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Shipping Employment

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the overall change in the number of British seafarers employed in UK shipping has been as a result of the Government's measures introduced under their policy Charting a New Course. [182021]

Mr. Jamieson: "British Shipping: Charting a New Course" was published in 1998. It led to the introduction of a number of innovative measures aimed at halting the decline in the UK shipping industry, including Tonnage Tax in 2000.

Shipping is a global, competitive industry and changes in UK seafarer numbers cannot be attributed to the Government's policy measures alone. However, the latest available figures (contained in the London Metropolitan University's 'United Kingdom Seafarer's Analysis 2003') show that although the number of UK active seafarers had declined from approximately 30,000 in 1997 to 25,000 in 2001, it had increased to 28,000 by 2003.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the employment trends of British seafarers over the last seven years; [182272]

(2) what effect the tonnage tax scheme has had on employment levels among British seafarers; and if he will make a statement. [182273]

Mr. Jamieson: The tonnage tax, which was introduced in the Finance Act 2000, is part of the Government's strategy for halting the decline in the UK shipping industry. Around 12,500 seafarers (officers and ratings) are employed on ships in the tonnage tax. Approximately 39 per cent. of all of these seafarers, and nearly 50 per cent. of the officers, are UK nationals.

Shipping is, however, a global, competitive industry and UK seafarer employment levels are influenced by factors other than the tonnage tax. The latest available
 
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figures (contained in the London Metropolitan University's 'United Kingdom Seafarer's Analysis 2003') show that although the number of UK active seafarers had declined from approximately 30,000 in 1997 to 25,000 in 2001, it had increased to 28,000 by 2003.

Speed Cameras

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason speed cameras are not installed on motorways as a routine safety measure on the same basis as other roads. [181441]

Mr. Jamieson: The deployment of safety cameras on motorways is governed by the same rules as those on other parts of the network. Motorways, being relatively safer than the rest of the road network due to the separation of opposing traffic streams and the limited amount of vulnerable users, present fewer locations that meet the criteria. However, cameras are used at locations where the speed limit has been reduced for reasons of safety, including road maintenance sites where they enforce temporary speed limits put in place for the protection of road users and workers alike.

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the new system for speed camera penalties linking penalty points to the scale of the excess speed will be introduced. [181442]

Mr. Jamieson: We are planning to consult on a more flexible system of fines for speeding to reflect better the levels of risk to road safety. Changes to the penalty fine system for speeding offences would require legislation.
 
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Strategic Rail Authority

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who the winner was of the Strategic Rail Authority's freight innovation competition; by when the winning scheme was required to be operational; what progress has been made to date with the winning scheme; and if he will make a statement. [180903]

Mr. McNulty: The three winners of the Strategic Rail Authority's Innovative Solutions in Rail-Based Logistics competition are listed in the SRA's 2001 Freight Strategy. Each had contractual milestones to reach. All three have delivered on them. Details are as follows:

Blue Circle Consortium: This project commenced its contracted period of two year operational trials in July 2003. On-going evaluation is taking place.

Exel: This project has been completed. Technical trials with a number of end user customers took place during 2001–02 as specified with the project demonstrating the potential viability and market attractiveness of a freight multiple unit concept.

Minimodal: The equipment has been developed. Operational trials began in May 2003 and are on-going. The company is in negotiation with potential clients to commence full scale commercial operation later this year.

Ten-year Transport Plan

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library an updated copy of Table A3 from the 10-year transport plan (a) at outturn prices and (b) at today's prices. [180853]

Mr. McNulty: Table Al.l 'Delivering Better Transport: Progress Report (December 2002)' updates Table A3 from the 'Transport 2010: The 10 Year Plan' in outturn prices. Table Al.l is reproduced below for reference. These indicative spending plans are being reviewed in the context of the Spending Review 2004 and the review and roll forward of the 10 Year Plan.
Table A1.1: 10 Year Plan—public spending and private investment, 2001–02 to 2010–11Decisions about allocations from 2006–07 onwards, in particular the use of unallocated provision, will be taken in the light of the review and roll-forward of the 10 Year Plan (£ billion, rounded)

	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07
Public investment expenditure	4.2	5.6	6.0	6.2	6.4	6.4
Of which:
Strategic roads	1.0	1.1	0.6	0.8	0.6	0.9
Railways	0.9	1.4	2.7	2.5	3.0	2.7
Local transport	1.2	1.5	1.6	1.9	1.9	2.1
London excluding LUL	0.5	0.7	1.0	0.9	0.7	0.7
LUL	0.5	0.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Other	0.1	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
Unallocated	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1
Public resource expenditure	5.3	5.8	7.2	7.5	7.8	8.2
Of which:
Strategic roads	0.6	0.7	1.2	1.1	1.4	1.4
Railways	1.2	1.4	1.1	1.3	1.3	1.5
Local transport	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.5
Local authority revenue	2.4	2.4	2.6	2.7	2.7	2.8
London excluding LUL	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4
London LA revenue	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4
LUL	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	1.1	1.1
Other	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2
Total public expenditure	9.5	11.4	13.2	13.6	14.2	14.6
Of which:
Strategic roads	1.6	1.7	1.8	1.9	2.0	2.2
Railways	2.1	2.8	3.8	3.8	4.3	4.2
Local transport	4.0	4.4	4.6	5.1	5.2	5.3
London excluding LUL	1.1	1.4	1.7	1.6	1.4	1.5
LUL	0.5	0.8	1.0	1.0	1.1	1.1
Other	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
Unallocated	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1
Private investment	4.3	4.9	5.9	6.2	5.7	5.9
Of which:
Strategic roads	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.4
Railways	3.4	3.7	3.8	4.0	3.2	3.1
Local transport	0.6	0.7	0.8	0.9	1.0	1.0
London	0.2	0.3	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.3
Public spending from local charging revenue	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2
Less: Public expenditure supporting private investment	-0.2	-0.2	-1.3	-1.4	-1.7	-2.0
Net total	13.7	16.0	17.8	18.5	18.3	18.7

 
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(£ billion, rounded)

	2007–08	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11	10 Year Plan totals
Public investment expenditure	6.8	7.1	7.5	7.5	63.7
Of which:
Strategic roads	1.0	1.3	1.3	1.3	9.9
Railways	2.2	1.3	1.2	1.2	19.2
Local transport	2.2	2.2	2.2	2.2	19.0
London excluding LUL	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	7.3
LUL	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.2
Other	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.8
Unallocated	0.7	1.5	2.0	1.9	6.2
Public resource expenditure	8.3	8.7	8.9	9.1	76.8
Of which:
Strategic roads	1.4	1.5	1.5	1.6	12.3
Railways	1.4	1.6	1.5	1.5	13.8
Local transport	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.7	5.3
Local authority revenue	2.8	2.9	2.9	3.0	27.3
London excluding LUL	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	3.5
London LA revenue	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	3.9
LUL	1.2	1.2	1.3	1.3	9.3
Other	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	1.3
Total public expenditure	15.2	15.7	16.4	16.6	140.4
Of which:
Strategic roads	2.4	2.7	2.8	2.9	22.2
Railways	3.6	2.9	2.7	2.8	33.0
Local transport	5.5	5.7	5.8	6.0	51.6
London excluding LUL	1.5'	1.5	1.5	1.5	14.8
LUL	1.2	1.2	1.3	1.3	10.5
Other	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	2.1
Unallocated	0.7	1.5	2.0	1.9	6.2
Private investment	6.0	5.9	5.9	5.9	56.6
Of which:
Strategic roads	0.4	0.3	0.2	0.2	2.5
Railways	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4	34.1
Local transport	1.1	1.0	1.0	1.0	9.0
London	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.3	11.1
Public spending from local charging revenue	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	1.3
Less: Public expenditure supporting private investment	-2.3	-2.5	-2.9	-3.1	-17.7
Net total	19.1	19.3	19.6	19.6	180.6

Notes:
1. The net total figures represent the total of public and private investment and public resource expenditure plus public spending funded by local charging revenue. But to avoid double counting, public expenditure which directly supports private investment has been excluded from the net total.
2. All figures are at outturn prices. Totals may not sum owing to rounding.
3. The figures for public investment expenditure consist of expenditure within DfT's Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) and capital grants to the private sector within DfT's Resource DEL. Figures for public resource expenditure consist of the remainder of DfT's Resource DEL and estimates of local authority revenue expenditure.
4. Figures for public expenditure in 2001–02 represent outturn expenditure; for 2002–03 provision; for 2003–04 plans under Spending Review 2002; and for later years, indicative allocations subject to future Spending Reviews.
5. Local authority revenue figures are estimates of local authority transport spending, reflecting Highways Maintenance Standard Spending Assessment (SSA) and an estimated part of EPCS SSA in years up to 2002–03. For later years, the figures represent plans for Highways Maintenance Formula Spending Share (FSS) and an estimated part of EPCS FSS.





 
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