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27 Feb 2006 : Column 148W—continued
Cycling Accidents
Mrs. Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving cyclists resulting in (a) death and (b) serious injury there were in Gateshead, East and Washington, West constituency in each year since 1997. [54158]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of fatal and serious personal injury road accidents involving one or more cyclists in the parliamentary constituency of Gateshead, East and Washington, West between 1997 and 2004 (the latest year for which figures are available) is given in the table. The accidents in the table are those that occurred in the 2004 boundary for Gateshead, East and Washington, West constituency.
Drivers (First Aid Techniques)
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing to the driving test oral questions on how to use appropriate first aid techniques in the event of an accident. [53646]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 27 October 2005, Official Report, column 504W. The objective and robust assessment offered by our modern theory test is superior to the oral questioning arrangement which was discontinued in 1996.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to require drivers to help in the event of a road traffic accident. [53647]
Dr. Ladyman: There are no plans to introduce such legislation.
English Channel Shipping
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many ships used the English Channel in 2005, broken down by flag. [53029]
Dr. Ladyman: Based on ship reports to the Coastguard stations at Dover and Gris-Nez on the French coast, the total number of ships that used the English Channel in 2005, is estimated at 150,000, an average of 410 per day.
A breakdown of the ships reported to the Coastguard at Dover monitoring traffic in the South West lane of the UK's Dover Strait Traffic Separation Scheme, is shown as follows.
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European Biofuels Directive
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the progress the UK is making towards the targets set under the European Biofuels Directive. [51884]
Dr. Ladyman: Information on monthly sales of biofuels and all other transport fuels is available from the HM Revenue and Customs website at http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=facthydro. The data for November and December 2005 are still provisional at this stage, but suggests that, across the year as a whole, sales of biofuels accounted for some 0.25 per cent. of total transport fuel sales. The Government's recently announced Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation is set to deliver a huge increase in UK biofuels over the next few years, and will require transport fuel suppliers to ensure that, by 2010, biofuels account for 5 per cent. of their total sales.
Historical Wrecks
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Government signed an international treaty to protect the wreck of the Titanic; and for how long that protection will stand. [53458]
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Dr. Ladyman: The Government signed the Agreement Concerning the Shipwrecked Vessel RMS Titanic, on 5 November 2003. The Agreement will enter into force once two States have expressed their consent to be bound by it. The Agreement will then be in force in the UK until such a time as it is denounced.
Heathrow Airport
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people are exposed daily between 05.00 hours and 07.00 hours to levels of noise from air traffic at Heathrow exceeding World Health Organisation guidelines 'Guidelines for Community Noise'; and if he will make a statement. [40907]
Ms Buck: We do not monitor noise exposure around Heathrow airport in this format. Contour maps for night time noise exposure between for the night (2300–0700) and night quota period (2330–0600) were published in July 2004 as part of stage one of our consultation on night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports. The area of contour and population within the contour were also shown.
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many aircraft movements have taken place at Heathrow between (a) 23.30 hours and 06.00 hours and (b) 06.00 hours and 07.00 hours in each year since 1993; and if he will make a statement. [40908]
Ms Buck: The following table shows the number of aircraft 'movements at Heathrow Airport during the night quota period (2330–0600) between 1993 and 2005.
Certain types of aircraft are exempt from movements limits if their noise certification data are below a certain level 1 . These are recorded as exempt types. In addition, movements may be granted dispensations in certain cases 2 , and disregarded from the night restrictions.
The night restrictions regime is set on a seasonal basis (the seasons change with the clocks) rather than by calendar year.
We have not stored comprehensive historic data about movements between 0600 and 0700 hours at Heathrow Airport.
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1 Jet aircraft with a maximum certificated weight not exceeding 11,600kg and propeller aircraft are exempt from the movements limits and noise quotas if their noise certification data are less than 87 Effective Perceived Noise Decibles—the measurement unit for formal certification of aircraft noise.
2 Delays likely to lead to serious congestion and delays resulting from widespread disruption of Air Traffic, exemptions granted by DfT (DETR/DTLR) (VIP Passengers, Emergency Relief) and emergency Take-offs and Landings.
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