---

23 Jun 2003 : Column 562W—continued

TRANSPORT

A49 Accidents

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) fatal and (b) non-fatal road accidents there have been on the A49 between Ludlow and Shrewsbury in each year since 1992. [120100]

Mr. Jamieson: The following table provides the figures provided by West Mercia police.

	Fatal	Serious	Slight	Total
1992	5	15	35	55
1993	4	10	29	43
1994	4	16	30	50
1995	3	12	25	40
1996	3	7	35	45
1997	4	5	27	36
1998	0	11	25	36
1999	0	5	35	40
2000	1	8	22	31
2001	2	4	31	37
2002	4	8	23	35
2003 (To date)	0	1	18	19

Mail Transport (Rail)

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions have taken place with Royal

23 Jun 2003 : Column 563W

Mail regarding use of rail to transport mail; and what plans he has to encourage the use of trains for this purpose. [121095]

Mr. McNulty: The Department has had no discussions with Royal Mail about its decision to withdraw from rail.

It is the Government's policy to promote a competitive and efficient distribution industry that supports economic growth while bringing benefits to society and the environment. Transferring more freight from the roads on to more sustainable modes is a key component of the Government's long term vision for transport.

The Strategic Rail Authority published its first Freight Progress Report on 8 May, explaining achievements to date in facilitating more freight by rail. Copies of the report are available in the Libraries of the House.

MOT Charges

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next expects to vary the maximum fees charged by garages for an annual MOT test. [120609]

Mr. Jamieson: We are currently consulting on revised maximum MOT test fees and our intention is to introduce them on 1 August 2003.

Number Plate Cloning

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 16 June 2003, Official Report, column 21W, on number plate cloning, on how many occasions during the last 12 months Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority Intelligence Officers passed information on cloned number plates to the police. [121261]

Mr. Jamieson: Each week DVLA refers around 80 cases of suspected cloned vehicles to the police. Approximately 60 per month require detailed investigation.

Private Ambulances

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statutory powers provide for the exemption of private ambulances from elements of (a) the Highway Code and (b) road traffic regulations. [120927]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 20 June 2003]: The rules of the Highway Code apply to all road users and many are legal requirements. Those that are not may be used in evidence in any court proceedings under the Traffic Acts in order to help establish liability.

However, Section 87 of the road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 exempts drivers of vehicles used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes from speed limits in an emergency. The Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings Regulations 1997 give qualified exemptions from signals at Pelican and Puffin crossings to vehicles being used for fire brigade, ambulance, national blood service and police purposes, and The Traffic Signs Regulations 2002 give similar qualified exemptions from other red light signals and keep right/

23 Jun 2003 : Column 564W

left arrows to vehicles being used for fire brigade, ambulance, bomb or explosive disposal, national blood service or police purposes.

Traffic regulation orders made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 may include such exemptions as determined by the order making traffic authority. Where appropriate it is usual to include an exemption for vehicles being used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes.

In no case is any distinction made as to whether a vehicle being used for ambulance purposes is private or not.

Rail Passenger Committees

Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the names and addresses of the members of each rail passengers' committee, stating in each case whether they were (a) elected, (b) nominated and (c) appointed, and by whom. [121243]

Mr. McNulty: Appointments to the Rail Passengers' Committees (RPCs) are subject to open competition and are carried out in accordance with the Office of the Commission for Public Appointments (OCPA) guidance. The members of the RPCs are appointed by the Chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) after consultation with the Secretary of State for Transport, the Scottish Ministers and the National Assembly for Wales, as appropriate, and the Chairman of the Committee in question. The Committee Chairmen are appointed by the Secretary of State after consultation with the SRA and in the case of the Welsh RPC, the National Assembly for Wales. The Scottish Ministers appoint the Chairman of the Scottish RPC after consultation with the SRA. The London Assembly appoints the members and the Chairman of the London Transport Users' committee after consultation with the SRA.

The names of the members and the addresses of each RPC are set out in their annual reports. Copies of the annual reports are available in the Libraries of the House.

Road Building

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 16 June 2003, Official Report, column 23W, on road building, what estimates he has made of the level of Government funding necessary for the completion of the proposed road schemes. [120583]

Mr. Jamieson: In taking forward the detailed development of the road schemes, the local authorities will determine the cost of each scheme. The estimated costs for each of the road schemes detailed in the Final Report of the South East Manchester Multi Modal Study will need to be reviewed in the light of any changes to their design and to include preparation costs and provision for risk assessment in accordance with HM Treasury Guidance.

Train Services

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each year since 1997 the

23 Jun 2003 : Column 565W

figures for (a) reliability and (b) punctuality of train journeys between (i) Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton and (ii) Wolverhampton and London. [121110]

Mr. McNulty: The Strategic Rail Authority publish performance statistics for all train operating companies in their quarterly "National Rail Trends" publication and their six-monthly "On Track" publication. The figures for each operator are not broken down to route level, but reflect the performance of their services in aggregate. The most recent editions of these publications were published on 16 June. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average annual number of passengers travelling by train between (a) Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton and (b) Wolverhampton and London was in the last three years. [121111]

Mr. McNulty: The information is not available in the form requested. The Strategic Rail Authority publishes annual passenger journey figures for each Train Operating Company in its Annual Report, a copy of which is placed in the Library of the House.

Voluntary Organisations

Mr. Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding programmes are operated by his Department to support voluntary organisations working with young people; and what the level of support has been in each of the last three years. [120513]

Mr. McNulty: The Department operates a number of funding programmes to support a wide range of voluntary organisations which include, but are not exclusive to, young people as a target group. We do not hold centrally information on the level of support to voluntary organisations working with young people. However, the Department is committed to working with and giving young people a real say in shaping transport policy and influencing decisions for the future. The Department is due to publish an Action Plan, setting out how it intends to work better with young people to achieve this.

CABINET OFFICE

Public Appointments

Mr. Brady: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to his oral answer of 17 June 2003, Official Report, column 210, when the guidance was introduced that the composition of the bench should broadly reflect the voting pattern of the area, as evidenced by the last two general elections. [121098]

Mr. Alexander: The Directions for Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace were introduced during September 1998 by the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the right hon. Dr. Jack Cunningham MP.

These followed the directions prepared and issued at the same time by the former Lord Chancellor's Department, now the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

23 Jun 2003 : Column 566W

Mr. Brady: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list for each bench in the Duchy of Lancaster (a) the political balance of the bench and (b) the voting pattern for the area. [121099]

Mr. Alexander: The overriding criteria when appointing magistrates are the suitability for appointment and the ability of the benches to continue to efficiently handle the case load in their area. Although the voting pattern of the area is taken into consideration, other factors such as age, gender, occupation, ethnic origin and area of residence are also taken into account.

There are approximately 3,900 magistrates serving on the 26 benches in the Duchy of Lancaster area of Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. Voting patterns of these benches and the area they serve are listed in tables that have today been placed in the Libraries of the House.

---