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A40/M40

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many copies of the Highways Agency's consultation leaflet on the M40/A40 Management Strategy have been distributed in Stokenchurch. [187380]

Mr. Jamieson: Fifty copies of the consultation for the M40/A40 Draft Route Management Strategy were sent to Stokenchurch Library.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Highways Agency has taken to consult the residents of Stokenchurch on the draft A40/M40 Route Management Strategy. [187543]

Mr. Jamieson: A press notice was issued to inform national and local media. The document was placed on deposit at local council offices. Leaflets were available at Oxford Motorway services, High Wycombe library and subsequently Stokenchurch library.

Aviation Health Unit

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the work of the Aviation Health Unit. [187190]

Mr. McNulty: The Aviation Health Unit was established in December 2003 primarily to provide advice to the UK Government and others on aviation health issues. It also investigates potential new aviation health concerns; reviews research and other information on aviation health; and liaises with the aviation industry and relevant organisations throughout the world. The Department is funding the unit until legislation can be enacted to allow the CAA to meet the costs of the unit from the charges it levies on airlines.

Cargo Aircraft (Terrorism)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the vulnerability of cargo aircraft using United Kingdom airports to terrorists stowing on board with the aim of taking over the cockpit in flight. [187305]

Mr. McNulty: The Department for Transport continually assesses the vulnerability, from all types of terrorist attack, of all aircraft using UK airports.

Crossrail

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the start of construction of (a) Crossrail and (b) Crossrail 2. [187132]

Mr. McNulty: The Secretary of State announced to Parliament on 20 July 2004 that he intended that appropriate powers for the construction of Crossrail should be sought by means of a hybrid Bill to be introduced in Parliament at the earliest opportunity. Previous experience, with the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill, suggests that the bill might take around two years to complete its passage. The Government have no plans currently to seek legal powers for Crossrail 2.
 
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Departmental Costs

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of refurbishments to the fabric of buildings owned by his Department has been since May 1997. [186396]

Mr. McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 22 July 2004, Official Report, column 653W to the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire (Mr. Selous).

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total running cost of his Department's canteen facilities was in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 2003–04. [186398]

Mr. McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 21 July 2004, Official Report, column 263W, to the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous).

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on replacing light bulbs in the last year for which figures are available. [186401]

Mr. McNulty: This information is not collected centrally and the costs are often undifferentiated from other mechanical and electrical service costs or are not accounted for separately in the individual finance systems. To separately identify such costs would involve disproportionate costs.

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of printing departmental headed notepaper was in (a) 1996–97 and (b) the last year for which figures are available. [186397]

Mr. McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the answer on 21 July 2004, Official Report, column 264W, to the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin).

Freight Transport

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the 10 Year Transport Plan as it relates to freight transport. [186672]

Mr. Jamieson: The 10 Year Plan for transport marked the beginning of a more strategic approach to delivering transport improvements. It delivered a long term Government commitment to sustained increases in transport spending.

Much of this investment will benefit freight alongside other transport users. The plan is delivering new capacity on the road network, with 80 schemes at various stages in the Targeted Programme of Improvements totalling around £8.8 billion. 13 of these schemes are currently under construction, including widening of the M25 between Junctions 12 to 15 around Heathrow. We have also invested in the Rail Network, renewing 800 miles of track last year. And we have increased total Government capital support for local authorities from £650 million in 2001 to £1.9 billion in 2004–05.

In relation to specific references to Freight in the 10 Year Plan, there has been a significant increase in freight on rail over recent years. The possibility of dedicated HGV only lanes on our strategic routes has
 
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been under consideration, but suitable sites have yet to be identified, though a number of schemes have been introduced .which afford goods vehicles priority, along with buses and cyclists, over general traffic in congested urban areas. Finally, we have made significant progress in implementing road haulage efficiency measures as outlined in the 10 Year Plan, particularly through the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund. In particular we have been funding projects to offer training in safer and more fuel efficient driving, and to promote operational practices that save on the use of fuel.

"The future of Transport", published in July this year builds on the 10 Year Plan and looks forward to the factors that might shape travel demand and our transport network over the next 30 years. It sets out how the Government will respond to those pressures while safeguarding our economic and social wellbeing and the environment. Our policies for freight transport are set out in that document.

M6

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his intention that the proposed M6 toll expressway should be (a) constructed and (b) operated by a private sector contractor. [186986]

Mr. Jamieson: The M6 expressway is no more than a broad concept at this stage. If we decide to ask the Highways Agency to undertake further development work in light of the responses from the consultation exercise, one issue we will need to consider further is whether the proposal could be undertaken by a private sector concessionaire to fund, construct and operate the expressway for a set period.

Night Flights

Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish a consultation document on night flights. [186320]

Mr. McNulty: I published a consultation paper on night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports on 21 July 2004, Official Report, columns 56–58WS.

Nuclear Materials (Transport)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has conducted a review of the suitability, in respect of security and safety, of the different ships used, or planned to be used, to transport plutonium MOX fuel to overseas customers from Sellafield. [187285]

Mr. McNulty: Ships used to transport MOX fuel are reviewed routinely under separate regulations governing the security and safety of the transport of nuclear materials. The Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003 provide for the review of all security aspects of each shipment of MOX fuel including the suitability of the vessel. The Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel etc.) (INF Code) Regulations 2000, SI 3216 provide for both certification that vessels have been constructed to international standards, and periodic review to ensure that they continue to comply with the requirements.
 
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