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TRANSPORT

Air Transport Users Council

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the (a) independence and (b) efficiency of the Air Transport Users Council. [56476]

Ms Buck [holding answer 6 March 2006]: The Air Transport Users Council (AUC) was set up by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to assist it in its statutory duty to further the reasonable interests of users of air transport services. The Government reviewed this arrangement during the preparation of the White Paper on the Future of Air Transport (2003). It concluded that the arrangement enabled the AUC to function independently of the air transport industry and that it remained a suitable model for representation of air passenger interests in the UK.

The AUC is accountable to the CAA for its efficiency through the CAA's business planning process.

British Transport Police

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the terms of reference are of the review of the British Transport Police in relation to safety on trains and at stations. [54994]

Derek Twigg: Following my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport's written statement on 11 October 2005, Official Report, columns 27–28WS, copies of the terms of reference for the review of the British Transport Police were placed in the Libraries of the House on 19 October 2005.

Bus Conductors

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus conductors there were in England and Wales in each year since 1997. [54966]


 
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Ms Buck: Decisions on whether to use conductors on bus services outside London are largely a matter for commercial operators. In London, the number of conductors employed is a matter for Transport for London. The Department does not collect information on the number of conductors employed by the industry.

Concessionary Travel

Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the merits of offering (a) free and (b) concessionary rail travel for senior citizens. [56019]

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport already ensures that all train operators participate in the Senior Railcard scheme which gives discounts on train travel nationwide for people over 60. Additional concessions for senior citizens may be proposed and funded by local authorities.

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities outside London and the metropolitan areas have provided free concessionary bus transport on a county basis. [57395]

Ms Buck: There are currently no free countywide concessionary bus travel schemes outside London and the metropolitan areas.

Crossrail

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the role is of the firm Linklaters in relation to work on the Crossrail project for his Department; and how much has been paid to this firm so far. [51221]

Derek Twigg [holding answer 14 February 2006]: Linklaters, who are a firm of solicitors, have been employed by the Department for Transport to provide advice on all commercial legal aspects of the Crossrail project and develop commercial agreements in which the Department has an interest. At present, the Department has not made any payments to Linklaters.

Departmental Telephone Numbers

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. [56544]

Ms Buck: DfT HQ buildings do not have any centrally provided 0800, 0845 and 0870 numbers. The following DfT Agencies do use such numbers:

DSA has the following numbers:

DVLA has the following numbers:


 
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Highways Agency has the following numbers:


 
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MCA has an Infoline—0870 600 6505.

VOSA has two such telephone numbers:

Siemens (contracted to implement the MOT computerisation scheme) also run an 0870 number on VOSA's behalf—0870 330 0440—MOT certificate validation service.

There is also an old number—0870 010 2607—which used to be the operator licensing number, although it now redirects callers to the national public inquiry line.


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