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Sub-post Offices

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the package of funding for the Post Office Ltd. which the Government has provided to maintain the rural post office network will be spent on Scottish post offices. [133487]

Mr. Timms: The package of support that the Government have made available for the rural post office network is for the maintenance of the rural network across the UK, including Scotland. The Post Office does not account for assistance by country. Of 8,465 rural post offices in the UK, 1,205 are in Scotland.

Overall, the Government have made £450 million available to Post Office Ltd. to maintain a rural post office network for a three year period from 2003–04 to 2005–06. This breaks down as follows:

	£ million
Assigned office payments (fixed payments to sub-postmasters)	198
Support costs (provision of computer services, secure cash delivery etc)	227
Flexible fund to trial innovative ways of delivering services	25

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Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidelines the Government has set Post Office Ltd. in its use of funds provided to maintain the rural post office network in relation to the devolved regions. [133860]

Mr. Timms: The Government have placed on Post Office Ltd. an obligation to use the funds provided to maintain a rural post office network throughout the UK. This obligation extends to the devolved regions. The obligation is intended to be achieved by ensuring that there are no avoidable closures of post office branches in rural areas before 1 April 2006.

In determining whether an individual closure is avoidable, Post Office Ltd. will follow the provisions of an agreed code of practice.

Trading Statistics

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on trade levels to EU countries since UK membership in 1973; and what effect this has had on UK trade to non-EU countries. [132937]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK's trade with the EU ¹ has grown steadily since UK membership in 1973. The value of the UK's total goods trade (exports and imports) with other EU countries has increased 20-fold since 1973 compared to a 12-fold increase in total goods trade with non-EU countries. Consequently, the EU's share of the UK's total trade in goods rose from 45 per cent. in 1973 to 57 per cent. in 2002.

Data for trade in services with all other current members of the EU before 1992 is not readily available, therefore it is not easy to calculate the exact increase in UK trade for goods and services since 1973. The UK's exports of goods and services to the EU are now worth £142 billion and imports from the EU are worth £166 billion, making the value of the UK's trade with the EU £308 billion. The EU accounts for 53 per cent. of the UK's total trade, but for trade in services the proportion is 43 per cent.

The UK's membership and increasing economic integration with the EU, in particular following the Single Market Programme, has generated considerable opportunities for UK businesses. This has been behind the substantial growth in UK trade with the EU. But, as the 12-fold rise in UK trade in goods with non-EU members demonstrates, this has not been at the expense of overall trade with non-EU members, which has continued to grow rapidly.

¹ All figures refer to the UK's trade with the other current 14 members of the EU.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Maintenance/Renewal Contracts

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the total cost was of the recall of the House from 8 September to 18 September; how many maintenance and renewal contracts were deferred for this period; and what the additional staff cost was. [132875]

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Sir Archy Kirkwood : I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes on 21 October 2003, Official Report, column 504W for details of the costs of the September sitting of the House.

No maintenance or renewal contracts were deferred during this period, because the majority were programmed after the September sitting was announced. The few which were organised before this were re-planned or re-programmed to fit in with the daily sitting times. The costs of this are included in the figures given in my previous answer.

TRANSPORT

Aircraft Noise

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to include the measurement of aircraft noise in the noise mapping the Department is required to carry out under the terms of the EU Noise Directive 2002/49/EC; and what methods it will employ to measure these noise levels. [133774]

Mr. McNulty: Major airports will be covered by the Directive. A major airport is defined in the Directive as a civil airport, designated by the member state, which has more than 50,000 movements (a movement being a take-off or a landing) per year excluding those purely for training purposes on light aircraft. The noise maps will be produced by computation using the standard methodology as set out in ECAC Document 29.

Airport Capacity (South-East)

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he intends to make planning decisions involving airport capacity, before he has decided how to tackle long term environmental damage consequent on them. [133333]

Mr. McNulty: The air transport White Paper will not take planning decisions, but will set out a long term framework of Government policy for airport development and seek to maximise the beneficial aspects of aviation and minimise the negative effects. In deciding on policies on new airport capacity, we will take account of the environmental impacts and consider measures to control and mitigate those impacts.

Aviation Security

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent assessment has been made of the security threat posed against civil aviation by terrorists using portable ground to air missiles; [133129]

(2) what security measures have been put in place at airports and surrounding areas to protect aircraft from potential terrorist attacks; [133130]

(3) what recent discussions have taken place with (a) airlines and (b) other Governments on international threats posed by terrorists with portable missile units. [133131]

Mr. McNulty: The terrorist threat to UK civil aviation, including from portable ground to air missiles or MANPADS, is kept under active review, as too are

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the security measures needed to protect UK aviation against terrorism in all its various guises. The potential threat from MANPADS is among those being addressed, including through joint work with industry and with foreign partners, both bilaterally and in the relevant multilateral fora. Security considerations make it inappropriate to comment further on these matters.

Buses

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the arrangements for checking increases in costs of tenders for bus services; what the percentage change in tender costs to local authorities in the North West for bus services has been over the last five years; and what arrangements are in place to ensure that local authorities can specify (a) times, (b) frequencies, (c) routes, (d) fares and (e) standards of bus journey. [132560]

Mr. McNulty: We keep a close watch on increased tender prices through our own research and the regular survey by the Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers. We also have frequent discussions with local authorities, for example through the Bus Partnership Forum, about funding of bus services.

Our information is that the prices for contracts let in the North West region in 2002–03 were on average around 17 per cent. above the price when the contract was last let (typically two to three years before). There was significant variation between authorities within the region. Information is not available for the region for contracts let in previous years.

In using their subsidy powers under the Transport Act 1985, local authorities may specify contract conditions on all the aspects listed at (a) to (e). About 17 per cent. of local bus services are provided under these powers.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies which use CCTV (i) on buses, (ii) at bus stops and (iii) on buses and at bus stops, listing the (A) the number of attacks reported and (B) the cost of vandalism (1) 12 months before and (2) after implementation; and if he will make a statement; [133947]

(2) what measures have been taken to encourage (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies to improve lighting at bus stops; and if he will make a statement; [133948]

(3) if he will list the (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies that have improved lighting at bus stops, providing details of (i) the number of attacks reported and (ii) the cost of vandalism (A) 12 months before and (B) after implementation; and if he will make a statement; [133949]

(4) what measures have been taken to encourage (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies to cut back vegetation at bus stops; and if he will make a statement; [133950]

(5) if he will list the (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies that have cut back vegetation at bus stops, listing (i) the number of attacks reported and (ii) the cost of vandalism (A) 12 months before and (B) after implementation; and if he will make a statement; [133951]

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(6) what measures have been taken to encourage (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies to employ full-time schools liaison officers to tackle anti-social behaviour on buses; and if he will make a statement; [134019]

(7) if he will list the (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies which have employed full-time schools liaison officers to tackle anti-social behaviour; what estimate he has made of the cost of vandalism (i) before and (ii) after the scheme was set up; and if he will make a statement. [134020]

Mr. McNulty: In April 2002 the Department published "Get on board: an agenda for improving personal security in bus travel", including guidance and good practice case studies on measures that can be taken by bus companies and local authorities. This included advice on the use of CCTV on buses and at bus stations, the need for good lighting at bus stops, the need to ensure that bus stops and shelters should be kept unobscured by vegetation and on employing schools liaison officers.

The Government have established the Safer Travel on Buses and Coaches Panel (STOP), bringing together bus operators, local authorities, police, unions, and other stakeholders to exchange and disseminate good practice in tackling problems caused by crime and anti-social behaviour around bus and coach travel. It is currently updating the booklet "Protecting Bus and Coach Crews". This includes advice on CCTV, good lighting and links with schools.

In its recent publication "Travelling to School: an action plan", the Government ask schools and local authorities to work with the police, bus operators and the local community to promote positive behaviour by pupils on their journey to and from school.

Data on the extent to which bus companies and local authorities have applied measures such as CCTV, better lighting, cutting back vegetation and working with schools and their effect on incidences of vandalism, assaults and anti-social behaviour are not collected centrally. While the Government provide advice on good practice, its implementation is a matter for operators and local authorities.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures have been taken to encourage (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies to widen pavements at bus stops on busy streets; and if he will make a statement. [133952]

Mr. McNulty: It is for local highway authorities to ensure that footways are suited to the surroundings and pedestrian numbers. The Department has published Local Transport Note 1/97 "Keeping Buses Moving", and "Inclusive Mobility—A Guide to Best Practice on Access to Pedestrian and Transport Infrastructure". These give some advice on local build-outs of the footway at bus stops (sometimes called "bus stop boarders") and recommendations for footway widths at bus stops.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what measures have been taken to encourage (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies

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to offer free travel for under-16s on buses when accompanied by an adult; and if he will make a statement; [134017]

(2) if he will list the (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies which offer free travel for under-16s on buses when accompanied by an adult; how many passengers under 16 were carried (i) before, and (ii) after implementation; and if he will make a statement. [134018]

Mr. McNulty: There have been no measures to encourage local authorities and bus companies to offer free travel for under-16s on buses when accompanied by an adult. Free travel to and from school is provided by local education authorities under the education acts for school children up to the age of 16 living more than the statutory walking distances from school. Under the Transport Act 1985 local authorities have a discretionary power to provide concessionary travel for children of school age. That power applies to all journeys, not just those to or from school.

We do not collect information on what bus companies offer for this age group nor on how many passengers under 16 were carried before and after implementation of any discount schemes.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what measures have been taken to encourage (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies to implement travel training courses for bus travel for the (i) elderly and (ii) disabled; and if he will make a statement; [134022]

(2) if he will list the (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies which have implemented a travel training scheme; how many (i) elderly and (ii) people with disabilities have attended; and if he will make a statement. [134023]

Mr. McNulty: We recognise the value of travel training and familiarisation for older and disabled people. Over the last year, for example, we have been monitoring a programme at a school in Yorkshire to help young people with learning disabilities to be able to travel on mainstream services. We aim to publish guidance on the lessons learnt in that programme for wider dissemination.

We currently have no formal schemes in place to promote such activity within the bus industry or within local authorities. We do, however, take every opportunity to promote such initiatives in discussions with them.

There is no centrally held data on individual schemes that have been introduced.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies that have widened pavements at bus stops on busy roads, providing details of the number of pedestrian casualties (i) 12 months before and (ii) after implementation; and if he will make a statement. [134098]

Mr. McNulty: This is a matter for local highway authorities. The Department does not hold data on which local authorities have widened pavements at bus stops on busy roads, nor on pedestrian casualties at those locations.

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Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what measures have been taken to encourage (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies to introduce low-floor buses; and if he will make a statement; [134105]

(2) if he will list the (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies that have introduced low-floor buses; how many (i) passengers were carried, (ii) disabled passengers were carried (A) before and (B) after implementation and (iii) services have been run; and if he will make a statement. [134114]

Mr. McNulty: In recent years, low-floor buses have been introduced in increasing numbers. This change was promoted both by the Department, through a series of research and demonstration projects, and by our statutory advisers, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, who produced a recommended specification for low-floor buses which they disseminated widely.

Since 31 December 2000, all new buses and coaches over 7.5 tonnes and with a carrying capacity of more than 22 passengers, which have been introduced on local and scheduled services, have had to meet the access requirements of the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000. Those Regulations, which were made under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, set down minimum access requirements for vehicles to address the needs of disabled people, including wheelchair users. The Regulations do allow for high-floor vehicles, but in the case of full size single deck and double deck buses, production has now moved to low-floor designs.

About one-third of full size local buses are now low-floor.

There are no centrally held statistics about bus patronage before and after introduction of low-floor vehicles. However, from the research which the Department carried out it, was clear that people were able to board and alight from these vehicles more easily, and that with the elimination of steps in the entrance, many more elderly and disabled people would be able to use buses and to use them for longer.

Of course, having the right vehicle is only part of the solution. We have also made changes to the Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations to introduce new duties on drivers to provide reasonable assistance to disabled passengers. The Department is also working with TransFed—the training body for the bus industry—to update their NVQ disability awareness training material for bus drivers.

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