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Motor Insurance Contracts

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the location and number of all exits from motorways in England and Wales that are controlled (a) full and (b) part-time by traffic lights. [179902]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 23 June 2004]: The Highways Agency has identified the following motorways in England that have one or more exit slip roads controlled by full time traffic signals:

Ml at junctions 5, 10 to 15, 19, 21, 24 to 26, 28, 33, 34, 40 and 42

M2 at junctions 3 and 5

M3 at junctions 1, 3 to 6, 9 to 11 and 13

M4 at junctions 3 to 8/9, 11 to 13, 15, 16, 18 and 19

M5 at junctions 1 to 4, 6,16 to 19, 21, 25, 29 and 30

M6 at junctions 5, 9, 10, 15,16, 19, 23, 24, 27 and 34

M11 at junctions 7, 8 and 13

Ml8 at junction 5

M20 at junctions 4 and 10

M23 at junctions 9 and 10

M25 at junctions 1A to 3, 6, 8,10, 11,14, 17, 18, 20, 23, 25, 28 to 31

M27 at junctions 2, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11

M32 at junctions 1 and 2

M40 at junctions 1, 4, 9 and 15

M42 at junctions 1, 2, 4, 6 and 10

M53 at junction 5

M56 at junctions 4, 6, 11 and 12

M57 at junction 6

M58 at junction 1

M60 at junctions 1, 2, 7, 9, 10, 15, 18 to 24, 26 and 27

M62 at junctions 6, 26, 28, 31 to 33

M65 at junction 4

M66 at junction 2

M67 at junctions 1 and 3

M602 at Albion Way and Regent Road and junction 2

M606 at Staygate Interchange

M621 at junctions 1, 3, 4 and 7

A1(M) at junctions 4 and 8

Al94(M) at White Mare Pool Interchange

 
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The Highways Agency has also identified the following motorways in England with one or more exit slip roads controlled by part time traffic signals:

Ml at junction 31

M2 at junction 4

Ml 8 at junctions 1 and 3

M55 at junction 1

M60 at junction 17

M62 at junction 20

M621 at junction 2

A1(M) at junctions 3, 6, 61, 62 and 63

Approximately 80 km of motorways in England are owned and managed by local highway authorities; information about exit slip roads traffic signals on these roads is not readily available.

The National Assembly for Wales is responsible for motorways in Wales.

Regional Assemblies

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings his Department has held with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister concerning the powers of elected regional assemblies. [180446]

Mr. McNulty: The Department has held a number of meetings with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister about the statutory provisions and other arrangements required to give effect to the transport powers of elected regional assemblies set out in the White Paper "Your Region, Your Choice".

Road Safety

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of road accidents in 2003 occurred (a) at road junctions, (b) on roads where lanes had been closed off, (c) on motorways, (d) on dual carriageways, (e) in areas subject to 30 mph speed limits, (f) in areas subject to 40 mph speed limits and (g) in areas subject to 70 mph speed limits. [181497]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 29 June 2004]: 60 per cent. of all injury road accidents in Great Britain in 2003 were at junctions; 4 per cent. were on motorways; 16 per cent. on dual carriageways which include motorways; 64 per cent. were on roads subject to 30 mph speed limits; 8 per cent. were on roads subject to 40 mph speed limits and 7 per cent. occurred on roads subject to 70 mph speed limits.

We are unable to provide information about roads where lanes have been closed off and it is important to remember that the numbers quoted in the answer above are not mutually exclusive. For example motorways are counted both in the dual carriageway figure and the all roads subject to a 70 mph speed limit percentage, and dual carriageways would also cover roads subject to a 40 mph speed limit.

Ryde Tunnel

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to retain the flexibility of Ryde Tunnel to take standard railway gauge and light railway tramcar stock. [181676]

 
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Mr. McNulty: There are no plans to change the dimensions of the tunnel at Ryde in any way.

Vehicle Operator Services Agency

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the costs of the Vehicle Operator Services Agency's IT provision was at the end of the previous contract with EDS as a percentage of turnover; and what the projected costs of IT provision at the end of the current contract with Atos Origin are. [180386]

Mr. Jamieson: The final year of the EDS contract was 2002. During this calendar year the Vehicle Inspectorate's turnover was £100.1 million. Payments to EDS amounted to £5.8 million, which is 5.8 per cent. of turnover.

The contract with Atos Origin will run until 31 December 2011. The projected turnover for the calendar year 2011 for the Vehicle Inspectorate part of VOSA is £144.3 million, and the contracted IT services provision costs is £6.7 million, 4.6 per cent. of turnover.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Education

12. Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on provision of non-vocational adult education. [181606]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government is committed to continuing a wide range of opportunities in non-vocational adult education including literacy and numeracy and opportunities for those returning to learning who want a first step on the learning ladder.

In addition, to safeguard learning for personal fulfilment the Government has agreed with the LSC a budget of £207 million in 2004–05 for adult education secured through Local Education Authorities, an increase of 43 per cent. compared with funding in 2000–01 of £145 million.

School Funding

13. Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the financial provision for schools in 2004–05. [181607]

Mr. Miliband: The school funding settlement for 2004–05 is designed to promote stability and certainty for schools in their financial planning and management. It includes a guaranteed increase in funding of at least 4 per cent. per pupil for every school (where pupil numbers are static), additional resource at LEA level, and a package of transitional support to help schools in the greatest difficulties balance their budgets by 2006–07.

Protocol System

14. Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the Protocol system. [181608]

Alan Johnson: The new Protocol system has been developed in partnership with the Student Loans Company to process all applications for higher
 
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education student finance. Following successful piloting in 2003–04, the system is being used by all Local Education Authorities to process 2004–05 applications. Progress is being closely monitored.

School Bullying

15. Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on his policy on bullying in schools. [181609]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: We have published a guidance pack "Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence" and an anti-bullying website www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying with detailed advice on combating bullying. In November 2003 I launched an Anti-bullying Charter for Action for schools, which thousands of schools have signed. The Charter includes guidance on effective practice to help schools enhance their anti-bullying work.

The Government's "make a difference" Anti-Bullying campaign has put this issue at the centre of our focus on improving behaviour and attendance in all our schools.

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