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6 Apr 2005 : Column 1506W—continued
Civil Servants (Relocation)
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants in his Department have (a) been relocated and (b) been agreed for relocation in the last 12 months; and to which areas of the United Kingdom. [223919]
Mr. McNulty: DfT are working on the implementation of the original proposals made on Lyons relocation. These relate to civil service posts not individual civil servants. The proposals have now been developed further. Our current position is that 61 posts have been identified with 25 going to Derby, 23 to Hastings, three to Swansea and the rest to other locations outside London and the South East.
Deregulation
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many regulations have been repealed by his Department since 1 October 2004. [224619]
Mr. McNulty:
Since 1 October 2004 six general statutory instruments for which the Department for Transport has responsibility have been repealed in their entirety. In addition, it is likely that numerous instruments have been partially repealed but details could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Dishforth-Barton Road Upgrade
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the date is for the commencement of the works to upgrade the Dishforth-Barton road to motorway status; and what the estimated duration of the works is. [224862]
Mr. Jamieson: The Al Dishforth to Barton Improvement is scheduled to start construction in April 2008, subject to the completion of statutory procedures and the availability of funds. Construction works are programmed for a period of three years.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding has been proposed for the upgrading of the A1 between Dishforth and Barton to motorway status; and from which budget the costs of the work will be met. [224863]
Mr. Jamieson: The scheme is included within the Targeted Programme of Improvements with an approved budget of £325 million.
EU Measures (Repeals)
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many EU (a) regulations and (b) directives covering matters within the responsibility of his Department have been repealed since 1 April 2004. [224571]
Mr. McNulty: The Department does not hold central records of the number of EU legislation that has been repealed. The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Commission publishes figures for European legislation repealed or expired in its annual general reports on the activities of the European Union, the latest figures published are for 2003.
Helicopter Movements (Sutton)
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many helicopter movements there were in the airspace above the London Borough of Sutton in each year since 2001. [224760]
Mr. McNulty: This information is held by National Air Traffic Services Ltd. (NATS) and I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Roadside Advertising
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 346W, on roadside advertising, (1) if he will make a statement on the methodology used to evaluate whether roadside advertisements are a cause of road accidents; [224800]
(2) whether (a) car drivers, (b) bus drivers and (c) drivers of heavy goods vehicles were consulted as part of the research into whether roadside advertisements contributed to road accidents; [224801]
(3) if he will commission a full study into the potential for distraction by temporary wheeled billboards placed next to motorways. [224802]
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Mr. Jamieson: Studies have been carried out into the effect of the presence of roadside advertisements and other potential distractions to road accidents. It is, however, difficult to derive a direct causal relationship because accidents are often the result of several factors. Studies have also monitored the duration of drivers' eye movements from the road to roadside distractions, including signs, which provides an indicator of accident potential. I am not aware of any specific consultation with drivers that has been undertaken as part of the research. I do not propose to commission a study on the potential for distraction of temporary wheeled billboards placed next to motorways. It is for local planning authorities to use their enforcement powers to remove unlawfully displayed advertisements.
DEFENCE
Airfield Closures
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to close airfields; what assessment he has made of the impact of reductions in the number of airfields on Air Training Corps gliding activities; and if he will make a statement. [218236]
Mr. Caplin: We have announced that the airfield at RAF Coltishall will close in 2006 and the airfield at RAF Lyneham will close when the Hercules aircraft based there transfer to RAF Brize Norton. There is no Air Training Corps gliding activity at either of the above airfields.
Additionally, RAF Sealand is scheduled to close in 2006. The relocation of 631 Voluntary Gliding School is under consideration and full account will be taken of the impact on Air Training Corps gliding activity.
Armed Forces Housing
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the implications applying the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Decent Homes Standard to the homes of members of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement. [214549]
Mr. Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 112W.
Army Complaints Procedure
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedural time limits apply for the issue of a decision by the Army Board in respect of a complaint under Army redress procedures relating to (a) sexual harassment, (b) racial harassment, (c) parental leave directive, (d) pay and (e) religion. [218233]
Mr. Caplin: There are no absolute time limits on the processing of redress of complaints by the Army Board.
Black Watch
Annabelle Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he will write to the hon. Member for Perth with the information on (a) fines and (b) pay
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levels for soldiers of 1st Battalion Black Watch, as indicated in the answer of 18 November 2004, Official Report, column 1809W; [207599]
(2) when he will write to the hon. Member for Perth with information on (a) fines and (b) pay levels for soldiers of 1st Battalion Black Watch, as indicated in the answer of 18 November 2004, Official Report, column 1809W. [214811]
Mr. Caplin [holding answer 7 February 2005]: I replied to the hon. Member on 30 January and 28 February 2005, copies of the letters are available in the Library of the House.
DARA, Fixed Wing St. Athan
Mr. John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether DARA, Fixed Wing St. Athan, have confirmed their intention to participate in the competitive tender process to become a manpower service provider to BAE Systems for the (a) Tornado CMU and (b) Harrier Jump programmes. [221708]
Mr. Ingram: DARA will not participate in the tender process to become a manpower service provider to BAE Systems for either the Tornado CMU or Harrier Jump programmes.
Departmental Employees
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average number of civilian employees, including civil servants employed by his Department, has been in each year since 1998. [224117]
Mr. Caplin [holding answer 4 April 2005]: The information requested is in the following table:
(8) In 2001 the QinetiQ portion of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (8,000) was established as a private company.
Note:
Figures calculated using a 13-month average.
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