| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
16 Nov 2004 : Column 1234W—continued
Green Ministers
Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many departmental Green Ministers there have been since 1997. [197839]
Charlotte Atkins: I have been the Department's Green Minister since September 2004. I am the Department for Transport's third Green Minister since its formation in May 2002.
Level crossings
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many level crossings are in operation; and at how many, and at what percentage of these collisions occurred between rail and road traffic in each year from 1975 to date. [197890]
Mr. McNulty: The Health and Safety Executive's HM Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) have produced the following table detailing the information requested from 1 January 1990 onwards. The data are based on incidents reported under accident reporting regulations to HMRI.
Information for the period 1975 to 1989 is not available in the format requested, however published copies of HM Chief Inspector of Railways Annual Reports on Railway Safety for the period do give details of all accidents at level crossings. These include trains striking level crossing barriers and gates, animals on the line and injuries to motorists and pedestrians. Copies of these reports are in the Libraries of the House.
Road Traffic Accidents
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many persons (a) died and (b) were seriously injured in road traffic accidents on 6 November. [197889]
16 Nov 2004 : Column 1235W
Mr. Jamieson: Figures for 2004 will not be available until the summer of 2005. This is because there is typically a 12-week delay in receiving information from the police and a much longer delay if they are having any difficulties in collating the information. Once all data have been finalised they are made available for publication.
Roads (Lorry Bans)
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether on the completion of the Dunstable and Houghton Regis northern bypass, the extension of the A505 to the M1, there will be a ban on the use of the A5 through Dunstable by lorries not having business in the town. [198202]
Mr. Jamieson: The development of the proposed A5-M1 link (Dunstable northern bypass) is at an early stage and responsibility for the A5 through Dunstable on completion of the bypass has not yet been agreed. However, if the route were to be de-trunked, responsibility would pass to Bedfordshire county council, who could consider such a lorry ban.
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to institute a ban in Leighton Buzzard and Linslade on lorries not having business in the town. [198203]
Mr. Jamieson: This is a matter for Bedfordshire county council.
School Buses
Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures the Government will put in place to ensure that high standards are maintained by companies charged with running yellow school buses. [198109]
Mr. Jamieson: We want all buses—including yellow school buses—to be safe and secure for their users. A range of safeguards is already in place to ensure that vehicles are safe and drivers are adequately trained.
Translink Guided Busway
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the latest estimated cost is of the Translink guided busway for Luton, Dunstable, Houghton Regis and the surrounding area. [198204]
Charlotte Atkins: The latest estimated cost of the Translink guided busway is £85.436 million.
Vehicle Licensing
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reduce the costs of vehicle licensing. [197831]
Mr. Jamieson: The regime for vehicle taxation, i.e. vehicle licensing, is determined by HM Treasury and DVLA collect the vehicle excise duty on behalf of HM Treasury through a service level agreement held by the Department of Transport.
DVLA have efficiency targets set for their operations on an annual basis to ensure that productivity gains are made consistently. They have a good record in this,
16 Nov 2004 : Column 1236W
having returned efficiency gains of 21 per cent. over the last six years, and have challenging targets agreed as part of the Gershon review for the period up to 2007–08.
CABINET
Ministerial Responsibilities
22. Mr. Swayne: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many hours on average he has spent per week on his Duchy of Lancaster responsibilities. [198123]
Mr. Milburn: I have regular meetings on Duchy business. The Chairman and CEO regularly brief me on current issues.
Strategy Unit
23. Andy Burnham: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the work programme of the Strategy Unit. [198124]
Mr. Milburn: The Strategy Unit undertakes projects on a wide range of issues, as well as working across Government to improve strategic capability, and providing leadership for Government social research. Projects may culminate either in a published report (including statements of future policy) or confidential advice to Ministers.
The five main current public Strategy Unit projects cover:
Parliamentary Ombudsman
24. Tony Wright: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans she has to bring forward legislation to enable citizens to have direct access to the parliamentary ombudsman. [198126]
Ruth Kelly: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer provided by my predecessor to the hon. Member for Milton Keynes, North East, (Brian White) on Tuesday 9 March 2004, Official Report, columns 1377–1378.
Civil Service
25. Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what action is being taken to increase the number of women in the senior civil service. [198127]
Ruth Kelly: The Government are committed to increasing the representation of women in the Senior Civil Service. Some 27.8 per cent. of the Senior Civil Service are women, up from 17.6 per cent. in 1998.
Action in departments includes targeted development schemes for women with the potential to reach the SCS.
Attitude Surveys
Mr. Andrew Turner:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he receives copies of
16 Nov 2004 : Column 1237W
departmental attitude surveys in connection with his responsibilities for co-ordination of Government policy. [198762]
Mr. Milburn: I receive departmental papers as necessary, in order to undertake my cross-Government role in the co-ordination of Government policy, my responsibilities for the work of the Strategy Unit and my membership of Cabinet and Cabinet Committees.
Cabinet Committees
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Cabinet Committees he (a) chairs and (b) attends in his capacity as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. [195977]
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the Cabinet Committees of which he is a member. [197312]
Mr. Milburn [holding answer 9 November 2004]: An announcement on the membership of Cabinet Committees will be made shortly.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |