House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 1 Nov 2004 (pt 5)

1 Nov 2004 : Column 14W—continued

Sea Containers

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many sea containers have arrived at each British sea port in each year since 1997. [194698]

Mr. Jamieson: The available information is as follows:
Thousand

Port 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Aberdeen ⁽²⁾— ⁽²⁾— ⁽²⁾— 1 12 14 13

Belfast 55 59 60 61 55 57 64

Boston ⁽³⁾— ⁽³⁾— ⁽³⁾— 8 2 2 4

Bristol 10 11 14 16 25 29 30

Cardiff ⁽³⁾— ⁽³⁾— ⁽³⁾— 13 13 11 15

Clyde 9 9 12 14 17 18 23

Felixstowe 800 857 913 929 936 871 807

Forth 32 32 33 40 40 47 53

Goole ⁽³⁾— ⁽³⁾— ⁽³⁾— 36 37 26 9

Grimsby and Immingham 79 80 86 21 23 53 36

Harwich 27 25 24 34 7 9 7

Hull 73 77 71 81 69 46 83

Ipswich ⁽²⁾— 1 3 6 12 18 19

Liverpool 152 156 163 167 159 148 168

London 172 205 234 194 243 280 301

Medway 129 165 160 162 165 172 161

Portsmouth ⁽²⁾— ⁽²⁾— ⁽²⁾— ⁽²⁾— 17 19 11

Southampton 296 279 301 346 371 403 425

Tees and Hartlepool 84 80 74 14 23 35 38

Tyne 10 12 12 7 14 16 13

Warrenpoint 8 9 8 8 7 8 5

⁽²⁾ Less than half the final digit shown
⁽³⁾ Not available
Note:
Information for 1997–99 is not directly comparable with subsequent years because of changes to the reporting system in 2000 (containers carried on ship by shipborne port to port trailers were included in 1997–99, but only partially included from 2000. The ports mainly affected by this change are Grimsby and Immingham, Tees and Hartlepool and London). Estimates have been made of the number of inwards containers in 1997–99, from inwards and outwards traffic combined.

1 Nov 2004 : Column 15W

Port	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Aberdeen	⁽²⁾—	⁽²⁾—	⁽²⁾—	1	12	14	13
Belfast	55	59	60	61	55	57	64
Boston	⁽³⁾—	⁽³⁾—	⁽³⁾—	8	2	2	4
Bristol	10	11	14	16	25	29	30
Cardiff	⁽³⁾—	⁽³⁾—	⁽³⁾—	13	13	11	15
Clyde	9	9	12	14	17	18	23
Felixstowe	800	857	913	929	936	871	807
Forth	32	32	33	40	40	47	53
Goole	⁽³⁾—	⁽³⁾—	⁽³⁾—	36	37	26	9
Grimsby and Immingham	79	80	86	21	23	53	36
Harwich	27	25	24	34	7	9	7
Hull	73	77	71	81	69	46	83
Ipswich	⁽²⁾—	1	3	6	12	18	19
Liverpool	152	156	163	167	159	148	168
London	172	205	234	194	243	280	301
Medway	129	165	160	162	165	172	161
Portsmouth	⁽²⁾—	⁽²⁾—	⁽²⁾—	⁽²⁾—	17	19	11
Southampton	296	279	301	346	371	403	425
Tees and Hartlepool	84	80	74	14	23	35	38
Tyne	10	12	12	7	14	16	13
Warrenpoint	8	9	8	8	7	8	5

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff have been employed at each port of entry to inspect and search sea containers in each year since 2001. [194700]

Mr. Jamieson: All ports handling international traffic must meet Government set standards for security. However, the actual number of staff that are employed by a port is a commercial decision for the ports themselves. We therefore do not hold this information centrally.

Security (Clapham Junction)

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on security procedures at Clapham Junction. [194708]

Mr. McNulty: All railways stations are required to comply with certain security standards as set out in the Department for Transport National Railways Security Programme and the Station Security Instruction issued on 27 May 2004 under the terms of the Railways Act 1993. It is not our practice to detail the required security measures or procedures at individual stations for obvious reasons.

Strategic Rail Authority

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will set a date for the abolition of the Strategic Rail Authority. [194652]

Mr. McNulty: The Secretary of State for Transport said at the time of the publication of the White Paper "The Future of Rail" (July 2004), that the Strategic Rail Authority would be wound up 'probably in the second half of next year'. The exact timing of the closure of the SRA is dependent on the necessary legislation being in place. The Government will introduce legislation as soon as Parliamentary time permits.

1 Nov 2004 : Column 16W

Vehicle Checks

Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicle identity checks under the Vehicle (Crimes) Act 2001 have been recorded in each month since April 2003. [195054]

Mr. Jamieson: The number of vehicle identity checks undertaken each month since the scheme began in April 2003 are recorded in the table.

Number of checks

2003–04

April 2

May 243

June 902

July 1,798

August 1,846

September 2,564

October 3,184

November 3,030

December 2,946

January 3,361

February 3,597

March 3,760

2004–05

April 3,111

May 2,963

June 3,379

July 3,338

August 3,094

September 3,674

October ⁽⁴⁾2,505

November —

December —

January —

February —

March —

⁽⁴⁾ To 22 October 2004

	Number of checks
2003–04
April	2
May	243
June	902
July	1,798
August	1,846
September	2,564
October	3,184
November	3,030
December	2,946
January	3,361
February	3,597
March	3,760
2004–05
April	3,111
May	2,963
June	3,379
July	3,338
August	3,094
September	3,674
October	⁽⁴⁾2,505
November	—
December	—
January	—
February	—
March	—

Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles have been presented to each test station for vehicle identity checks since April 2003; and what the pass rate is at each test centre. [195055]

1 Nov 2004 : Column 17W

Mr. Jamieson: The number of vehicle identity checks conducted at each test station and the respective pass rate for each station since the scheme began in April 2003 are listed in the following table.

Very few vehicles fail the vehicle identity check. This was expected as the aim of the scheme was to deter ringing crime rather than detect it.

Station Number of checks Pass rate

Aberdeen 145 100.0

Aberystwyth 62 100.0

Bristol 1,106 99.9

Berwick 31 100.0

Beverley 990 99.6

Bicester 564 99.6

Birmingham 3,866 99.8

Caernarvon 13 100.0

Cardiff 1,362 99.8

Carlisle 194 100.0

Manchester North 4,216 99.9

Charlesfield 182 100.0

Chelmsford 3,555 99.9

Cowes 52 98.1

Darlington 1,530 99.9

Derby 1,744 100.0

Doncaster 3,780 99.9

Dumfries 127 100.0

East Fortune 26 100.0

Livingston 599 99.7

London North 2,964 99.9

Exeter 895 99.8

Gillingham 1,574 99.9

Glasgow 1,224 99.9

Gloucester 492 99.8

Guildford 671 99.7

Haverfordwest 45 100.0

Inverness 56 98.2

Kidderminster 794 99.9

Kirkwall 15 100.0

Lerwick 6 100.0

Liverpool 459 100.0

Llandrindon Wells 23 100.0

Lochgilphead 5 100.0

Milnthorpe 246 99.6

London South 2,736 99.9

Montrose 112 100.0

Newbury 263 99.6

Newcastle 1,673 99.9

Newton Stewart 33 100.0

Northam SVA 232 99.6

Norwich 931 100.0

Perth 376 100.0

Peterborough 1,342 99.9

Poole 493 99.8

Redruth 769 99.9

Shrewsbury 24 100.0

Shrewsbury SVA 662 100.0

Southampton 528 100.0

Speke 833 99.9

Stornoway 4 100.0

Ammanford 704 99.9

Taunton 393 100.0

Walton 641 99.7

Watford (Edmonton) 2,151 100.0

Wick 4 100.0

Wrexham 778 100.0

1 Nov 2004 : Column 18W

Station	Number of checks	Pass rate
Aberdeen	145	100.0
Aberystwyth	62	100.0
Bristol	1,106	99.9
Berwick	31	100.0
Beverley	990	99.6
Bicester	564	99.6
Birmingham	3,866	99.8
Caernarvon	13	100.0
Cardiff	1,362	99.8
Carlisle	194	100.0
Manchester North	4,216	99.9
Charlesfield	182	100.0
Chelmsford	3,555	99.9
Cowes	52	98.1
Darlington	1,530	99.9
Derby	1,744	100.0
Doncaster	3,780	99.9
Dumfries	127	100.0
East Fortune	26	100.0
Livingston	599	99.7
London North	2,964	99.9
Exeter	895	99.8
Gillingham	1,574	99.9
Glasgow	1,224	99.9
Gloucester	492	99.8
Guildford	671	99.7
Haverfordwest	45	100.0
Inverness	56	98.2
Kidderminster	794	99.9
Kirkwall	15	100.0
Lerwick	6	100.0
Liverpool	459	100.0
Llandrindon Wells	23	100.0
Lochgilphead	5	100.0
Milnthorpe	246	99.6
London South	2,736	99.9
Montrose	112	100.0
Newbury	263	99.6
Newcastle	1,673	99.9
Newton Stewart	33	100.0
Northam SVA	232	99.6
Norwich	931	100.0
Perth	376	100.0
Peterborough	1,342	99.9
Poole	493	99.8
Redruth	769	99.9
Shrewsbury	24	100.0
Shrewsbury SVA	662	100.0
Southampton	528	100.0
Speke	833	99.9
Stornoway	4	100.0
Ammanford	704	99.9
Taunton	393	100.0
Walton	641	99.7
Watford (Edmonton)	2,151	100.0
Wick	4	100.0
Wrexham	778	100.0

Vehicle Registrations

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review the regulations controlling the display of motor vehicles' registration letters and numbers. [194328]

Mr. Jamieson: The regulations that govern the display of motor vehicles' registration letters and numbers were last reviewed in 1999. The British number plate is considered to be one of the clearest in Europe and there are no plans to review the regulations again at present.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Cullen Inquiry

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Advocate-General (1) what role she played in the decision to place a 100-year closure on the Cullen Inquiry into the Dunblane tragedy; [193769]

(2) on what basis the decision was taken to place a 100-year closure on the Cullen Inquiry into the Dunblane tragedy; [193770]

(3) what statutory basis was cited in placing a 100-year closure on the Cullen Inquiry. [193771]

The Advocate-General for Scotland: I played no role in the decision to place a 100-year closure on the Cullen Inquiry into the Dunblane tragedy and, accordingly, had no part in any decision regarding closure periods relating to that Inquiry.

Given the above, I was not involved in any citation of a statutory basis for placing a 100-year closure on Cullen Inquiry papers. I understand, however, that there is no statutory basis for the closure of records created by Scottish public bodies. The Public Records (Scotland) Act 1937 ("the 1937 Act") makes provision for the preservation, care and custody of the public records of Scotland. The terms of the legislation are permissive. I understand that the criteria for closures longer than 30 years were defined in the 1993 White Paper on Open Government (Cm 2290) and that the principles set out in that White Paper are relevant in decision-making on disclosure.

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