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20 Dec 2004 : Column 1353W—continued
Parliamentary Questions
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister to how many written parliamentary questions he responded with an answer which included the formulation, 'I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave . . .' during the 2003–04 parliamentary session; and what percentage of answers in that session this represents. [206031]
The Prime Minister: This information is not held in the format requested. However, it is a matter of public record and can be found in the Official Report.
Working Time Regulations
Mr. Brady: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 13 December 2004, Official Report, column 823, on the Working Time Regulations, how many and what percentage of officials in his private office have signed a waiver under the Working Time Regulations. [206004]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to my answer of 13 December 2004, Official Report, column 823W.
CABINET OFFICE
Correspondence
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his target time is in 2004–05 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in his office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public. [202479]
Mr. Milburn: When the Duchy of Lancaster receives letters addressed to me as Chancellor drafting is undertaken by the Duchy of Lancaster office and we aim to respond within seven days.
Equipment Leasing
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by the Duchy in each of the last two years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case. [202483]
Mr. Milburn:
The Duchy of Lancaster has not undertaken any equipment leasing arrangements over the past two years.
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IT Contracts
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the (a) projected cost at the time of tender and (b) actual cost at the time of completion was for each IT contract commissioned by the Duchy over the last five years. [201616]
Mr. Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster has not entered into any major information technology (IT) projects over the last five years, save for the construction of its website, which was completed on budget.
TRANSPORT
Bus Lanes
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents took place in bus lanes in each year since 1997. [201610]
Mr. Darling: The number of accidents involving at least one road user in a bus lane for the years 1999 to 2003 are shown in the table. Information is not available prior to 1999.
| Number of accidents | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 927 |
| 2000 | 851 |
| 2001 | 1,058 |
| 2002 | 1,012 |
| 2003 | 1,035 |
Car Insurance
Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the average cost of car insurance for newly qualified drivers under the age of 25 years. [205187]
Mr. Jamieson: The insurance industry estimates that the average cost of car insurance for all drivers is £370. No separate estimates are available for the average costs for newly qualified drivers under the age of 25.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in his Department in each of the last two years. [202411]
Charlotte Atkins: There were no new builds, demolition re-builds and PFI projects in DfT Central in 2002–03 and 2003–04 but the costs for the Department's agencies are shown in the table:
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Departmental Refurbishment
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years. [202415]
Charlotte Atkins: The cost of building refurbishment in the DfT over each of the last two years are shown in the table:
(4) For these two years DVLA's main office refurbishment costs were not separately recorded as they were included in general maintenance costs. To provide some idea of refurbishment costs in these two years the estimated maintenance costs per annum are approximately £1.2 million.
European Railway Agency
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the role of the European Railway Agency. [206848]
Mr. McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the second paragraph of my answer of 14 December 2004, Official Report, column 1013W.
Human Rights Act
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what the cost has been in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. [202426]
Charlotte Atkins: The Human Rights Act has given rise to little specific litigation against the Department for Transport. Where HR points are taken, they are mostly taken in support of other causes of action, which makes them very difficult to count separately.
The subjects of the convention rights themselves are, to a very great extent, already actionable in existing domestic law.
For these reasons it would not be possible to apportion costs and compensation payments as requested without reviewing all the cases handled by the Department since October 2000, which would give rise to disproportionate cost.
M6 Toll Road
Michael Fabricant:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that emergency vehicles with activated blue light beacons are not hindered at toll booths when exiting the M6 toll road; and if he will make a statement; [203346]
20 Dec 2004 : Column 1356W
(2) if he will make a statement on the conditions of use of the M6 toll road by official emergency vehicles. [203355]
Mr. Jamieson: Under the statutory Order governing tolling at the M6 toll road (The Birmingham Northern Relief Road Toll Order 1998 (SI 1998/124)), police vehicles, fire engines and ambulances are exempt from toll charges.
The M6 toll road concessionaire, Midland Expressway Limited (MEL), has primary responsibility for the operation of the M6 toll road during the lifetime of the concession agreement. Therefore, it is for MEL to ensure that adequate procedures are in place so that emergency vehicles are not unduly hindered when using the toll road.
As regards the Government's policy towards the charging of emergency vehicles for using other toll roads, this generally depends on the legislation governing the tolled undertaking. However, in the consultation paper "Breaking the logjam", published in March 1999, about giving local authorities powers to bring in road user charging schemes, the Government stated that it
". . . does not consider it to be appropriate to charge vehicles used by the emergency services . . .".
Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's policy is towards the charging of emergency vehicles for using (a) the M6 toll road and (b) other toll roads; and if he will make a statement. [203567]
Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given earlier today (UIN 203346).
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