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25 Oct 2005 : Column 226W—continued
Cycling Accidents
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many injuries have been experienced by pedestrians as a result of accidents with cyclists in the last three years. [20558]
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Dr. Ladyman: The number of pedestrians injured in collision with a pedal cycle is given in the table.
| Pedestrian casualties | |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 209 |
| 2003 | 259 |
| 2004 | 236 |
Departmental Finance
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the latest estimate is of underspend by his Department (a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of departmental budget for financial year 2004–05. [18306]
Ms Buck: Provisional outturn against final Departmental Expenditure Limits is set out in Tables 1 and 1A of Public Expenditure 2004–05: Provisional Outturn (Cm 6639).
Departmental NDPBs
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required (a) to consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) to publish their response to advice from. [20117]
Ms Buck: Details of the Department for Transport's advisory non-departmental public bodies can be found on the Cabinet Office's Public Bodies Directory at: http://www.knowledgenetwork.gov.uk/ndpb/ndpb.nsf.
(a) The Government are required to consult the Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee in respect of certain provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended by the DDA 2005).
(b) The Government are currently not required to publish the Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee's advice. However, from 5 December 2005 the Secretary of State will be required to produce an annual report covering exemptions from the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations which must include details of the consultation carried out under sections 47(3) and 67A(1) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended), including consultation with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee. In the meantime details of DPTAC's responses to consultations on exemptions are published on the Department's website.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; which (a) publish their advice to Government, (b) publish an annual report and (c) lay an annual report before Parliament; and whether it is under a statutory requirement in each case. [20118]
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Ms Buck: Details of the Department for Transport's advisory non-departmental public bodies can be found on the Cabinet Office's Public Bodies Directory at: http://www.knowledgenetwork.gov.uk/ndpb/ndpb.nsf
(a) The Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee publishes some of its advice to Government, but this is not a statutory requirement. What is not published is available on request. The publication scheme setting this out is at http://www.dptac.gov.uk/foi/index.htm.
(b) The Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee has a statutory duty under the Transport Act 1985 to submit an annual report to the Secretary of State. The Committee also publishes this report for general circulation.
(c) The Secretary of State is required under the Transport Act 1985 to lay the Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee's annual report before Parliament.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether it is under a statutory requirement in each case. [20119]
Ms Buck: Details of the Department for Transport's advisory non-departmental public bodies can be found on the Cabinet Office's Public Bodies Directory at: http://www.knowledgenetwork.gov.uk/ndpb/ndpb.nsf
(a) The Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee has held public meetings in the past, but this is not a statutory requirement.
(b) The Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee has conducted public consultation exercises in the past, but this is not a statutory requirement.
(c) The Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee does consult stakeholders in the transport sector including organisations with commercial interests.
The Commission for Integrated Transport also consults stakeholders in the transport sector as a part of its research programme; on occasion this includes organisations with commercial interests. This is not a statutory requirement.
(d) The Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee has a register of Members' interests, but this is not a statutory requirement. The register of Members' interests is not published and is available from the Secretariat on request.
The Commission for Integrated Transport publishes a register of members' interests in its annual report, but this is not a statutory requirement.
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(e) The Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee does not publish agendas for meetings.
The Commission for Integrated Transport publishes agendas for its plenary meetings, but this is not a statutory requirement.
(f) The Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee publishes minutes of Main Committee meetings on its website at http://www.dptac.gov.uk/about.htm#minutes, but this is not a statutory requirement. Minutes of other meetings may in some cases be available under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
The Commission for Integrated Transport publishes minutes of its plenary meetings, but this is not a statutory requirement.
Departmental Staff
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the rates of employee absence in his Department have been in each year since 1997. [21025]
Ms Buck: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 20 July 2005, Official Report, column 1802W.
Departmental Websites
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 11 October 2005, Official Report, column 427W, on departmental websites, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the www.transportdirect.info website; and if he will make a statement. [20819]
Dr. Ladyman: Transport Direct brings together in a single site transport data from a variety of sources including National Rail, National Express, local bus companies, local authorities, airlines and OS mapping and road data. It is the first site to do this and now draws on over 100 individual data sources in order to offer travellers effective transport choices to meet their travel needs.
Rigorous testing of the site and its data is carried out on a monthly basis. Results from September showed that 98 per cent. of journeys tested provided accurate and reliable answers. Prompt action is taken to correct any errors or omissions discovered.
Transport Direct has now delivered over 2 million user sessions. On-line feedback from users shows that 93 per cent. are satisfied and would use the site again.
EU Aviation and Emissions Trading Conference
Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library (a) copies of all papers circulated at and (b) the final declaration of the conference convened by the UK presidency of the European Union on Aviation and Emissions Trading held on 26 to 27 September. [20979]
Ms Buck:
The conference was an informal event aimed at bringing together Transport and Environment officials from across Europe to discuss aviation and
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climate change. It provided an opportunity to update people on the work done by the European Commission to date and consider the current scientific understanding of aviation's impact on climate change.
In advance of the conference delegates were sent an electronic copy of the European Commission's feasibility study on including aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme: Giving Emissions Trading Wings" by CE Delft (2005). This report is freely available from the European Commission's website at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/aviation_en.htm
As the conference was not an official UK presidency event, there was no final declaration; however, conclusions from the conference were drawn. Copies of these will be placed in the House Library alongside copies of the programme for the event and the CE Delft report.
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