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8 Mar 2006 : Column 1527W—continued
Renewable Energy
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money his Department has spent on research into the use of (a) cereal ethanol, (b) beet ethanol, (c) straw ethanol, (d) rape methyl ester, (e) wood ethanol, (f) wood methanol, (g) wood FT-diesel and (h) waste oil for hybrid fuel. [54948]
Dr. Ladyman:
This Department has funded research in recent years into different aspects of biofuel production and use, but not detailed consideration of these individual biofuels. Our research has focused instead on the potential environmental and other impacts of significant use of biofuels in the longer term, and on the emissions consequences and economics of various bioethanol and biodiesel blends. We have also contributed to projects being managed by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership which are aiming to create the carbon and environmental assurance schemes to underpin the Renewable Transport Fuels obligation. Taken together, this Department's expenditure on this research amounts to a little under £200,000. Copies of the reports are available via the DfT website (and can be found by following the links to Roads, Roads and Vehicles, Vehicles, and Vehicles and the Environment).
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A number of other Government Departments (including the Department for Trade and Industry and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) have also funded research into aspects of biofuel production and use. The DTI-sponsored New and Renewable Energy Research and Development Programme, for example, has included a number of projects on the development of advanced production methods for biofuels. Defra has published various research reports on the environmental and other impacts of biofuel production in the UK. All of these reports are available via their respective websites.
Road Calming
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the relative merits of flash up speed signs in reducing (a) speed and (b) road traffic accidents compared with other road calming methods; and if he will make a statement. [55113]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department has not made any assessment of the merits of Speed Indicator Devices which display a vehicle's speed.
In 2002 the Transport Research Laboratory published research into the effectiveness of vehicle activated signs (VAS), which show either the speed limit or a range of hazard warning signs. The study demonstrated that VAS are best used at the approaches to junctions and bends on rural roads.
Road Pricing
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential impact on urban congestion of a national road pricing scheme. [55754]
Dr. Ladyman [holding answer 6 March 2006]: The Feasibility Study of Road Pricing in the UK (2004) estimated that a national road pricing scheme has the potential to reduce urban congestion by around half, from a reduction in urban traffic levels of only 3 to 4 per cent.
Road Projects
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria are used to reach a decision on whether to undertake road improvement projects; what account is taken when making such decisions of (a) economic criteria, (b) operational criteria, (c) numbers of fatalities and (d) general safety issues; and if he will make a statement. [56794]
Dr. Ladyman: All road improvement projects are assessed in relation to their impacts on the economy, safety, the environment, accessibility and integration with wider policies, as summarised in Appraisal Summary Tables which are produced for each scheme. The results contained in Appraisal Summary Tables are used to reach an assessment of a scheme's overall value for money in accordance with the Department's published Value for Money guidance.
In addition to value for money, our decisions also take account of other factors such as: deliverability; affordability; the achievement of central Government, local and regional objectives; and the amelioration of identified problems.
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Security (River Thames)
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken to improve the co-ordination of security on the Thames. [54967]
Dr. Ladyman: A security co-ordination group for the tidal River Thames known as the Thames Counter Terrorism Partnership (TCTP) was created in 2004. TCTP meets regularly and brings together key security stakeholders on the river including the Department, the Metropolitan, Kent, Essex and City of London Police Services, Immigration Service, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, HM Revenue and Customs and the Port of London Authority. TCTP has developed a risk register of vulnerable locations within the port and this has been used to support the revision and further development of security plans, tactics, communications and associated contingency plans.
Shipping Accidents
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many shipping accidents involving (a) collision, (b) grounding and (c) fire have occurred in (i) UK waters and (ii) the Pentland Firth in each of the last 20 years. [56870]
Dr. Ladyman: The Marine Accident Investigation Branch of the Department for Transport only hold data related to accidents in UK territorial waters (12 mile limit) from 1991 to date.
(ii) The Pentland Firth has been defined by the limits of 58°38N to 58°48N and 002°55W to 003°25W. This area includes Dunnet Head, Duncansby Head, Brough Ness, and Tor Ness.
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UK Waters (Traffic Density)
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will rank UK waters by traffic density. [56878]
Dr. Ladyman: No, this information is not collected in a format that would make such direct comparisons possible.
Urban Road Network
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 8 February 2006, Official Report, column 1061W, on the urban road network, what proportion of the total road network is covered by the 10 largest urban areas. [55259]
Dr. Ladyman: The latest available figures relate to 2004 when the length of the total road network in England was 297,779 km, of which 19.8 per cent. was covered by the 10 largest urban areas. Road lengths, by road class, for individual local highway authority areas are available on the Department for Transport website.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Accountable Stores
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the accountable stores lost as referred to on page 62 of her Department's resource accounts. [53119]
Bill Rammell: The majority of the losses referred to on page 62 of the resource accounts relate to the disposal of publications purchased with public funds and held at the Department's publications distributor. The Department has established a programme board to drive forward change within the Department in the way that it handles publications. The key aims of the programme are to improve stock control and through improved visibility and advice to ensure that owners of publications can actively manage both existing stock and future production.
In 2004–05 there were 37 cases totalling £866,000 made up as follows:
For comparison in 2003–04 accountable stores losses were £5.724 million of which £5.722 million was one case arising from a major review of waste and obsolete publications held at the publications distributor.
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