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Horley Station

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of building a rail tunnel under Horley Station; and if he will make a statement. [131502]

Mr. McNulty: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is responsible for promoting and securing the development of the rail network, including improvements to stations and infrastructure. The SRA has not made an estimate of the cost to public funds of building a tunnel under Horley Station and has no plans to carry out such works.

Maritime Transport Funding (Republic of Ireland)

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what progress his Department has made

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in renegotiating the funding contributed by the UK for navigational aids used solely by vessels using ports in the Republic of Ireland; [131536]

(2) what plans he has to end the Irish Light Dues subsidy. [131540]

Mr. Jamieson: The UK is seeking to renegotiate the current agreement to require Ireland to meet the full costs of their aids to navigation. Discussions with FCO and Irish Government are ongoing but progress is slow.

We are working with the General Lighthouse Authorities to review the future requirement of marine aids to navigation. The review will examine the provision of existing and future aids in Ireland and determine whether all existing aids are required.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was contributed by the UK authorities for navigational aids in the Republic of Ireland in each of the last five years. [131537]

Mr. Jamieson: The contribution of the General Lighthouse Fund to navigational aids in the Republic of Ireland in the last five years is assessed as follows:

£000

1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
4350.5	5520.7	4597.9	473.6	4915.5

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much subsidy was paid by the UK Government for each vessel using ports in the Republic of Ireland, in the last year for which figures are available. [131538]

Mr. Jamieson: We do not hold the information in the form requested in respect of the costs of providing aids to navigation for vessels using Republic of Ireland ports. Once a merchant vessel has paid light dues, there is no further liability for a period of one month from that date. Furthermore, no more than seven payments are required in any fiscal year. We therefore do not hold information on merchant vessel movements beyond the seven voyage limit. Neither do we hold records on fishing vessel or tug activity.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he (a) last raised and (b) next intends to raise the issue of light dues with the Irish Government; what discussions his Department has had with the Irish Government over the last three years regarding light dues; and what representations he has received from the Irish Government on the reform of the light dues. [131539]

Mr. Jamieson: In seeking to renegotiate the current funding agreement, light dues issues are discussed throughout the year with representatives of the Irish Government. No representations have been received on the reform of the light dues structure.

Rail Franchises

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requirements he has placed on the

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Strategic Rail Authority to consult passengers in determining which applicant is to be awarded the Greater Anglia Franchise. [131610]

Mr. McNulty: As with all franchise competitions, the onus is on the bidders to consult local stakeholders. They are required to supply the Strategic Rail Authority with a summary of the consultation undertaken and how the outcome was included in their bid.

Royal Mail

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many train paths were allocated to the Royal Mail in each week in the last year for which figures are available. [131680]

Mr. McNulty: In the summer 2002 timetable 62 paths each weekday were allocated for Royal Mail services. Paths have been given up at various dates since then. As of 30 September 26 were still operative.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the mail trains and other facilities associated with the transport of mail by rail are to be mothballed following the decision of Royal Mail to send mail by road; and if he will make a statement. [131684]

Mr. McNulty: That is a matter for the owners of the trains and facilities concerned.

School Hours

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he had with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills before 16 September on proposals to stagger the school day; and if he will make a statement. [131619]

Mr. McNulty: The Secretaries of State for Transport and for Education and Skills have discussed staggered school opening hours on a number of occasions. Experience in some local authorities has shown that small changes to school opening hours can make a major difference to the economics of dedicated school bus services and can also improve services by allowing the same number of buses to provide a service to many more pupils. But this is a matter for individual schools and local authorities to take a view on, in developing comprehensive school travel plans.

Shipping Safety

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British ships were (a) lost and (b) damaged whilst at sea in each year since 1997. [132288]

Mr. Jamieson: The numbers of United Kingdom registered merchant vessels of 100 gross tonnes ¹ and over lost and damaged while in coastal or high seas since 1997 are set out in the table. This table is based on accidents reported to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch of the Department for Transport.

¹ "British Ships" has been defined as United Kingdom Merchant Vessels of 100 gross tonnes and over.

	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	Total
Constructive Total Loss(38)	1	0	0	0	1	0	2
Damaged	29	19	21	29	23	13	134
Total	30	19	21	29	24	13	136

⁽³⁸⁾ The term "constructive total loss" is used by insurance companies. It describes the situation where the ship insured is reasonably abandoned on account of its actual total loss appearing to be unavoidable, or because it could not be preserved from actual total loss without an expenditure which would exceed its value when the expenditure had been incurred.

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Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the minimum strength standard that British ships are built to for (a) the hull and (b) the aft. [132289]

Mr. Jamieson: The detailed designs of structural elements of British ships are to standards which are maintained and published by those classification societies to which this responsibility has been delegated under the Merchant Shipping Acts. Such standards govern the hull and fittings, superstructures and machinery of ships and take into account hull form, speed, operational restraints and geographic area of operation. Minimum strength standards are dependent on the role of the specific vessel.

The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) exists as a forum for the unification of such standards. IACS publishes a number of unified requirements related to ship's structures.

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of British ships are built to withstand freak waves while at sea. [132290]

Mr. Jamieson: British vessels are designed to meet the worst waves reasonably expected in service. The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has tables showing what wave loadings are to be used for differing service requirements. Standards for ship's structures are based on known wave environments expressed statistically and incorporate appropriate safety margins. Freak waves by definition are in excess of these expectations and therefore no ship is specifically designed to meet them.

Transport (Concessionary Fares) Bill

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to accept the proposals outlined in the Transport (Concessionary Fares) Bill introduced by the right hon. Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Joyce Quin) on 16 September; and if he will make a statement. [131498]

Mr. McNulty: We have ensured that older people aged 60 and over and disabled people are entitled to a free bus pass allowing half-fare travel on local buses, as a minimum. Local authorities may already run more generous schemes, such as free travel and cross boundary concessionary travel, if they wish. We have also introduced a half-fare for older people (aged 60 and over) and disabled people on many long distance scheduled coach services, in return for the operators of those services receiving grant from the Department for Transport.

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