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Aircraft Landings (Deportations)

Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what records are maintained by his Department of aircraft which land in the United Kingdom and which are transporting individuals who are being deported or otherwise involuntarily transferred from the United States to another country. [16675]

Ms Buck: No information on aircraft transporting individuals being deported or involuntarily transferred from the United States is held by the Department.

Aviation Subsidies

Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of subsidising airline routes in the United Kingdom using public service obligations. [17971]

Ms Buck: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 9 June 2005, Official Report, column 616W.

Blue Badges

Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cases of blue badges being stolen from parked cars were reported in the last 12 months; and what steps he is taking to prevent the fraudulent use of stolen blue badges. [17017]

Ms Buck: Blue badge theft would be reported directly to individual local authorities, who are responsible for administering the blue badge scheme, including issuing badges and replacing lost or stolen ones. There is no legal requirement for local authorities to provide the Department with this information nor does the Department currently ask for that information as part of its annual blue badge statistical survey of local authorities in England. The devolved administrations are responsible for the scheme in other parts of the UK.
 
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Vehicle crime is a matter that the Government continue to take very seriously and initiatives continue to be taken forward to reduce levels of crime and theft in particular. In relation to theft of blue badges, the Department is currently working closely with the Home Office to assess the position and consider what action can be taken.

The issues of abuse and misuse of blue badges are of particular concern to us. Indeed, these were considered during a recent comprehensive review of the blue badge scheme, which concluded with 47 recommendations from our statutory advisers, the Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee, including a number of additional enforcement measures. The majority of the recommendations have been accepted by the Government and are being taken forward. The enforcement measures include a power for parking enforcement officers to inspect badges and the introduction of a national database of badge holders which, once implemented, we believe will be effective in reducing instances of misuse.

Power to inspect

Provision for a power to inspect badges has already been included in the Traffic Management Act 2004. The Department went out to consultation on the guidance for enforcement officers and badge holders in July this year and we intend to introduce the new power early next year by Commencement Order.

Database of blue badge holders

A research project looking into the feasibility of a national database of blue badge holders is now under way. It is scheduled for completion in December 2005, when a final report with recommendations on the way forward will be available.

Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have been prosecuted in the last five years for fraudulently using disabled parking badges. [18151]

Ms Buck: Enforcement of the disabled persons' parking badge scheme is a matter for local authorities. There is no legal requirement for local authorities to provide the Department with details of any such prosecutions nor does the Department currently ask for that information as part of its annual Blue Badge statistical survey of local authorities in England. The devolved Administrations are responsible for the scheme in other parts of the UK.

The issues of misuse and abuse of badges were considered as part of the recent review of the Blue Badge scheme. In concluding the review some 47 recommendations were made to Ministers through the Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee, the Department's statutory advisers on the transport needs of disabled people, including a number of enforcement measures. The Government accepted most of these and is currently taking them forward. A summary of the recommendations and the Government's response to them was placed in the House Libraries on 18 December 2002.

Bus Services

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his strategy is for increasing the number of subsidised bus services in local authority areas outside London; and if he will make a statement. [18575]

 
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Ms Buck: The total of local bus kilometres subsidised by English local authorities outside London has risen from 277 million in 1996–97 to 368 million last year. Decisions on which services to support are for individual local authorities, taking account of local needs and priorities, and in light of the resources available to them. These resources include the Revenue Support Grant and also this Department's Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (this grant totals £53 million this year).

We are encouraging local authorities to get best value from their expenditure on bus support through for example the introduction of local accessibility planning and the publication of a best practice guide on tendering procedures.

Cycle Lanes

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of cycle lanes have been constructed in England in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area. [17348]

Derek Twigg: Information on cycle lanes in England, outside of London for the financial years from 2001–02 to 2004–05 is set out in the tables which have been placed in the Libraries of the House. Data on cycle lanes has only been collected since 2001–02.

The information is provided by local authorities on an annual basis as part of their annual performance report on their local transport plans. It is not verified by the Department. Responsibility for the accuracy of the data rests with individual authorities. The data are incomplete and includes some estimates.

A breakdown of cycle lanes by London borough is not available. TfL estimates that there are approximately 300 km of cycle lanes in London. In addition, there are 431 km of the planned London Cycle Network Plus ready for adoption by London boroughs, though it is not exclusively made up of cycle lanes.

Free Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding will be provided to local authorities to pay for the cost of free travel from 1 April 2006 for those aged 60 years and above; and if he will make a statement. [18505]

Ms Buck: The Government will provide an extra £350 million in 2006–07, which will be sufficient to fund the cost to local authorities.

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities provide free (a) local and (b) national (i) bus and (ii) public transport passes to pensioners. [18710]

Ms Buck: In England, free off-peak travel on public transport is provided to those 60 and over (unless otherwise specified) and disabled people by the London boroughs, the West Midland's Passenger Transport Executive, Merseytravel, Crawley, Redditch (bus only), Thurrock (bus only), Reading (bus only, and 65 and over), Bournemouth (80 and over), Plymouth (80 and other), and Rossendale (90 and over). No English authorities provide national free travel.
 
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Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the term local" will be defined when free local bus travel for pensioners is introduced in April 2006. [18711]

Ms Buck: Local will be defined as within the boundary of the district or unitary council, or the passenger transport executives in metropolitan areas.

Left-hand Drive Vehicles

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government have taken to reduce the number of accidents involving left-hand drive commercial vehicles. [19321]

Dr. Ladyman: Vision to the right-hand side of large left-hand drive vehicles may be restricted. To help address this we have agreed, with European colleagues, a Directive requiring newly registered large goods vehicles to be fitted with additional mirrors. These mirrors will provide better vision along the side of the vehicle and also a better downward view of the traffic adjacent to the side of the vehicle. This Directive will start to take effect from January 2007.

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