoria	115	166	149	131	186	314
Waterloo & City	—	—	—	—	16	27

Note:

1. East London included with Jubilee to 1999–2000.

2. Waterloo & City included with Central to 1999–2000.

(c) London Underground—Number of delays (of at least two minutes) by line caused by rolling stock problems in each of the last six years

Line	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02
Bakerloo	1,075	1,144	1,237	879	968	1,113
Central	2,605	2,423	2,165	2,304	2,864	2,957
District	1,160	1,082	995	981	834	1,149
East London	—	—	—	—	106	147
Jubilee	922	1,239	2,376	1,722	1,603	1,427
Circle and Hammersmith & City	1,167	2,170	1,380	1,568	1,463	2,055
Metropolitan	1,363	1,238	1,065	1,047	1,247	1,034
Northern	3,505	4,229	5,942	3,727	1,674	1,518
Piccadilly	2,228	3,115	3,886	2,934	2,609	3,070
Victoria	757	994	821	920	1,053	1,022
Waterloo & City	—	—	—	—	27	36

Note:

1. East London included with Jubilee to 1999–2000.

2. Waterloo & City included with Central to 1999–2000.

Motor Vehicles

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his latest estimate is of (a) the total of all motoring taxation each year in the UK, (b) the annual cost of all roads related spending, (c) the total social costs of pollution from vehicle emissions in each year, (d) the total social costs of congestion on the roads each year and (e) the total social costs of climate change effects of motor vehicles each year; and if he will make a statement. [101522]

Mr. Jamieson: My Department's latest estimates as published in Transport Statistics Great Britain 2002 are:

(a) Motoring taxation: £27,645 million for Great Britain in 2000–01

12 Mar 2003 : Column 256W

(b) Road related spending: £4,042 million for England in 2000–01

No estimates of total social costs of vehicle emissions, congestion and climate change are available. The answer to the following question (question 1527 02/03) provides estimates of the marginal costs of these impacts.

Motoring taxation includes Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) and Value Added Tax (VAT).

---