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2 Mar 2005 : Column 1185W—continued
VAT (Further Education Colleges)
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reduce the level at which further education colleges pay VAT to the same level as that applicable to the school sector. [219423]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 February 2005, Official Report, column 762W to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr.Lidington).
TRANSPORT
Cancer
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what policies his Department has in place for supporting employees with cancer. [218673]
Charlotte Atkins: The Department and its agencies have access to Occupational Health Advisers and Counselling and Support Services/Employee Assistance Programmes, which would be used to provide specialist support and advice to employees suffering with cancer.
Our attendance management policies and medical referral protocols are sympathetic to individuals suffering from cancer.
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Driving Instruction
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department collected to inform the decision that compulsory motorway tuition is unnecessary; and if he will make a statement. [218774]
Mr. Jamieson: The Department collects statistics and carries out research to help inform road safety policy. In 2003, there were 14,839 car drivers involved in injury road accidents on Britain's motorways. Of these car drivers, 258 were aged 17–18 and 309 were aged 19. However, casualty statistics do not take account of the amount of driving done on motorways by different categories of drivers.
Research for the Department published in 2002 indicates that although young novice drivers are more at risk than other drivers in all or most situations, motorways do not present them with a disproportionately higher risk than other road types.
The research report, TRL 527, is available in the Libraries of the House and on-line at www.trl.co.uk/static/dtlr/pdfs/TRL527.pdf. Paragraphs 7.3.4 and 7.3.5 and figures 17 and 18 on page 19 refer.
Driving Licence (Medical Checks)
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to introduce compulsory medical checks when driving licence holders reach the age of 70; and if he will make a statement. [219393]
Mr. Jamieson: At present there is no clear evidence to suggest that mandatory medical examinations for drivers at the age of 70 would result in a marked improvement to road safety sufficient to justify the potential inconvenience and expense for the majority of drivers, who remain fit to drive.
London Commuters
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) passengers in excess of capacity and (b) total number of passengers figure was (i) for each London commuting service train operator and (ii) in total, broken down into (A) am peak and (B) pm peak figures measured in the annual survey in 2004; and what the number was of peak passengers into London for (1) am peak periods, (2) pm peak periods and (3) in total for each London commuting service train operator. [218212]
Mr. McNulty: The results of the autumn 2004 counts are not yet available. The results of the autumn 2003 counts are shown in the following table. The Passengers In Excess of Capacity" (PIXC) mechanism monitors services into London in the morning peak and out of London in the evening peak.
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Taxis
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of taxis per head of population in each metropolitan authority. [218390]
Charlotte Atkins: The estimates are given in the following table.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which metropolitan councils have placed limits on the numbers of licensed taxis; what the limits are in each case; and which metropolitan councils have placed no limits on the number of taxis. [218391]
Charlotte Atkins: Our latest statistics, as at 31 March 2004, show that 26 metropolitan authorities place a limit on the number of taxis they license. Those authorities, together with their respective limits, are listed as follows:
(11) Limit applies in only one licensing zone.
2 Mar 2005 : Column 1188W
10 metropolitan authorities do not impose a limit on the number of taxis they license:
We have written to those authorities which control taxi numbers requesting that they undertake a review of their policy, and if they decide to retain a limit that they publish a justification of that policy by the end of March 2005.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Arms Exports (Indonesia)
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2005, Official Report, column 627W on arms exports (Indonesia) if she will provide a breakdown of the most recent repayment schedule for the sums owed by Indonesia in connection with the Indonesian purchases of (a) Scorpion and Stormer vehicles and (b) Hawk aircraft. [217443]
Mr. Alexander:
Repayments in respect of the amounts referred to in my previous answer are due to be made in half-yearly instalments, the next falling due on 1 June 2005 and the last on 1 June 2021.
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Because details of amounts owed to the Paris Club are not held at contract level, it is not possible to provide repayment schedules in relation to individual contracts.
Business Regulation
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with businesses to review current levels of regulation. [217357]
Nigel Griffiths: I maintain close and regular contact with business. Businesses are routinely invited to participate in consultations on new policy and legislative proposals.
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