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TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Regional Development Agencies

The Minister for Industry and the Regions (Alun Michael): I am publishing today the reported mid-year output results for 2005–06 for England's regional development agencies.

The data show the progress made by the regional development agencies between April and September 2005 in delivering against the core output targets set in RDA corporate plans for 2005–08. The figures cover employment creation and support, business creation and support, leverage of reclamation/redevelopment, and skills development.

Copies of the mid-year output results have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and the results have also been placed on the DTI website at: www.dti._gov.uk/rda/info.

TRANSPORT

Disability Rights Commission (Transport Vehicles)

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Ms Karen Buck): I have today laid copies of
 
24 Jan 2006 : Column 54WS
 
the Disability Rights Commission's (DRC's) draft Code of Practice on the provision and use of transport vehicles before the House.

The Code, which has been developed in consultation with major stakeholders including industry representatives and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee and been subject to public consultation, is a supplement to the DRC's existing Code of Practice: Rights of Access to Services and Premises for all other service providers, and it is intended to be read in conjunction with that publication.

It is designed to assist the operators of rail vehicles (including light rail, underground and trams), buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, vehicle hire, breakdown services and vehicles used on leisure and tourism transport services in meeting their new duties under Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 as amended by the DDA 2005.

The new duties, which stem from the Disability Discrimination (Transport Vehicles) Regulations 2005, will come into force on 4 December 2006.

When the regulations are in force, disabled people will have certain rights to transport services in the same way as they do to other services such as shops and banks.