---

28 Jun 2004 : Column 42W—continued

Operation Mermaid

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles were checked by Vehicle and Operator Services Agency examiners in the Operation Mermaid exercise on 15 June; what significant differences were noted compared to similar checks at the same point in previous years; and if he will make a statement. [180163]

Mr. Jamieson: The third Operation Mermaid, a national check of goods vehicles both domestic and foreign, to be held this year took place between 14 and 18 of June. The number of vehicles inspected during the check, together with the results, is shown as follows:

	June
	2004	2003	2002	2001
Number of vehicles checked
Roadworthiness	1,279	1,312	1,303	1,357
Traffic Enforcement	870	979	1,029	1,055
Total	2,149	2,291	2,332	2,412
Number of prohibitions issued
Roadworthiness	323 (25.2%)	537 (40.9%)	310 (23.7%)	407 (29.9%)
Traffic Enforcement(20)	146	93	116	61
Other
Offences for investigation	91	129	108	178
Verbal warnings	88	117	128	115

⁽²⁰⁾ Includes prohibitions for drivers hours, overloading, defective speed limiter and breaches of hazardous substance carriage regulations.

These checks are highly targeted and do not reflect the underlying levels of compliance.

Noted significant differences compared to similar checks held at the same point in previous years are as follows:

The number of vehicles checked in June 2004 decreased by just over 6 per cent. when compared with June 2003.

The number of vehicles checked has continued to reduce year on year. However the number of check locations and the number of VOSA enforcement areas taking part has remained constant year on year.

The number of drivers hours prohibition notices issued for drivers hours offences increased.

 
28 Jun 2004 : Column 43W
 

Railway Sleepers

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received from UK small and medium enterprises about the ability to tender for removal of railway sleepers; [180155]

(2) how many companies tendered for the removal of railway sleepers in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004; [180156]

(3) how many representations he has received about the safety implications of lineside storage of removed railway sleepers in the last three years. [180157]

Mr. McNulty [holding answer 24 June 2004]: The Department for Transport has received ministerial and public correspondence on behalf of two companies concerning the sale of redundant railway sleepers. No correspondence has been received about the line side storage of removed railway sleepers in the last three years.

Network Rail is a private sector company whose activities are governed by the regulatory regime provided by the Railways Act 1993 and general law. These issues relating to railway sleepers are commercial and operational matters for Network Rail and the companies concerned.

Road Safety

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2004, Official Report, column 1047W, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department regarding the use of mobile telephones while driving. [180680]

Mr. Jamieson: Ministers in the Department regularly meet their colleagues. The Home Office were consulted fully on the new offence prohibiting the use of hand-held mobile phones when driving. Enforcement of road traffic legislation is for the police.

Speed Cameras (Essex)

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the revenue raised from speed cameras in Essex has been (a) allocated to road safety projects and (b) returned to Exchequer funds. [180048]

Mr. Jamieson: For 2002–03, the latest figures available, the revenue raised from fixed penalties resulting from safety camera enforcement amounted to £5,672,200 of which £5,150,286 was returned to the partnership to fund its camera activity while £521,934 was passed to the Treasury. The rules of the Government Safety Camera Cost Recovery Programme provide that the resources from speeding and jumping traffic lights are ring-fenced and can be applied solely to costs associated with the operation of safety cameras. Other investment in road safety measures is funded within local authorities' and national road programmes.
 
28 Jun 2004 : Column 44W
 

Vehicle Operator Services Agency

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding limited liability for insurers under motor insurance contracts. [180313]

Mr. Jamieson: I have had no formal representations on this subject. Officials have taken the advice of the insurance industry in connection with the forthcoming European Fifth Motor Insurance Directive, and they have had further discussions with the industry on a range of subjects related to motor insurance.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the Vehicle Operator Services Agency apprenticeship scheme has been withdrawn. [180387]

Mr. Jamieson: The apprenticeship scheme for 2004 was withdrawn pending a review of its future. There has been dwindling interest from internal staff in recent years and, given the relatively high annual cost of £640,000 it was decided that a review of the costs and the benefits of the scheme needed to take place.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Blind/Visually Impaired People

Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the availability of reading material in formats accessible to blind and visually impaired people. [180466]

Jacqui Smith: The issue of making publications available in formats that are accessible to blind and partially sighted people has been under discussion by publishers and the RNIB for several years. The DTI is now facilitating these discussions and hosted a meeting in April between publishers, authors, RNIB and the National Library of the Blind to discuss the provision of accessible formats for the visually impaired. The DTI will host the next meeting in July 2004 to discuss progress.

The Government supported a private Member's Bill, the Copyright (Visually Impaired Persons) Act 2002. Commencement of the Act was on 31 October 2003. The Act effectively reduces the previous delays in organisations gaining copyright clearances to produce books and other printed matter in formats that are accessible to visually impaired people.

DTI officials will continue to promote dialogue between trade associations, publishers, the RNIB and the National Library of the Blind to facilitate the implementation of the Act and create a forum in which issues such as opportunities for the commercial production of material in accessible formats can be discussed.

Businesses (Tamworth)

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government has taken to help small businesses in the constituency of Tamworth since 1997. [179960]

 
28 Jun 2004 : Column 45W
 

Nigel Griffiths: The Business Link Operator for Staffordshire, Staffordshire Business Support Limited, has provided assistance to 1,476 enterprises, in the Tamworth constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 Business Link Operators (six in the West Midlands) to provide Business Support to small and medium sized enterprises from April 2001. Before this date Government Support to business was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the SBS does not have access to this information.

Of the 1,476 companies, 114 received Business Start Up advice, other assistance provided included Workforce Development, Financial advice, Investors In People, Specialist Business Advice, International Trade, and Marketing assistance. 107 of the companies were female run businesses and 33 were ethnic minority run businesses.

Since April 2000 the Enterprise Grant scheme (which closed on 31 March 2004) enabled six companies to receive offers of grant with a total value of £130,350.

Since 1997 the Research and Development scheme and its predecessor Smart enabled four local companies to receive offers of grant with a total value of £480,000.

---