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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 25 March 2003
TRANSPORT
A27
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of changes to traffic levels on the Lancing to Worthing section of the A27 since the publication of the last Inspector's report recommending a by-pass; [104951]
- (2) what level of priority he attaches to providing a by-pass for the Lancing to Worthing stretch of the A27; and when it will feature in future planned works. [104952]
Mr. Jamieson: The problem of traffic congestion on the Lancing to Worthing stretch of the A27 was the subject of detailed analysis as part of the South Coast Multi Modal Study (SoCoMMS). Assessment of past and future traffic levels in this section was undertaken as part of the SoCoMMS work and the Worthing Lancing Integrated Transport Study. We are currently considering the recommendations of the SoCoMMS study, as put to us by the Regional Assembly, with a view to making decisions on the way ahead in the near future.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what improvements to traffic flow (a) have been made in the last five years and (b) are planned for the Lancing to Worthing section of the A27; and if he will provide relevant supporting figures. [104953]
Mr. Jamieson: In June 2001 the A27 Worthing Transport Study, commissioned by the Government Office for the South East, identified small scale local solutions to address the problems in the A27 trunk road corridor through Worthing and Lancing.
As a result of this report the Highways Agency intends to implement a series of improvements along the A27 corridor as part of a short term strategy including traffic calming of local roads and enhancements for users of public transport, walkers and cyclists.
Air Travel (Health)
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) research his Department has conducted and (b) action has been taken related to the recent outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome and the air industry. [104484]
Mr. Jamieson: My Department has not carried out any specific research into severe acute respiratory syndrome as this is a public health issue. My Department would advise travellers that although no restrictions on travel are currently being recommended, they should be aware of the symptoms and seek urgent medical advice should they develop them.
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Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research has been conducted into the link between ill-health from infection and travelling by plane; and if he will make a statement; [104487]
- (2) what role the unit for addressing health issues affecting air passengers and crew announced by his Department on 6 March will have in examining the relationship between ill-health from infection and travelling by plane; what other work is (a) being conducted and (b) planned into this relationship; and if he will make a statement. [104485]
Mr. Jamieson: Research by Building Research Establishment (BRE) Ltd., commissioned by my Department and the Department of Health and entitled the "Study of possible effects on health of aircraft cabin environments—Stage 2", reviewed the published research on the transmission of infection and listed the papers of significance.
The Aviation Health Unit, announced on 6 March and to be based at Gatwick, will become a centre of expertise on health issues affecting air passengers and crew. The unit will be involved in reviewing the BRE recommendations on infection and travelling by aircraft and will propose appropriate further research as needed.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what (a) legislation and (b) regulations govern travel by people with suspected infectious ill-health (i) from and within the UK and (ii) arriving in the UK on board aircraft; [104504]
- (2) what (a) legislation there is and (b) measures are taken to prevent travellers with suspected infectious ill-health from travelling (i) from the UK and (ii) to the UK on board aircraft. [104486]
Mr. Jamieson: The Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations 1979 (S.I. 1979/1434) require the commander of an incoming aircraft to notify the port health authority at the first port of landing if the crew become aware that there is a person on board who is suffering from, or has symptoms which may indicate the presence of, an infectious disease. In the case of outgoing aircraft on an international flight, the medical officer at the airport may examine any person who proposes to embark if he has reasonable grounds for believing him to be suffering from a disease subject to the International Health Regulations of the World Health Organisation (ie cholera, plague, smallpox and yellow fever) and must prohibit his embarkation if he shows symptoms of such a disease. In addition, an airline may, under the terms of its Conditions of Carriage, refuse boarding to any passenger if they consider his mental or physical state is a danger to himself, the aircraft or any person in it.
Correspondence
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will answer the letters of 5 December 2002 and 25 January 2003 from M. J. Mundy of the Hampshire Advocacy Group for the Partially Sighted in Southampton. [103975]
Mr. Jamieson: A reply has been sent to Mr. Mundy. In addition, Ministers have written to a number of Hampshire MPs in recent weeks in response to
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correspondence they have received from Mr. Mundy raising concerns on behalf of Hampshire Advocacy Group for the Partially Sighted.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many names and addresses of vehicle (a) owners and (b) keepers have been disclosed over the last two years by the DVLA to a third party by virtue of that party showing reasonable cause for the disclosure; and if he will make a statement on (i) the number of cases where disclosure was made but was subsequently shown to be not for a reasonable cause and (ii) the action taken in such cases. [104522]
Mr. Jamieson: The DVLA vehicle register is a record of vehicle keepers—the person responsible for paying vehicle excise duty. It does not contain details of the person who actually owns the vehicle. The number of 'reasonable cause' enquiries resulting in the disclosure of keeper details during the last two years is as follows:
| 2001–02 | 937,125 |
| 2002–03 | 779,559 |
The majority of requests are from insurance companies and finance houses in respect of insurance claims and vehicle-related loan arrangements. The remainder are from solicitors, car parking enforcement companies and members of the public.
The Information Commissioner has powers under the Data Protection Act to prosecute anyone who knowingly or recklessly obtains information without consent. Any disclosure subsequently used for a purpose other than that stated in the application is referred to the Commissioner to investigate. Two such cases were referred in the past year.
First Great Western
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he had with First Great Western in advance of their decision to shut Paddington Station over the Easter weekend. [104027]
Mr. Jamieson: None. Network Rail is responsible for the management of engineering possessions, under arrangements overseen by the Rail Regulator. I understand that Network Rail has consulted with First Great Western, as required under the possessions regime, regarding the major re-signalling of the approaches to Paddington over that weekend.
Household Spending
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of average UK household spending on (a) motoring, (b) rail travel and (c) bus travel, in each year from 1980–81 to 2002–03, using real terms prices at 2000–01 levels; and if he will make a statement. [101523]
Mr. Jamieson: The information requested is set out in the following table.
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| 2000–01 prices | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Motoring expenditure | Rail andtube fares | Bus andcoach fares | |
| 1980 | 33.60 | 2.02 | 2.82 |
| 1981 | 34.48 | 1.76 | 2.50 |
| 1982 | 34.05 | 1.65 | 2.53 |
| 1983 | 35.44 | 1.86 | 1.96 |
| 1984 | 36.60 | 1.67 | 2.00 |
| 1985 | 37.54 | 1.34 | 1.85 |
| 1986 | 37.16 | 1.28 | 1.86 |
| 1987 | 40.02 | 1.50 | 1.92 |
| 1988 | 40.57 | 1.67 | 1.91 |
| 1989 | 45.23 | 1.37 | 1.98 |
| 1990 | 45.95 | 1.48 | 1.67 |
| 1991 | 43.78 | 1.23 | 1.60 |
| 1992 | 44.11 | 1.45 | 1.55 |
| 1993 | 44.19 | 1.43 | 1.63 |
| 1994–95 | 42.63 | 1.26 | 1.57 |
| 1995–96 | 42.22 | 1.46 | 1.43 |
| 1996–97 | 45.91 | 1.44 | 1.54 |
| 1997–98 | 50.30 | 1.48 | 1.45 |
| 1998–99 | 54.14 | 1.95 | 1.37 |
| 1999–2000 | 54.13 | 1.90 | 1.47 |
| 2000–01 | 55.09 | 2.01 | 1.41 |
Note:
Fares do not include combined tickets, amounting to £0.91 in 2000–01.
Source:
Family Expenditure Survey, ONS
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