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30 Jun 2003 : Column 4W—continued

Self-employed Transport Managers

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the use of self-employed transport managers under (a) the Goods Vehicle Licensing of Operators Act 1995 and (b) EU directive 96/26. [122313]

Dr. Howells: The Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995 and Directive 96/26/EC require the holders of Standard National and International goods vehicle operators' licences to be professionally competent or to have a transport manager. A transport manager is an individual who is in, or who is engaged to be in, the employment of the licence holder and who has continuous and effective responsibility for the management of the transport operations. Transport managers must be professionally competent and of good repute.

The statutorily independent Traffic Commissioners are solely responsible for administering the goods operator licensing system. It is for them to decide if a nominated transport manager meets the requirements of the law, based on the individual circumstances of each operator.

Signalling Masts

Mrs. Patsy Calton To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail signalling masts of 15 metres and over are planned by Network Rail in each region. [121832]

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Mr. McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 19 May 2003, Official Report, columns 545–46W. Network Rail advises that in addition to its planned national mast installation programme forming part of its new safety system known as the Global System for Mobile Communications—Railways, 175 train control system masts are being installed on the West Coast Route as part of its modernisation.

Stansted Airport

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what facilities are available at Stansted airport for the assistance and support of (a) disabled and (b) elderly members of the public; what information about such facilities is disseminated, and to whom; and what plans there are to improve assistance to disabled and elderly people at Stansted airport. [121833]

Mr. McNulty: Facilities and procedures at United Kingdom airports for assisting travellers with special needs should comply with the standards set in my Department's Code of Practice on Access to Air Travel for Disabled People, published in March. I have asked BAA plc to write to my hon. and learned Friend with details of the facilities available at Stansted.

Information on facilities at Stansted can be obtained from the BAA Stansted website, the main airport telephone number and staff on duty at the airport. The Uttlesford District Council Access Group offers advice to travellers through its regular newsletters, and carries out an annual audit of the airport's special needs facilities, in addition to BAA's own internal access audit. I understand that all new facilities at BAA airports are designed in accordance with standards which take into account travellers with special needs.

My Department plans to commence monitoring compliance with the Code of Practice at airports throughout the United Kingdom later this year.

Traffic Commissioners

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has made to the Cabinet Office in its review by the Better Regulation Task Force of the role of traffic commissioners. [122310]

Dr. Howells: The Cabinet Office informed the Department for Transport in advance of a study its Better Regulation Task Force proposed into independent regulators including traffic commissioners. The study was launched in March 2003. The Department will be invited to comment in due course on the factual findings of the study about the transport sector.

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines he has issued to traffic commissioners on implementing the Goods Vehicle Licensing of Operators Act 1995. [122312]

Dr. Howells: Traffic commissioners are statutorily independent. It is their responsibility to decide applications for goods operator licences in the light of the requirements of the Goods Vehicle (Licensing of Operators Act) 1995.

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Train Services

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of a (a) standard and (b) first class train fare between Shrewsbury and London in each year since 1997. [121113]

Mr. McNulty: The following table provides the information requested.

£

Year	Route Birmingham			Route any permitted
January	SOR	SVR	FOR	SOR	SVR	FOR
2003	115	33.70	184	147	44.10	231
2002	108	33.30	172	138	43.60	217
2001	98.50	32.60	157	126	40.50	198
2000	98.50	32.60	143	126	43.80	181
1999	83.50	32.50	121	97	43.70	139
1998	72	31.50	100	88	42	124
1997	70	30.50	97.50	85	41	120

Note:

Cheaper book-ahead fares also exist. Slightly cheaper Saver fares also exist via route 'Central/Silverlink' valid only on Silverlink trains between Birmingham and London.

SOR = Standard Open Return. Valid one month, fully-flexible with no time or day restrictions. Unregulated.

SVR = Saver. Valid one month. Valid any time at weekends, off-peak Monday-Friday. Regulated.

FOR = First Open Return. Valid one month, fully-flexible with no time or day restrictions. Unregulated.

Underground (Dust)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the dust vacuuming Underground train was taken out of service; and what plans there are to reintroduce it. [121887]

Mr. McNulty: The Tunnel Cleaning Train (TCT) was taken out of service last autumn, due to safety issues related to its age. The TCT has been problematic ever since it was introduced, because it was built using old (1938) rolling stock. Tube lines are now responsible for this train and are considering options for its repair or replacement or alternative ways of cleaning the tunnels. In the meantime, I understand that manual cleaning using standard industrial vacuum cleaners continues, that dust levels in the tunnels and stations are monitored, and that they have not changed as a result of the TCT not being in use.

Vehicle Excise Duty

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate how long it takes on average to (a) complete and (b) process the application form for Vehicle Excise Duty; and whether his Department has a target for the number of applications to be processed. [121577]

Mr. Jamieson: DVLA expects to handle some 40 million application forms for vehicle excise duty in 2003–04. Around 30 million of those require only the applicant to indicate the period of licence, sign and date the form and take minimal time to complete. A different form is required where there has been a recent change of circumstance and completion is estimated to take several minutes.

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Processing these forms at DVLA takes on average three weeks from date of receipt. The Agency aims to process 100 per cent. within one month of date of receipt.

Tax discs are issued over the post office counter on production of the completed form, payment and other documents. The processing time thus has no impact on the motorist.

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many instances there were of vehicle excise duty evasion in Gloucestershire, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997; and if he will estimate the cost of vehicle excise duty evasion in Gloucestershire, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997. [121879]

Mr. Jamieson: A breakdown of evasion and of the revenue loss from evasion by local authority area could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The estimated number of vehicles evading Vehicle Excise Duty in each year since 1997 in England is as follows:

	England (thousand)
1997–98	1,424.1
1998–99	1,472.7
1999–2000	1,336.3
2000–01	1,403.1
2001–02	1,481.4
2002–03	1,559.6

The estimated revenue loss from Vehicle Excise Duty evasion in each year since 1997 in England is as follows:

	£ million
1997–98	162.5
1998–99	172.5
1999–2000	162.2
2000–01	169.0
2001–02	170.5
2002–03	172.1

HOME DEPARTMENT

Anti-terrorism measures

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to ensure that anti-terrorist measures are put in place in the regions. [120732]

Mr. Blunkett: Safeguards are in place right across the country to combat the threat posed by terrorism. It would not be appropriate to comment on the specific safeguards or operational procedures adopted by a particular local area. Day-to-day operational considerations are a matter for the heads of the relevant authorities in that area.

The Government gives the police and security forces the funds and powers necessary to do their job. I am sure my hon. and learned Friend understands that it would not be appropriate for me to disclose contingency arrangements or how particular authorities utilise those resources available to them.

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