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3 Nov 2005 : Column 1287W—continued
Road Safety
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on road traffic calming measures. [24976]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department's Traffic Calming Bibliography", Traffic Advisory Leaflet 2/05 published in January this year, lists the main items of published advice and research into the design, use and effectiveness of traffic calming measures. Copies of this leaflet have been placed in the House Library.
In addition, a Local Transport Note on traffic calming is being drafted. This will summarise existing information on the design and effectiveness of traffic calming measures. The Department plans to publish this Local Transport Note early next year.
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to record the nationality of all drivers involved in road traffic accidents in England. [24165]
Dr. Ladyman: Information about personal injury road accidents in Great Britain is collected by the police. There are no plans to establish the nationality of every driver involved. However, from 1 January 2005, the information collected about each vehicle involved in such an accident includes whether it is a foreign registered vehicle, and whether it is left or right hand drive. Results will become available in the summer of 2006.
School Crossing Patrols
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of levels of pay for school crossing patrols on recruitment. [24368]
Dr. Ladyman: Local authorities are responsible for the provision and recruitment of school crossing patrols (SCPs).
National pay scales exist for SCPs: most authorities pay NJC (National Joint Council) Scale, Spinal Column Point 5 (pro-rata)—equivalent to £7.1311 per hour.
Speed Cameras
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was raised in fines as a result of detection by (a) mobile and (b) fixed speed cameras in each year for which figures are available. [23883]
Dr. Ladyman:
The Department's information on fines following offences detected by safety cameras relates to the totals for safety camera partnerships, and not to camera types. The following table shows income available for netting-off in England and Wales for each year for which figures are available since the inception of the programme.
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| Fine revenue (£) | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 9,871,920 |
| 2001–02 | 18,799,820 |
| 2002–03 | 73,876,260 |
| 2003–04 | 113,567,780 |
Traffic Commissioners
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the rule that the traffic commissioners do not accept representations made on behalf of constituents by elected representatives. [24406]
Dr. Ladyman: I have no plans to review the categories of persons who may object to, or make representations against, the issue of a goods vehicle operator's licence by a traffic commissioner. These persons include county, district and unitary authorities and individuals who own or occupy land in the vicinity of a proposed operating centre for goods vehicles. The existing arrangements provide adequate opportunity for persons who may be affected by the issuing of a licence to have their views considered.
Traffic Lights
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has issued to local authorities on the timing of the pedestrian phase of traffic lights; what monitoring takes place to ensure that such guidance is adhered to; and if he will take action to prevent the length of the pedestrian phase of traffic light sequences being set so high as to cause unnecessary traffic congestion. [23353]
Ms Buck: The Department has issued guidance in Traffic Advisory Leaflet 5/05, Pedestrian Facilities at Signal-Controlled Junctions. I will arrange for a copy to be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Tackling congestion through effective management of a local authority's road network is a statutory duty under Part 2 of the Traffic Management Act 2004. Within this context, authorities are responsible for determining traffic light timings, taking account of local traffic conditions. Traffic light timings are not monitored centrally.
WALES
Departmental Skills Development Plan
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's skills development plan. [23858]
(2) which individual in responsible for developing and implementing his Department's skills development plan. [23916]
Nick Ainger: The Wales Office has fewer than 500 staff and is not required to produce a skills development plan.
Skills needs are assessed as part of each member of staff's personal development plan against the requirements of their post and their wider development needs.
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Health Services
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2005, Official Report, column 252W on health services, whether he discusses the delivery of health services in Wales in Cabinet as the voice of Wales. [24970]
Mr. Hain: Yes, when the health service is an agenda item and even when it is not; I may also on occasions have discussions with the Secretary for Health, if there is a specific issue I need to raise with her. Two examples being the NHS Redress Bill and the Health Bill, both of which include powers for Wales.
Literacy and Numeracy
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what training in (a) literacy and (b) numeracy is offered to employees of his Department. [21125]
Mr. Hain: Skills needs are assessed as part of each member of staffs personal development plan against the requirements of their post and their wider development needs.
If a requirement for training in literacy or numeracy were identified, training would be offered internally, on the job or through an external organisation as appropriate.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on in-house training on (a) literacy and (b) numeracy (i) in total and (ii) per head in each year since 2002. [23360]
Nick Ainger: The Wales Office has not sent any staff on specific literacy or numeracy training courses, so has incurred no direct costs.
However, it does encourage staff to attend training courses and on-the-job training relevant to their posts and identified in their performance development plans. Such training can include elements of literacy and numeracy training but it is not possible to quantify this directly.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many employees in his Department requested training to improve their (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills in each year since 2002. [23399]
Nick Ainger: No Wales Office staff have requested specific training in either literacy or numeracy since 2002.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to promote uptake of the national tests in adult literacy and numeracy amongst employees in his Department. [23443]
Nick Ainger:
The Wales Office is a small Department which recruits most of its staff from other Government Departments and the National Assembly for Wales. Literacy and numeracy are tested as appropriate during the recruitment process.
3 Nov 2005 : Column 1290W
Individual staff training requirements are assessed as part of the performance management process. If national tests in literacy or numeracy were identified for staff members, they would be encouraged to sit the tests.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of new recruits to his Department do not have a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics. [23766]
Nick Ainger: Most staff recruited to the Wales Office are existing civil servants and as such have already had their basic skills assessed.
The Wales Office does not collect information on staff qualifications. Recruitment to the Wales Office is based on competence and hence there may not be a specific requirement for staff to have particular qualifications.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what methods of assessment of (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills are used as part of the recruitment process by employees of his Department. [23797]
Nick Ainger: Most staff recruited to the Wales Office are existing civil servants and as such have already had their basic skills assessed.
During recruitment to the Wales Office, literacy is tested through the completion of the application form and performance at interview. Numeracy skills are not usually tested separately.
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